Deadly Hallows [Complete]

Chapter 12: Code Crackers

"I need a new backpack," Mindy said with a scowl on her delicate looking face. She tugged at the straps on her bag, trying to readjust it so that it would be the same length as the other. Frankly I didn't see why she needed a new one. She hadn't had this one for a full school year yet, there couldn't be that much wrong with it.

I leaned up against the lockers as she continued to struggle with it. "Because the strap won't adjust? I'm sure you could just get that fixed instead of buying a whole new one."

Mindy shook her head, scowling as she shoved the bag halfway inside her locker and continued to tamper with it. She twisted, and tugged, and yanked until the strap  moved less than an inch and got stuck again. "Not just that. The zipper is messed up too, and it has a hole in it. I'm worried that it's going to rip open more and all of my things are going to fall out."

I glanced over her floral styled, brand name backpack, then at my plain, black bag that was hanging off of one shoulder. I didn't see any hole, and the zipper looked fine to me. I think she was just searching for something to complain about because there wasn't anything going on today. The rumor mill had shut down for a while, and that sent everyone into an agitated state. Probably because they had nothing to talk about anymore. I didn't say anything though, and just shrugged. I was hoping that if I didn't respond, maybe she would let the topic drop and move on to something else. I wasn't sure what though. Our conversations had been pretty shallow lately. It was as if we had nothing to talk about but gossip, and stuff that didn't matter. It was a waste of time.

A distressed sound escaped her red lips as she gave up with the strap. She yanked her bag from the locker and balanced it on one leg as she shoved a notebook in it. "I wish I no longer need to be bothered with the problems from high school," she said, meeting my gaze.

I hoped she wasn't still referring to her stupid backpack, but it didn't seem like it. "Like what?" I questioned.

Mindy tucked her dark curly hair behind her ear and carefully closed her locker door. She was always careful when shutting it, as to not make all of the stuff that she had decorating the inside of the door fall. She slung her bag over her shoulder and frowned. "You know, dealing with high school boys, homework, living with my parents still, and the drama."

"You'll still have all of those problems in college, you know. You won't have your own place when you come back to visit. You'll still have to do homework, and deal with immature guys. Plus I believe drama only happens to those that insert themselves in it, because otherwise you wouldn't be involved in it."

She rolled her eyes. "You're a kill joy. A girl can dream, and hope that when she goes to college the boys will be a little more mature, the homework won't stress me out as much, and that the drama would fade into the background."

"I'm a realist. There's nothing wrong with dreaming, but you can't just wish away everything. That's not how it goes." I responded with a shrug.

"It's annoying," she stated as she absentmindedly examined a nail. Then she looked up. "Need to go to your locker?"

I shook my head no. I opened my mouth to say I had all of my stuff, when I heard someone scream my name. Mindy furrowed her eyebrows as she looked over my shoulder. I turned around, looking down the hall to see Mason running toward me. He had a big smile plastered on his face, his hair was moving as he ran, and he shoved past a few people who got in his way. I was almost embarrassed for him as everyone watched him run up to me, placing one hand on each shoulder as he said, "I figured it out," in a near yell. His eyes were wide in excitement, and his smile was so wide I could see his teeth.

"Figured what out?" Mindy asked, staring between the two of us with utter confusion on her face. 

Mason shook his head, his smile wider than I had ever seen it before. He glanced to Mindy, saying, "Do you mind if I borrow her for a second?" He didn't even wait for Mindy to answer before he started pulling me down the hallway. He was moving fast, weaving in and out of people skillfully. I heard Mindy call after me, but Mason wasn't letting go anytime soon. He almost caused me to trip going up the stairs. He didn't stop until we were inside of the library, looking for a place to sit so we could talk about whatever he had found out. I was surprised by where he took me, considered how loud he had been when he had approached me. It didn't make sense that he would take me to the one place on school grounds where we could only talk in a whisper unless we wanted to spend time together in detention.