Read Between the Lines

Chapter 1

Sweat trickled from my forehead down to my neck slowly like raindrops on a window. The classroom's air conditioning was broken, and our uniforms did not help. My flimsy fingers wrote away, trying to ignore the heat. A strand of light brown hair fell onto my eyes, but I tucked it in as quickly as possible. I listened to the light whispering, the scratchy sound of pencils, and the clock ticking each second. I fixed my glasses which had fogged up once more. 

Then, the final bell rang. I ran to my locker, grabbing my stuff quickly, and held The Book tightly in my arms. 
      "You bad girl," a deep voice said as I was about to run again. I turned my head to see my best friend, Delance Cade, with his tie crooked and his uniform wrinkled.
      " Lance!" I exclaimed in surprise, "I thought you were sick!"
"Well, Meimei," he started, "I was indeed NOT sick." He grinned. His eyes wandered to The Book in my arms. " 'The Book'," he read, "What a wonderful title! Can I read?"
     He tried to grab the book, but I cringe and run backwards. His eyes widened in surprise; I probably had a weird expression on my face, so I softened it to a smile.
      "S-Sorry no. Not this one," The book my mother intended to give me for my birthday that I still haven't read. "I want this one to last."
  

His eyes showed pity and understanding. His shoulders relaxed and he smiled back. "I understand. Wanna go to a cafe together? It's a Friday, so I'm sure your grandfather would let you." He's been trying to get me to go out ever since the incident.
         " Sorry, no can do! I'm supposed to go to my job today," I beamed. We continue to walk out the building slowly. Working at a huge library I haven't explored yet! EEE!
"Nerd!" He stuck out his tongue. As we walked towards the gates of the school, it started to sprinkle. It was humid out and the rain is warm. 

      

"BELLEROSE!!!" Someone yells my name from behind. Lance and I turn. My friend, Layla, ran with an umbrella in her hand. It was red with white polka dots. Her raven black hair slightly wet. It was perfect timing; the rain started to pour right as she stepped in the middle of us to shield us from the rain.

          "Since when did you start calling her by her real name? BeLlEroSE~!" He mocked in a falsetto.
"Shut up, Cade. It's better than your unoriginal nickname for her." She argued, moving the umbrella away from Lance.
         "Okay! OKAY! SORRY, YOUR MAJESTY."  They continued to goof off while I watched.

The sky was so cloudy and the water splashes as we step on little puddles of water. I watched the few cars driving. A car parked across the road had its headlights blinking over and over. In morse it said "BM". My initials! 

        "You're being awfully quiet and you're smiling very suspiciously there, Belle," Layla comments.  She looked at me in a worried glance, though her tone was even. Before I could answer, Lance interjects.

"That's just her being herself," The edge in his voice went unnoticed by Layla, but I heard it. I didn't need him worrying over me so I tried answering her.

"I was just looking at the headlights of the car and I noticed that it flashed my initials. I thought it was cool, hehe." I laughed awkwardly until I noticed that the bus was leaving. I put The Book quickly into my back bag and dropped it on the ground.

I stepped into the middle of the road and put my arms up stopping the bus. The bus screeched to a halt. My heart was hammering, and I'm drenched. For a second all was quiet, until I broke the silence. "Let's go in now." I say to both of them who stood, jaws on the ground. I picked up my bag and walked to the bus.

The doors opened and the driver was still shocked from what had happened. The driver stared, along with the rest of the passengers, at me and the silent was loud on the bus. "How much?"

"$4.99," he whispered, and I paid him the exact amount. 

I walked to an open seat and the bus started. 
     "WHY THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT?!" Lance whisper yelled at me, "YOU ARE IRRESPONSIBLE. DID YOU KNOW YOU COULD'VE DIED?!"

"Yes." I said solemnly. "That's why I did it."

I left both of them speechless and they stopped thinking after that. 

---

I opened the fence gates which made a rusty, creaking sound. 
"Grandpa," I greeted, "I'm home!" 

I take off my shoes and take my slightly drenched bag to my room. I pull The Book out and put it in the chest in my closet. A chest filled with my other special books. 

"Bellerose," my grandfather's low voice says my name. "You should get ready for your job. You don't wanna be later and make a bad impression."

"Yes sir!" I saluted him and he laughed.  

My hair had mostly dried, but it was tangled. I brushed it out, changed out of my uniform. 

I looked at the mirror. I smiled, but it looked forced and weird. 

"Come on! It's only a job." I tried convincing myself. "Your first job you're afraid to mess up" I muttered. I sighed and fixed my collar. I hold a small backpack and contemplate on whether to bring The Book or not. I sighed and stuffed it in my bag. I grabbed my keys, unlatched my bike, and carefully biked towards the library.

A/N: Thank you for reading! I've had writer's block for so long now, so writing again makes me happy!