A High School Love Story

Chapter 1: The New Girl

The alarm clock beeped annoyingly on my bedside table, forcing me to wake up and turn it off. I lay in bed, my eyes still shut and on the verge of dozing off again. I enjoyed the little peace I received before beginning another day as an invisible high schooler.

A pigeon cooed on my windowsill and I found the sound strangely pleasant, lulling me further into slumber. The pigeon took off, suddenly, in a flurry of feathers causing me to start, my eyes snapping open with fright. With my heart thudding in my chest, I looked around my room; the drawn curtains blocked the full light of the sun's rays from entering, casting a dimness about my slightly untidy bedroom. The blank screen of my laptop stared at me from across the room, placed on a writing desk beneath a reading lamp. One wall was dominated by a bookshelf containing every single book I'd acquired since I could read. I didn't get out much - try not to judge.
A pair of jeans were strewn across the floor along with a shirt and two pairs of shoes, one of which I did not need but couldn't be bothered to put away.

Out in the hallway, I could hear the sounds of people getting ready to start their day - the fast-paced walking on the floorboards, the sound of water running in the bathroom and the general busyness of a house coming to life. I groaned exhaustedly and sat up, rubbing my eyes and running a hand through my spiky dark hair. A knock came at the door.
"Colin, hon, it's almost seven - you're going to be late for school," said my mom, probably already dressed in her office clothes.
"Aw, shit!" I cursed, flinging the blanket off my body and gazing at the alarm clock. It read 06:37. School started in almost twenty minutes! I must have fallen asleep. Damn pigeon . . .

Rushing to the bathroom to brush my teeth and take a quick shower, I returned to my room not long after, throwing on whatever my eyes fell on in my cupboard.

Ten minutes before school began. I was not about to ruin my perfect punctuality.

I was downstairs with my backpack slung over one shoulder, a slice of burnt toast in my hand. Mom stood at the door tapping her foot impatiently, her finger through the ring of her car keys. Dad was nowhere to be seen, so I assumed he'd left for work already.
"You're late, Colin," she frowned because I'd missed the bus which meant she had to take me to school, making her late for work. Her green eyes watched me intently as she opened the front door and let me pass.
"I know, Mom. Don't remind me," I complained.

We got into her Toyota minivan and pulled out of the driveway and onto the road. The journey to school was silent as I crunched on my slice of toast while staring bitterly out of the window. At least I thought  we drove in silence because I kinda zoned out the whole way and she may have been saying something that I wasn't listening to.

We stopped at the drop-off area outside the main entrance, passing the senior parking lot. I clenched my jaw and gritted my teeth as I watched the different cars roll by my window. It wasn't the fact that I did not not have a car that killed me. It was the fact that I was literally the only senior in school who did not have a car. I opened the door to climb out when Mom layed a hand on my knee.
"Colin," she began,  her head tilting slightly in a concerned motherly way, her lips curled upward almost imperceptibly at the corners. "I know you just want to finish school and head off to college, and all, but this is your last year at high school. Enjoy it." I looked at her and saw the crows feet in the corners of her eyes. She was only thirty-nine but the years were beginning to take a toll on her; mousy brown hair now streaked with grey. All she wanted was to see her son happy. I nodded awkwardly and said goodbye, closing the door behind me. I didn't bother slinging my backpack onto my shoulders, carrying it by the strap instead, as I walked towards the bubbling cess pool that was South Easton High while Mom watched sadly for a few moments before driving away. When I reached the doors, I turned around. My eyes fell on a brown-haired girl climbing out of her hatchback, her smooth hazel skin catching the sunlight. For a moment our gazes locked and the world seemed to fall away. She smiled
sweetly and I blinked, breaking the spell. I gave a feeble wave and dropped my head, turning back to the doors and joining the rest of high school society in the corridors.