The Mischief Fidelity

Chapter 1

Many months earlier...

It was the final day of school. My heart was beating like an enormous brass band. Sure, the teacher was still talking and lecturing, but my eyes were on the clock. I calculated it all in my head.

"Okay so it is 2:13 now, the school gets out at 2:50. I have 2 minutes until 2:15. Then, I have 15 minutes until it is 2:30. Then I have 10 minutes until 2:50. So I only have to wait 27 minutes! Which I could round up to 30, so I have 30 minutes left in the school year! Wait, is that even right?!"

I didn't care. The waiting just killed me. And yes, I am practical like that in some situations. Don't get me wrong, I love school, and I value education, I just needed a break, and summer was just around the corner. The teacher's words were just static noise. It was all just in one ear and out the other. I soon realized this was a mistake.

"Miss Monroe, are you paying attention?"

Damn. She pulled that card. You never know how to respond to these situations.

"Would you like to please enlighten the class on what I just said?"

Clever girl. I quickly searched my mind for recent words that I heard streaming across the classroom. Semester, year, classes. In a matter of seconds, I responded.

"You are reminding us to register for next year and sign up for classes before the semester begins in the fall."

Her face dropped, she had been defeated. "Exactly right, Miss Monroe. Please at least look like you're paying attention."

"Yep, no problem!" I thought to myself sarcastically. I cannot stand her. She was just insanely rude. Well, on the positive side, it is a good example of what not to be when I get older.

25 minutes later, and I began tapping my foot. It wasn't annoying to do so. I made the tapping almost silent so others wouldn't hear my anxiousness. No, I wasn't too social. I didn't have many friends. I had one best friend, Abigail, and that was about it. Abigail and I met in the 2nd grade. As far as I remember it went something like this...

We were on the blacktop of our elementary school playground. When I was in elementary school, we had this large field, that the boys would use for football, and the group of girls would use for jump roping. To the far right side of the field, there were some trees that grew tall. I would take refuge underneath the trees. I would sit and read, sit and write, or sit and just stare at the surroundings. Above me, there were intertwined branches of several different species of tree. I would always try to guess which ones they were, "Evergreen, spruce, aspen..." Perhaps I was wrong, and most times I would believe myself to be wrong. On this specific day, I was writing in a journal that now would be covered in dust and stored beneath my bed. I remember journaling about the soft wind and how I could feel the fall breeze start to blow in when she popped up behind me.

"Hey! What're you writing?" Abigail said, curiously.
"Oh, um, a journal about weather and stuff," I responded, not really knowing what to say. I've never talked to this girl, for a matter of fact, I've never seen this girl! Even at a young age, talking to people wasn't my strong suit. Abigail noticed that quickly.
"Are you shy?" She asked, not unkindly.
"I mean," I contemplated it for a few seconds. Sure, I wasn't as loud as the other kids in my grade, and yes I didn't like to socialize with the other kids. I just sighed and accepted my shyness for what it was.
"I guess,"
"Well, that's okay! Because I'll be your friend!"
She reached her hand out to me in the most clumsy way. I glanced at the palm of her hand. It was rough, and her nails were raspy, she had been biting them off for a while. Even to this day, she continues this habit.

"Um, sure!" I sighed in a nervous way. This was my first friend ever. So how is this going to work? She deftly sat down next to me and stared deep into the pages of my journal.

"So, you don't have to show any of this if you don't want to. I just like to see what you're doing," she cooed innocently. For the first time in my life up to that point, I wasn't afraid of expressing myself. I believed she'd sit there and she'd listen, and she wouldn't judge. And she did exactly that. I was just beginning to talk about the night sky when our teacher blew her whistle. That was the sound that meant it was time for us to gather to go back inside. Abigail used the tree to help her stand.

"That was fun! I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Wait! What's your name?" I asked, I never got to ask, so in retrospect, I shared many things with a total stranger.

"Abigail! What's yours?"

I answered immediately. With that she ran off, stomping her rainboots in the dirt, and her flower printed dress blowing in the wind behind her. I remember how I couldn't stop smiling, I made a new friend, and she actually liked me.

At this point, I was gripping the strap of my backpack on my shoulder. I scanned the room. Every other student was putting their backpack on their back if they hadn't already. 2:49. One. More. Minute. Left. By now, we are all staring at the clock, worshipping it. I watched the red hand move gently across the 5, and the 6, and the 7. We're getting close now. 8, and the 9, and the 10. Summer is nearly within our grasp. 11, and 12! The sound of the bell rung in my ears, I've never been so happy to hear it! Everyone rushed to the door and slammed it open. From the outside, I could hear the yells of the students. That bell symboled our glory. What a year it has been. But now, that's only in the past.

I walked out the door and made my way through the labyrinth of kids within the hallway. I placed my earbuds into my ear and played some soft rock. I was almost humming this familiar tune, I was so excited to finally relax. I headed to my locker, it was all the way at the west end of the school, and I was coming from the east. I selected another song from my playlist.

Finally, I made it to my locker. A667. I twisted and turned the knob several times. With an echoing click, the locker opened. I admired the inside. It was simple and cozy. I placed some pictures in there of sunsets I experienced or selfies of me and Abigail. Other than that, just some journals and textbooks. It was time to take them all home. I unzipped my backpack and started piling the books in. The backpack will be heavy, sure, but it will be the last bit of heaviness for a while at least. Once I organized the books in my bag, I took one last look at my locker in case I forgotten anything. And I almost did. Down in the right corner, there was a crumpled photo covered in dust. That was another picture that I forgot to mention. It was of me and my mother. I was about 5 years old in this picture, but she left when I was 8. Her face was beaming down at me. I was eating some porridge or hot cereal or something of the sort. And she seemed to be enjoying me. It always bothers me why she left us when she seemed so happy. I took a deep breath and stuffed the photo into my backpack.

"Hey there!" A voiced scared me as I slammed my locker. It was Abigail.

"Oh my God! You scared me!" I said, giggling.

"Oh I'm sorry," she giggled at me, "so what are you up to after this?"

"Well, to be honest, I am going to drive home, lay on my bed and contemplate what to do next."

"Can I join you?!" She said excitedly.

"Why not! Let's be alone together," I smiled. Abigail always wanted to make sure you were okay. That was one of her best features.

She started talking to me about her recent volleyball tournament, and how she is thinking of perhaps taking a break from sports next year when my eyes came into focus on someone. He met my gaze briskly. There's no way I've seen him before, but all of a sudden I felt like I've known him forever.

"Hello? Earth to Alexis." Abigail tapped me on the shoulder.

"Uh-um, sorry, what?"

"What's up? You looked like you zoned out."

"No, it's just-" I raised my finger to try and point him out, when I realized, he was nowhere to be found...