Addicted to Meth

Hi there :)

This is not a supernatural story, it's just your everyday, average girl story, but hopefully you won't find it average!! Hope you like it (fingers crossed)

Also the story's up for Watty awards 2012, teen-fiction category. if you could vote for ATM it would mean the world to me (if you like it that is)

Chapter 1

“What class do you have next?” I asked Elena as she shoved books into her locker; tried to anyway. That metal box was as full as possible.

Elena had been my best friend since- well- forever really. She was a lot taller than me, practically model height, with dark hair and tanned skin.

She was confident, fierce and a sceptic- everything I wasn’t.

Elena rolled her dark eyes and sighed; “Chem.… can you say boring?”

I grinned, nodding away “Boring…”

She smirked at me before turning her attention back to the stubborn locker.

“What bout you?” she asked, finally shutting the metal door.

“I got an off period,” I explained as we made our way down the hall.

“Mrs Dash-wood’s sick…”

“Lucky you…” Elena muttered sarcastically.

I looked around the crowded halls as I walked beside her. It was filled with students stuffing books in their lockers, gossiping about how their weekend went and rushing to their next classes. It felt right; normal again.

I hadn’t seen normal for a while.

“It’s good to be back,” I sighed; a hop in my step.

Elena’s look made me regret saying that. She lifted the corners of her mouth to a fake smile and her eyes flickered with pity. It was a look

I got used to in the last few months and to tell the truth, I was pretty sick of it.

“Haley…” she started.

I gave her my brightest smile; “Don’t start Elena. I’m fine,”

Elena nodded and that was it. The conversation had ended and I was glad. Another thing I loved about my best friend.

“Hey, Haley!” someone yelled from behind us.

Both Elena and I glanced back as a guy with beach-blond hair and an English accent made his way over to us through the crowd.

Ethan Carmichael.

I liked Ethan, he was a sweet guy. A bit weird, but sweet.

He stopped a foot in front us and stared intently at me. After an eternity, he grinned.

“It is you…” he mused, flashing me his dimple.

I cocked an eyebrow. “Who else would I be?”

Ethan smiled a greeting to Elena and then turned back to me.

“It’s been like what, five months?” he asked, as he showed me his palm; “How are you gonna catch up on your studies, half the year’s gone!”

“Six months, actually,” I corrected him, “and you know me, I’ll try my best…”

And all of a sudden the mood changed and Ethan’s smile disappeared. He had the same look now as Elena had a moment ago. Had he just remembered why I was gone for these past months? That was Ethan for you.

I kept my smile glued to my face.

“I um… heard about what happened,” he muttered, somewhat awkwardly,

“I’m really sorry for your loss…”

I shooed it away to reassure him I was okay even though the memories came flooding back. Oh wait, they were always there.

I was about to say I was fine when someone knocked into me from behind. Hard.

I stumbled forward and Ethan stretched out a hand to steady me. The guy that had walked into me, brushed past, clearly unaffected by the clash. He didn’t even turn around.

“Thanks,” I said to Ethan. He nodded.

“Watch where you’re going,” Ethan muttered over his shoulder to the guy, letting me go.

I didn’t know if the guy turned around, Ethan was obstructing my view. I did catch a glimpse of his sneakers though when he walked past.

Purple. My favourite colour!

“That guy was hot!” Elena commented.

Damn. Now I wished I’d seen more than a shoe.

“You don’t know him? His name’s Meth,” Ethan informed.

Meth. As in like the drug-thing?

I raised an eyebrow; “What kind of name is that?”

Surely that wasn’t his real name.

Ethan shrugged while Elena added; “Oh, I know him… he’s a senior.

Enrolled a couple of months back.”