Burned and Scarred

Chapter 2

I walked into the locker room and unlocked my locker, putting my backpack in it after taking our my gym uniform T-shirt. I quickly pull off my shirt, and put on the blue T-shirt with the school's logo, feeling eyes on me as people look at my burns, only partially covered by bandages. Burns coat almost my entire body, most of which are scars from years ago, only the most recent incident bringing back the shameful colors of black, blue, and purple charred skin. From one look at my torso, it should be obvious what happened to me. I don't want to think about it, but I always do. I feel their eyes on me, reminding me of what I am and what I did.

I grab my black and red sneakers from my locker and put my boots in, before slipping my tennis shoes on. I close my locker and head out, trying to focus on whatever useless game or activity that will be wasting my time for the next forty-five minutes.

When I get to the gym, Scarlett, no Scar, is already waiting in the gym, leaning up against the wall. Her hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail, and her boots switched out for black Nike sneakers. On her left wrist there, are a lot of bracelets; about ten. They must've been hidden under her jacket. The gym teacher is in his office, probably finishing up some random paperwork.

I slowly begin to walk around the gym, unsure of how to spend my time waiting, not that I spend any other gym class any different. I'm usually just alone with my thoughts, except in photography, where I might occasionally have small talk with Raven.

Scar speed walks over to where I'm standing near the door, across from the teachers office, as if I might try to run away.

"Hey, it's Aiden, right?"

I nod, looking at her skeptically. "And you're Scarlett, right?" Scarlett is what I heard when the teacher introduced her, Scar is when I eavesdropped on her and Raven's conversation.

"Scar," She says, looking me in the eye. "I just wanted to apologize for snapping at you back in class, I didn't think that you would understand," she explains, looking slightly guilty for being rude.

"It's fine. I was kind of staring at you like a creep," I say, with a slight smile. She chuckles and relaxes a bit, looking more at ease.

"So how do you like Central Mountain High?"

"It's good, I guess. Kind of just like every other high school I've been to, though."

"Yeah, it's nothing special. But, We're probably gonna be here for the next two years so it'll have to do." She laughs again.

"Yeah I guess. How long have you been going here?"

"For a couple months, I moved here from Pittsburgh. Where did you come from?"

"Lynn, Massachusetts, it's on the coast."

"Oh that's cool," I say. My mind goes blank and I can't think of any questions to ask her.

"So I have a question, and it might be completely insensitive so you don't have to answer if you don't want to," She pauses, looking at me to make sure she can continue. I nod my head slightly in a way that says, go on. "But, why is everyone afraid of you? Is it because you look kind of scary or what?" This confuses me. She already knows; Raven told her. Does she want clarification, or does she want to look past the rumors?

"You mean you haven't heard? I figured that would be the first thing that you were told, 'Stay away from Aiden Westmoreland.'"

"Actually no. My friend Raven, you're photography partner or something, didn't mention anything about you being dangerous or anything. She mentioned something about you moving because of your parents, but that's it."