Unexpected Love

the park.

[...it was a sunny day, as it typically is on the days people write the beginnings of stories about. well, either that or a "dark and stormy night." i personally am a greater fan of those dark and stormy nights, because something about the ominous vibe just feels a bit more right for moments that are life changing. however, this day was most certainly a sunny one...]

"can you hurry up and wake up? i really want one of those massive sheet cakes from walmart."

"...you do realize that it's 7 in the morning, right?"

"yeah, and your point is? get up and fix your face, you look awful. if you do, i'll drive and share my gourmet breakfast of choice with you. "

"...deal."

that short yet moving conversation was all it took for me to drag myself out of bed and stretch. it felt good to move the sore muscles, and i could feel the "post-sleepover grime" all over my body.
i glanced over to see alia sitting on a the recliner, fully dressed and wearing an outfit that matched her usual eccentric look.

walking into the bathroom and looking into the mirror was a rude awakening. my hair looked like a black beehive from the tangles, and the three and a half hours of sleep certainly did not help my already severe under eye bags. my normally dark eyes looked a little more dark and lifeless than usual, and my supposed "shiny golden skin" more resembled a dry piece of cardboard. aria wasn't lying when she said i looked awful, but i'm sure a shower would help.

17 minutes of hot water and melanie martinez songs later, i got out of the shower looking and feeling much better.

"hurry up and get in the car, i'm five minutes away from being hangry."

i threw on a pair of baggy shorts and a massive graphic tee, and put on a hat to really tie the "adam sandler" look together.

aria and i climbed into her messy jeep and started the drive to walmart. living in a small town in missouri had most definitely made me sick of the store. seriously, "hanging out with friends" might as well have been code for "going to the walmart parking lot."

after venturing into the store and choosing a vanilla sheet cake, we settled back into her car.

"hey, do you wanna go to the park to eat this?"

"the park? i hate bugs, and isn't it too hot outside?"

"you are such a baby. no, it's not hot outside, and this is my car so we're going to the park."
she flicked her dyed black hair off of her shoulder and i glared at her in disdain.

exactly seven minutes later, we arrived at the park. i grabbed my bag and climbed out of her car, trailing her as she walked towards a bench.

she was right about the weather, as it wasn't hot outside at all. the air felt nice and cool, and a breeze made it the perfect temperature. the trees were pretty shades of orange and green, showing the beginning of fall weather, and the people in the park seemed serene.

i spotted an old couple walking their dog, and a happy family of four in the distance. i was glad there were no other kids our age around, i hated seeing people i knew in public.

however, that happiness was short lived. i could hear a group of girls approaching us on their way back from the trail, and from the sound of their conversation, it seemed like there were three of them.

"okay, but hear me out. emily prentiss, aaron hotchner, and me. eiffel tower."

i made eye contact with aria and she seemed too fixated on enjoying her sheet cake to share the amusement that statement had brought me. the group had gotten much closer now, and i heard one of them swinging on the swing set that was a less than 20 feet away.

my back was facing them, but i took a quick glance at my surroundings to casually take a peek at them.

i was right with my guess, it was three girls. one of them had pale skin and freckles, with her light brown hair tied up into a messy bun. she was dressed in pajamas, as if she had also just waken up. another one of the girls was taller, with the same pale skin and light brown hair, but the one that caught my eye was the last one.

she had dark hair that was a contrast from the rest of the bright scene in the park, and she kind of reminded me of a vampire. don't ask me the specifics on why, she just did.

the light haired girls were still laughing at the statement the other girl had made, and i brought up the courage to give the quick reply of, "same here."

the eyes of the girls were on me in an instant, and they seemed surprised to hear a response to their conversation. they laughed, and i caught a glimpse of the dark haired girls' eyes. and to my surprise, they were shockingly beautiful. a pale blue, unlike a shade that i had ever seen before. her hair was a stark contrast from them, yet it complimented them so well. my heart beat a little faster, and i had the sudden urge to move closer so i could see her even better.

"yes, girl. see guys, she gets me."

i smiled awkwardly at her and that was the end of our interaction. the group left soon after, and i was left alone with aria again, who was still extremely invested in her sheet cake.

"what was that?" she said.

"what was what?"

"you actually talked to someone. without being forced to. isn't that a momentous occasion? shouldn't i be writing that down onto the big timeline of the world?"

"ha ha, very funny."

"i'm for real. however, i am proud of you. see, you're already talking to strangers. going to your new school won't be any different."

"ah yes, because me talking to a group of three strangers is the exact same as me going to a school full of a thousand strangers."

"it's just a few more people, i'm sure you'll be fine."

i shot her a look and put my head into my arms.

"how am i going to go to school tomorrow? do you think being a 16 year old dropout is really that bad?"

"shriya, you're being dramatic. you'll be fine, seriously."

"i hope you're right..."

—————————————————————————
enjoy my super unedited first chapter :)

i'll be posting pretty consistently, and i'd appreciate if you guys left feedback.

thanks for reading <3