HIDDEN in PARADISE

1 •

Hanen stepped out of a doorway lined with stained glass, most of the teens shuffling behind him were still dipping their finger into cold water before pushing back into the school. Swarms of people roaming down the halls, himself one of them. Everyone distracted with themselves and each other. Seeing friends walk side by side the dramatics portraying like their life depended on it.

The tone they all spoke with was louder than usual, the end of the day always boosted higher in volume. Yet they all walked close to each other, their voice's direction straight into the person they were talking to's ear, yelling still.

Hanen just watched with his shoulder floating around, the smog getting thick, but he didn't mind.

Until the bell rang, and for a few seconds people just stayed in place, like a deer in headlights. The most chaotic part of the day ending in a blink of an eye.

Then the unique scent arose in his nose, pondering there until he became blind to the fact it existed. The scent of school he never found a reason to mind. Hanen's head popping over where the crowd would of been and eyes were greeted once again by familiar tan paint lining the halls in any direction students could explore.

Them diverting, and his glare down to follow his feet on tile. Stepping on the the parallel and slightly clean floors. A few spare pieces of paper laying around.

Each practically identical besides a few scratches, but Hanes's bland colored locker stood out in front of him, as if it caught attention.

Guiding his lengthy fingers across the cold metal locker they quickly roamed it's lock, becoming an unknowing habit.

Expecting the various clicks to go off before the lock sprang open. Happening exactly the same every time.

Just like how his hand leading itself to the shelf most of his stuff lied.

Not much in the darkness of the little cubby hidden in the back. Feeling only a few loose pencils roll around as he reached for it.

Reaching another hand in, they dragged anything out he would need. Shoving a majority of his textbooks into the fabric he held tightly in his grasp .

Taking his time, he is never the first one out. Hanen always found himself just making sure everything is ok, with himself too.

Sound of loud chatter softened, an almost end to the stomping crowd, it practically disappear into thin air presenting silence to explore.

"Hi Hanen!" A soft squick pushed out.

"Hello" His voice a deep rumble caused him to automatically clear his throat. Trying to make it the slightest bit less noticeable, because everyone seems to comment on it.

Practically startled himself when the word did slip from his mouth

In response, he didn't even know who was saying the name. When his toned body turned, he saw a girl. Never before saying a word to her, Hanen jogged the memory he has to find her name. Knowing her name but not her personally.

Just knowing her by her, everyone else does, they talk about it, like a shadow of each other in the halls.

The slightly yellow tinted lights gleamed down changing the real color of everything. Same as to the neon books he was gently placing into a backpack, them continued to pile up, being what was needed for studying.

A small chuckle barged out as she stood by Hanen's locker. Just her and him in the halls.

Grabbing one more thing, he placed it in his full bag, feeling the zipper links glide together. Wanting to double check to making sure his stuff was put away.