near and far | hemmings

Chapter 1

October 2nd. 

That was the day he came into my life. I later found out that we had been going to school together for 3 years but it didn't occur to me how much I needed this boy in my life until October second. When it all started with a book and a note. 

Okay, enough of me recalling unknown events to you I'll just start from the beginning...

~~~~~~~

"Right Finley?" James asks, knocking me out of my trance. 

"What? Sorry" I apologize, looking up at him from across the dirty lunch table covered in scribbled ink.

"You're going to help me study tonight, remember?" he says, scrunching his eyebrows together. 

"Oh yeah, that" I trail off, quickly,narrowing my eyes at the slight bit of mustard on the corner of his lower lip and quickly wipe my ownmouth indicating it to him. 

He brushes the condiment away and continues, "Oh yeah what? I need help on this English and you're the only nerd I'm friends with" he confessed, grabbing my hand from across the table.

"Need I remind you I am a person?" I ask, raising my eyebrows. He was just kidding but it pissed me off sometimes that we only hung out so I could help him with his grades.

"Okay sorry. But I really need help with this essay, dude."

"Number one, I'm a girl." I state, giving him an unamused look, "and number two, I'll take it home and look at it you just can't come over." I explain, re-straightenening the papers in my binder. 

"Yeah that sounds perfect!" He says, grinning from ear to ear while grabbing the scribbled paper and handing it to me.

"If you give me twenty bucks I'll type it out too." I challenge, even though I was going to type it out anyway since I couldn't stand messy handwriting. 

"Thats fantastic, here" He says, flicking the bill to me as if it was a single.

"My pleasure." I countered with a forced smile. He wouldn't be able to even begin to comprehend the wake up call he would get in two years when he goes to College. 

The end-of lunch bell, causing me to jump, indicated it was time to move classes so I quickly grabbed my bag and books and tried to get out of there as soon as possible. I'm one of those people who's a stickler for being to class early. I like to get all my materials out and begin the assignment given on the board before the other students even get there, it allows me to enter into my thought bubbles without interruption. I suddenly feel a shove from a passing student and brush it off, continuing my journey to study hall.

"Hi Mrs. Mathers how're you?" I ask.

"i'm well dear how are you today?" The sweet old woman turns to be, offering a warm, comferting smile.

"I'm fine thank you." I respond. As she returns to her Solitare game, I whip around to only be greeted with the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. I couldn't help but stare, even though I knew I should be getting to my seat. I continued to stare until I snapped my self out of it. I can't believe I just did that. That boy probably thinks I'm some sort of freak or something now.

I'd never had the pleasure of formally meeting the blue eyed boy, who goes my the name Luke. All I know was that he never sat with anyone at lunch, was quiet, and honestly scared the lights of me. I heard a rumor that one time at a party he got really drunk and started a fight with another kid but looking at the kid in front of me, buried in a large black sweater didn't look like he had a muscle on him but it was his eyes that scared me. They were beautifully terrifying, so bright and intense. 

"Hello there" He smirks. I nod back and continue to my isolated seat.

'Great...' I think, looking back to him and notice him staring back.

~~~~~~~

After the 45 minutes of sitting in pure silence since I've completed all my homework, I finally gather my things and go up to Mrs. Mathers' desk. 

"Hi, do you think there's any way I could go a little early, I need to stop into guidance and pick up an extra course packet." I ask polietly with a smile.

"You are one of the most determined sophmores I know Finley, I'm just going to be sad to see you go next year." She admits, smiling sadly.

"It's not definate yet but I'm pretty sure I'll get certified." I smile, grabbing the pass she handed me.  

"See you tomorrow, darling."

I wish her a good day, and continue my teck to the offices down the hall. I can't help but feel excitement at the possibilty of graduating early with all these extra courses I've been taking. Sure, I loved learning, I just hated school. I wasn't popular. I wasn't wealthy. I barely had friends but I was nice to everyone. The only 'in' I would ever have with the popular kids was through James but I was just the girl who did his homework. I didn't mind though because I wanted to be a writer and I don't recall reading biographies about being the highschool cheerleader. 

~~~~

After last period was over, I smile at myself in victory; one more day down. I quickly rush to my locker to grab my coat and I am stopped when I open the metal door.

'You dropped this. -L' 

I see neatly written on a post-it attached to the book I was reading in study hall, 'The Outsiders'. I chuckle to myself at the irony of Luke returning this book to me. Speaking of him, how did he get into my locker? 'I always knew something was up with that kid.' I think and grab my things and quickly go. 

"Hey" I say to James, being ignored since he was pre-occupied but his company. As I hug my coat tighter around myself, I step onto the street and hurry home trying to make it so I had some downtime before having to go to work. 

As I walked, I plugged my headphones into my phone, hearing the sound of piano strings being plucked, calming me instantly. See, I warned you I was a nerd. I played the piano, I listened to the piano, I loved it. I'd been recently experimenting with converting popular songs to piano notes and I have to admit it was amazing. Swaying my head from side to side dramatically from time to time, I kept walking until I reached the small cottage I shared with my older brother who was barely ever home. He was away at college but in legal terms I lived in with him since I was still a minor but I can take care of myself. It used to be us two and my mom but since she's been in the hospital for the past 2 years, I've accepted my current situation.