He Who Moved the Sun

Chapter Four: An Awkward Encounter

A lot of people have commented on how short the chapters are. I debated making them longer but then I decided against it. I’m not adding unnecessary details to a story I’ve worked hard to make interesting. Extra crap would make it boring. So, I’m sorry if this is to short. I kind of like writing that way. It will get longer as the story progresses, I promise. :) Enjoy!

Chapter Four

Escher wobbled down the sidewalk towards the entrance of North High wearily. Wearing high heels suddenly felt like a huge mistake, along with the bright red lipstick she had smeared on her lips. She’d never worn much make-up before, what had she been thinking this morning?

She hadn't wanted to look like a tramp, she'd just wanted to try something different. She looked into the reflection of the window beside the door and grimaced. Maybe the skirt was a little tight.

She had to admit though, despite her doubts, the outfit was cute. It was a lot like something she’d seen in Seventeen Magazine, except the skirt was longer and the blouse looked more like something her grandma would have worn than a trendy top. She’d been unsure she would get past her mother with the lipstick but she’d done so without more than a glance. It had been nothing short of a miracle.

The trick was getting past the CV. She knew the dress code didn’t say anything about make-up or shoes, but she still felt nervous. It was the second day of school and she knew they’d be a thousand times harder on her if they felt the outfit was to bold.

The trick was to blend in.

She entered the school and glanced around with unease, gripping her purse tensely. She didn’t see a CV anywhere. Alright Esch, she thought. Just book it to homeroom before you get caught. She smiled and nodded, trying to stay calm. This would be simple. She looked right, then left, as if she was about to cross the road. Seeing no one she began to hobble across the floor to her homeroom.

She realized it was hard to blend in when there was absolutely no one around. Her shoes were making loud tapping noises as she walked so she tried to take light steps, leaping across the floor like an acrobat and holding her purse high above her head to keep balance.  

“That’s one way to travel,” said a voice behind her.

Escher froze. Busted. Her purse was still lifted in the air and her foot was raised spastically. She lowered both of them and slowly swiveled around to face the voice, desperately trying to come up with an excuse for her crazy attire.

But it wasn’t the CV.

It was J.R Milligan, who she'd always gone to school with, but had never really talked to. He was leaning against the wall, a little ways from her, a small smirk visible on his lips.

J.R Milligan was the kind of boy every girl pretended to be annoyed with, but secretly loved. He was a class clown and a little bit of a trouble maker too. He was friends with everyone. Everyone. There wasn’t a kid in town that didn’t have a story to tell about him. Except for Escher. They'd never spoken.

She hadn't heard much about him lately since the tradgedy a year ago. Everyone said he's taken it reall hard ans she didn't blame him. His dad had been shot down by a man in a mask an hour away in the city. He had just been buying his wife tickets to a play for their anniversary. The man who'd done it was never found and his mother had slowly fallen into a depression so bad that she was eventually considered an absent parent. His three little sisters had basically turned to him for parental guidance.

Everyone had thought he would bail out because J.R wasn’t cut out for being responsible. But he took care of those girls like they were his own, which is why every female in the Denver area thought he was perfect.