Anywhere.

Chapter One.

"Bye mom, love you," I yelled before running through the door. My mom looked over at me, "Love you too, Andreas."

I smiled, ran out of the door, and to the bus stop. After a few minutes, the bus arrived, and the doors opened. My palms were sweaty and my knees shaky, but I got on the bus and into the middle row in an empty seat. I grabbed headphones out of my backpack, plugged it into my phone, and turned on some music.

After a few more stops the bus had made, a girl sat next to me, "Sorry, there's no empty seats left.. So I have to sit here— just for now though! I won't bother you."

I turned my music down and looked at her, "No it's fine, I could actually use someone to talk to right now. It's boring being alone."

"Right, sorry," She said again before looking away.

I looked out of the window, "So.. what's your name?"
"Aliyah," She responded with no hesitation, as if she was waiting for me to ask that.
"Aliyah. I like that name," I looked back at her.

Her eyes seemed to light up.
"Nobody's.. ever had a good conversation with me. Sorry if I'm uhm.. awkward," She looked away again.
I continued to look at her, in hopes she would look back at me, "It's fine. I mean, I was there at some point too."

She smiled, and the bus stopped at the school. She walked into hallway A, and I followed her. My first class was A3, Math. Then it was A2, Reading, and Last but not least, A1. Science and social studies.

Aliyah looked at me, "So, what's your first class?"
"A3 Math," I had looked down at my paper to read it.
"Ugh, lucky. I got A1, science and social studies. I hate that class," She responded, and turned to her locker to open it.

I looked at her again, "Oh?"
"What?" Her eyes showed she was genuinely confused, and the fact she was tilting her head showed it too.
"I thought you would love that class but hate the other ones— just an assumption though, you know?" I felt awkward, and my palms were sweating again. I felt like I might miss the chance of making a new friend.
"It's the complete opposite," She said with a proud tone of voice.

"Righ-" I couldn't even finish speaking before the bell rang, and everyone walked to their classes. I waved to Aliyah, and walked to mine.

"Okay class, listen up and sit down. Today people will be taking EOG's so you must be quiet, and have a computer with you. If you don't have one, a computer will be given to you," My teacher, Mr. Withers said, but in a harsh tone.

"Right right.. So we have to quieter than your grandma that's six feet under?" Robbie, the kid with 'no filter' responded.

Robbie was pretty cool, but honestly, also a douche sometimes. At least he had the guts to say something like THAT to a teacher. I would never have that much confidence. Like always, he got sent the the dean's office to test because of his dumb remarks. I always wondered how it was for a kid like him at home.

4 hours of testing

Everyone in the school finally got done testing, and they let us out for lunch. I bumped into Aliyah in the hallways and we decided to sit at the same table for lunch. We went to the isolated one near the window.

"How was your test?" She asked me, taking a bite of her sandwich.
"It was surprisingly easy.. too bad schedules got changed. Would've been WAY easier I'd they just did everyone's homeroom for testing first," I responded, and rolled my eyes.
"Yea.. I'd be able to go to classroom A1 if it was my homeroom," Her voice was low, almost a mumble.
"I'd be in A2 if it was mine," I ate a grape and looked back at her.

"Do you ever wonder.. if your life is going to change one day and you won't know when until it's too late?" She asked, looking down at her food.
"That sounds like.. quite the depressing thought.." I responded, and looked at her, "but yea.. I do sometimes."

She nodded, and the bell to signal lunch was over had rang. Me and Aliyah didn't really eat any of our food, we had spent too much time talking.