𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙀𝙮𝙚𝙨 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙚 [discontinued]

Chapter Two

Ten minutes later, we pulled into our school's parking lot: Shady Oaks Middle School.

Shady Oaks was the oldest school in the area, in existence before the town itself was fully developed. Trees, oaks of course, surrounded the school building on all four sides, with green lawns on either side. The building itself was built in the classic Victorian style, with stained glass doorways and iron railings, its red brick walls faded with time. Ivy clung onto the school walls, digging into every nook and cranny.

I loved the place.

Carren and I got out from the minivan, waved Dad goodbye, and headed towards the building.

We were quickly met by Marina, a girl from Carren's class, and her best friend. As far as I knew, they had become friends ever since their first days of pre-school.

"Hey," she said, giving Carren their signature fist bump. "How was the weekend?"

"Quite good," Carren replied. "Although we nearly got late cause Miss Sleeping Beauty here was still waiting for her prince."

Marina turned to me and gave me a warm greeting hug. Carren wasn't the only one she was close too; while Carren and her friendship blossomed over the years, the more I began to see a sister figure in Marina.

"Don't mind her," Marina whispered in my ear. "She'll be a little extra jumpy today."

Before I could ask why, she turned to Carren and gave a smug smile. "Jayden's waiting for us in the gym. Its a while before the game starts, if you wanna come.."

Carren's cheeks coloured and she pulled a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Sure," she said airily.

Oh, of course, I thought, that's the real reason she wanted to go so early today.

Jayden Carter, most popular guy at Shady Oaks, star athlete, Marina's fellow member of the school swim team. Just your typical crush material. I always knew Carren liked him, but maybe this was turning into something bigger.

Rolling my eyes, I set out to class. The hallways were lit with the niche lamps I especially admired. Students were walking up and down the aisles, or chatting with their friends at lockers.

I stopped by mine and got my books, gazing at the polaroid picture taped to the locker door. It showed my family at the seaside, laughing at the joke my father had just told.

"There you are!"

I turned to see my best friend, Emily, elbowing her way through the crowd.

"I thought you wouldn't come today," she panted.

I smiled at Emily, "Yeah, I kind of slept in."

Emily linked her arm in mine, "Well good thing you're here," she said. "Now I won't have to deal with P.E alone."

I sighed in frustration. P.E, the most awful class invented by mankind, and the first class of day.