Mirror

Residents Only

"Hey, you look like you haven't slept for a while," Camy commented when I walked up to her locker.

I laughed. "What else is new?" While I was sure I looked like an insomniac to everyone else, alternating regularly between which body and brain had to do all of the functioning was, in fact, becoming substantially easier.

"Seriously though," Camy retorted, unamused. "You need a break from stress. Why don't you come hang out with us at the mall tomorrow?"

"What time?" I asked. I wasn't particularly a fan of the mall, but I wouldn't put down the idea of hanging out with Camy and her other cheerful friends.

"I don't know. We were thinking about blowing off seventh and eighth period."

"You want me to skip?" I asked.

"Yeah, unless you're scared," Camy taunted.

"I am," I admitted without shame. "I've never skipped so go ahead without me."

Camy pouted but waved her hand as she turned around to let me know that she understood. "Talk to you later," she said.

"Bye."

I walked down the hallway and a man stepped out of the bathroom with a mop over his shoulder. I stopped but didn't back up fast enough to avoid being clocked with the handle when he turned his back to me. It was then that I realized who it was.

"Good morning, Tyreek," I said.

"Oh Lithallia." Tyreek swung back around and I threw my arm up defensively, but he had already removed the mop from his shoulder and placed it back in its bucket.

"Don't make a habit of getting my attention by attacking me with your janitor's equipment please." I rubbed my head.

"Sorry about that." He grinned.

I shook my head. An unpleasant fluttering was starting up in my chest, but at the very least the heavy feeling of doom no longer rested in my gut when I saw him. "Why are you in uniform anyway?" I asked, still keeping a bit of distance between us.

"They were short staffed, so they told me I could get out of classes if I worked today."

"You'd prefer cleaning the boy's bathroom over going to class?"

"Yep, I hate sitting still."

I laughed nervously. "Sometimes I feel the same way."

Tyreek smiled at me and I realized he was slowly closing the distance between us. Whether it was intentional or not I couldn't be sure, but it was friendly enough that I could feel the anxious flutters dampen a little.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"Hey, I'll walk you to class," Tyreek said. I raised an eyebrow, but he shrugged so I nodded. It didn't really matter, right? I had no one to walk with from first to second period and company sounded nice.

"So what are you hoping to get by walking to class with me? You won't be able to enter Mirror just by hanging out with me," I said. I tried to make my voice sound casual, but I really was curious.

"I figure that if we're going to work together to find the charms we should at least get to know each other," Tyreek replied.

"I guess you're right."