Something that Makes me Smile

Hero?

Finally I risk it and open my eyes. I'm standing outside on the field. There's a boy. I don't know him, but I guess I didn't bother getting to know anyone at this school.

"You know you shouldn't let people treat you like that," says the boy as he lights up a cigarette.

"Err, thanks," I mutter. Picking up my bag I turn to leave.

"Wait!" I jump as I feel his hand grab my arm, pulling me back. "I'm Noah," he says, letting me go. I leave in a hurry.

But before I go I manage to breathe in a cloud of smoke. It was the same as what Elspeth used to smoke, I remember.

I flash back to the day I first saw her smoke.

"You shouldn't smoke. You know, it's not good for you," I say. My voice feels so childish whenever I'm around Elspeth.

She just laughs in my face. "I'm invincible!" She yells over the humming of the traffic on the road beside us. The thing is it actually felt like she was.

It's my last lesson of the day. Music. I sit alone in a practice room, strumming my guitar until Sir comes in. I don't like people to hear my music so I stop immediately.

"Grey, you used to be so good. We're losing you aren't we?" He's joking obviously but I think it's true.

At the end of the lesson, people are almost begging to perform, so I stay quite hoping Sir will forget. He watches me, probably hoping I'll suddenly stand up and burst into song. But I don't. He dismisses us and I rush to my locker to get my stuff and leave.

"Grey!!!" Someone runs down the corridor and appears beside me. It's the boy who helped me earlier.

I sigh and roll my eyes before turning to face him with one of my biggest, most fake smiles.

"Hello," I say.

He grins. I wait for him to say something, hoping this isn't some kind of weird prank being played on me by Emilia and her 'friends'.

"What?" I ask after almost two minutes of silence. It was strangely quite a funny situation so I couldn't help but laugh.

"That is all I wanted," says Noah, walking away.

I am left standing by my lockers alone, confused but still smiling as the people walk around me stare and whisper.