Muted Echoes

𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓪 𝓭𝓪𝓻𝓴 𝓻𝓮𝓭 𝓵𝓲𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓼𝓽𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓭 𝓸𝓾𝓽 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓻𝓸𝓬𝓴𝓼

Striding through the bustling school hallways after geometry, I felt the weight of curious gazes and whispered taunts.

"Ooooh, the witch is here," a voice sneered as I passed by, the words like barbs that I had grown all too accustomed to.

"Careful, she might curse you like she did James," another voice whispered.

My unconventional style, my interest in Latin, and my transient history of changing schools had earned me a reputation as an outcast in the eyes of my peers.

Arriving at the cafeteria, I prepared to resign myself to the familiar solitude of sitting alone by the trash can when an overly happy girl with bleach blonde hair in pigtails that had one fade into red and the other to blue approached me.

"Hi! OMG, your style is everything! Do you like poetry? Oh, I bet you do! I know something you would love. Just come with me!"

She had a heavy Brooklyn accent, it was hard not to call her Harley.

Before I could muster a response, she had already taken hold of my wrist, pulling me along with an infectious enthusiasm that left me flustered and touched.

We ended up in the auditorium, where she settled on the stage, gesturing for me to join her.

I sat in silence, confused and worried by the unexpected turn of events, questioning the purpose of this impromptu gathering.

Just as I contemplated slipping away, laughter echoed through the auditorium, drawing my attention to a group of familiar faces - a kid from the art club, another from performing arts, and another from the alliance club.

I managed a sheepish wave as their curious gazes met mine.

"Oh, uh, hey, you're Liv, right?" a striking red-haired girl spoke up, her warmth cutting through my unease.

"You're in the performing arts with me. So nice to see you!" she greeted me with genuine warmth, and I found myself offering a tentative smile in return.

"Yeah, that's me. To be honest, I don't know what this is," I admitted, feeling a glimmer of curiosity amidst my uncertainty.

A brown-haired boy approached us, his expression a mix of inquiry and guardedness.

"Hello," he began, but before he could finish, he was suddenly cut off by a startling realization.

"I recognize you. You're the one who gave my brother a black eye." I was taken aback.

How could I have forgotten that James had a brother?

My thoughts quickly turned into words.

"He was asking for it! Do you know how difficult it is to be labeled a witch every day and to have people deliberately make me feel uncomfortable?"

He appeared stunned, but I continued, "Of course you don't, because you have the perfect life."

As I fell silent, I glanced around, noticing that everyone was focused on him, eagerly awaiting his response.

He scoffed "Oh someone needed to put him in his place. I'm glad it didn't have to be me this time. I'm Greyson but my friends call me Grey." I smiled.

"I'm Liv, sorry about that, sometimes I speak before I think." I laughed trying to relieve the tension in the air.

"It's okay we get it. Anyways since Quinn didn't tell you what this is I guess I will." I guess I was right when I guessed her name

 "We meet every day here during lunch since we all love to write poems and we share them with the group. The only rule is to be creative and don't be rude about poems, especially your own."

He said for some reason I didn't avoid eye contact with him. I think that's good but I can't tell.

"That sounds nice," I say and break eye contact with Grey before it gets awkward "What made you think I would like this? I mean don't get me wrong this sounds phenomenal but I don't get why you picked me out of the crowd?" I ask suddenly flustered.

"Actually Grey recommended we bring you here.

When he saw you he had a feeling" Quinn said Grey suddenly appeared embarrassed looking at me then quickly looking away.

A few of the guys in the group snickered at his reaction.

I laughed it of like it was nothing but I felt my face go red.

I would have never said it but I had a crush on Grey when I started going here, this is the longest I've been at a school so Mother is proud of me.

This is only because the counselors are shit so they don't tell her anything.

The only thing they report is when they catch someone smoking in the building as though I haven't seen Ms. Decheserette stop class to take a smoke break and get high in the teachers lounge.

I was broke from thought when Grey spoke, "So we have time for one person to share who's it gonna be?"

I think I'm going to like it here.

(786 words)

(A/N Thanks for reading! I'm writing this a week ahead so hopefully the schedule release works! Thanks again!

-Jess)