Escape From Here

Nathan's POV.

Ever since we were younger, we were told the story of Adalia. The towns most famous socialite, missing, gone, vanished for fifty years, never to be heard from again. Until now...

"So she's back?"

"And she hasn't aged a day, people are saying she'll just go back straight into high school and carry on where she left off."

"But what happened to her? Where did she go for so long?"

"That, we may never know."

People had been talking. I was sick of hearing about it now. Yeah so what, a girl goes missing and shows up again fifty years later, doesn't mean that has to be all anybody talks about for days on end.

"Bro come on! Soccer!" called Matthew up the stairs. I sighed and picked up my kit bag from where I had slung it in the corner of my messy room.

"What were you doing in there?" asked Matthew suspiciously as I walked down the stairs.

I shrugged.

"Just thinking," I said, quickly reading the headline of the local paper, Madina Lake News, that was laying on the table near the front door.

"Town's Missing Teen Socialite Returns."

There must be something going on here other than about that stupid girl.

"We're gonna be late, and you know what coach will do if we're late," said Matthew as he jogged on the spot by the front door.

"Make us run laps," I said glumly.

"Exactly, now hurry up."

"Chill out," I said, slipping on my shoes and following him out into the hot summer afternoon.

Being seventeen we were still in high school, but for some bizarre reason, coach had scheduled practice for a Saturday afternoon. I think it was because of all the hype to do with this Adalia woman at the moment, it was all anybody seemed to be paying attention to.

We got into school and we changed quickly in the locker rooms, hurrying out onto the pitch so we didn't piss off coach too much.

"You're late," he said coldly as we ran out onto the field.

"Sorry sir," I said quickly.

"Not good enough. Five laps."

We both groaned.

"Ten laps, and make it quick, I don't have all day to wait."

We both started running around the large field. The school was built right by the lake and the summer sun was glistening off the water, making the beautiful scenery even more stunning.

So many rumors surrounded this lake. There was a rumor a body had been found in the brush by the river at the back of the school, and it was never identified.

There was a rumor a house had been built at the side of the lake, and when the wilderness became so overgrown, it was never seen again.

Bullshit. Theres no bodies, no hidden secret houses, it's just a lake.

"Would you ladies like to go any slower?!" called coach, making the rest of the team laugh. Matthew looked like he wanted to answer back with a smart comment of his own, but he held his tongue and we both continued to jog.

***

Practice was hard. By the time we got back to the locker room both of us were covered in sweat and mud. I showered quickly and then got changed back into my normal clothes.

Walking down the hallway with Matthew felt very strange. Being in school on a Saturday always felt weird but for some reason, today felt even more strange.

"So this is our physics laboratory," I heard the principals voice say from further along the corridor.

He must have been showing a new student around or something.

He had stopped in the doorway of the physics lab with a girl about mine and Matthew's age. She had long, flowing dark hair and that was all I could see of her from behind, I couldn't see her face.

"What are you doing here boys?" came the principals stern voice as Matthew and I passed him.

"Soccer practice sir," said Matthew quickly.

He immediately softened.

"OK then, just as long as we win the homecoming game," he said with a smile.

I looked at the girl beside him and blinked hard. She was beautiful. Her long flowing brown hair cascaded over her shoulders, her wide chestnut eyes shining in the light. Our eyes met, just for a moment, and a faint smile crossed her lips. I returned it and then she looked away quickly, blushing slightly.

"Boys this is a new student at the school, she will be joining us on Monday into your class. I would like you take care of her and make sure she finds her feet this first week, alright?"

"Yes sir," I said with a nod.

"Thank you. Now run along, don't want to waste the rest of your Saturday hanging around at school do you?"

"No sir," I said and Matthew and I began to walk away. I glanced back over my shoulder and saw the girl was following me with her mysterious brown eyes.

There's definitely more to her than there appears to be.