Forever

The Boy With Green Eyes

     A sense of paranoia had settled over Hazel the longer the day wore on. Each class she fought the feeling of being watched, because every time she turned around expecting to see those green eyes, there was no one there. It unnerved her. No one ever paid her any mind, aside from the occasional snicker when her clumsiness shone through in front of everyone. She was like a ghost that wandered these halls, doomed to repeat the same actions as she watched the lives of those around her. But now every movement had goose bumps spring across her arms, her heart pounding for no reason as her breath caught in her throat.

     By the time lunch rolled around she found herself waiting in anticipation for the Moore boy despite herself. For no reason other than his odd behavior, he felt like the source of all this. So there she was sat in the back of the room, with a table all to herself as the loud chatter of students began to drown out every thought. Yet her eyes searched, food untouched in front of her.

     She began shrinking inside herself the longer she waited with no sign of him. This was a prank, it had to be. Something to make her look stupid after ruining his reputation by driving her home. Have her waiting in the lunchroom for the boy to show up who never would. His antics this morning part of the elaborate prank. Her face few hot as it settled in her heart. She was letting herself get played. 

     How stupid was she? Jayden Moore wanted nothing to do with her, his simple act of kindness had been out of pity. She was a nobody. She was letting herself get worked up over nothing. Too used to the constant fear of being unnoticed. He was probably waiting outside the school with his friends ready to jump her. Maybe get it on video for the whole school to see.

     Angrily she stood, snatching her uneaten food and walking in shame out of the lunch room. Her eye ached horribly as her face scrunched up in emotion. She didn't have the mental capacity to deal with this today. She'd had too much happen this morning. Too much to let herself be made a fool of in front of the entire school.

     She walked the empty halls to her locker, trying to steady her breathing. Even now with the truth hitting her in the face she could feel those eyes watching her. Yet she shook it off, rushing to open her locker to retrieve her art supplies. Knowing her favorite teacher would not mind if she was early to work on her painting. That painting that just wouldn't leave her mind. And it wouldn't, not until she finished it.

     Shuffling her way into the art room, she peaked her head around the corner. Even her teacher had not made it here yet, all the easels covered with a thin sheet. Hazel flicked the lights on, allowing herself to relax in the brightly lit room. Walking across the floor speckled in different colors of paint from years of students. The white walls with thousands of names etched into the surface. The room itself had that old, fading smell of paint and alcohol. One of her favorite places to be. 

     She smiled softly to herself as she pulled back the sheet from her unfinished painting. The rough edges and unfinished outlines glared at her. But this time it was different, this time something clicked inside her the longer she stared. She could feel the chill of that girl like she was there. Feel the old dried up tears on her face from hours of useless crying. Feel the frost coating the old, cracked window as her frail finger traced shapeless patterns across it's surface. 

     It wasn't the first time this had happened, these paintings that came from dreams. They frustrated her to no end trying to recreate them. Then suddenly it just all clicked together, and she could taste every bit like an old memory. But it was stronger this time, more real. The sorrow coming from that girl almost brought Hazel to tears.

     She pushed her thoughts away, shoving her headphones in and letting the music drown out all her other thoughts. Every worry from today. This was her world where she was in control.