Dark from the World

Prologue (Clinging To The Past)

The gates of doom loomed overhead and that wretched sign stared me down with its evil words; it read, "SkyReach Highschool" Below that were words of true horror.

"We will reach to the skies and retrieve the joy of true success."

I turned around to ask my mother if we could run, run far away, but she sat in her car safely across the road. She playfully poked her tongue out and smirked with a, "I already know how terrifying that thing is, never going there again" kinda look. I stared into her crystal blue eyes for a moment, observing her brown hair in the light. Slowly I turned and to my utter terror, a senior, freaking senior, stood there smiling at me with her porcelain grin and empty eyes.

"Welcome to SkyReach High."

I should've turned and run right there, but all I did was smile back and shakily reach for an orientation pamphlet. Biggest mistake of my life. I scampered away from them as fast as I could and desperately searched for the auditorium. The place was packed, that was about 200 kids too many for me, still, I wasn't about to ditch my first day.

'Time for your brave face, my sweet...'

My mother's voice echoed gently through my mind soothing me enough to gather any courage left to face the worst of all of this. People.

I tried to squeeze through the crowds and avoid as much eye contact as possible, but that's not the easiest thing to do when looking for someone. Well, some people, I told myself I wasn't looking for him, but hey, it's easy to get lost in crushes.

 I was lost in thought until I heard someone calling my name my eyes scanned over the crowd and funnily enough, there he was. "Lindsey!" My heart pounded in my chest as he welcomed me with his half smile. "Oh, hey!" I said nonchalantly as possible, "where are the others?" Mason shrugged and I couldn't help but notice his coffee brown hair and handsome hazel eyes. I struggled to ever find his flaws. I was jolted from my thoughts when our eyes met and he started to chuckle softly. The moment was quickly interrupted by a screeching loud enough to be a colony of seagulls and I immediately knew my friends had found us.

"LINDSEYYY, MASON!"

"SHHHIIIPP!"

My face went warm and my gut wrenched, my friends knew I'd had a crush on him since the last year of primary. Quickly I put my head done and read the orientation schedule to hide my flushed cheeks from Mason's glorious eyes. "Masey, am I right?!" I peeked up to see my friend, Stella, grinning at me. "I told you not to use the ship name around him!" Stella laughed as I prepared myself to jokingly slap her with my pamphlet. "I don't mind you know." Mason had just leaned into our conversation.

I held his hand, my own slick with sweat, he'd asked me out on the first day and my friends had practically exploded whenever they saw us. I remembered our one year anniversary. It was sweet but not exactly impressive. Just perfect for two fourteen- year olds...

Suddenly Lindsey's phone buzzed and she realised she had gotten caught up in her memories. She would be starting her last day of high school tomorrow and Mason had texted her, probably over something important. It could wait. Lindsey was tired and time wouldn't wait for her. Just one more crappy year until freedom...