Story Requests

School

One rainy, dreary day, Eugenia was relaxing in her room, lying on the floor with a pillow under her head. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a braid, as it always was, and she had her earplugs in, which were playing soft waterfall sounds. 

"Hey honey?" Her mom came in and sat on the floor beside her daughter. "I was just on the phone with Cho's mother, you know, that sweet girl you met at Jessica's birthday party, and she was saying that Jess had left the school, because, you know, they moved to Canada, and—"

Eugenia seemed to finally notice her mom was there. She blinked, opening her eyes, realising she had been seconds away from sleep. Her hands moved to her ears, removing the ear plugs and cutting off the music. "Sorry, what?" she asked in a quiet voice. 

Her mother looked slightly annoyed, and related everything again, adding in: "— Cho was telling her mother that she had the idea that you could move to her school!"

A look of shock, nervousness and excitement flickered over Eugenia's face for a split second. Then it passed, and she pretended to yawn in boredom. 

Being a quiet person, she'd learned to hide her feelings well over the years, acting like she wasn't entirely bothered by things. "So?"

"Aren't you happy? You can make more friends, and go on outings and sleepovers and you can maybe even get a boyfri—" 

Eugenia crossed her arms and glared down the hallway at her mother, who was wondering down through the rooms, not including rattling on about how great school life was and what she was excited about and how Eugenia would finally be 'normal'. 

She closed her door, bounced onto her bed, crossed her arms and huffed. She didn't want to go to school. And she was 'normal'. Just because she didn't go to a proper school and have friends— ok, well, she didn't need friends, she was fine on her own. And she talked to the plants, sometimes. School was probably loud and noisy and there would be lots of people she didn't know there— but what could she do? She knew from experience that when her mother got an idea into her head it wasn't easily thwarted. She pressed her earplugs into her ears again and turned up the volume, cutting off her train of thoughts. 

A day later, Eugenia found herself standing by the main school entrance with her hands over her ears, head down. She had been right. School was loud. There were students yelling and crying and waving to friends and laughing at TitkTok videos and climbing over people to get to their lockers. It was total chaos, and she hated it. 

Her mom had dropped her off at the gate, with her backpack and a wave, before pulling away. She felt betrayed. She didn't know one thing about school or the outside world, living isolated and away from everyone in the outer city country her whole life. And she'd been abandoned here, alone, with no sign of Cho, in a god-forsaken place where no one seemed to take any of notice of her or care. 

She felt someone tap her on the shoulder. 

Tilting her head back, she looked up into the face of a boy, and her starry green eyes took in his description.

He had white skin tone, and olive green eyes that stared out from under silvery, greyish hair that reflected the light. His eyes were fixed on her face, worried a little, his expression hiding the fact that the way she just glanced shyly upwards was beautiful, and a bit dazzling. Eugenia didn't know until years later how dazzling that upward look was. 

"Are you ok?" he asked. His voice was soft but deep. Eugenia didn't know if she imagined the hint of concern in it. 

She nodded simply, and he said: "I just— you looked a bit um... not ok." 

Her reply was short but quiet, so quiet he could barely hear it over the noise. "I'm fine." Then she remembered her manners and she hurriedly added: "Thank you though." His smile was small, showing perfect white teeth, and then he sprinted away, backpack bouncing off his shoulders and hair falling over his face. 

Cho suddenly came out of nowhere and jumped on Eugenia, nearly scaring the living daylights out of her. "Was he talking to you?"

Eugenia flicked her braid. "He just asked if I was ok. School was... quite loud when I came in and I was just a bit overwhelmed." 

Her friend sighed dramatically and leaned her head on Eugenia's shoulder, staring after the silver-haired boy. "His name is Charlie. He's in our class and he's the best at sports and he's soooooo dreamy." Another happy sigh escaped her pale pink lips.
   Eugenia stifled a laugh with her hand.
Cho then grabbed Eugenia's arm in a claw-like grip and tugged her away down the hall. "Come on! I'll show you around..."

Approximately two or three hours later, Eugenia found she might like a school a bit after all. Her teachers were quite encouraging and welcomed her with open arms, and Cho, despite having another friend named Amai, seemed to always snatch a seat next to her in classes. 

They liked to sit in the middle rows because Charlie and his friends sat up the back, and soon Eugenia found she had a massive crush on him. He was teasing to some of the girls, but was polite as well, which showed good character. 

Cho flicked a piece of paper onto Eugenia's desk in English that day.

The message was written in blotchy blue pen in neat handwriting, and it promptly read: 

Charlie is soooooo hot and so are his friends!!! Imma go talk to him at lunch today  😊 wish me luck 

Eugenia walked into the school cafeteria, Cho trailing after her. Charlie was standing by the glass cases at the end of the line with a tray full of food, chatting to his mates. 

Cho grasped Eugenia's arm for the second time that day as she walked forward to meet him. 

His eyes took the two girls in and he gestured to his friends, who walked up to meet the girls halfway across the room. 

"Hey," he started, with a toss of his head. "Not too loud in here?" 

Eugenia looked downwards and blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed, and shook her head. Her blond hair flicked back and forth in the movement. 

"I don't believe we've met," Cho blurted, stepping forward into the circle of boys. She flexed her fingers and held out a hand, fingernails painted with pink nail polish. "I'm Cho." 

Charlie shook her hand. "Nice to meet you Cho." He grinned. 

Cho pulled away, fluttering her eyelids at him. "I just love your jacket," she commented awkwardly. "I have one just like it at home." 

He glanced down. "Oh. Thanks," he replied. His eyes flicked up to her neck. "Nice necklace." 

She blushed. "You know you're pretty... pretty amazing, Charlie." 

Eugenia rolled her eyes. How many flirtatious comments did Cho have in her head right now?

Charlie just spun around on his heel and began to walk away, with a "I'll see you both later," over his shoulder. The group of boys followed him, all talking at once. Cho was looking after him, her green eyes sparkling. "He said he liked my necklace..."  she was too busy daydreaming about Charlie that she didn't notice the clanging bell, signalling  the end of break.

 Eugenia giggled and spun around so she was facing Cho. "Come on, starstruck lover-girl. It's time for class."