Breathing In

1

Ring, ring. The school bell rings signifying the end of the semester. Onto a long week with uncle Charlie, filled with hot chocolate, comfy chairs, and long conversations about books we've read. With not even a thought to my schoolwork, we'll just hang out, and even open the brightly wrapped presents that are there every year-

"Becca! C'mon! Your soulmate is waiting." Char interrupts my thoughts of a calm week and pull me back to the real world. I glance over to the door where Josh leans against the wall. Char grabs my hand and pulls me over towards him. Apparently, she thinks me and Josh are meant to be together forever, and I can't say I disagree. Char throws me a silly grin as she rushes over and I grab my stuff.

Suddenly, a flash of blue catches my eye. Must be nothing...

"Hey beautiful." Josh greets me with a quick hug. Char giggles and grabs us both as she heads over to our lockers at the other end of the hall. I look around at the pristine white walls of the Curtis Academy for Excellence. I've been at this school for 3 years already and I can't believe it. Senior year came so fast.

Char walks over to her locker and grabs a few heavy textbooks for the weekend.

Josh glances over to me as we walk down the green checkered hallway. Too bad he's staying here over winter break, because I would've gone over to his house instead of going over to my uncle's.

"Hey, Becca, we should head out. I need to grab my stuff from Mr. Monter's." Josh says.

"Yeah, me too, slowpoke." Char teases. She grabs her old polaroid as we head outside, and snaps a few pictures of the school for the paper. The cold December air bites my skin, and the bare trees sway in the harsh wind. I can taste the cool snowflakes as they land on my tongue, and I hear the other voices of my classmates as they talk about their plans for winter vacation.

Out of nowhere, the same flash of blue catches my eyes.

"Hey, guys, don't wait up. I'll meet you back at the dorms." I excuse myself from them as they walk off. I'm pretty nervous about that flash of blue I saw earlier. What if it was someone who... I glance around the corner of the school building and don't see anything, when I hear a voice call me.

"Rebecca, we need to talk." I would recognize that voice anywhere after spending 13 years of my life glued to his side.

"James. I should've known. What do you want? Do you want me to come back, because you know-" I start to raise my voice as I turn around to face him and almost gasp aloud. He looks so different from the 8th grader I knew before.

"Look, Rebecca. I know you don't want to see me, or any of us for that matter, but we need to talk." James starts to explain, as he guides me closer to the wall to talk privately. "You know how you had plans to go over to Charlie's house for winter break? Charlie won't be there." He pauses. "Bec, Charles is dead."