Soul

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

            The light reflected off of the crystal irises, leaving small shards of light to litter the deep ocean blue. Hannah’s face glowed in the ivory light; her body was thrust forward peering eagerly through the windscreen, so close it was as though she believed the thick glass would evaporate, and the sharp winter air would lick her face. Her arms were stiff, palms pressed tightly against the edges of the soft nylon seat. Her lips were parted ever so slightly, giving her an angelic appearance.

            I smiled, turning my gaze back onto the small, cracked road. The view of Chester High came into view, growing larger and larger. It’s large, brick red exterior was unusually a dreaded sight to the early morning commuters to school grounds, but today, it was a joyous event. At the end of the narrow street, awaited the people I had grown up with and loved.

            “Do you really believe they would want to come and greet me even though I’ve only been gone for a little while?” Hannah asked warily, leaning back gingerly on the seat. I could tell she was containing her excitement, not wanting to show that she’d been let down if our gang wasn’t there.

            I let out a small laugh. “No duh,” I teased, “the guys love you, and Mae has been dying to see you.”

            Hannah let out a giggly sigh, turning her face lazily to me. “When is Mae ever not?” she asked, her eyes bright with amusement. I laughed with Hannah. Mae Delasen was the person to complete our tight knit trio. Hannah and I had our large group of friends, but Mae, Hannah, and I were the true three amigos. I had met the bubbly girl in the fourth grade, when we had been placed next to each other in our classroom. I had always been with Hannah, and this was the first year we had been put in separate classes despite our parents’ objections.

            I had entered the room grouchily, and sat next to Mae, frowning. Neither of us spoke, and I was too busy pouting to tell that she was slowly trying to make my acquaintance. At first she had been quiet, and we hardly spoke, but as the week progressed, Mae had opened up and we began to spend our free time in class drawing and scribbling on each other’s class work. During our breaks, we sat away from the other kids, sharing the Ziploc of Oreo cookies her mom gave her, in our own world.

            At first, Mae and I would split up during recess, and I would go to the metal red swing set, the steel tinted the softest color pink due to the rain and wind, and wait to meet up with Hannah. A few days later, I left the classroom and Mae called out for me to wait, so I did. We left the emptying, dim lighted hall and stepped into the bright white light of the early afternoon. Hannah was waiting at the swing set for me, the first time she ever had, and a look of relief blanketed her features as I neared her.

            “Where have you been?” she demanded, “I though you weren’t going to show up.”

            “Sorry,” I said softly, “but I was waiting for—”

            Hannah stiffened as Mae’s small figure appeared from behind me. She had smiled, her small square teeth glinting against the sunlight.

            “Hi,” she squeaked, holding out a hand to Hannah, “I’m Mae.”

            Hannah examined the hand cautiously, before taking it gingerly. “Hannah,” she said softly, giving me a sideways glance.

            The first recess, Hannah seemed reluctant to accept Mae, but, as the day rolled around and the days passed, soon the two were inseparable, and it was as though it was me and my two sisters.