Gasoline
And When The Congregation Gathered Round
“I'll make a bet that says we don't leave this place as friends." - You Me At Six
Cody Laughlin was not ready to go back to school. The summer had passed far too quickly, and she had been dragged halfway across the country so that her dad could be closer to his job. Of course she understood this, but that didn’t make the move any easier. It had taken her seventeen years to create friendships; to feel as though people understood her, and now that was gone.
Now, Cody Laughlin had to start over.
She rolled out of bed on a morning in early September and got dressed with more concern than usual. She selected a plain red t-shirt and tight jeans, pulling on her old Converse and picking up her backpack and car keys. She left the house carrying a thermos of coffee and a bagel, planning to eat on the way to school.
In her car, she turned the radio up so she couldn’t hear anything but the music – this morning she listened to The Strokes for no real reason. She pulled into the school parking lot earlier than she’d planned on getting there, so for a while she sat in her car listening to the stereo and watching other students walk past. Cody was not in the mood for making new friends – not that she ever was, really. She pulled a lighter out of her backpack and turned it over in her fingers before clicking the tab and watching the flame dance above her black fingernails. With a breath, she extinguished the flame, slipping the lighter into her pocket before getting out of the car.
As she walked to the school, Cody didn’t notice the second glances from people wondering who she was.
She walked through the halls, through crowds of people, until she realized she had no idea how to find the main office. For a moment, Cody paused in the hallway and looked around. There were no maps in high school to point someone in the right direction.
“Can I help you?” Cody turned to see a tall boy with messy brown hair smiling at her.
“Can you tell me where the main office is?” she asked, smiling back at him.
“I can take you there, if you want,” he replied. “I’m headed that way, anyways.” Cody didn’t say anything; a small smile was on her face, and she expected him to lead the way. “I’m Will, by the way… do you want me to walk with you?”
Cody’s smile widened. “Yes.”
Will began to walk through the students, waiting for Cody so they were walking together. “So, you’re new this year, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, if you ever need anything, you could always ask me,” he said. “I’m sure everyone will want to talk to you, and I understand if you don’t want to talk to them.” He glanced sideways at Cody, her wide blue eyes staring straight ahead. “I was new here a few years ago. Everyone can be so… nosy – almost rude, really, like you’re some sort of zoo animal.”
“Yeah?” Cody said, turning to look at Will. He had a sweet smile, and his dark hair fell in his eyes – so different from Jude, whose hair was always pushed away from his face, revealing his soft brown eyes. Will’s eyes were brilliantly blue, bright and full of life. “I hate meeting people. I always feel so artificial.” She pushed her hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the lighter.
Will nodded. “I know everyone tells you to be yourself, but… this is high school, and people are vicious.”
Cody laughed. “Yeah.” They stood in front of the main office – a wall of glass windows revealing a long counter, full of students and a few secretaries trying to keep things orderly during the morning bustle. “Thank you for everything, Will.”
“No problem,” he replied. “Hopefully I’ll see you later…” He paused. “I don’t know your name.”
“It’s Cody,” she said, leaning against the wall. “Cody Laughlin.”
“Nice to meet you, Cody,” Will said as a smile spread across his face. “I hope you have a good first day at Kennedy High School.” He turned and walked down the hall, hoping that Cody would be in at least one of his classes. He would spend the rest of the day trying to cement her mysterious smile in his memory.
Cody Laughlin was not ready to go back to school. The summer had passed far too quickly, and she had been dragged halfway across the country so that her dad could be closer to his job. Of course she understood this, but that didn’t make the move any easier. It had taken her seventeen years to create friendships; to feel as though people understood her, and now that was gone.
Now, Cody Laughlin had to start over.
She rolled out of bed on a morning in early September and got dressed with more concern than usual. She selected a plain red t-shirt and tight jeans, pulling on her old Converse and picking up her backpack and car keys. She left the house carrying a thermos of coffee and a bagel, planning to eat on the way to school.
In her car, she turned the radio up so she couldn’t hear anything but the music – this morning she listened to The Strokes for no real reason. She pulled into the school parking lot earlier than she’d planned on getting there, so for a while she sat in her car listening to the stereo and watching other students walk past. Cody was not in the mood for making new friends – not that she ever was, really. She pulled a lighter out of her backpack and turned it over in her fingers before clicking the tab and watching the flame dance above her black fingernails. With a breath, she extinguished the flame, slipping the lighter into her pocket before getting out of the car.
As she walked to the school, Cody didn’t notice the second glances from people wondering who she was.
She walked through the halls, through crowds of people, until she realized she had no idea how to find the main office. For a moment, Cody paused in the hallway and looked around. There were no maps in high school to point someone in the right direction.
“Can I help you?” Cody turned to see a tall boy with messy brown hair smiling at her.
“Can you tell me where the main office is?” she asked, smiling back at him.
“I can take you there, if you want,” he replied. “I’m headed that way, anyways.” Cody didn’t say anything; a small smile was on her face, and she expected him to lead the way. “I’m Will, by the way… do you want me to walk with you?”
Cody’s smile widened. “Yes.”
Will began to walk through the students, waiting for Cody so they were walking together. “So, you’re new this year, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Well, if you ever need anything, you could always ask me,” he said. “I’m sure everyone will want to talk to you, and I understand if you don’t want to talk to them.” He glanced sideways at Cody, her wide blue eyes staring straight ahead. “I was new here a few years ago. Everyone can be so… nosy – almost rude, really, like you’re some sort of zoo animal.”
“Yeah?” Cody said, turning to look at Will. He had a sweet smile, and his dark hair fell in his eyes – so different from Jude, whose hair was always pushed away from his face, revealing his soft brown eyes. Will’s eyes were brilliantly blue, bright and full of life. “I hate meeting people. I always feel so artificial.” She pushed her hand into her pocket and wrapped her fingers around the lighter.
Will nodded. “I know everyone tells you to be yourself, but… this is high school, and people are vicious.”
Cody laughed. “Yeah.” They stood in front of the main office – a wall of glass windows revealing a long counter, full of students and a few secretaries trying to keep things orderly during the morning bustle. “Thank you for everything, Will.”
“No problem,” he replied. “Hopefully I’ll see you later…” He paused. “I don’t know your name.”
“It’s Cody,” she said, leaning against the wall. “Cody Laughlin.”
“Nice to meet you, Cody,” Will said as a smile spread across his face. “I hope you have a good first day at Kennedy High School.” He turned and walked down the hall, hoping that Cody would be in at least one of his classes. He would spend the rest of the day trying to cement her mysterious smile in his memory.