Once Upon a Cliché

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 ~

          I actually got a lot more compliments that day than I expected. I didn’t attract much male attention, per say (which, despite Charlotte’s beliefs, I was not aiming for), but I got smiles and a few more looks than on an average day. Which was good. I normally didn’t like attention, but it was good attention. I think.

          The only attention I didn’t want was from a certain someone whose name rhymed with…never mind, I can’t think of a legitimate rhyme. Let’s just say it was Hunter. Why, you ask? Well, one, I just recently found out he was Charlotte’s boyfriend. By them making out in front of me. Two, of a little something that had happened in the hallway during one of the passing periods.

          I was just at my locker, minding my own business, when I spotted Hunter several lockers down. He was looking at me. Slightly panicking, I tried to figure out an exit strategy when I saw him turn his head to look at someone else. Surprisingly, Hale.

          I wasn’t aware they knew each other, but what do I know? They were both upperclassmen, so who’s to say they wouldn’t? Anyway, they talked to each other for a moment, when Hale turned his head to look at me as well. He didn’t catch me watching them, of course, since I was practicing my use of peripheral vision. But, forget that.

          Why were they both looking at me? It was within the span of a few seconds, too. That couldn’t be a coincidence.

          I went into Nancy Drew mode, pretending to be debating over whether I should get my math or my science textbook. Geometry had already passed, and Biology wasn’t until last period, so I didn’t need either, but that’s not the point here. Hale kept looking for a couple seconds, while Hunter kept on chatting away. Finally, Hale looked away, staring into space. No matter what I did, I couldn’t hear either of them over the chatter of other students, but I could see Hale’s lips moving almost imperceptibly. Finally, Hale closed his own locker with an echoing slam and walked away, his face wiped clean of any emotion.

          That event confused me like no other, but I figured it wasn’t any of my business. So, I decided to put it off my mind for the rest of the day. Or tried to.

          Forgetting that little incident, it got towards the end of the day, during which I found myself trapped between waiting and looking for Hailin. Seriously, that girl needed to charge her phone. I was hopelessly limited to roaming the school’s relatively empty hallways, waiting for my sister to appear out of nowhere. Later, I thanked my lucky stars when I finally glimpsed her around a corner. I was about to call her out when I noticed something and froze.

          She was with Hale. That wasn’t a bad thing, I know, since I was actually expecting it. But I wasn’t expecting them to be holding hands. And laughing. And looking at each other lovingly.

          Okay, maybe not so much the last part, but I didn’t get that much of a glimpse since I stopped mid-gasp and ducked behind that corner I’d just walked by.

          Alright. What the heck was going on with everyone I know hooking up and leaving me the only single person in the vicinity? And why was no one telling me these things anymore?

          Maybe I was just misinterpreting things, but still! This was important! Normal friends don’t just go around holding hands like a couple. Especially not Hale and my sister.

          When I was done freaking out, I inhaled slowly and prepared myself for the worst. I came out from behind the hallway only to notice…they were gone. Of course. They’d probably turned another hallway while I was busy thinking the world was going to end just because my sister and Hale were supposedly a “thing.” I guess Audrey was partially right about me being overdramatic. It just couldn’t be helped.