Katie
No one really notices the small details. The way the wind blows someone's hair to the side when they turn to smile at you, the glow of amber around a blue iris in the sunlight, a small splash of hidden freckles underneath a deep tan.
I notice these things. I always see them out of the corner of my eyes, dancing around my vision for attention.
I cherished these minor details and stored them into memory as Travis walked me up the school steps to the homecoming dance. My heart was pounding to the beat of the song reeling through my spinning head. Dean Lewis's voice filled my head as Travis took my hand.
"I feel ridiculous in this outfit. I never wear dress clothes," Travis blushed and glanced down at his tan slacks and white button up shirt. Our eyes met and I felt my face grow warmer.
Oh now you're looking at me, and I'm looking at you like a fool...
He had asked me to the dance the week before, and ever since I had been a mess, desperately hoping that I wouldn't screw this up. This was a chance to start over...
Several people were flooding the hallways, heading to the gym for the dance. There were others there with dresses, a rainbow of color against the dull hues of the tile floor and lockers. I felt better about wearing a dress at this sight. Travis linked his arm with mine and smiled sheepishly again.
I loved his smile. It lit up my entire world, letting in a bit of happiness into my saddened life.
But you don't know what if feels like to fall in love with you...
The gym was packed with high schoolers, some bouncing to the song already on the speakers, others flooding the buffet line of food. We spotted our friends, who waved us over to where they stood by the bleachers. Connor came alone to the dance, but he and Kayla were heading to the dance floor already. They nodded at us as we passed each other. Connor winked at me, a smirk on his face. Kayla raised an eyebrow at the sight of Travis's arm around mine. I blushed and looked away.
Other friends flooded us, and Travis let go of me, drifting farther into the crowd. I stood frozen at the edge of the sea of teenagers, most of whom I was strangers with, and felt like the world was spinning.
Travis...
No you don't know what it's like when you can't go back...
My mind slipped into chaos, suddenly feeling alone in this room of people. Faces blurred into smudges of paint, voices mumbled and broken like an old record too worn out to listen to anymore.
I'm alone again.
Cause I only lose my mind when I ain't got you...
I was five years old again. My left hand clutched a yellow balloon. Dust covered my tan overalls, a mustard hot dog stain on the shoulder of my white t-shirt underneath. My tiny cheeks were red from the sun. My long brown eyelashes blinked sunlight and dust out, searching the crowd desperately for something. My five-year-old self kept looking around. Hundreds of people flooded around me, passing by without a second glance, laughing or yelling, going from one carnival stall to another without so much as a hello or a worried look. A tear pooled out of my small green eyes and trickled down my dirty face. My lungs felt empty; I couldn't cry out for help. I just stood there, holding my yellow balloon, waiting for something...someone...
They never showed up.
I was all alone in that crowd, abandoned by someone...who was it?
A flash of a white smile. The smell of roses and dirt. The taste of garden tomatoes, the feeling of a hand running through my hair gently.
...Dad...
...Travis...
My words caught in my throat as he turned to look at me and smiled.
His smile...
I returned the smile, my heart feeling lighter with each step as I walked over to where he stood. He held out his hand and I took it, my fingers trembling.
It's time to start over...
"And I just looked at the lady and said," Cecil was laughing through his words. "Ma'am, can I please have my potato back?"
Laughter erupted through the small crowd of people around me. Our friends had migrated to the bleachers, telling stories, or simply reading jokes off the internet. Nico was passed out, his head in Will's lap, his black hood over his sleeping face. Will had one hand on his back, the other holding a glass of punch he took sips from every few seconds. Hazel, Lou Ellen, and Frank were playing some sort of card game, all three letting out a laugh ever now and then when they overheard a punchline. Cecil was in the middle of telling a story of a chaotic trip to the farmer's market with Mr. Chiron in the next town over, Connor, Travis, and Kayla laughing along with him. Chris and Clarisse were tossing popcorn at people from the top row of the bleachers where they sat listening to music. I sat next to Travis, and he held my hand tightly. I wasn't quite comfortable with such a large group yet, but Travis was helping me.
"What did the lady do?" Kayla rolled her eyes. "Let me guess, she threw it at you?"
"No, she tried to call a manager over!" Cecil cackled, slapping his knee. "This woman screamed like a Karen and demanded that a manager settled it."
"It was literally a potato. Why didn't you just pick another?" Will asked from a few rows down, obviously listening to the conversation.
"That's what I asked her!" Cecil threw his hands in the air. "But she was intent on buying that potato. So, I just grabbed another and walked off before she could finish her big girl tantrum."
Travis and Connor laughed.
Travis glanced at the dance floor and smirked. "Hey, Katie, have you met Nova?"
I glanced over to where he was looking and spotted a girl our age with bright blue hair and a sparkling silver A-line dress who was glancing up at the bleachers. Our eyes met, and the girl waved. She looked vaguely familiar. I think that she'd been in my Art class.
"I don't think so," I met his eyes and he smiled.
"She's new to school. Lives a few houses down from us, actually," Travis glanced at his brother and leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Connor has a huge crush on her."
I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the girl. Travis waved her over and she made her way up the bleachers. She was wearing black pumps but walked with ease.
Lucky.
Her blue hair was pulled into a long high ponytail. She smiled and waved, sitting beside me. She smelled like lavenders. Her makeup was flawless, her amber eyes vibrant and inquisitive. She smiled, and her teeth were glowing white and perfectly straight.
"I'm Nova. I've seen you in class before," She glanced at Connor and Travis and waved. Connor looked over and nearly fell off his seat, his eyes wide in surprise. Travis laughed and Nova smiled.
"H-Hey Nova," Connor blushed and rubbed his neck sheepishly. "Good to see you. A-are you having fun?"
Nova shot me another smile and shrugged. "My feet are killing me from dancing, so I though I'd come over and see how you guys were doing. I see that none of you are dancing."
I returned the smile. "I'm not the biggest fan of dancing."
Travis nodded. "Neither am I. I know that Connor loves to dance though, but he's too embarrassed to ask anyone."
Connor smacked his arm. "Am not!"
"If that's so, then ask someone," Travis smirked and winked at me. "Ask Nova. I bet you're too chicken."
Connor turned several shades of red and glanced at Nova. I could see her cheeks flush slightly, but her expression remained neutral. She was a pro at containing emotions.
"N-Nova, do you...maybe...want t-to dance?" Connor managed to choke out.
"Sure," Nova stood and left the row, headed down to the dance floor. Connor froze.
"Wait, did she just say yes?" His face turned deep red and I could see the gears in his head turning. "A girl just said yes to dancing with me. At homecoming."
"He's hopeless," Travis whispered as Connor stood and raced after Nova. "Was I like that with you?"
I shrugged. "If you weren't, I definitely was."
Travis smiled. "I'm glad we got over that phase." He reached down and took my hand. I blushed and smiled shyly.
"Or maybe we're still in that phase?" I watched his eyes gleam with humor at my words. I felt his fingers slide between mine and squeeze my hand gently. He glanced down for a split second at something below my eyes. My lips?
The glance danced by like a ghost, there one moment and gone the next, leaving a chill in the air. That single look made my heart leap out of my chest and from my lips. I froze as our eyes met again.
No one was watching us. Connor was busy trying to woo the new girl, Nico was passed out, his head on Will's shoulder, who was watching something on his phone. Hazel and Frank were deep in conversation at the end of the bleachers. Our other friends were on the dance floor or by the food table. Travis leaned forward and I closed my eyes.
He tasted like sugary fruit. Skittles... His lips were chapped, his heart beating so fast I could feel it when I placed my hand against his chest. His other hand found my hair and pulled me deeper into the kiss. I couldn't breathe.
I didn't mind.
I never had anyone.
Not a boyfriend. Not a best friend. Not even someone to talk to. My mother was a missing person. My father was never in my life. My social workers ignored me, and my foster parents abused me. I had no known siblings. No relatives.
No one.
Until I moved here...
Now I had almost as many friends as I had foster homes. I had a kind foster father, amazing foster siblings, and Travis.
I had Travis.
No one was watching us. We weren't watching anyone else.
No one noticed the kiss. We didn't notice the tattoos on our arms slowly shifting on our skin, adding miniscule pieces of art to the soulmate mark.
Not even I noticed.
And I notice everything.
//an//
i'm bored of the cover arts. unless it's an awesome pic, they're all going to be aesthetics now. I have a huge file of aesthetics just for this! i'll be going through and changing all the cover arts for all the chapters. be sure to go back and look at them all!
xoxo
your fav writer