New Beginnings || Calum Hood

one

I began the day taking my all too familiar drive to my all to familiar high school.

"Hey Liz!" My friends all said in unison as I stepped out of my car and onto my schools parking lot.

"Hey guys!" I said back to them. It was just me, (Liz) Kelly, Meredith, and Stacey. We had stuck together ever since middle school. We were by no means popular. Not because we were ugly or bitchy, but mainly because we didn't care to try hard enough to reach any level of popularity. We went to the occasional high school party (just because we aren't popular doesn't mean we aren't friends with some of the more chill members of the popular crowd) but I never really enjoyed them. I wasn't thought of as a nerd, more of that girl that's a member of Student Council and someone to ask math questions to.

Stacey and I would fill our free time talking about boys that would never no who we are. YouTubers, actors, and everyone in between.

We walked into school all together, chatting about the previous weekends events. We stepped in and I waved them all goodbye as I headed towards my first period Biology class. You see, I was one of only two Juniors in this class full of Seniors. At the beginning of the year I was terrified of coming to class, but much to my surprise the Seniors didn't bother me in the slightest, in fact, they ignored my existence completely.

I was fine with this, they did the same to the other Junior, Calum Hood. This was odd to me because Calum was not only brilliant but a star soccer player. He also had eyes that I couldn't help but stare into every time he looked my way.

Calum was obviously good looking, but I was always a little intimidated by him. On the surface he seemed to be this perfect prep school boy. Smart, athletic, friends with everyone.

This is why when he sat down next to my usual spot at the front of the classroom I was just a little bit nervous. Nothing that has never happened before, but not something that happens every day.

"Good morning Liz!" He smiled at me.

"Morning Cal." I grinned back at him. He yawned in his seat stretching his arms into the air around us. I couldn't help myself when I peaked at his flexed muscles, but I caught myself and quickly got out my homework and notebook from my bag and began writing down a to-do list for that evening.

Class began and then lingered on to an end. Thought of cells and genes filled my mind. I grabbed my books and quickly walked out of the class room.

"Liz! Wait!" a voice rang down the hall. I turned around to see Calum coming towards me. "Your bracelet must have fell off. I saw it under your chair." He was holding a grey bangle. It was a bracelet I had worn almost everyday since my friends gave it to me in the eighth grade.

"Woah thanks! I don't know what I would do without this. I wear it all the time. It's sort of like a comfort item you know?" I told him gratefully.

"Yeah! My moms painted her nails the same color for eighteen years. She says it's good luck."

I laughed and pushed my dark, lightly curled hair behind my ears. "Well, I better get going, see you at lunch." I told him and began walking to my next class.

"Bye Liz." I heard him whisper it more to himself than to me, I could only hear him faintly.

I guess I'll never no for sure, but it was in that moment I knew something began. Something spontaneous and adventurous that would sweep me off my feet, either letting me fly, or hurling back to the ground. But no matter what, it was something new. Perhaps it was a new beginning.