Matched

Chapter 1

Sixteen hours earlier

Kiara sat by herself in the large high school cafeteria. She poked the brown lump that she had been given to eat for her lunch with a fork, but she couldn't even imagine that happening. I think I'll just go without today, she thought. She pushed her tray away from herself and pulled out her math homework. She groaned. This is going to take forever!

"Need some help there, Ara?" A boy, with brown hair and dark eyes, walked up to Ara's table and sat down beside her. Who is he?

"Do I know you?" Ara asked plainly. The boy chuckled and shook his head and held out his hand.

"Probably not. I'm Josh."

"Ara. I guess you already know that though; wait, how did you know that?" Ara's question seemed to take him by surprise.

"I, uh, you're the quiet girl; everyone knows who you are," Josh answered too quickly. Ara raised an eyebrow at him.

"So do you need help? With your homework, I mean." Josh asked. Ara shrugged.

"Sure. If you can."

"So what are you working on?"

"Math."

"Fun," he said sarcastically. "So what's the problem?" Ara showed him the question. He studied her work quietly.

"This is wrong." He said after some time.

"Well I know that." Ara said to herself more than anyone else. Josh stayed with her for the remainder of their lunch period. He was trying to teach her how to do the math, but she just didn't understand. When her homework was finally finished, she let out a long sigh.

"Thank you." She said. Josh smiled.

"Any time. So, my friends and I are going out later... Do you want to come?" Ara tried to hide her surprise. She thought about it for a while, unsure if she should go.

"Come on, it'll be fun... please?" Ara bit her lip, which she always did unintentionally when she thought.

"Sure. Where are you going?"

"Well, usually we just go for walks around town."

"Alright. Where will I meet you?" Ara asked.

"What room do you have last bloc?"

"207."

"Okay. I'll come pick you up there after class."

"Okay. Later." Ara said and walked away as the bell rung.

"See you later, Ara!" Josh called to her from behind as she walked to her next class. The rest of the school day went by with nothing worth mentioning.

The bell rang at the end of the day, but Ara remained where she was, in room 207. Josh said he would pick her up there, so she might as well wait for him. Not five minutes later, Josh strolled into the classroom.

"You ready?" He asked. Ara nodded and walked out with him.

"Where are your friends?" She asked, curious as to where they were.

"They're already on their way to the building."

"What building?"

"It's an abandoned building just outside of town. It's really not that far away. We met up after class and decided to go there today instead of walking around."

"Oh."

The abandoned building loomed dark overhead despite the daylight. Some of the windows were shattered, and parts of the walls were missing in some places.