Into The Woods

Chapter 1

Thursday

Suzette

When I say I'm a nobody, I seriously mean I'm nobody. I'm not popular or have a spectacular personality. I'm just plain old Suzette. I only have one friend named Larken Woods and that's all I really need. I focus on my schoolwork so I can get into college and become a doctor. My mother is never home and she leaves me alone to thrive for myself. My dad is dead, and I never even got to meet him. Lark's mother Carol takes care of me, they live right across the street. But even though I have Carol, I still take care of myself because that's all I know.

I sit in math class, looking down at my text book. My brown hair creating a wall between me and the outside world. I twist a lock of hair around my finger. My hair is brown, just brown. Nothing special, nothing unique. I tap my pencil against the table. I glance at the empty seat to the left of me. I sigh, wishing that Lark sat next to me. But Lark sat on the other side of the room with his friend Porter. My eyes glance over to where he would be sitting, the seat turning up empty when my eyes met the chair. Lark wasn't in class yet. He's always late.

I look away and then when I look up I see a beautiful girl walk in. She has caramel hair that cascades down her back in long curls and olive skin that compliments her hair. From where I sit I can see her bright blue eyes shining when she observes the room.

Mr.Carter smiles at her. She hands him a paper and he scribbles something onto it.

Looking out to the class, he says, "Well, class this is Chastity Fellows. She is new here to Melrose High. Chastity you can take a seat next to Ms.Carrier."

He gestures to the seat next to me. I lower my head to my book, pretending not to hear a word that my teacher just said. I want to be lost in my book but truly I'm listening to everything that is going.

I hear Ava whispering to her friend Kendall. I catch the words "I...sorry...loser..."

Ava is the meanest girl in the school. I don't know why but she's always hated me. Her icy blue eyes always glare at me from across the room. I had known her since elementary school, her and her step brother Porter. They always acted like they were better than everyone. Ava more so than Porter.

Kendall really was just a bystander. She stood with Ava but never said anything bad nor tried to stop the mean things she did. She's just as worse as Ava, with her judging eyes. But if I had to choose who I wanted to be friends with then it would be Kendall because she could be nice too.

I swallow down the tears and don't let the words get to me. I experience this everyday so why does it matter right now. Chastity slides into the seat next to me and says "Hi! I'm Chastity."

"I'm Suzette."

"You know that's a really pretty name. Mind if I call you Suze." She suggests.

"No, that's cool. My friend Lark calls me that so it's fine."

Chastity smiles widely, not even trying to hide her teeth that are already white like snow. I smile back. The teacher hushes us, and I bring my eyes back to the book laid out on my desk.

And then the bell rings.

Lark walks in 15 seconds after the bell. As he walks across the room to his seat he looks in my direction. His eyes don't meet mine they look at the seat next to me. Chastity winks at him. He winks back and grins as he slides into the seat next to Porter. Lark has always been a big flirt, in my opinion that's one of his flaws. You never know when he's serious because he's always flirting up a storm.

"Who's that guy?" Chastity whispers to me.

"Larken Woods but you can call him Lark. He's my friend that I told you about." I say.