ANTHEM

CHAPTER ONE

"Donuts and Dead Bodies."

The hallways felt unusually cold.

It was a stupid thing to think, especially when the world outside was only a month or so from being filled with frozen-over stones and snow. But even during last years autumn, or from what Cherry could remember before the incident, the corridors never felt like this. She wanted to say they felt dead, but seeing what happened to this little town in this past month, 'dead' didn't seem like a word that was in good taste.

The school around her felt like it was trapped in a grayscale, surrounded by the outside hope of the red and blue flashing and the bright orange vests searching. And all for Aaliyah. It had been like this ever since her disappearance in October, and it was hard to focus on anything else knowing that she could still be alive.

Cherry wasn't that close to the girl before she went missing. They talked four, maybe five times, and saw each other in the halls between fourth period and fifth. But other than that, nothing. Some of her friends though, mainly Jamison and Theo, actually managed to talk Aaliyah— said she was nice and smart, but somewhat shy. Cherry could understand that, so in the moments she saw Aaliyah she tried to be as friendly as she could. Now she wished she had done so more.

Cherry walked to her locker, fishing out her bobby-pin from her back pocket—Hoping to put away her binder before lunch— Most of the school used her pin method though, rather than actually using a combination to unlock their belongings. Teachers would always get pissy if they ever saw it happening, calling the students 'lazy' among other things, so Cherry made sure there weren't any admins in the hall as she picked the lock open.

"Cherry!" Someone yelled, spooking the girl from where she stood. And making her drop her bobby-pin in the process too. Had it been an administrator she'd of been done for.

"Damnit," She mumbled under her breath. Looking over her shoulder to see who yelled her name, though she already knew who it was just from the voice— a slick-jawed, messy-haired, white boy, who had quite the reputation. "Seriously, Jamie?" Cherry locked eyes with the boy as he lightly jogged to her, a smirk on his lips and a sigh escaping from hers.

"What's up, cherry blossom?" He asked, lightly leaning against the red metal of the lockers. Cherry rolled her eyes, hating the stupid nickname he gave her, though he always insisted it wasn't because of her background but because of her name. So it was always a little less irritating knowing that.

Regardless of his stupid, borderline racist, nicknames, Jamie was a good friend of hers, the kid was honestly something else. A different breed of human that constantly tip-toed between the line of stupidity and smart-ass. He meant well, and in gloomy times like these, he always managed to bring a smile to her face. Another color lucky enough no to be trapped in this town of grey.

"I'm hungry and cold," Cherry replied. Reaching down to grab her bobby-pin off the tile floor and pick open her locker again. Though this time she was much more successful. "That's what's up."

"What do you say we go to Tim Hortons then? My ride canceled, and I'll pay."

Cherry chuckled, avoiding the eyes of Easton as he raised a brow. Still rocking that signature smirk. Cherry placed her binder in her locker, shoving past a couple of past-due library books as she did, before shutting the little door. Finally turning to face her friend.

"Are you implying that there was someone else you were willing to get breakfast food with? That's not me?" Cherry said in with a offended expression that was about as real as plastic, she even went as far as comedically placing a hand on her chest while her other wiped a fake tear. "I can't believe you're cheating on me."