W I N S T O N
I put the cigarette to my lips, inhaling the smoke, already feeling the stress begin to leave my system. Tilting my head back, feeling the warm September air on my face, I blow the smoke out my mouth in a deep exhale.
Smoking is a type of stress reliever for me, considering the life of Winston Bryant is full of anxiety and complications, I always need a quick fix.
Except that's all smoking is. Temporary. Short-lived. Impermanent. Limited. Only a quick fix.
However that's not going to stop me from smoking them, one by one. Until I find something that will become permanent.
Most things in life are brief, marriage, illness, pain, highs, lows, and hell, even life itself doesn't last forever.
I'm desperately in need of a final solution to my stress, and well...me.
I take another hit as I lean against the brick wall of the alleyway on the backside of the school building. 'Smoking Alley' is what the students call it, the teachers call it 'The Path to Cancer', and I call it my escape. Where I go when I need a break, whether I'm smoking or not, I love it here. Although I can't describe why. Maybe it's because I'm secluded or that I don't have to put up with other people.
Thankfully no one else ever came to the smoking alley. The less I see anyone there, the better.
Once I've finished my cigarette I make my way back inside the school. It's beyond me why I still come, I'm failing most of my classes and I don't have nor want any friends. I'm useless here.
Along with everywhere else.
I enter my class, an everlasting frown plastered on my face.
"You're late again Mr. Bryant." Mrs. Joy states, not even looking up from her desk.
"I'm always late." I say, as I make my way to my secluded desk, already bored with the conversation.
"That's enough. You've just earned yourself detention after school."
There is no way in hell I'm going to stay an hour after school for being late to Mrs. Joy's.
"Yeah, right." I roll my eyes. Everyone in the class stares at me, their eyes bulging out of their heads like fish out of water. I shoot daggers at them as I mutter profanities and lay my head down.
I am interrupted moments later by someone tapping me. "What do you want?"
I look up and am met by dark brown eyes, the signature eyes of the Carter family. These eyes belong to my oldest step brother. Kyle Carter. Him and his brother Carson are exactly what Carter men should be, curly dark brown hair, brown eyes, smart, friendly, successful, and of course, loved by everyone.
Unlike me, the Bryant who everyone wants to act like a Carter. I don't want to pretend to be a Carter, I'm such a contrast to them with my actions, not to mention my jet black hair and green eyes.
I hate them, the Carters. I despise everything they do.
"Look, Winston, you can't be late everyday. You're going to get suspended." A look of false concern in his eyes.
I resist the urge to hit him. "I don't need you watching out for me, Kyle. I can hold my own. Now, leave." I say harshly. He observes me with sad eyes and slowly walks back to his seat.
I absolutely hate when Kyle tries to help me.
It's obvious that I'm not worth helping, I don't want to be aided, especially by him.
The bell rings a little while later and I make my way, once again, to the smoking alley. When I walk down the crowded hallway, the sea of students create a small path. Nobody wants to get in the way of the me. Typical.
I get my cigarette and my lighter out as I open the door. Blocking the flame from the wind, I light it and take a long hit.
Relief.
Except this time, I wasn't alone.
A girl sits at the end of the pathway, long tanned legs stretched out in front of her and her head full of insanely curly chestnut brown hair nods back against the brick. I can practically hear her music from where I'm standing.
I stalk over in front of where she's sitting, squat down and pluck an earbud out of her ear.
"Didn't anyone tell you this is my alley?"
She doesn't jump or seem alarmed at all by my actions or my comment. Slowly opening her eyes she turns to me and looks me at me cooly, "Never take my headphones out again."
She spoke confidently, her voice as smooth as silk.
"Don't come into my alley again and we'll call it a deal." I narrow my eyes at her.
"I didn't realize you owned the place." She says calmly as I feel my temper rising and my fists clenching.
She reaches to put back in her headphone. In a swift motion I grasp her wrist. Once again, this movement doesn't startle her at all.
"I'm serious. Leave. The. Damn. Alley." I snarl at the fierce girl with a sudden fire in her eyes. Which I now realize are hazel, a through combination of green, blue, and brown. Now that I'm close to her, I realize she also has a splash of freckles across her nose and cheeks.
This is my alley, my escape, and my retreat. I desire to be alone, that meaning, just me.
I don't want anyone else here, not her, not anyone.
After long moments of her bold hazel eyes boring into my dull green ones, she leans her face inches from my own. "I'm staying." She glances down at her wrist, which is still grasped firmly in my hand. She attempts to position her hand to shake mine, but the way I'm holding her wrist only allows her to barely move it. "I'm Gracie."
"I don't care." I say flatly, releasing her bracelet covered wrist.
Putting her headphone back in, she leans back against the wall and ignores my comment.
I walk back to my normal spot on the concrete ground, replaying the conversation in my head.
Welcome to Winston! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! And I know it's just the first chapter but I love this story already! Thank you so much for reading!
- nel
YOU ARE READING
Winston
Teen FictionA story about a boy who was named after a pack of cigarettes. Meet Winston, the moody, arrogant, secluded, aggressive, screw up of the Carter family. Although he's not a true member of the family, he is still expected to act like one. He doesn't wa...