Categories > Original > Sci-Fi > Run Like Hell
Maybe I was a little too wound up that day, the first day at my new school, but it didn’t matter. I shouldn’t have drawn attention to myself, yes, but I wasn’t going to sit there and let that squirrel bite me. I mean, it just randomly attacked me from the tree I was walking under. Good thing I had my knife.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure it was spying on me.
*
This girl walked up to me in the hallway, right after lunch bell rang. Her light brown hair was impeccably straight, and it just touched her shoulder blades. Her eyes seemed innocent, but you can never tell with girls who look at you like that.
“You’re Jordan, right? The new kid?”
I nodded, turning away from her to disguise my need to be gone, out of the spotlight, invisible. She kept pace with me as she walked away. She must have sensed my nervousness.
“You’re the one who killed that squirrel?” she whispered, so only I could hear. I wondered why she was being cautious. Surely it wasn’t on my behalf. Possibly she didn’t want to be seen asking me about it.
“Uh, yeah,” I said, feeling nerdy and strange. Maybe if I hurried and answered all her questions she would leave. She was making me nervous. I purposefully lost her in the crowd which rushed toward the lunchroom. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The universe can really be a bitch sometimes.
*
Despite my careful maneuvering, she somehow found me again. It was about ten minutes later that she pounced on me from behind.
“Hey, Jordan! I was looking for you,” she said, slipping her arm into mine and half pulled, half dragged me to a table filled with giggly girls. They looked up at me as we approached and I looked away, annoyed at her direct forcefulness but secretly delighted at the attention.
She sat, pulling up a chair next to her. I took it, giving in to this chattering mob that strove for my affection. I just had to attribute this to normal teenage girl behavior. I had nothing to compare it to. They each demanded my attention, so my focus was constantly being shifted from one to the next.
They all seemed flirtatious to me, but I had limited experience with the art of courting. The only time I had ever seen flirting was in movies. My life up to this point had been insanely protected, I concluded after my first lunch with five pretty girls. Girls were fun! I was attracted to them! And as yet, I had no morals on the subject!
Woohoo!
*
Social interaction with the girls became integral over the next few weeks. They invited me to lunch every day, and I grew to know them individually.
Veronica, the dark haired one, was the oldest. She had a slightly brusque sense of humor, compared to the others.
Clara had lovely red hair which fell in big curls over her shoulders. She was the quiet one.
Terra was short, blonde, and funny. She was the one who kept the others in stitches.
Emily was the only one with short hair. Her light blonde tresses were streaked with black and red highlights, and bunched in a way I found a bit odd, but pretty.
Stasi was the brunette who dragged me into this in the first place. She and Emily were best friends. She was sharp as a tack, and I admired her personality.
They all cared about one another very much and they showed me that there was more to life than what I had previously been exposed to. I loved them all, in different ways, for different reasons. I had no reason to be shy anymore; I had my girls. I learned them, their selves and personalities. I was so immersed in my new life, I nearly forgot my old one.
But one way or another, I knew my past would catch up with me. I just didn’t realize it would be so soon and so devastating.
Anyway, I’m pretty sure it was spying on me.
*
This girl walked up to me in the hallway, right after lunch bell rang. Her light brown hair was impeccably straight, and it just touched her shoulder blades. Her eyes seemed innocent, but you can never tell with girls who look at you like that.
“You’re Jordan, right? The new kid?”
I nodded, turning away from her to disguise my need to be gone, out of the spotlight, invisible. She kept pace with me as she walked away. She must have sensed my nervousness.
“You’re the one who killed that squirrel?” she whispered, so only I could hear. I wondered why she was being cautious. Surely it wasn’t on my behalf. Possibly she didn’t want to be seen asking me about it.
“Uh, yeah,” I said, feeling nerdy and strange. Maybe if I hurried and answered all her questions she would leave. She was making me nervous. I purposefully lost her in the crowd which rushed toward the lunchroom. I breathed a sigh of relief.
The universe can really be a bitch sometimes.
*
Despite my careful maneuvering, she somehow found me again. It was about ten minutes later that she pounced on me from behind.
“Hey, Jordan! I was looking for you,” she said, slipping her arm into mine and half pulled, half dragged me to a table filled with giggly girls. They looked up at me as we approached and I looked away, annoyed at her direct forcefulness but secretly delighted at the attention.
She sat, pulling up a chair next to her. I took it, giving in to this chattering mob that strove for my affection. I just had to attribute this to normal teenage girl behavior. I had nothing to compare it to. They each demanded my attention, so my focus was constantly being shifted from one to the next.
They all seemed flirtatious to me, but I had limited experience with the art of courting. The only time I had ever seen flirting was in movies. My life up to this point had been insanely protected, I concluded after my first lunch with five pretty girls. Girls were fun! I was attracted to them! And as yet, I had no morals on the subject!
Woohoo!
*
Social interaction with the girls became integral over the next few weeks. They invited me to lunch every day, and I grew to know them individually.
Veronica, the dark haired one, was the oldest. She had a slightly brusque sense of humor, compared to the others.
Clara had lovely red hair which fell in big curls over her shoulders. She was the quiet one.
Terra was short, blonde, and funny. She was the one who kept the others in stitches.
Emily was the only one with short hair. Her light blonde tresses were streaked with black and red highlights, and bunched in a way I found a bit odd, but pretty.
Stasi was the brunette who dragged me into this in the first place. She and Emily were best friends. She was sharp as a tack, and I admired her personality.
They all cared about one another very much and they showed me that there was more to life than what I had previously been exposed to. I loved them all, in different ways, for different reasons. I had no reason to be shy anymore; I had my girls. I learned them, their selves and personalities. I was so immersed in my new life, I nearly forgot my old one.
But one way or another, I knew my past would catch up with me. I just didn’t realize it would be so soon and so devastating.
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