The Hollow Days

The bus jolted to a stop, my bus driver mumbling something about the old, crappy run down bus. The seats were brown and tearing. Words were scratched into the metal and written on the seats with black sharpie. The windows were marked with dirty fingerprints all around. Today was my first day at this new school, and this bus wasn't making a very good impression at what the school would be.

I watched as the doors swung open, and waited for the rush of tired looking students as they boarded the bus. This should be the last stop, I hoped. Across from me sat a lonely looking kid, with something I couldn't make out in his eyes. He looked utterly depressed and guilt stung in his green, almost gray eyes. I watched him scroll through songs on his music player, adjusting the ear buds that were snug in his earlobes. He glanced up at me, and I quickly pretended to be just playing with my own hands. He sighed, shifting into a more comfortable position against the seat.

As students passed him, they gave him dirty looks and mumbled words under their breath. I heard the barely audible 'faggot' and 'loser' whisper that left many kid's lips as they strode by, too caught up in their popularity to notice that this kid even had feelings and thoughts. But I was a type of girl who seemed to notice every little detail, like the way the more popular kids kept their heads high with confidence, while this boy seemed to never meet anyone's eyes at all.

I wanted to talk to him. But it would be weird if I just sat next to him and asked what was wrong. Maybe, I'd just watch him for a few days and see what he's like before actually saying something to him. Maybe he isn't sad at all. Maybe he's just exhausted, since it is early in the morning. Too early to even be legal to force a student to get up at.

But, today was my first day, and I didn't want to come off as a creep either, so I just picked at the buttons of my left open blue, white, and green plaid shirt. I wore a white tank-top underneath and dark jeans with black flip flops. I hoped I looked good for my first day. People were bound to notice me, considering it was the middle of the semester. My blonde hair was straightened for my big day, and my eyelashes were smeared with maybe too much mascara. But I liked my light brown eyes. It was rare to see a blondie with brown eyes and that's exactly what I was.

Sooner or later, the bus slowly pulled up to the giant blue and gray-bricked school. It seemed to loom down on me, making my anxiety shoot up on high. I sighed and pushed my fears away. Everything was going to be okay, as long as I made people like me, and that's all that matters.

I glanced at the kid again. This time, he was wrapping his headphones around his music player and shoving it deep into his jeans pocket, sighing with frustration. I felt bad for the poor thing, and I desperately wanted to know what his deal was, why he looked so sad. Something about him was off. I just needed to find out what that thing was.

****

My schedule was confusing as hell. I didn't understand how these rooms worked, since they seemed to have no particular order. I had gone up to the office and just received my new schedule, and now I was in the middle of finding my way to my first block. Chemistry. Great. Like I was going to excel in that. Woohoo, life as a junior was just dandy.

The thought of entering my new class as a new kid sent chills down my spine, but I was excited. I hurried around the school and eventually found the classroom that seemed lifeless and dull. The walls were dark blue and the posters barely added any color. Beakers and test tubes were lined up against the wall in all different shapes and sizes. I walked in slowly, everyone's eyes literally staring me down. I felt so small.

The teacher, Mr. Landry took my pass from the office and read the small, cursive letters that reminded him I was a new student. He smiled at me and welcome me to his class.

"Okay, everyone," He said, shifting toward me. Oh, god. Please, no. Not this. Don't tell me this teacher actually tortures new students like this. I hated Chemistry and Mr. Landry already. Just let me go home, right now. Let me go back in time and-

"This is our new student. Her name is Emma." I managed to pick my gaze up from my feet and smile at the classroom, waving casually. I met eyes with that boy from the bus, his eyes burning a hole through my skinny form. He clearly recognized me as the girl who stared at him on the bus. I pushed my bangs out of my face and headed toward my seat, happy to get all this unwanted attention off of me.

And my new seat happened to be right next to that boy.