We left town looking for a new start. I left to run away from those pitiful eyes and fake friends.
Here's the story.
My mum died two years ago and in a small town like mine the word went around pretty fast. It didn't help that my mother was one of the most loved people in the entire town.
After the overexagerated tears my classmates gave at her funeral and the theatrics her colleagues put in their speeches about her I felt like they missed her way more than I do.
I realised that funerals weren't exactly for the dead but for the living so we could move on with our lives.
In a few days everyone had moved on. My dad travelled for whatever movie he was working on and I was back in school. Although everyone had moved on they still thought of me as that pitiful little dude who lost his mum. Even new students gave me sad looks as I moved in the halls. Teachers gave a five minute moment of silence for my mother each and every lesson and it was starting to irritate me.
I moved because I was sick of the fake sympathy. So when my dad told me he was moving to California to work on a movie I saw an opportunity and took it.
It was a misty morning and the early breeze persuaded me to stay in bed longer than I needed to. I woke up at 7:30 and started my walk to my new school. It was big. Nothing like my old school.
As I roamed about the hallway no one seemed to notice me.
Perfect
I put my books in my locker and was just about to go to class when I saw her. I remember it like it was yesterday. She was a red head in a pink tank top and ripped jeans. She was talking animatedly with the group of people that surrounded her.
"Don't even think about it." Someone tells me.
"What?" I question.
"That's Ashley Evans. She's royalty here and her boyfriend is a total dumbass who has devoted his life to bugging ours." The guy continues.
"She's pretty." I tell him.
"Of course she is. But really stay away from her unless you want to be the next Joey."
"Who's Joey?"
"He's a junior that went after Ashley, rumour has it that her boyfriend messed him up so bad that he died."
My eyes get as big as saucers.
"Just kidding. He just switched schools after a serious social death when he got pantsed in front of the whole cafeteria while he was wearing superman underwear."
"Right...."
"Well, I'm Sam. What's your name?"
"Matt."
"Well Matt. I'll take you under my wing and show you how to survive."
*********
In the cafeteria, I'm standing in a long line. Sam had to go for the press club meeting. While I wait I see Ashley, she's not with her gang and she's walking up to me.
She stands by my in the cafeteria line and she smiles.
"Hi." She says.
"Hey." I answer as it's my turn to get my lunch. I get it and turn away from her.
"Wait." She calls me back.
"Yeah?"
"Well, I'm not really with my friends and they won't be back for another couple of hours would you like to have lunch with me?"
Don't even think about it.
Sam's words go on repeat in my mind.
"Sure." I answer.
Little did I know that I had just signed my own death certificate.
