The Hunt

Flames Were Everywhere

Ever since I could remember I had known things I shouldn't have known, experienced things I couldn't possibly have experienced, knew things I shouldn't have known. From my very first words, to school and all until 6th grade I had been known as "the weirdo", "the freak" and multiple other names. When I moved in 7th grade was granted a second chance. Now my sights are set for college. If I can just survive this year without anything weird happening, I'd be set for life.

"Don't join that sorority," Sam says looking over my shoulder. I'm looking at a brochure for a sorority I got when I first arrived on campus.

"I was just looking," I say. "Besides, they sound like fun."

"Not unless you call gangbanging, getting arrested and lots and lots of parties fun." He takes the brochure from my hand and reads a line from their description on the first page. "'We value leadership, sisterhood, and giving back to the community' yeah right." Sam is my best friend since 7th grade. We first met during an assembly for the talent show and I sat next to him without realizing that he was saving the seats. I was about to move when he told me, but instead of letting me move he said I could stay. We've been friends since.

"It doesn't sound that bad, everyone will be trying to get in. They're the hottest sorority here."

"It used to be this amazing house that did all these charity events in the 90s, but it's changed since." He hands me back the brochure. "I didn't think you would want to join that sorority, you're such a good noodle."

I throw him a chlorate look while he chuckles away. "I'm not a good noodle!"

He raises an eyebrow followed by a long pause. Finally, he says something. "Okay, then what about that time in junior year of high school we, Tara and I, asked you to come to the dance with us. Want to know what you said?"

"The same thing I say every time." I sigh.

"Parties aren't my thing." We both say in unison. Only I am audibly more upset about it than he is. Immediately I defend myself. "That was then, I want to got to parties now! I yearn for the feeling of no care at all."

He extends his hand and moves a strand of my hair behind my ear. He's always done that, ever since 7th grade when I began to wear my hair out. He says it's so he can see my face when he's talking to me. At first, I protested against it because I would put so much care into my hairstyles and he would mess them up, now I barely notice when he does it.

His gray eyes darken. "You said the same thing the first day of high school."

"It's different this time." I move the strands of hair from behind my ear back unconsciously. "Besides, no boys allowed in the girl's dorms."

"I'm not just some boy. I'm your best friend." He falls backwards onto the couch, right at that moment someone else comes in. A tall girl with medium black and white hair she wears a small black dress with matching black boots and a black floppy hat. The kind of outfit I would wear--in high school, that is.

"Who's the guy?" She asks moving across the room to put her bag on her bed.

"I'm Samuel, people call me Sam, but you can call me Sammy." He winks.

I groan. "Ignore him. He flirts with every single girl he can. Every."

"Nah, just the pretty ones." He smiles at her. "You know if you're not already taken we should maybe have lunch sometimes and-"

"Leave. Now. No boys." I grab his hand and help pull him up from the couch. He reluctantly gets up to aid me pull him up.

"I was just trying to make friends." He chuckles. I roll my eyes. "At least let me say good-bye?"