Enough | A Bryles story

One

What would life be like if I stayed?

Briar's POV

What if my family never moved from Toronto? I wouldn't have had to constantly wonder whether we'd be moving soon after we settled down. No rushing around to transfer from one place to another. No stress about me catching up on a bit of school that I missed throughout those five years.

Just a simple life with my family, friends and school.
Now I've thought about it, since when was life easy to live?

I cram my bag into my locker and close the door. Turns out I'm still holding my history textbook and my French dictionary. Why did I keep my dictionary out? I don't have French until last period.
Sighing heavily, I unlock my locker and put it on the shelf above my bag. I quickly shut my locker and began to head towards my first class: history.

The hallways are bustling with students weaving their way across to their classrooms. Some leaning against their lockers and making conversation whilst waiting for the dreaded bell to signal the beginning of class. Other people acted as if they were in a hurry; it seemed like they were running away from everyone else. I preferred being on time or just a minute early to class.

A group of boys appear from around the corner. Voices lowered to hushed whispers. Even the sea of students transformed into two streams along the sides of the hallway.  I edge a little to the right, nearly knocking over a girl with blonde hair trimmed to her shoulders. Sorry, I mouth. People actually make way to let them through? Usually we'd all just shove past one another, but it was clear that those guys were well known by all the students.

Leading the group was someone strangely familiar. No, it isn't him is it? His brown hair sticking up in a mess from his habit of running his hand through it. He had become more muscular compared the lanky boy he was back then. Those green eyes scan the corridor, searching for something or someone. Until they land on me. Me, out of all people?

Recognition flickers across his face and my lips part in awe. It really is Myles.

Myles Erlick, my best friend before I moved out of Toronto.

He continues to stare at me as we pass by each other wordlessly. I crane my head back to catch Myles turn around one last time before he disappears around the corner.

I finally wrote a good beginning for this story (after who knows how many times I tried writing but then deleted it).
This chapter was quite difficult to write at first because my ideas were everywhere and I couldn't figure out how to make it flow together. I eventually found a good starting point and the story continued on from there :)