With You┃Dylan O'Brien ⓵

Chapter Two : Lockers Lunch & Learning

Monday morning is warm enough for me to wake up at six with a smile on my face. I shower before putting my makeup on, doing my hair and getting dressed. The clock strikes seven while I fix myself a Nutella and banana sandwich that I eat with a glass of milk.

Neither of my parents are awake yet, so I remind myself to keep it down as I grab my backpack and keys, shutting the front door softly behind me. I start my car and start on the ten-minute drive to Chatsworth High School. I'm feeling a little bit nervous about my first day, but I blast the Mulan soundtrack in an attempt to boost my confidence.

It's 7:20 and the first bell rings in ten minutes. There are a lot of people here, just going about their way. I hardly feel like I'm at school though; the weather is nice and everyone looks so happy to be here!

I get out of my car and walk straight toward the building. I can feel several pairs of eyes on me which makes me a little apprehensive, but I simply look forward and continue on my way. I enter the office and walk over to Miss Weber's desk where she smiles up at me.

"Morning!", she says surprisingly cheerfully for a Monday morning. Probably has to do with her large mug of coffee.

"Good morning," I say politely back.

"I've got all your things right here," Miss Weber hands me three papers.

One has my schedule of classes on it, the second has my locker number and its combination, and the third has my log-in information to look at my grades online. I stuff the last one into a side pocket on my backpack and thank Miss Weber on my way out.

Luckily for me, my locker is only on the second floor (the school consists of four floors and a basement, and I've never really liked stairs). I climb up a single flight and enjoy the views out the windows as I do. People are looking at me again as I count the numbers on the lockers until I find mine: 238.

I turn the combination on the paper and the locker opens with an ease. I reach into my backpack to put my lunch inside when I curse under my breath, realizing I forgot to even pack a lunch. Annoyed with myself, I shut my locker back up and lean against it.

I look at my schedule and see that my first class is U.S. History, on the fourth floor. The first bell rings and I grow annoyed at myself for not finding my classroom earlier. People begin to part ways and head to their designated classes where I decide to follow a crowd up the stairs. I get to the fourth floor and realize it's going to be difficult to find my class.

I want to ask somebody for help but people keep staring at me when they walk by, which only serves to make me even more nervous and uncomfortable. I decide to look for my classroom on my own, but I regret it when I'm alone in the halls and the second bell rings. I still haven't found this Mister Lofton's classroom.

I check the room number on the paper for the third time to make sure I haven't passed it already. I hear footsteps behind me and I wonder if I'm going to get in trouble for not being in class. But when I turn around, it's just a boy with messy dark brown hair, glasses, and his backpack hanging off one of his shoulders. He looks harmless enough that I decide to ask him for help.

"Excuse me," I call to him tentatively.

He looks up from his phone and seems to do a double take, "Yeah?"

"I need your help," I tell him, holding up my schedule. "No matter how many times I look, I can't seem to find my classroom."

He stuffs his phone in his pants pocket and walks over to me, looking at my paper, "Lofton? You're on the wrong side of the building." He almost seems to be laughing.

"Will you take me there?"

"Look, I'm already late."

"Exactly, so what's it gonna matter if you're a couple minutes later?"