This Side of Paradise

Chp. 1: Crossing Roads

A girl strode down the hallway in a seemingly confident and composed walk, as her coral brown hair adjourned with a white bow followed. She wore a light pink shoulder less sweater with light green straps, and black leggings underneath her short green skirt that swayed with her quick steps.

The girl happened to be Monika; a school idol and class representative. Extremely well known and popular due to her beautiful features and high academic success.

During this time of day, most of the students that attended school would be at home; the ones staying only because of clubs or after school hour help.

Thus, the hallways were empty and relatively quiet as Monika moved briskly through them. The sounds of students talking in different rooms started to slowly fade out of hearing range, as Monika got hit with a reminder, and began to move just a little quicker.

After climbing up the stairs and walking in a more deserted hallway, Monika scanned the sides of each classroom door with her emerald colored eyes. She stopped, standing in front of a classroom which had the door slightly ajar and left open. The girl moved over to the door and slid it opening, peering inside.

With a feeling of heaviness immediate falling onto her, she quickly stepped inside the empty classroom, and shut the door behind her.

There was almost a pause in the silence of the room, and as if making sure her eyes didn't betray her, Monika looked around the classroom again.

The classroom was still empty.

Monika felt her chest begin to get heavier and she tensed up. As she placed her school bag on the desk nearest to her, she lowered her head as her vision started to become blurry.

The tears were warm and raced down her face, her tears trailing down faster as she hadn't lifted her head.

Monika whimpered weakly, unable to hold in her cries for any longer, especially now that she was granted some time alone. Feeling weak, she stumbled over to one of the classroom's walls and slid down against it, sitting with her knee's up to her chest and her face buried in her arms.

After feeling her tears fall on to the bottom of her shirt, she let herself sob louder. Even though the classroom was empty, Monika's cries and rapidly beating heartbeat made it seem like a crowded room.

However, there was a sudden sound above everything else that made Monika freeze.

A voice followed after the sound of the door being knocked on, it sounding like a concerned but hesitant female. "Excuse me, is anyone in there?"

Monika held her breath and stayed silent for a moment, debating if she should call back to the girl. As she blinked away some of the tears from her eyes, she didn't have the chance to decide as she could hear the door being opened.

"I'm coming in!" Announced the girl, her voice becoming louder as she was now standing in the classroom. With no other choice, Monika quickly made an attempt to wipe her eyes with her pink sleeve so she could face the girl who had walked in on her. She forced herself to wear her confident smile as she stood up and landed her eyes on the intruder.

The stranger standing in front of Monika was a girl a little shorter than her, though seemingly around the brunette's age. She had golden blonde hair that rested over her shoulder in a lose braid, and red eyes. Monika noticed the girls' attire next; a rose colored blouse with small white dots scattered along the fabric as a design.

As popular as she may be, Monika didn't recognize this girl from her looks. Though there was always a good chance that she had passed this girl in the hallway during class days many times.