Left Behind

CARTER

“Carter! Carter, are you paying attention?” I snapped back into reality and the entire class was staring at me.

“Uh, yes ma’am,” I replied looking directly back at her.

“What was I saying?”

I easily gave up. “I really don’t know, but I'm really sorry. I have a lot going through my mind right now.”

“Just don’t let it happen again. I didn’t mean to single you out, but it’s a pet peeve of mine,” she explained. I nodded and Mrs. Perkins turned to the white board and continued to write what she was writing before.

I heard snickers throughout the class. I looked around to see that mostly everyone was still looking at me. I scanned everyone’s faces one by one looking them straight in the eyes making them turn around. Something that I was great at was intimidating people with my glares and stares. There was a blonde girl who laughed when I looked at her and she turned to tell her friends something, which didn’t bother me at all. There was another girl who smiled at me genuinely and I gave a slight smile in return. Then, there was Brycen.
When I looked at him directly in his eyes he didn’t turn around, but his facial expression dramatically changed. It went from a normal gaze to a realization of some sort. He must’ve remembered my face, but he didn’t say anything. He just looked for a little while and turned his head sideways thinking about it, I guess. I was hoping that he didn’t remember me, especially from the experience that we shared.

The blonde girl pushed his shoulder and he turned around looking back once more before I looked to the paper on my desk.

“Pssst.” Someone on either side of me was trying to catch my attention. I skimmed around the classroom to find that the girl who had smiled at me was turned around in her desk staring at me. “Pssst! Carter!” she whispered from the desk to my left.

“What?”

“I’m Aliyah,” she said. “If you need anything, just ask me and I’ll be willing to help.” I could name a list of things that I needed.

“Thanks,” I nodded.

“No problem.” She smiled cheerfully and turned correctly in her seat. I could tell that she was one of the preppy types of people. The type of people that I absolutely couldn’t stand.

BRYCE

“Give me a kiss babe,” Kristen said tapping her lips. I leaned in and gave her a quick peck. “Another,” she laughed.

“Enough,” I smiled.

“Man, we’re gonna get to class,” Laken said referring to himself and my other bestfriend. I gave him thumbs up as Kristen linked my hand with hers.

“I wish Christmas break was longer. Don’t you?”

I swung her arm back and forth while her hand was in my grip. “Yeah, more time with you,” I said. She smiled gorgeously with her blonde hair flowing as she walked.

“I really don’t feel like going to this class. I hate geometry. And I hate this shitty teacher,” Kristen explained. “I don’t see what we’ll ever need this class for, it’s so pointless.”

I chuckled at her blonde stupidity, but I thought it was kind of cute. “Yeah, me neither,” I lied. “But it’s one more class we have together.”

“You’re just so fucking cute,” she blushed. “We don’t find boys like you often.”

Kristen was pretty much my whole life. She was a year younger than me, but we had everything in common. We both came from wealthy families, I played football, she cheered for my games, and the list went on and on. I think we were in love. The ironic thing about it was that our families set us up, almost like an arranged marriage. Sometimes I felt forced into the relationship, because my parents pushed me onto her, but you just couldn’t help but love her. Of course we got tired of each other sometimes and went days without talking, but the time we spend apart made us even more eager to see the other the next day.

We walked into the class as we waited for the third bell, the tardy bell. We sat in our usual seats, and talked while Mrs. Perkins greeted the students who came through and passed the door like she usually did. “Did you finish that project, Sweet pea?” Kristen asked.

I sighed. “No I forgot, Babe. But I'm gonna do it tonight.”

A new girl walked into the room following Mrs. Perkins. Mr. Perkins told her a couple things and pointed to what would be her new seat. “Okay everyone, this is Carter,” she said. Carter kept her head slightly facing the ground, but gave a small wave to the class as she took her seat. Mrs. Perkins started to take role like she did every morning.

“Brycen Kelley,” she said. I waved my arms in the air as Kristen and some others in the class laughed.

“Once again Brycen, unnecessary. Please just raise your hand without the nonsense,” she gave me an intense stare as she looked over her nonapealling glasses.

“Mrs. Perkins, when you start calling me Bryce, I’ll start acting like a normal kid,” I replied. I hated when people called me Brycen because it sounded a little too feminine, or atleast to me it did. She rolled her eyes and continued down the roll until all of the names were called.
But I couldn’t help but notice that the new girl shifted uncomfortably in her seat when my name was called. I stared at her for a while, but she looked completely zoned out for at least a ten minute time period. Mrs. Perkins called Carter’s name a couple times, causing her to come back to what was happening in reality.

The entire class was looking at her, then. She just looked from person to person scoping out their faces, and when she Kristen made eye contact with her, she made a rude comment and laughed. Sometimes she could be a bitch, but that was just her personality.

Carter slowly made her eyes meet mine and something went through me. I was in shock, but I didn’t know why. This girl, that I thought that I had never met, looked completely familiar as I looked over her face. Something about her brought back a memory or something, but I couldn’t think of what. Kristen pushed my shoulder. “Why the hell are you still staring? Turn around, shit,” she said out of obvious jealousy.

“Chill,” I said rubbing my shoulder. But, I couldn’t help but look one last time at Carter as she shyly put her head down and began her work.