His Gold ✓

2| Meeting Meghan

   "Caroline and Ace Abbott."

As soon as the office-worker has our identities, a sickening feeling takes over me.

It begins.

My new life.

It begins, here.

I'm sure I look like a frightened deer-in-headlights as I reach out to grasp the thin papers that the desk lady shuffled through a folder to get.

   "Th-Thank you." I could kick myself for sounding so anxious. I force myself to smile, schedule clutched tightly to my chest.

    "Don't mention it, sweetie." The lady's red lipstick stretches with her grin . "The bell rings in twenty minutes. You have time for free breakfast in the cafeteria. Or if you ate already, you could meet people."

    That's definitely not something I want to do.

    "Okay." I hear Ace say.

When we get to breakfast, I see that the caf is both large and loud. The noise and the commotion is almost too much for my nerves. It's a tidal wave of new, in a time of my life when I should be settled.

"I'm going to make friends." My blond, extroverted brother announces before leaving me to stand alone at the mouth of a cave of tables and breakfast-munching teens.

    I can't help it but to search for the farthest spot from anyone. There's a booth in the back of the cafeteria. When I get to it, it seems a bit wobbly.

    Perfect.

   I sit down. Here I will be undisturbed.

   "Um, excuse me?"

    A soft voice catches my ears. I drop my schedule and look up. A girl blinks down at me.

    "Yes?" I hear myself say.

     She tilts her head. A braid of brown hair trails past her shoulder. Her eyes are a dull blue. She's pretty- and not in a condescending way.

    "Do you mind if I sit here?" She asks, pointing to the seat across from me.

   "No, of course not." I say, straightening up. I have to hide the surprise from my voice.

   She wants to sit with me?

    She gives a gracious smile and slides into the booth. She flattens a composition book from her backpack to the table.

    "You like to write?" I ask.

    She nods. "I love to."

   I try not to stare when she uncaps a pen and begins scribbling down words, but I'm curious. She probably feels me watching. After a moment, she looks up at me.

   "You're new, aren't you?"

    Heat rushes to my cheeks once more, but she laughs. Is it that obvious?

    "It's just- I've never seen you before. And, I'm the only one who ever really sits in this booth."

    I glance around the cafeteria. I assumed no one would sit in this unsturdy corner booth.

   Yet another instance where I've stolen someone's seat. My expression is grim.

   "I can get up." I offer. "I just- I wanted to be far from the noise."

   "The noise. It's a reminder that you're alone when everyone else isn't." The girl nods. I'm in awe of her- how she made something so deep out of what I said.