The Way It Happened

The Way It Started

The pain of losing something after having it is greater than the pain of never having it.

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The scent in the air was familiar. Now that summer started, Anna could say she knew everything about this environment. She had visited almost every corner with her friends.

Although she can't say the same about the students.

The school year just started but it isn't the same as last year's for her. She tried out a few things in her holidays and realized she didn't have the same interest in things she liked to do. So, she had to change most of the subjects. Her parents openly supported her.

"Scared of the first day?", Emily suddenly asked.

Anna jumped, startled. "I'm more scared of you sneaking up on me.", she replied, feigning irritation.

Anna was a sweet sixteen brunette, with coal black eyes, while Emily was blonde, with clear blue eyes. Anna Winters and Emily Summers had completely opposite personalities just like what their last names indicate. But everyone in their classes knew it was rare when they found one without the other.

When Emily first heard about Anna changing classes, she tried everything to make her change her mind. The puppy eyes, the silent treatment, the guilt tripping treatment. If one more treatment was done, Anna would have have succumbed but then Emily knew it would be better for Anna to change classes.

They went to the principal's office and got Anna's new schedule from the secretary. Both were feeling sad, Anna more than Emily, because now they'd have no one to talk to during most classes.

"C'mon Em, we'll meet in lunch and arts", Anna encouraging her friend who had a mixture of smile and frown on her face. Clearly, she didn't want to smile.

And in her mind, Anna encouraged herself to get this day over with. She was experiencing lots of butterflies in her stomach. Very queasy.

She decided to go early so that, she won't have to face those eyes of the new classmates. They'd look at her as if she was an alien. She'd experienced before.

She shuddered as she realized, she'll definitely experience it again.

It wasn't like she didn't know anyone. She wasn't that type of person who just stuck around with one person, right?

She tried naming her friends, beside Emily, in her new class and ended up with only one name. Laura. She winced as she realized that. One, because she seems to have only one friend. Two, because Laura was that friend.

Laura tops superglue itself. So, Anna didn't have to make an effort, Laura will easily come to stick by Anna at all times. It is more annoying than comforting, really. But who's she to complain? Beggars aren't choosers. Especially, when that beggar is a socially awkward person.

By the end of her mental debate, she'd reached her class. It was all girls save for one. One around whom most of the girls were swarming. She couldn't see his face but she didn't have any interest in that either.

Before she could move any further, she heard rapid footsteps come nearer and she was tackled from the side with a hug. Her lips were shaped in a half smile and half grimace. Her eyes met the boy's for a second and he gave a smile that showed he found humor in her current situation.

"Hey Laura."

"Hey Anna!", she chirped, pulling back from the extremely long hug.

The rest of the class actually went pretty well. When the Geometry teacher told her to introduce herself, all she did was look at Laura so that she didn't have to feel nervous looking at the others. Laura being there had its perks.