The school day was over before I knew it. I got up at my seat and took a peek at my watch. I realized that I needed to give Olivia her money during this time but as soon as I turned around, she wasn’t there. I started to get nervous wondering what punishment I would receive if I could not give the change on time. I started to sprint out the door when I felt a slight tug on my sleeve.

“Where are you going?” Charlotte asked. I couldn’t tell her about the situation I go through everyday. If she found out what would happen? “I just have something important to attend to,”I said quickly. She looked at me with disappointment and said “I’ll come with you if you want.”

I couldn’t refuse an offer from such a girl so I decided to keep the change and go do something fun with her. We exited the school grounds and started walking to the arcade a couple blocks away. I started feeling chills down my neck and it felt as if someone was watching my every move. I turned around to see if someone was following us but to my surprise I just saw an empty street.

We arrived at the arcade and I used the money that was supposed to be given to Olivia for arcade tokens. We both laughed and had fun to our hearts content that day. After all the tokens had been finished, we both had enough tickets to get a teddy bear as a prize. I handed her the teddy bear proudly and the look of joy and excitement flooded her face. We both exited the arcade and started walking back to our houses.

I haven't experienced this type of joy in my life. I was blessed and glad that she was the ray of sunshine that was able to land in my life and clear up all the rain. We ended up walking and talking all the way until the flower filled road where we met last night. We decided that we would meet up here everyday, walk to school together, and come back to this exact spot. My heart started to flutter and my cheeks started to turn red. “Isn’t this what couples do?” I asked. She looked at me surprised and started laughing “bwahaha dummy! Of course they do! But, who knows maybe in the near future we might be considered one.”

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My heart sank and I was speechless. What did she mean by that? Does she seriously like me or does she pity me? All these thoughts rushed to my head all at once. “It’s not that deep. Don’t worry about it.” she said with a smile. She looked back and waved and started running away. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Was this all a dream? I smiled and headed home.

I arrived at the front door of my house and had to wipe the big smile I had on my face. I could not bring myself to put up even a fake smile in this depressing household. I opened the door and headed straight to my room while hearing my parents fighting once more in the background. I was filled with emotions I never felt before. Before I went to sleep, I promised I would change so Charlotte will never find out the pathetic and weak boy I truly am.

I showed up to school 30 minutes before class started so I can get my punishment by Olivia over with. Her background was always mysterious. She was always the first one at school and the last one to leave. Despite having such a terrible personality, she still manages to maintain perfect scores in all her subjects. Many rumors spread around her family. Some say she was the daughter of a very successful businessman and others say she was born from a poverty struck family. Nobody knows the true nature of Olivia but the mystery behind her is what makes her special to many.

I went to the back of the school and to my surprise she wasn’t there. I looked around the small alleyway that she hangs out in to see if she was there instead, but yet again she was missing. I started walking away when I saw a small crumpled photo. I wanted to leave it alone because I knew nothing good would come out of finding out what it was.

In the end, my curiosity got the best of me and I picked it up. I slowly unfolded the photo and saw a picture of me and Charlotte smiling together. I dropped it suddenly and thought when was this photo taken. I suddenly realized that this photo was taken yesterday when we were walking to the arcade. I dropped the photo immediately and my hands started trembling. Why is she following us? What does she want from me? I thought. I turned around and saw her standing at the end of the alleyway with her arms crossed.

“Fancy meeting you here” she said with a big nasty smile across her face.