The Space Between Us

Chapter Eleven

School.

Honestly, I wasn't looking forward to it at all. But it had to be done if I ever wanted to finish my journey of education.

As I walked the hall towards my newly assigned locker and watched students meeting up with other students happily, I was reminded of the fact that most of my friends had moved on to university and beyond, including Craig. I missed them.

I didn't feel like making new friends, and though I had my friends from last year, Mia and Charlie, I didn't have the relationship with them that I'd had with my friends who were now gone. Rachel had become my closest friend over the past year but, she too, had moved on.

Number 224. That was my new locker number.

I stood in front of it and wondered what the year would bring. What would happen with me and Craig. Would we be able to withstand a long distance relationship? Who would I be at the end of the school year? And what about Jessie. Would she even make it through the year?

I looked down at the piece of paper in my hand. My locker combination: 24-6-13. I started to turn the dial carefully down to the last number and then pulled.

Locked.

I rolled my eyes and tried again.

Still locked.

"Argh!" I muttered loudly, dropping my head back and sighing. I was not off to a good start.

I tried again.

24-6-13.

The lock refused to budge.

Just as I was about to karate-chop it out of existence, a hand came around me and took hold of the lock. "What's the number?" a low male voice asked.

I looked up into a pair of emerald green eyes staring back at me. I didn't recognize him. He had brown hair that was cropped on one side and longer on the other, styled back, an oval shaped face with a nice complexion, a long, straight nose that came almost to a point at the end, and full lips that were moving into a smile as he watched me look him over. "Like what you see?" he asked, leaning in a little closer to me.

I cleared my throat and shook my head, refocusing my attention on my lock. "I can do it myself, thanks," I said as I tried to push his hand away. But he didn't let go of the lock.

"Just let me help you. I'm good with locks."

I dared to look up at him again. "But then you'll know my combination."

"And what...break into your locker and steal your homework...or worse yet, your lunch?" He feigned a look of mock horror, his free hand going over his heart dramatically.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay, enough with the drama. I don't even know you?"

He let go of my lock and thrust his hand forward to me. "Name's Jake Wilson. Just started here."

I shook his hand. "Lara Thomas. I've been here forever," I replied wryly.

He laughed, nodding. "You look like a lifer, Thomas," he said, calling me by my last name. I decided not to care because I didn't plan on having a friendship with him anyway.

I grimaced but stepped to the side, waving my hand at my lock for him to give it his best shot. He took the piece of paper with my combination on it and stared down at it before setting to work.

After he'd spun the dial three times, he looked at me and said, "Ready?" His hand was poised to pull on the lock.

"Now or never."