Blizzard

Adena

It's the beginning of my sophomore year at Ridgewood High. I could hear a few girls laughing at the back of the room, knowing they were gossiping about me. The snarky remark of Blair Coven confirmed the assumption, "I never understood how Sam was able to get it all and yet chose you over anyone." She sneered as her friends giggled. I sighed as I placed my head down on the wood desk. The bell rang, and soon the Biology teacher strolled in. I could already feel my eyes slowly shut from tiredness.

***

The sound of the bell blaring throughout the classroom jolted my body awake. I looked up to see the Biology teacher staring at me with pity and disappointment. Sleeping in class wasn't something I did. I loved learning and wouldn't risk my grades by sleeping. Blair and her friends walked by my desk, giving me mocking smirks. I quickly packed my bags and rushed out of the classroom, apologizing to the teacher beforehand.

The hallway was not nearly as crowded as this morning. A few feet from the classroom stood Sam's locker. Notes were sticking out from it, and a picture of him in his hockey uniform was taped to the front, surrounded by flowers and little notes. It's been a year since he passed, and I still couldn't get over it. I don't think I ever will, and it killed me knowing what I did before he left. The memories racked through my body, and I sniffed to hold back those threatening tears. I saw a girl taping a small pink Post-It to his locker. I've seen this girl before. She always sat in the back of the classrooms. She's the violinist in band class, but I've never seen her perform in shows. I've only heard her in the comfort of the band room when no one was around. I believed her name was Anh. I heard that she's a complete math wizard and always killed the competitions. It was a mystery how she could solve long equations so quickly. Many students assumed that she found a way to view the work and answers before the competitions, but no one could prove that she cheated.

My eyes connected with hers, and she quickly walked away, glancing behind her. Anh Nguyen was one strange girl, but so was I, according to the rest of the school. I curiously walked to the locker to see what Anh stuck to Sam's locker.

'Thx for believing in me. xoxo Anh N.'

Even though my brother was the most popular guy in school, he never let that get to his head. He helped those who asked for it and sometimes when they didn't. Sam never excluded anyone, and he always tried to be the bigger and better person. It was this part of his personality that had so many love him. I tried to keep the tears from falling, but I couldn't help it, and one slipped out. "I'm so sorry..." I whispered through the tears. I wiped the tears on the sleeve of my school uniform blazer.

I slowly began to make my way out of the school building when my phone rang. I was in the middle of putting on my coat while managing to answer the phone call. "Hello, sunshine!" my father greeted. I smiled as I zipped up the coat.

"Hey, dad," I replied with a small laugh. I stopped in front of the busy road in front of the school. I waited for the streetlights to turn red and the neon signal of 'WALK' to turn on. I could hear shuffling in the background through the phone.

"I'm just calling you because I don't think you should come into work today" My father trailed off as I heard him release a breath as if he's holding more weight than he should. I narrowed my eyes before responding, "Dad, I always work on Fridays. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine, honey. It's your mother. She doesn't think you should waste your youth at the store. You should be out, making friends?"

"I don't need to make any friends, dad. You know I love the store!" I replied. The light turned red, and I walked across the street. I used the 'princess act'; I used this technique to get away with things when I was younger. I remember Sam hated the princess act.