Life Must Go On (On Hold)

chapter 1

"So, the new kid is pretty cute," Mel said as we walked to the table we'd claimed as ours.

"I'm not getting involved with him, if that's what you think is going to happen," I said.

"Oh, come one. I was just making an observation that I'm pretty sure most other girls made as well. A distraction would be good for you, don't you think so?" Mel said as she bit into her apple. She had mischief written all over her face. I love Melanie with my whole heart but she could be conniving and sneaky when she needed to be if she thought it benefitted her or me. 

I scoffed at her underlying suggestion, "Well, I'm not like most other girls, now am I." I took a swig from my water bottle at looked around the cafeteria. I saw the same people in the same groups. Vanessa Stein with her group of cheerleaders, Nicholas Harold with the football jocks, the basketball players, the geeks, the band geeks, etc. The usual groups always stayed together and that wasn't something new around here. I've been sticking with Mel for as long as I can remember and it's nice. She understands me and I understand her. We get on with school like that and it's not so bad.

"Uh, Elise, the new guy is coming our way," Mel said looking at me, mouth slightly open and eyes wide.

"What?" I asked in disbelief. I turned around and sure enough, there was Carter Sterling, the resident new kid, making his way over to us, a glint of something I couldn't quite pinpoint, in his eyes. I struggled not to choke on my water or spit it out as I watched him approach. People were looking and whispering once they saw who he was walking towards.

"Told you," Mel smirked. 

"Ladies," Carter said, "Mind if I join you?"

"Of course not," Mel responded. He walked over to sit next to me and began eating.

"So, Carter, what brought you to Dalton mid-semester?" Mel asked him.

"Well, I needed a change in environment and I heard Dalton had a reputation for 'change'," Carter smirked. His eyes drifted to me and we stared at each other for a few seconds. I could see myself getting lost in those green eyes. They reminded me of a forest you could only find in the northwestern region of the states. I looked away and began looking around. The cafeteria had gone quiet, the occasional stares in our direction, but there were still whispers. People were staring and trying to listen to what we were saying. It's almost like we were the most interesting people in the room. 

"Well, as much as I'd love to stay and finish the rest of our chat, I have to go talk to Jackie about my volunteer hours," Mel smiled. She stood up and left after Jackie Ramirez who was talking to her best friend and twin brother, Jonathan. 

Carter slipped out of his seat and sat in Mel's. We stared at each other for a while. I broke the eye contact.

"So what's your story?" he asked suddenly. I looked up at him with intrigued eyes.

"There's not much to tell, so why do you want to know? I barely even know you, so there's not much to say," I said.

He smiled, "Can't I just make new friends? You're selling yourself short because I think you're one of the most interesting people here and you're also beautiful. How about this, if I tell you about myself, will you tell me about yourself?"

I thought for a while. Would I be willing to let in a complete stranger after he let me in? It's been a long time since I let someone see who I really am. I don't let myself become too comfortable around people I hardly know and yet here I am, staring at those forests in his eyes and agreeing to let him in, "Fine. On one condition."

"What would that condition be, sweetheart?" Carter smiled.

The use of the nickname threw me off for a second before I respond, "You have to keep everything I tell you to yourself."