Strings

Back to Reality

“This seat taken?” The boy asks, smiling.
“Yeah, sorry.” I say, suddenly glad that Leo takes the bus.
The boy nods understandably and moves on, sitting in an empty seat in the back.
At the next stop Leo climbs on and sits down next to me, smiling like he always does.
“Hey, Charlie.” He says.
I sigh, “not Charlie, Charlotte.” He knows I hate being called Charlie.
“Char.” Leo half says half asks.
I smile, “okay, Char’s fine.”
The bus stops again and we all get off. Someone knocks into me and I trip into Leo, who catches me. My heart starts to race and I’m sure I’m blushing.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
“No worries,” Leo says, smiling. “You always have been a bit of a klutz.”
“Hey.” I say, punching him lightly on the shoulder.
He laughs, “what? You know it’s true.”
“Yeah, I know.” I say, grinning as I shove a few books into my locker, which sits right next Leo’s.
“See you at lunch.” He says, closing his locker. Unfortunately we don’t have any classes together, not a single one, but we have lunch together so that’s enough.
I close my locker and head to class. Upon reaching the room I take my usual seat towards the back right corner. I take a deep breath and remember what happened this morning, that boy.
I don’t know how people feel when they meet their soul mate, having never told anyone other than Leo I’ve never had the chance to ask. So I don’t know how I’m supposed to feel, my situation must be drastically different than other people’s. Although I certainly don’t love him, I love Leo, I doubt that will ever change.
Now some people claim there’s a thing called fate. And what happens next proves that, if fate exists, he or she has a cruel sense of humor.
“Class, this is August Clancy, our new student.” Mrs. Harbor says, gesturing at the boy standing before us.
He has messy blond hair and green eyes, that remind me just a little of my piano teachers crazy cat. Lacking the certain unsteadiness the cat does his eyes are the same bright green.
“Charlotte you’ll be showing August around today.”
“Crap.” I mutter under my breath, today is going to be a very long day.