Haunted by an embarrassing moment from the seventh grade, Blaire Sunderland is about to embark on her senior year at Honeybrook High. Though she has already confronted her issues with depression, anxiety, and body image, she's still known as "Blush"...
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~ Luca ~
The cafeteria roared. Luca felt grounded in the cacophony of voices. It was the same as any first day. Reunions filled with too much excitement and not enough sincerity.
Every year was the same. Students would embrace and make every effort to convince their peers of how terribly they were missed. Luca always used to wonder why both parties had failed to check up on the other during the two and a half months of absence.
Though he wasn't moving, the noise bounced off of enough surfaces around him, helping to project a nearly complete image of everything that was happening.
Though the cafeteria was full, Luca understood that he sat alone. He supposed that he could have blamed it on his pink hair, but in a school this big, he would be surprised if he was the only one with an alternative look. His face was unfamiliar to anyone who paid attention. So no one claimed him. The general population tended to avoid the unfamiliar until one was brave enough to approach and initiate the beginning of a relationship.
Luca had been sitting there for about thirty minutes and no such person had attempted first contact. But that was okay. He could wait some more. He wanted to make friends. For that reason, he tried to dial it down. No piercings. Nothing provocative on his shirt. Couldn't do anything about the hair and hats weren't allowed in school. At the very least his pink hair would be a reliable conversation starter.
The longer Luca absorbed his surroundings, the more he realized that people did indeed have questions for him. His sensitive ears tuned in to several conversations at once.
"Check that kid out. Is his hair really pink?"
"Never seen pink hair on a dude around here before."
"Wonder which administrator will nab his board first. Pretty sure you can't bring that inside."
"I think skater kids are hot."
"Shit! He's looking this way!"
Luca sank his fingers in his roots and slid them all the way back to the nape of his neck.
Someone come talk to me already. This is getting old.
Usually Luca wasn't this shy. But there were so many people.
Luca dragged his hand back through his rough curls again. Crowds this big, especially in a confined space, did nothing to help ease his nerves. In fact, they put him on edge.
The large crowd closed in around Luca as more and more kids filed into the cafeteria. The bell was probably close to ringing.
"Lucas? Lucas Brighton?"
He turned suddenly at the sound of his name. The voice gave the impression of a shield, as if the owner would rather not be speaking to him.
Speaking face to face like this, Luca fought the urge to let his gaze naturally coast above the stranger's head. It was a habit that could give too much away about him. So he adjusted accordingly and replied with a simple, "Morning."
