Broken

Chapter III

With my head down, I peer through my average brown hair so my face is hidden. If someone else spotted me and tried to talk to me, I might scream. If I focus on my footsteps, maybe I could pretend I didn't hear my name if someone asks later on why I ignored them. It would be partly true.

My focus being centered on putting one foot in front of the other blocked out all sound. The everyday, earpiercing, hallway conversations combined into one massive cloud of noise. It was all fuzzy. There is no way I could hear my name. I look down and i see patterned tile. Two white tiles, one gray, two yellow, one gray, and repeat. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. All the way to the double glass doors. Glass.

There are ugly, dark clouds in the sky. The conditions haven't improved since this morning, if anything the temperature warmed a couple degrees. Its still cold. I rub my arms because I left my sweater in my car, which was not the smartest thing I've done. I can see my breath and hear my brown leather boots tapping on the pavement. It smells like exhaust and pollution out here in the parking lot like always.

I can get to my car without even looking, that is how skilled I am, but its dangerous as some of these kids can't drive the best and will hit you because they don't pay much attention to the pedestrians that are everywhere. We, the pedestrians, have to be the ones paying attention. I move along some paces straight ahead to the curb and I pivot to the left where I bump into a stranger, and I mutter apologetically,

"Oh my, I am so sorr-"

He is a brown headed guy, only slightly taller than me, with mocha colored eyes that warm me all the way down to the bone. He's wearing his usual flat rimmed hat with the superman logo on the front, and a solid black sweatshirt.

He is no stranger.

He is Tane.

"Well shit, someone's in a hurry," he says with an observative tone.

Tane then puts his hands on each side of my waist restraining me and as frustrated as I am for him being here right now, there is no possibility I could refrain from wrapping my arms tightly around his neck and resting my forehead in the crook of his neck.

After a moment, I pull back and look up at his face, and I ask,

"I thought you skipped school today, so explain to me what you are doing here?" I run my hand through my hair so I can see him clearly.

"I did skip," he kisses the top of my head, "but I decided it wouldn't hurt to see you." I feel blood and heat rush to my cheeks and color them a rosy pink and my knees are weak. Every time he does that, I want to fall into his arms forever.

"Oh, you'll get hurt alright." I playfully punch him in the shoulder and laugh softly. I want you to come over tonight. When I glance to my left, Reid is there. He is just staring. Not creepy at all.