One Step in the Same Direction

Chapter 2

The bell that abruptly ended third hour rang, signaling for the switch of classes to begin. I threw my books into my bag quicker than a rabbit running across the street. One of them was even flung in upside down. But that wasn't my main priority. I just wanted to run to lunch to rip open the letter that I have been shockingly keeping shut for the past three hours of school and read it. It's been too long since I've had the actual loose-leaf in my hand.

I flung my bag over my shoulder as soon as I exited the classroom with great force. I, of course, ran into the hallway traffic right away. Luck for me, I'm only 5'2. That means I can squeeze through people whenever I see small gaps in between them. I tried to charge through the hallways, but no luck. The traffic wasn't clearing up any time soon. I sighed and slowed my pace to match the others.

The weight behind me started to travel down my back. I made a confused face as I tried to look over my shoulder. Before I knew it, I heard a thump directly behind me. I turned 180 degrees and to my horror, saw my geometry binder lying right there on the floor. I knelt to pick it up and if the book falling out of my now wide-open backpack wasn't enough trauma, something else made the trauma fly to a level in the stratosphere. Weston was standing directly behind me and once he realized my book fell out of my bag, knelt to pick it up. We both looked up at one another and our eyes locked.

"I think you dropped this," he said coming off the floor with the binder in his hand.

"Um, thanks," I managed to say amidst my embarrassment. I felt my face becoming hot. Before I took the binder from his hands, I zipped my bag shut and decided to just hold it. That way it will always be in my sights.

"Where you off to?" Weston asked before I turned my back to him.

"Lunch. What about you?"

"Oh, I'd usually be heading to social studies, but I'm actually heading to guidance to change my schedule," he said holding a paper which I'm assuming is his class list or something.

"Sounds sweet," I managed to say to him. He was much cuter in person than in the snaps he sent to me. Much cuter. He did that stupid head nod thing and turned to the guidance hall. I adjusted my backpack straps and felt my pockets to make sure the letter was still there. Once I heard the crumple of paper, I placed both of my hands around my binder and pressed it firmly against my chest. I looked like such a nerd, but I didn't care.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw familiar brown hair coming closer to me and I tensed up. Is that-

"Long time no talk Charlotte!" Trevor's flashy smile appeared next to me. I took a step away from him, trying my best to show disinterest.

"Where are you off to Trevor?" I asked hoping to end this conversation as quickly as possible.

"Somewhere over the rainbow- "

"Stop being a smartass," I interrupted before he could say any more. He rolled his eyes and placed his hands in his pants pocket.

"I saw you talking to that kid," he snarled when he said the word kid.

"So? I can talk to whoever I want."

There was an awkward silence clouded upon us. Trevor threw is head back and removed his hands out of the pockets. He cracked his knuckles.

The cafeteria doors of OCHS were now visible, thank God. I picked up the pace and as luck would have it, Trevor followed. I thought I lost him swerving through some groups of upperclassmen, but once I looked over my shoulder, I was wrong. I swung one of the doors to the cafeteria opened and held it open for the other kids behind me. Once I saw Trevor appear, I slammed the door in his face. I dashed to my usual lunch table and was relieved when I saw the faces of Chad and Ryan laughing with one another. I threw my backpack on the empty chair next to me since no one was going to be using it. This table is reserved for our trio and since all members of the trio were here, we don't need it anymore. Both boys turned to my direction when I whipped out my lunch from the bag and letter from my pocket.