Rat Race

Scarlett Andrews slammed open the school doors, frigid wind instantly blasting her in the face.

“Ugh, I fucking hate winter,” she sighed as she instinctively closed her eyes against the coldness. She was taking her school lunch- a ham sandwich and water- outside; one of the many places she chose to eat to be separate from her overbearing peers of Fairview High.

She walked around the big purple school until she got to the side wall that was decorated with some actual artistic graffiti. It was a sunset over mountains- really dramatic with more colors than an actual sunset should have. She had a part in that of course. The principal liked it so much that she decided to keep it there. But Scarlett did still get in trouble- recently just paid off.

She sat down next to her sunset and looked at the sky, hoping it wouldn't unexpectedly start snowing.

She huffed as she nibbled at her sandwich and took a swig of water. She wasn't really hungry but she got woozy easily if she didn't eat enough. Sometimes, she just forgot.

“Are you gonna eat that?” She heard a quiet voice ask. It sounded like it had a hint of New York in it, which was weird since they were all the way in North Dakota.

Scarlett slowly turned her head towards the voice and she literally felt her heart stutter.

Did she pack bad ham? She questioned silently as she pressed her hand to her chest.

“Hello?” The boy questioned again.

She raised her eyes to meet his.

Oh. That's right. Cute boy not bad ham.

He was tall and really skinny with little to no muscles. His chin-length brown hair covered one eye- with the rest in a low ponytail- leaving the lone see-into-her-soul black one for her to admire. He had on a gray and blue plaid button up over a dark sweatshirt that hung off his skinny shoulders and tight jeans that she bet would hug his ass if he were to walk away because he thought she was a spazzy idiot.

But she was a spazzy idiot. And that thought brought her back to the question at hand.

“What does it look like?” She asked sarcastically, trying to make like she hadn't just been checking him out. She raised her sandwich that had the corner bitten off.

“It looks like you're just wasting food. Some of us actually want to eat.” He patted his flat belly. She could definitely recognize the accent just then.

She snorted. “Okay?” She was wondering why he was talking to her.

He walked closer and slid his butt down the wall until he was sitting beside her. Scarlett not-so-subtly scooted away but not so much that she wasn't sitting in front of her sunset anymore. She wouldn't give him that pleasure.

“So,” He raised his knees and rested his arms on them. “What's your name?”

She childishly straightened her legs and crossed them. She looked at him pointedly as the corner of his mouth hiked up. “Why do you wanna know?”

He raised a dark eyebrow. “So far, you've responded to everything I've said with a question.”

“And?”

His eyes glittered humorously. “Just tell me your name.”

She looked away into the depressing sky and muttered quietly.

“What was that?”

She whipped her head around to glare at him. “I said my name is Lettie.”

He scrunched up his nose and shook his head. “No it's not.”

“Huh?” How the hell was he going to tell her what her name was?

“You don't look like a Lettie. It doesn't fit you.” He leaned toward her.

She was unconsciously scooting closer to him. “You don't know me.”

“I would like to.”

She abruptly stood up. “Call me Lettie.”

She walked away, leaving her lunch with him.