Chocolate Lovers

Chapter 1: School Days

School. One of the most exciting and hardest places a person has to go. A new year filled with new people, new friends, and new expectations. Can I really handle them all?

I had just moved from El Paso, Texas, to Tampa Bay Florida at the end of the summer, meaning I had no time to make friends until school started. I didn't know anyone here, but my old friend, Christian. I heard he moved to Tampa and was going to Crystal Pools, the school I'm going to, but I don't know if it's the same one. I hope it is. Making friends, especially in a place you've never been before, is scary.

With my parents breathing down my neck, it's going to be even harder. They were really strict on grades last year, just like every year, so I'm positive they're going to be exactly the same this year. But at least my mom took me shopping for clothes before school. I was wearing the outfit I had picked out especially for today. A simple purple and white t-shirt , light blue jeans, and my black high-tops was what I had decided to wear.

I have medium, curly dark brown hair, but I decided to wear it down for once. I had secretly applied makeup to myself, that being simple mascara around my big, round, brown eyes, and little bit blush to my ivory skin. Nothing too over the top. I'm 5 foot 9 inches, which is short in my family, but I still was taller most of the other girls, and other kids my age in general.

I hopped out the car, not even paying attention to my mother's distant speech or the fact that my hair was messed up already, even though I had just spent an hour combing through it. I looked around and saw the middle of campus. I decided to head there. My mom's honking disappeared in the chatter and reunions of long lost friends. I walked around for a bit, trying to find someone I could become friends with, or better yet, Christian.

"It's only the first day." Someone said from behind me.

I turned around to see a girl with straight, ginger hair and pretty, green eyes. She was shorter than me, probably about 5'5 or around that height.

"Huh?" I said.

"I said, it's only the first day of school. You already looked stressed. Trying to find a familiar face?" the girl asked kindly.

"Well, I am new here, so I'm a bit confused on the layout of the school. Also, yeah, kinda. " I said.

"Well, I'm Anna. You?" she asked.

"Lucinda," I said.

The bell suddenly rang, and a huge group of kids started heading towards the doors. I saw some 6th graders, I assume, trying to bypass the older 7th and 8th graders, towering over the doors. I see one guy I know in the distance.

"Christian," I whispered. I had a feeling I'd see him eventually. He had the same cute structure to his face, the same dark brown eyes, and the same dark, birds-nest-like hair. He was kinda slim, still muscleless from what I could tell from a distance, but he had gotten taller.

"Who?" Anna said, overhearing me whispering to myself.

"And old friend of mine. I haven't seen him in awhile."

"At least you have friends you know here." Anna mumbled. She must be lonely, judging from her emotional voice and the sense of longing coming off of her.

Christian saw me and headed over to us, waving and smiling the whole time. I grinned.

"Hey, Lucinda! I haven't seen you in forever! Who's this?" he paused, looking over at Anna.

"Anna," she responded.

"Anna. Nice name," he said, pulling me toward a rusty bench and ditching Anna. I gave her a look of apology, but she just turned her cheek and started to walk away.

"Where have you been?! I tried calling you after I left, but you didn't answer and... and....." He seemed really frantic, and his face was reddening from the massive breakdown.

"Chris, calm down," I said. I took his hands into mine. It always calmed him down when we were younger. He started to flush a bright red.

"You never talked to me after I moved," He said, his turning even redder face. I smiled. He was still looking in my eyes.

"I missed you too, Christian," I said softly. I had the urge to hug him, but decided against it.

"I like your outfit. You look great in it." Chris muttered, getting off topic.

"Thanks. So do you..." I paused.

I noticed the courtyard was empty. Then the bell rang overhead.

"Shoot. I think that was the last bell."

Christian shook his head, unhappy that he was missing his first class. We both started to head towards the office for a late pass. At least I thought we were. We both, after asking other late students, figured out where the office was. I had obtained my pass, along with Christian. We said our goodbyes and headed our separate ways.