Through My Window

Original Edition: 17. The Gift

Dedicated to Paula, my dear friend, who motivated to update this story after so long. 

Thank you, Pau. 

- 1 7 -

"Run, Rachel!"

"I'm trying!"

"We're going to be late because of you!"

"Because of me?"

Dani pulls me through the school parking lot as we run to the entrance, the bell is about to ring so we have a few seconds to get to our first class.

My breathing is chaotic, I'm so out of shape.

"Yes, it's your fault."

We slow down when we enter our high school but we keep a fast pace since we can't run inside, "It was your idea to fix my hair."

"Because you were coming to school with your hair in a mess."

"It was just a bit tangled."

"It's the first day of school, as I told you, we have to-

"Impact." I finish for her.

"Exactly, now smile and walk straight." she pats on my lower back to fix my pose.

My straight hair —thanks to Dani— falls at the sides of my face. I pull on the hem of my school uniform skirt because Dani has slid it up a little too much.

Dani slaps my hands, "Don't do that. You're perfect."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Smile." She pinches my cheek. I give her a fake smile, "I hate your bad mood in the mornings."

"I hate mornings in general."

Yes, getting up early is not my thing.

Main High School is the only public high school in my town and it is small. We have a lot of wealthy families who prefer to send their children to prestigious private schools. Dani studied a year in one of the private schools but she had some issues and she decided to come to this one and be with me.

"Well this is your stop," Dani says in front of my locker, "I'll go to mine, see you in class in a bit."

Grunting, I open my locker and start getting my books. Why does school have to start so early? The day is so long. Is it really necessary to get up this early?

I close my locker, and jump out of fright. There's someone in front of the locker next to mine. He's looking at me and he's the last person I expected to see here.

"Apollo?"

"Hi," he says with his sweet smile.

"What are you doing here?" As I take him in, I notice he's wearing our school uniform. What?

"I'm new."

I look at him as if he has grown three heads, "New? But you went to the private school."

"I changed schools."

"And your parents let you do that?" I realize I'm asking a lot of questions, "I'm sorry, that's none of my business."

"Actually, my parents made a fuss, but Ares helped me convince them."

Ares...

If he tells me Ares has changed to this school, I will go and throw myself out of the window.

"Is he...?"

"No, Ares can't live without that school's soccer team."

A wave of disappointment crosses me and I don't get it. Why do I want him to attend this school when I know that nothing will happen between us? That would be pure torture.