Missing Pieces

Chapter 15

Okay so I know that the last chapter wasn't supposed to be relevant...but...

I'm tying it in anyways XD. It won't be super relevant but .... I don't know I just want to okay?!

Alright, Chapter 15 LETZ GO!!!

I woke up to feel Serena shaking my shoulder glaring at me.

"Class ended awhile ago Ash!"

"Sorry!" I chuckled scratching the back of my head.

Serena sighed at me as I stretched and began to gather my things. When I looked up she was sitting on the desk next to mine, kicking her legs like a little kid. She tilted her head a little, smiling at me.

"Why are you waiting for me?" I asked.

"Because I like spending time with you," she answered simply, hopping down from the desk.

"Don't you need to meet your brother before you leave school?" I asked.

She simply shrugged in reply.

"I don't want to hold you up," I explained.

"You don't need to worry about my schedule," she told me firmly, looking me in the eye. It wasn't in a dismissive way, but she frowned as she said it. "From the looks of it you've got enough to worry about yourself," she mumbled, but I managed to hear her.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked as we began walking out of the classroom. I held the door open for her as we headed into the fairly empty hallway. There were maybe two or three students left in the halls. How long was I even asleep for?!

"You seem tired..."

"I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night," I explained.

"That's not what I meant," Serena said, which had me genuinely confused. "You don't seem yourself. You seem stressed, distracted. Kinda down. Just...off."

 We finally reached my locker and I put in the combination. Had it really been that obvious? I thought as I slammed the locker shut.

"I don't think the others noticed," Serena clarified, "except maybe Dawn and Gary. But that's because we all know you very well."

We walked up to Serena's locker in silence. All that could be heard was the sound of our shoes hitting the cold hard floor.

"So," she started when we finally arrived at her locker "do you mind telling me what's going on?"

I kept silent as I watched her open her locker to grab her things.    

"It's a long story," I said, putting it simply.

But Serena wouldn't give up so easily. "You said we could hang out anyways," she noted as she shut her locker, "so why can't you just tell me now? We have plenty of time on our hands."

"I'd rather not waste the time we have to have fun on that," I replied.

"It's not a waste," Serena argued as we began walking to the school entrance. "It'd probably help your health."

Geez, this girl doesn't know when to give up, I thought to myself.

Serena stopped walking and turned to face me. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," she said solemnly, but I could tell she was repressing a smile. What was she up to?

"Please?" she said making puppy dog eyes.

I sighed. "Ok, I promise I'll tell you just not today, okay?"

"Tomorrow after school then," she said. It wasn't a question. It was a demand.

"Fine," I replied, already regretting my decision.

Darn it Ash! You had to give in to the puppy eyes! I scolded myself.

Serena giggled, probably proud of herself for coming up with such a devious strategy.

With that we both descended the steps that led up to our school's entrance. I watched Serena going down ahead of me. Her honey blond curls bounced playfully as she hopped down the steps. She had a certain innocence. Like a kid, but in a good way. In a way, I envied her. I wished I could feel like that again. Just once.

She wasn't like this when we first met. She was more reserved. Quiet. Shy. More careful. Less assertive. She'd grown up (even if she was still shorter than me). We'd been apart for so long that I wondered if she'd still want to be my friend. I wondered if she even remembered me. She'd changed so much; I wondered if her view of me changed too.

If it had, it had changed for the better. She'd grown up into such an amazing person: smart, sweet, more independent, pretty...

Wait pretty?!

Well, I mean, it's not like that's a lie. She was beautiful, but...

"So where should we go first, Ash?" she asked turning around to face me. Her smile was so warm.

I couldn't help but smile back. That is until I heard a strange noise behind us.

"What was that?" Serena asked.

"Don't know. Wait here; I'll go check it out."

That's it for now ya'll! Just letting you know that updates are probably gonna slow down again. I have A LOT of tests coming up like AP exams and classes that I'm trying to test out of for next year. There's also soccer games and soccer practice for my school. But I am starting to get a rhythm down...kind of...

Okay Question of the Day: What do you want to see from this book or any of my other ones for the matter? I already have a basic storyline planned out for each story, but not exactly the fluff or filler and when ya'll want more backstory and what you want it on. I wanna know what my readers want to see so I can make better quality content. So let me know please.

Alright, that's about it.

See you next read!