The Gift of Gulit

Chapter Three

It's Monday again, I'm actually not dreading it as much as I thought I would. I think it's because I'm not as lethargic as usual. Oh wait, Evan is going to be there,that's why. I know I've only known him for like a day but he's my first real friend so I'm kind of looking forward to seeing how this works out.

You'll screw it up Ava, just like you always do.

My thoughts interrupt me as I'm turning to my school building, but I shove them aside for the moment being. I enter the school building and I'm greeted with the freezing temperatures ranges inside the school building. My hoodie can only keep me warm for a little bit because soon enough i'll be shivering. I navigate through the hallways until I reach my home room class. I sit where I normally sit in the back; as far away from people as possible, afraid to get too close, and take out my book and study.

"Wow, no kidding you are a nerd." I look up to see Evan, his hair in a black beanie, a blue hoodie wrapped around his body, not too tight, or too loose, black pants and sneakers.

"Shut up." I roll my eyes and laugh. Wow. Laughter, thats something i havent had a taste of in quite a while...He takes a seat next to me. I turn back to my book and sigh, I wonder why Evan is sitting with me, are we friends, or he's just hanging out with me because he feels obligated to?Danny doesn't even hang with me only when I have nightmares...

You're a screw up that's why, and everyone hates you, you should too.

My mind never gives me a break, images of my past flash in my head, images I thought I could escape, but I was wrong. A sharp pain fills my heart and head and I can't breathe. I grab my head and squeeze it, trying to rid my head of the demons that haunt me, my past. Suddenly I feel a hand tapping my shoulder. I'm back in reality , no longer battling my thoughts, for now.

"Ava, you okay?" Evan asks concern and confusion written across his face like the graffiti that floods the streets of california. I nod, not saying anything, afraid I was going to burst into a million pieces.

The bell alerts the students it is time for class and they pile in as I am left to my thoughts the rest of the day.

***
The rest of the school day goes by quickly and I'm glad because I don't want to be here much longer. My thoughts have been perstering me all day, distracting me from the real world. I guess it's not such a bad thing being distracted from reality. However, If I could only leave this god forsaken world, maybe then the thoughts would leave my mind, because my body would no longer be alive. Suddenly the final bell rings, startling me from my thoughts. it rings a second time signaling that we can head to our lockers now. I steer through these hell hallways and make my way over to my plain blue locker. I open it and a piece of paper falls out and onto the floor. I bend down to retrieve it, I see handwriting I don't recognize. I frown in confusion and open it up.

Ava,

Let's meet up later. We can have dinner, meet me at the Hollow Grove Diner at 6 pm.

-Evan

Is this a date? Of course not, it's just Evan, a friend I think. Either way I'm excited to go have dinner with him. A small grin spreads across my face and I forget what I need in my locker and go straight home to change. I finally am home and I change into a striped red and white top, and blue jeans, and my black toms. I glance at the clock, 5:37. I grab my small purse, phone, and walk to the Hollow Grove Diner.

***

When I arrive at the Diner, I can see Evan there waiting for me, and a small smile appears on my face.

"Hey." I say.

"Hey." He answers, smiling, his eyes blue but a little distant. Worry entered my body, was he okay? Another question popped into my head: Why did I care so much? He is meerly a friend.