The Contract

I - Vacare

I was alone.

Even though I was currently surrounded by swarms of students at the moment, who were bustling with life and chatter, I was utterly alone. I always felt alone. I felt empty, all the time, like there was a huge part of me missing, swept off by an invisible gust of wind to never be seen again. I longed to find that missing part—that part that was vanished entirely from my view.

My whole life was just going to school, doing my work, and then heading home. There was never anything I looked forward to; no one I cared so much to see that I woke up in the morning just to catch a glimpse of them.

I didn't care for anyone like that.

The closest person I came to loving was my little brother, Anthony, who was more commonly called Tony. There were my parents, also, and lastly: Amanda Marshall, my clueless, hyperactive best friend. These four people made up my life.

A loud laugh made me snap out of my thoughts. I spent most of my time drowning in my pity; lost in my thoughts. My imagination was the only thing keeping me sane, it seemed. I glanced up at the short boy who had stirred me from my mind's wandering. Our eyes locked and he quickly looked away, as if ashamed he had looked at me. This was Tommy Wakechuck, the best friend of the boy I hated more than anyone in the whole school.

Actually, he was the best friend of the only boy I hated in the whole school. I didn't really hate anyone other than his best friend, because I was on fine terms with everyone else I had spoken to in this school. They were my acquaintances, but not my friends. They were people I spoke to and gossiped with, but they were only to help the day pass.

That one boy, however, was the only person I hated.

Speak of the devil, I thought darkly when I saw Matt Will, the boy I hated with such passion I wanted to smack him across the face with my thick binder until I broke his nose. I watched him turn the corner with a proud smirk on his face; he thought everyone looked up to him, while I could beg to differ with the comments some of the students made to me about him. His dark brown eyes scanned across the sea of students ahead of him and I faintly wondered if he was looking for a victim. Our eyes locked and his smirk twitched upwards.

He found one.

He shoved past a group of juniors, his large, broad shoulders causing one of the boys in the group to stumble back a little when he brushed by him. He ignored the disbelieving looks he received from the group and continued his calm walk towards me. I noticed he was taking long yet casual steps, as if he was enjoying seeing me squirm with uneasiness. I knew he could tell I was afraid; my eyes always gave me away. I was an easy person to read; Amanda always told me that.

"If it isn't Katlyn White?" Matt sneered, shoving his hands in his pockets and grinning lopsidedly at me. I blinked at him, nodded indifferently, then made an attempt to step past him but he grabbed my arm with such haste I squeaked in alarm. His smile was slow and testing; he knew I wanted nothing more than to walk away from him, but he couldn't have that, now could he? He had to intimidate me some more.

"What's the matter?" he asked me, raising his eyebrows mockingly. "Classes don't start for another five minutes."

Tommy Wakechuck appeared out of no where beside Matt. "I was looking for you!" he exclaimed, then caught my eye again. His eagerness seemed to fade and he suddenly didn't look so happy.

"Katlyn here seems to think that she can just walk away from me," Matt said tauntingly to Tommy, even though his gaze never left mine. I felt my cheeks heat up slightly; I hated it when people stared at me—it made me feel uncomfortable.