Sometimes, you can only feel what you let yourself feel. And the instant AJ left, for some unfathomable reason, I was hit with a wave of sadness. I didn't even know this girl, yet I was sad at her absence. What was wrong with me?
I parked my car in the spot that I usually did, which was the one closest to the school's football field. I stared through the windshield for a moment at the rain that was pouring down on it. I thought briefly that maybe the things that happened that morning were imagined. But then when I breathed in, I could still smell the faint scent of flowers.
The scent quickly faded away and I got out of the car, left my umbrella, and walked towards the school. I figured that since I was already soaked, more rain wouldn't make much of a difference. Besides, everyone that lived in Mandarin knew to bring an extra pair of clothes to school because it rained so often. I had my extra clothes in my locker and if AJ could get out of the car without an umbrella, why couldn't I?
I grimaced at the thought that I could've killed that girl today. Sure, it really wouldn't have been entirely my fault, but something like that isn't good for a guy's conscience. I made a mental note to apologize to her when I saw her.
I entered the doors of Kinley soaking wet. My clothes felt incredibly heavy and my shoes squeaked loudly on the linoleum as I walked down the hallway. I winced with each squeak. Squeak. Wince. Squeak. Wince. Squeak. Wince.
Kinley High was different from other stereotypical high schools because instead if having trophies and pictures of clubs and jocks lining the walls, we had a pictures of former Principals and Town Leaders. If everything went as planned, my face would be up there someday...right beside my father's. I made my way down the decorated hallway and suddenly I felt almost suffocated. It was like I could feel the pictures staring down on me.
I sighed as I saw my friends waiting for me by the lockers that we always meet at. For some reason ever since the ninth grade, we claimed the lockers closest to the girls' restroom as our own. Maybe it was because the girls' bathroom smelled a lot better than the guys' did, I don't know. But what I did know, was that I didn't feel like hanging with them today. But even though I wasn't in the mood, I went over anyway. My friends didn't like it too much when you deviated from our 'ritual' of meeting at the lockers.
We weren't athletes or jocks or anything stereotypical. We just liked hanging out with each other. When one of us didn't want to hang with the others, it didn't turn out too well for them. Our group was made of five people who'd been together since birth. It was me, Paul Randall, Sabrina Patrick, and the twins Hanson and Camden Summers. Sabrina was the only girl in the group, and most of the time she acted like she didn't care. But I knew she did. The funny thing was that we were all expected to be friends with each other because each of us had a parent on Mandarin's Founding Council.
The Founding Council consisted of the people whose ancestors originally settled the land and gave the city its name a few hundred years ago. There were five members of the Council, and as a group of five descendants, we were each expected to follow our parents' footsteps and take our role on the Council. Even me.
When my father, who was the President of the Founding Council, died two years ago, my mother had to join the Board, but Paul's dad took over the role as President. And even though the original President of the Board was gone, I was still expected to presume the duties when I got older. The only problem was that I didn't want to do that. I think Paul knew this, but he still brought the topic up everyday as if we hadn't talked about it enough the day before.
"Hey Noah!" Paul yelled when he saw me shuffling slowly towards the group. Being unreasonably loud in the hallways was Paul's favorite thing to be. And as usual, when Paul yelled, the people surrounding him in the hallways turned their attention towards him as if they thought he had something important to say. Sometimes I wondered if he was destined to be the future leader of a cult. But then again, I wasn't too sure that he wasn't a cult leader already.
"Hey Paul," I said quieter than Paul's booming voice. I swear that part of the day was scripted. We did the same thing everyday.
Like always, Paul replied: "I'm sorry, what Noah? I can't hear you!" He cupped his hand behind his ear and leaned closer to me.
This usually went on until I answered him in an equally loud voice. But too tired to keep up the tedious game, I just responded the way he wanted me to.
Yelling, I said, "Hey Paul! Its a wet morning, isn't it?"
Satisfied, Paul laughed and said, "A very wet morning indeed, Noah!"
He waved his hand in the air and bowed to me. At this point, the students in the hallway started to go about their business again.
I sighed inwardly and returned the bow. I was never one who enjoyed dramatic gestures, But Paul was.
"So," Paul said, bending back up. "How are you?" Abruptly, the playfulness in his voice was gone. He knew something was different.
"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously. "I'm great." For some reason, I knew I didn't want him to know about AJ.
"Really?" Paul's tone turned questioning, and the tone caught the attention of the group. They watched my face for a reaction.
"Yes. Why wouldn't I be?"
There was a long pause. It was like the entire group was holding their breath....or maybe it was just me.
"Well for one thing...you're soaking wet." Oh. A smile formed on Paul's face and the group burst out in laughter. I forgot I was wet. I was so worked up, I didn't even notice how badly I was shivering.
"Oh. Well, yeah," I answered relieved. My teeth were chattering constantly. "I forgot my umbrella at home and I gave my other one to Kara." I lied, but they didn't have to know that.
"Ah. Okay. Well, we have about five minutes until class starts." Paul informed me. I glanced at the clock in the hallway and noticed he was right. It was 8:05 and the bell rings at 8:10. Paul continued. "I'll cover for you in Mrs. Johnson's class, so you'll have enough time to change. But you need to hurry. Just because you're the future President of the Council, doesn't mean that you can be late whenever you want. Of course, if you don't want to be-"
"I get it, Paul. Thanks." He was always pressuring me to give up my role of future Board President. I knew I didn't want to be President, but I didn't like it when people tried to pressure me into making decisions. I turned around and got my clothes out of my locker. As the warning bell rang at 8:07, my friends left and I shuffled down the hallway to the boys' bathroom. Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.
When I got into the bathroom, I saw the last thing I ever expected to see in it: Tiny silver and gold stars scattered on the floor and AJ hastily picking them up.
~
Woo! New chapter! Gasp! WHY is AJ in the boys' bathroom? Please tell me any mistakes so I can fix them! I hate mistakes! >:( Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope you like it! Let me know! :D
Dedicated to @Miranda_Contreras for my banners on this chapter and the third chapter.
~Mikaila <|:3
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Stargazer
Teen Fiction• She was as scattered as the stars in the sky and there was nothing he wanted to change about that. •
