Just as I Begin to Fade

Six. Control

When the next morning arrived, Gwen decided to get up bright and early, just to make a hangover care package for her mother so she wouldn't disrupt the sleeping blonde. The girl wrote a note and left it on the table, also leaving behind freshly brewed coffee, Seven-Up, other various beverages and of course she left the bread out, front and center---only because she was hinting for her to eat what she set out.

Walking through the gates for the first time and on time, the girl let off a small sigh of satisfaction, though she immediately felt like an outsider as she looked around at all the different groups of people and separate cliques.

Though at times she wanted to fit in, she preferred being a loner because then she didn't have to explain herself to people and she didn't have to lie about why she couldn't hang out or why she didn't let people come over to her house. She was safe when she was alone, not to mention at pure peace. Even when she was tucked away in her bedroom, she could never find the time for real quiet only because all she could ever hear was the sound of ice clinking in glasses, beers opening, wine or champagne corks being popped, the sound of thin blades tapping on the table---it drove her baddie. She would always blast her stereo or headphones just to get away from that sound. However, she could never just have silence.

The teen sought refuge at a vacant, stone bench and curled up comfortably, pulling her legs in Indian style while she took a notebook out of her bag.

Just as she was getting comfortable, Donna was walking by and she grinned at the sight of the teen.

The teen biker was wearing her normal boots, bootcut jeans in which were light washed, another cropped, band tee shirt and over she had her leather jacket on. Her hair was tossed to the side as she rested her hand in her palm, writing intently.

Immediately, she walked over and she greeted her.

"Hey, Donna, how are you?" she moved her bag over and she set it aside so the girl could sit, though she continued with what she was doing.

"Pretty good. I thought I wouldn't see you again---how are you?" she wondered as she scanned the girl's neat cursive. "You write so pretty!"

"Thanks, but I'm just scribbling," she assured. "My writing is usually much neater," she added.

"Well, this is beautiful. Anyway, how come you didn't come to school yesterday?" she wondered.

"I did, I just came way later than expected. I worked late the night before, but then I had a bit of a family emergency," she explained, still jotting down the notes she needed for her upcoming class.

"Oh. I hope I'm not bothering you," she mentioned.

"No, I am a fantastic multitasker," she smirked. "What's up with you?"

"Nothing much," she shrugged. "It's just good to see you."

"Well, ditto, hon. I've had a rough couple days and it feels like I have a normal life when I talk to other people."

"That's good. Also, I heard you're close to winning for the newspaper candidacy; editor for the school paper."

Furrowing her brows, "I've been here three days---how is that even possible?" she thought aloud. "It wasn't even me who put my name on the board. Nobody even knows me here."

"Who put your name on the board?" she wondered.

"The librarian," she shrugged. "Lindsey."

"Oh, yeah, he's super cool," the girl smiled. "You should get in with no problem if he's the one who signed you."

"Yeah?" she nearly scoffed, but didn't try to. "What do you know about him?"

"Lindsey?"

"Yeah. He's pretty mysterious and quiet if you ask me."