The Girl In That Hooded Jacket

These Halls Go On Forever Part 2

Large buildings sprawled out, lazily against the backdrop of the lush green forest. Groups of friends crowded together, pushing and swaying in a somewhat rhythmic beat to some song only she couldn't hear. So she stayed tucked comfortably against the tree she had adopted as soon as the bus stopped. It wasn't surprising however that the majority had already settled into school life. After all, they had three weeks of practice under their belts. Soon the steady flow of kids became a weak pulse, then a trickle. She finally decided to move. With her soggy hood still pulled over her, she pulled out a paper she'd had in her pocket out to examine it. It had previously depicted a map of the school, but the rain had washed that away. She sighed. Stragglers were making their way to the buildings and one seemed to be particularly popular. She decided to go with that choice. There were 7 buildings in total. 3 semi circling the inside, and 4 around that. The main courtyard was formed around a beautiful fountain. The building she was headed for was on the opposite side of the fountain, and looked the most official. She entered through the doors, straight into a wide hallway, perpendicular to the door. The person she had followed disappeared around the left bend. Straight in front of the door, the office stood, tall and proud. Like the old trees in the forest beyond the school. Faith entered and stopped again. An old lady sat at the front, taking calls and asking what they said for the 5th time so she can finish her note. A line of chairs lay against the wall, all its seats open except for one which held someones abandoned jacket slumped over the back of the 4th chair in line. The old woman finished her call and hung up the phone. After a few seconds of accidental dejection on her part, Faith moved to the desk. She softly skuffed her foot against the floor as she walked, alerting the old lady to her presence. "Oh! Sorry deary! I didn't see you there." The bell rang and the old woman looked up in reflex. "A bit late in my opinion. What do you need?" She glanced at the dark, sopping wet jacket hanging from Faith's shoulders. "Aren't you cold? Besides, students aren't aloud to wear hoods in school." Faith shifted uncomfortably, and brushed the hood off her head. It fell to her shoulders, her hair trapped under it still, laying flat against her back. "I'm sorry, but I'm a new transfer student. Could you maybe tell me where I'm supposed to go?" The old woman stared at her, mesmerized. "Oh... sorry, yes... What's your name sweet pea?" "Faith, Faith Lumen" The office lady seemed to shake herself out of her daize and fumbled with the computer keys. After a few minutes she handed Faith a printed piece of paper with her schedule, and a map of the school. "Sorry for the wait deary. If you want, I'll call down and tell them that you're going to dry off a bit before you go down." She offered. "Um... Thanks, but I'd rather keep my hood up and blend into the background. If you don't mind." The little old lady, bless her soul, looked like she'd been hit by lightning. "OH, NO! I don't mind at all! You go right ahead. That's fine with me, by all means, you don't need MY permission. Here let me write you a pass, scratch that, better make it 7. One for each class." Faith started. 7! She was about to stop her when she thought that 7 would be best, especially if she wanted to hand in her slip and sit down immediately. The lady, when she was done, handed the slips over the counter and smiled fondly at her. "Thanks for stopping by." Faith nodded and walked out. Pulling her hood back over her head, she glanced down at the new map in her hands and watched as she unconsciously ruined the corner in her clenched fists. I hate that I cause people to lose control. She thought. She had encountered many people in her life with this face, and not everyone had the same reaction to her. She was just glad that the office lady had been part of the group of people that reacted kindly to her cursed beauty. She had once met a girl her age who had detested her with a black vigilance. Faith had not really cared, in fact she had been somewhat happy that not everyone who saw her had the inkling to obey her every command. But in the second week of school, that same girl had traped her in a bathroom stall. She'd lunged desperately at Faith, brandishing a butterknife. Faith, in reflex, had screamed, terrified. In that moment everything had seemed to slow, the room became ice cold and her breath billowed in the air. She'd bolted for the door, under her attackers raised arm and out into the hallway. Only a passing teacher had stopped the berserk girl from pursuing her. She'd never returned to that school.

She was in science, in the back of class, hiding. It was the second to last period of the day, and by now she'd had enough people staring at her hooded figure to make her wish she were an itty bitty beatle. A stink beetle probably. Even now, as the teacher ranted about something relating to the atom, people's heads were turned to stare at her. Girls whispered at their tables, giggling and glancing in her direction. Boys made funny faces at her and laughed when she didn't respond. She had't moved or spoken all class and she wasn't planning to. The bell rang and she snached her notes up from her desk trying to shove things into her backpack. She failed to notice the two boys sneaking around the side of the classroom. By now, there were only 6 people left in the class, her, the two boys and their friends, the teacher had stepped outside to supervise the students in the hall. She was zipping up her backpack when her hood was yanked off her head, the boys hooting in tryoph. Her hands flew to the top of her head and she turned around surprised. The hooting stopped. The boy she assumed had pulled off her hood instantly had a guilty look on his face. He had red curly hair, cut close on the sides and longer on the top. Freckles dotted his face, scattered just under his light brown eyes. His friend was jumping around, but stopped when he saw her. "Oh!" he said and a deep blush reddened his cheeks. Faith stopped cold, aching sight of one of the boys in the group behind him. His laughing had stopped and then he grinned. A wicked, sadistic grin that made Faith cringe and shudder with dread. She blinked and suddenly it was gone. She must have imagined it. But she didn't want to take any chances. She finished gathering her things and quickly exited the classroom, shielding her face with her hood in the process. Eyes followed her out and her steps quickened. Her next class was in the drama, art and history building. This was the building across the square on the left, behind the inner circle. Building number 4. She was currently walking out of building number 3. One of the 3 inner buildings, the one on the right. The rain had started again and she relished the feeling of cold it gave her. A cold that traveled deep into her skull. It made her headache and with each drop, the warmth every living thing, even her, craved, left. She enjoyed it.