"Gosh Lydia, you're really pale," A familiar voice states.
I look up.
Dark, wavy locks frame the smiling face that I know so well.
"Carter," I breathe.
He walks across the room towards me, pulling me into a bear hug.
Carter has been my best friend since sixth grade.
I'd been sitting with a couple of my classmates when a dark, brunette haired boy had sat in front of me smirking. I had smiled back in confusion. He had then leant forward as if to say something but then- the dang kid grabbed my sandwich. MY SANDWICH!
Since then, he's been my best friend... not because he stole my sandwich but because he stuck around and after awhile the annoyance of him following and bugging me, faded. He even transformed from a sandwich thief, to a brother-like figure in my life.
He releases me from the hug but stays close, taking a seat at the end of my hospital bed.
"Did they tell you when they're planning to let me out?" I ask.
Carter rolls his eyes," Lydia you were just in a serious car accident where your sister-"
Died
The foul word hangs in the air between us.
I look down, "I know but staying here, in the hospital-- it doesn't help. It only makes it w-worse," I whisper.
Carter looks at me sadly, his eyes tell me what his mouth won't; I'm sorry.
The phrase that I don't want to hear right now, especially coming from him.
I don't need pity.
I've heard the nurses countless whispers in the hallway:
"She's an orphan now", "She has no one left". "When are they going to kick her out? We need the space".
"When are they going to let me go back to school?" I ask him.
His jaw drops, "Did you seriously just ask me that?" I nod.
"Well I guess whenever you're ready," He replies unsurely.
I jump up, "All I have to do is say I'm ready?" I ask. He purses his lips before nodding, "Yes but-" he pauses, "Lydia are you sure?" He looks at me seriously.
"Yesss".
Summer vacation had ended the day after the accident so I've been missing my first week of school while staying here.
"Well I guess you can stay at my place," He sighs.
"I wouldn't have it any other way" I reply.
⋆⋆⋆
Standing in front of the mirror I glance down at my clothes. I wear a simple baby-blue sun dress, with a sweetheart neckline. As well as a long, white, crochet cardigan that falls to my knees. Passing the the baby-blue dress that falls to my mid-thigh. I quickly pull my dark brown hair out its messy ponytail and brush it out. Allowing it to fall neatly past my shoulders.
Walking towards the door, I grab my grey ankle boots and shut the door behind me. I run down the stairs.
Carter stands there waiting for me, his hair messily jelled up. He's wearing a pair of dark, denim skinny jeans and a faded, blue t-shirt.
As I walk towards the door he grabs a black leather jacket off of the hook and shrugs it on. At the same time I quickly and ungracefully, shimmy my feet into my boots and reach for the door handle.
I open the door and pause. Carter starts to walk towards his mom's car.
I slowly follow. When I'd left the nearby hospital. I had walked to Carter's, so I haven't been in a vehicle since the accident. Except for the ambulance that brought me to the hospital but I hadn't been conscious.
I stand frozen to the spot where I watch as Carter turns to look at me. His brows furrow, then he looks at the car.
His expression changes from confusion to worry.
"Lydia" he says looking back at me. I shake it off and walk towards the car. I open the door and slowly sit. Blocking out the brightly lit flames that naw at my mind. Threatening to bring me to my sister the same way they took her.
Carter starts the car and pulls out of his families driveway. I shut my eyes until I feel the car come to a stop.
I look up catching the eye of a tall boy leaning against the school wall.
His white blonde hair frames an equally pale, attractive face.
Carter glances over at me noticing my focus is on something in the distance.
"Lydia, are you seriously checking out the new druggie?" Carter sighs.
My head snaps towards Carter, "He's on drugs?" Carter laughs.
"No idea, I've never seen him before."
I look back over to the guy, or-- to where he was anyway.
⋆⋆⋆
Walking into my first class: Biology11. I walk to the back and take a seat ten minutes before the bell so I don't have to sit beside anyone.
The ten minutes pass fast and the bell rings. The majority of the students sit in the first three rows. Several sending glances my way, as if surprised to see me here.
However when the door opens just after the second bell, the boy with the white blonde hair from earlier walks in and makes his way to the back. I mentally count the rows as he walks by them.
Two, please don't sit by me, three, four, dangitt. At the fifth row, the one I sit in he stops and turns.
I look down pretending not to have noticed. I nonchalantly play with the edge of my sundress.
Don't look over Lydia, just don't look over.
I quickly glance over.
BIG MISTAKE.
He looks over at me at the same time.
Thick eyelashes frame deep
blue eyes, freckles sprinkle across his pale cheekbones. His thick, tousled-white hair falls messily over part of his right eye.
Mentally cursing my pale skin as a blush starts to creep into my cheeks the longer I stare but I can't look away- his features are so unflawed that they seem to resemble some sort of marble-like stone.
It's almost as if ... he's not human at all.
"Jordan, Lydia? Are you listening?" Ms. Wilkinson asks as she makes her way to the front of the room to start her lecture.
My head snaps forward "Yes ma'am" I reply, Ms. Wilkinson smiles at me.
"Good to have you back Lydia, I'm so sorry for your loss."
I freeze. Sure, several nurses whispered their condolences to me separately. However this is the first public one ... And in front of the whole class. My eyes grow heavy within second of her statement. My throat constricts and all I can manage is a simple, raspy response.
"Glad to be back Ms.Wilkinson-- thank you" I reply, my voice monotoned.
The white haired boy, "Jordan" leans back in his chair and nods in answer to the earlier question. I can't be sure but I swear he spares me a glance once the teacher has turned away.
I try to listen in to the rest of the class ignoring the fact that the white haired boy is still sitting beside me.
⋆⋆⋆
"LYDIA"
My head snaps up as a piece of orange flies by my head.
"What is it Carter?" I hiss.
"Were you even listening?" Adrien asks.
I shake my head no before going back to scanning the room.
Carter stares at me for a minute before groaning.
"Holy shiz Lydia, please tell me you're not looking for that weirdo from this morning." I glare at him
"Why's he weird?" I reply.
Carter face palms and Adrien: Carter's best guy friend. Looks towards me as if I'm just going to tell him what Carter's face palming about.
"What?"
"Who are you guys talking about?" he asks expectantly.
Carter removes his hand from his face. "This guy we drove by this morning" he replies.
Adrien looks to me with his eyebrows raised and an extremely annoying smirk plastered to his face.
"Ooo does someone have a crush?" he wiggles his eyebrows then pauses.
"Wait you like guys? Me and Carter were starting to worry you had become a nun and-"
I cut him off by slapping his shoulder and holding back a laugh so I can respond, "Adrien you're so freaking annoying" I hiss.
Adrien's face changes to an expression of fake hurt before he laughs "But you basically love me don't you." he says in a mocking tone.
I glare at him, nod a "goodbye" at Carter, then standing up, I walk to the door. When I reach for the door handle that leads out of the cafeteria a whistle sounds behind me.
I turn to see Adrien standing at the table I'd just been sitting at. In the middle of the whole damn cafeteria.
"But you do don't you?" He yells over to me, and before sitting back down he sends me a quick wink.
I laugh to myself and walk out of the door heading to my last class of the day.