A Story Worth Telling

Chapter 1

"Samantha Grey! Get your ass up or you'll be late!" Was what I heard waking up this morning. My mom never liked me to be late for anything, not for school, hell not even for breakfast. I roll out of bed still groggy and tired. I grab some clothes from the closet and a towel and head towards the shower to start getting ready. Most people would like to say you do all your thinking in the shower. Me? I'm always getting lost in my thoughts, because I never voice my thoughts as they run around in my head and stay there. I don't have the courage to put them to use. My voice for as long as I've remembered stayed silent.

My name is Samantha Grey and I'm what you would call a nobody. No friends, nothing. I wish there would come a day where I could meet new people and make new friends, but I'm too shy for my own good. I never put myself out there and never step out of my comfort zone. If I had things my way, I would stay locked up in my room for eternity. The outside world isn't for me. Too many people. 

I notice mom cooking breakfast in the kitchen as I head down the stairs. "What's for breakfast mom?" I ask as I make my way to her. "Something quick and easy. I don't have too much time so grab what you can and eat before you're late." She says with her back still to me. I sigh and sit down seeing an apple in a bowl with others. "Mom?" I ask as I grab an apple staring at it for a few seconds. "Hmm?" She hums as I hesitate on asking this question. "Have you ever wondered if dad would come back home to us?" I ask softly as I see her tense before relaxing a little bit. "Honestly? Yes. At first. Then I realized that me and you were all we needed. We don't need your father." She says as I nod before noticing the time on the clock hanging on the wall.

"Well I guess I should leave. I'll see you when I get home right?" I ask hoping her answer isn't what I assume it is. "We'll see Sam. I have a busy day at work today and I don't know if I'll be able to get off in time." She says as she turns to me with an apologetic look on her face. I give my mom a small smile as I give her a kiss on the cheek and say goodbye. Now don't get me wrong, I love my mom and she loves me. I mean it is me and her nowadays. Working as a nurse, she rarely has time for herself let alone me. Ever since my dad took off one day, It's been me and mom since. We manage. Some days gets hard when all you want is your mom to have time you but I understand she works to keep us in our house. I always wonder where my dad went and if he was thinking of us. What our lives would be like if he were still here. 

I shake my head from the thoughts and I reach into my pocket to take out my phone and plug in headphones. I turn on some random song and get lost in its words as I walk my way to school. Music flows into my hears creating a peaceful atmosphere for me as I close my eyes for a brief moment. The walk from my house to the school usually takes me less than three songs and before the third starts I'm there. As I get closer to the doors I'm hit with the strange feeling like something would happen today but don't know what. I observe other kids meeting there friends saying hi and walking to their classes by the time I reach my locker.

I open it as the bell rings and start to gather the books I need and put away the ones I don't. Noticing one of my books sitting on the shelf half read, I grab it before shoving it in my backpack. "I will finish this book today." I mumble to myself as I look up to see some students giving me a strange look. If it's not the way I look then it's for sure the way I'm talking to myself. Whatever, let them think I'm crazy all they want. 

I make it to my desk right as the bell rings when our teacher, Mr. Ward, stands at the front ready to start class. "Alright so today will be an easy day. No note taking or quizzes but you will have test coming up so use this time to study." Mr. ward announces as students around me groan in disapproval. Awesome a test. What every teenager wanted. Giving a quiet sigh, I pull out my notes and textbook and begin reading through it. Not too much longer, I hear talking from a few rows behind me that distracts me. "So you didn't hook up with her?" I hear somebody ask as I plug my headphones in in hopes of drowning out the voices. "I already told you no." I hear another voice answer back with annoyance. Well the headphones aren't working as much as I thought it would.

"Mr. Henderson, the task for the class was to sit in silence and study not chit chat. That is what lunch is for." Mr. Ward says with a slight attitude. "Sorry sir." I hear Alex saying getting ready to go back to his meaningless story. Before he could, the bell rings and I start to gather my things to head towards my next class. I weave my way through the growing crowd of students pouring out the classrooms.

Alex Henderson. This schools most annoying and popular guy. Of course he was the one interrupting the silence and making it impossible to concert. I've gone to school with Alex since middle school and ever since then all the kid would do is talk. Alex is a talker, always has a wild story and can never quite take silence for too long. He's always going on about some party he went to or some girl he hooked up with. Most girls would kill to be with him but me? I'd rather jump in a lake and drown than be one of his hookups let alone talk to him.

A few classes go by before the lunch bell rings. I make my way to the cafeteria to grab a tray before making my way outside to the courtyard. It's more of a playground for high schoolers than a courtyard but at least I'm left alone. Seeing the same tree I always sit by, I make my way across the grass and sit underneath of it. Pulling my tray to rest in my lap, I reach into my back and grab my book out and open it to the page I left off on. I always loved reading whenever I could. There was always something about a made up world that made me feel at ease. I always imaged myself living along with the made up characters in made up world. Made my real life seem dull in comparison.

I guess that's why I love reading so much, I have a knack for finding good stories and getting lost as I read. It's a blessing and a curse. Today though it seems to be my curse. As soon as I turn the page over, my eyes for a moment flick upward locking with his eyes from across the courtyard. I don't know why, but I get nervous and butterflies. Something tells me that the feeling from before had something to do with this. 

Especially since I start to notice Alex Henderson walking towards me.