Invisible String || H.S

Chapter 1

The pages in my book rustled in the wind as I sat on the bench reading the next chapter for class. The leaves on the ground were a mix of red, yellow, and brown. The sky above matched the color of the cover of the book in my hand, grey. Clouds were forming and I knew by the time I walked out of class the temperature will have dropped.

I pull my jacket tighter around my body and put my book and notes back into my backpack and get up from the bench I was on to start crossing the courtyard to get to my last class of the day. I put my headphones on and hit shuffle and music starts to flood my ears. I check my phone and see that I had a new notification from my roommate Isabella.

"Are we still on for tonight?" reads the text from Isabella. "Of course, I just need to get through this last lecture then I'll go home and get ready" I respond.

I push through the wide doors of the lecture hall with my hip and start heading to my seat. I smile as I see the person in the seat right next to mine. "Hey Ez" I say with a smile as I sit down. "Hello Evelyn" he says while he smiles back.

I met Ezra last year in one of my literature classes and was happy to see a familiar face at the start of the term in this class. Today Ezra has on a green oversized jumper and a white beanie hiding his soft blonde hair. The professor walks in and I quickly put away my phone and pull out my binder and book for the class. I glance at the clock at the front of the lecture hall already yearning for it to be two hours later than it already is.

"Hello class, I hope everyone is well. Today were going to start off by talking about chapter 13 in your book that you were supposed to have read for the day" the Professor states. I pull out a pen and paper and prepare to take notes. About an hour into the lecture I see a hand slide a note onto my notepad.

"Are you going to Rumors tonight? I see written on the note in Ezra's handwriting. A shy smile comes to my lips as I flip the card over and reply. "Only if you're going to be there" and slide the paper back over to him. A smile grows on his face as he reads my response.

Rumors was a bar that was right off campus that a lot of the upper classmen went to on the weekends, and since it was a Friday night, there was no doubt in my mind that the bar was going to be full.

Ezra slides another note onto my notepad that reads "First drink is on me." I smile as I finish reading the words he's written and as I look up, I receive a wink from him before he starts paying attention to the lecture again.

Ezra and I did not talk much before this class although we've known each other from previous classes. We sat next to each other in this class at the start of the term and soon study sessions in the library turned into dinner study sessions at either my apartment or his and those quickly just turned into us hanging out.

Another hour quickly passes, and the clock hands turn to twelve and seven and it's not long before the people in the lecture hall are packing up their bags to head home. I quickly zip up my belongings and wait for Ezra to finish getting his things in order.

"Am I finally going to be able to get you to sing karaoke tonight with me at Rumors or are the second and third drinks going to have to be on me too, to get that to happen?" Ezra jokes. A soft scoff escapes my lips as I roll my eyes and start heading for the door.

"Ez, you of all people should know that I cannot sing to save my life" I say.

"Oh, don't say that, your talents need to be shown to the world, not just me" he jokes back. We push open the door and as expected the temperature has dropped. A shiver goes through my body and I begin to put on the jacket I brought with me.

The wind picks up and a mini tornado of leaves swirl around our feet blending their colors together. A loose curl falls in my face and I quickly tuck it back behind my ear. Ezra begins to talk to me about a book he is reading in one of his other literature classes that I have already read, and I nod when necessary and provide commentary when needed.