Escaping Boundaries

Chapter Four

Chapter Four: Clovertown Middle School, 8:30 a.m.

Cheyenne Archer really, really, really hates Mondays.

With a prolonged sigh, she dived through the crowded hallway, her backpack bobbing. She still had to pass her school paper project to their adviser. She dodged chatting students, cheerleaders, nerds, Goths, a bunch of teens. Her school was a mix of people from different, according to her words, breeds. And she would rather not join any of them. With her busy schedule, who has time for some socializing?

Being a talented young girl, she spent weeks finding inspiration for the feature writing article and editorial cartooning drawing and photojournalism shots. She mentally whacked herself for being so desperate to be accepted in a prestigious school. She hoped college would be worth it.

Her schedule aside from Geometry, Biology, History, and English, included full participation in the school paper, composing piano pieces for the Drama Club in the school theater, practice instruments and voice coach other students in the Music Room, paint the back drop design for school plays in the Arts Room, discuss technological advances and other stuff involving computers in the Tech Club, and help her biology teacher check and grade her school mates in the Science Club.

If only I were smart to think about taking it easy on myself, Chei thought. She approached her locker, just as a group of girls in miniskirts and ultra-high pumps came sashaying by, one hitting her shoulder. Chei winced inconspicuously.

"Oh, my!" the girl whom she recognized as the president of some girls' club exclaimed. "I'm so sorry, Chei. We're in a hurry for a club meeting." Chei could actually feel the sincerity and concern in her voice, which was weird for all the students in the school, considering she and a number of other popular girls were always mean, and are 24/7 egotists and snobs.

Chei smiled at the girl, "It's okay, Dalia." She saw her schoolmate smile again, and walked passed her, this time, a little farther from her.

She typed in the combination. Even though school might be a little hectic in these times, she would never worry about dramas involving boys and fashion, likely because might be the nicest girl in the entire campus and doesn't give a thing about boyfriend. She was always voted as 'Nicest Girl' in the school yearbook, and Chei actually took advantage on that in an honest way. Of course, she is nice. She would notice that the different school groups would be giving her their mega-special smiles when she smiles at them first, regardless, if they're fashion-obsessed, computer-addicts, or sports fanatics. But she did seem to understand something. When she's not trying to smile or greet her fellow students (a.k.a trying to keep a low profile) they totally leave her alone, and that is kind of great when she is planning on what to do for the night. It's like she gets on the Mean Girls good side and have peace and quiet anytime she wants.

But, there was a boy who was immune to her friendly charms. They didn't talk, much less say a simple hello or wave at each other. No, this boy treated her like she was a ghost. She treated him like he doesn't even exist. They try to avoid each other at all costs. At least, that was what Chei was doing.

She pulled out her textbooks. Without warning, she heard a voice within the crowd of jocks. She tried to resist to glance at the direction, but she did anyway. There, she saw a tall, handsome boy who wasn't wearing a football uniform. He was smiling and laughing at his friends. Wait, make that with his friends. Chei's brows arched visibly when he passed by. He caught her staring at him, his eyes a color of smooth brown. She felt his gaze like an electrical bolt of lightning. At that moment, the boy seemed to stop grinning, his face lacking emotions. Quickly, Chei avoided that gaze. She reminded herself that that boy made a part of her life empty. She darted her eyes again at him. This time, she saw him struggling to get away from a clique of cheerleaders flirting with him.