Flashback (A Road to Redemption follow up story)

The Start of Something New

CHAPTER 2: The start of something new

Okay, above pic kindaaa looks like Chas but...her eyes are brown.

9 years ago:

"Are you thinking about buying that?"

I twist my lips and turning, give my friend a wry smile. "Well, I was going to stuff it in your burka and steal it." I say, using the smooth bottle of self tanner to point at Leah's head.

She scoffs, and adjusts her head scarf. "Like I'd ever let you do that."

I look back at the bottle and then back at the price. It's killer expensive, but if I want to look good this summer...

"It's so weird," Leah says, gazing down a different aisle. "Back in Pakistan, all my friends were trying to make their skin lighter; here you want it to be darker." She shakes her head.

"That's right." I say, walking over to her and tossing the tanner in her cart. "Welcome to MURRICA!"

We walk along until we come to the eye care center. There I separate from Leah and wander into the rows of glasses.

"What are we doing here?" She frowns, as she rolls her cart in. "I thought the next thing was Cheetos and snacks for our movie night?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, we'll get to that." I wave my hands at her before pulling a pair of red frames out and putting them on. "What do you think of this?"

"I don't know, why, do you need glasses?"

"Yeah." I turn and look at myself in the mirror.

"Wait what?" Leah comes up behind me and gives me a wide eyed look in the mirror. "How long have you needed glasses?"

"I don't know, a while." I shrug. Then I frown at my reflection, glasses don't work, they make me look homely or something.

"So you're going to get a pair?"

"No, probably not. I mean, they make me look different." I put the glasses back and begin pushing the cart away.

"I thought they made you look smart." Leah says, smiling.

"Yeah well, they also make me look like a dork. I'll probably get contacts and Dad says he'll get me lasik soon. So then I won't have to worry about it at all."

"Lucky, lucky." Leah clicks her tongue.

I am. My dad is wealthy enough for me to have such things. I also don't have any worries about saving money for college. They've got it all planned out. Which is why my parents are so upset that my big brother, Randall, has decided he doesn't want to go to college at all. He wants to join the service.

"I'm hungry." I state, staring at the McDonald's in the store.

Leah shrugs. "Okay." So we make our way over. There's a good line in front of us. "Order me a Triple Cheeseburger, kay?" I say to Leah. "I'll find us a clean table."

She nods.

I go around the corner and find myself right in front of the table occupied by Barry Allen. "Oh, hey!"

He looks up like he's blown away I even know who he is. His hair's got a little too much gel in it, like he's trying too hard to make it look cool, and there's spots of acne all around on his face. "Oh um...hi...Chastity." He's got his school books laid out in front of him, his notebook full of sprawling handwriting, and a half eaten chicken sandwich sitting nearby.

"Studying?" I ask.

"Uh, yeah." He scratches the back of his neck and gives me a smile. "What are you up too?"

"Shopping. A girl's life."

"Sounds like the title of a book."

"Probably is." I look back to his table and make a decision. "It's just Leah and me, do you mind if we sit here?"

His eyes widen. "No...if—if you want to."

I smile and slide in across from him. Barry Allen is a nerd. I am not. I am popular and socially active. He is reclusive and quiet. But I know who he is. Everyone around here knows who he is. He's the kid that's got no parents because his mom was murdered by his dad when he was young. I've never talked to him before but I've seen him around. Why not talk to him today? I feel like being friendly.

He hastily gathers the papers and books on the table up into a heap on his side and gives me a nervous grin.

I notice something I hadn't before.

He's cute.