Fragments

0.6

0.6

            It's only been one day and already I'd rather be back home, going to my boring old school and being the girl that nobody talked to. Well, they used to try. Eventually I just stopped responding.

            Once classes are over I head quickly back to my room, ignoring the stares of people wondering who the new girl is and what's wrong with her. At dinner I'm told to join the line of kids outside of the office to receive my pill and make sure I swallow it. I haven't had one yet – not a single, white sphere.

            I don't really want to start now.

            "Hey, Piper – whoa!"

            As soon as I look up from my feet my face crashes into a hard chest, a blue one, which seems to be the only attire allowed during school hours. I barely have time to look up to see Adam's face before I'm tumbling towards the floor and a hand is strangling my wrist.

            "Hey now," he says quietly once I'm no longer falling. He swings me smoothly to my feet and looks me over. "Are you okay? No new bruises, I'm hoping?"

            I dust myself off and adjust the books I had kept firmly in my arms. "Fine."

            "I'm so sorry, I didn't think you would walk right into me," he chuckles. When he sees me looking away he reaches out and touches my arm. "Piper? Are you really okay?"

            I finger the papers in my arms and shrug. "Depends what you mean by okay."

            "Physically?"

            "Yeah."

            "Well, that's a start," he replies when I meet his gaze. "Anyways, I was wondering if you wanted to head out tonight to go to dinner or something. A group is going and I figured you shouldn't have to eat the crappy food here on your first night."

            My mouth opens and the word no begins to slip out of my lips, but when my eyes find the reflected sign of the office in one of the trophy case mirrors on the wall, I change my mind. A small smile finds its way onto my lips when I find a legitimate reason for skipping my pill.

            "That sounds great."