Furry Humans | ✓

7.

↠C h a p t e r S e v e n↞
GREETINGS

❝I love it when I catch you looking at me.❞

♦ ° ♦ ° ♦

The bell for lunch rings, echoing in the empty hallway that would soon become filled with hungry students. Slamming the door to my locker close, I rest my forehead on the cool metal surface, heaving a tired sigh. Doors to classroom squeak open as the flood of students slowly begin to fill the hall, their chatter filing out along with their bodies, people brushing past me. They all rush in the direction of the cafeteria, while I take a moment to regain the energy I wasted upon last period.

Half of the day has tired me, constant worrying and peaks of anxiety here and there. With every class I've visited, everyone stared openly with unspoken words in their eyes. Rather than regard me with the curiosity of being the new student, it seemed more as if I was an exhibited creature. Then there was the sniffing— nostrils flaring as if taking in a scent that's floating around them, unknown to them. It had me wondering if it was a good idea to skip that shower this morning.

I sigh again, closing my eyes. I listen to the footfalls of others that fade into nothing the further they walked. I was once again left alone in the hallway, my own little solitude and to my thoughts that raged forward. Pushing my head up and taking a step back, I stare at the blue and white locker colors before I bend down and grab the top of my bookbag that was leaning up against the bottom lockers and swing it over my shoulder.

Just as I was about to whirl around and head for the cafeteria, my stomach calling out for food, my gaze clashes with blue, wrenching a short scream from me.

"Dylan!"

His shoulder leans against the locker, a hand tucked in his pants pocket. My own rests on top of my chest as it heaves up and down from being startled, quietly trying to regain control of my rapidly beating heart, I shut my eyes.

"Wassup," he says, chuckling at my expense.

My eyes fly open as I narrow them at him, my breathing under control, as I allow my hand to fall to my side. "Don't 'wassup' me when you almost gave me a heart attack," I tell him, shuffling back at his closeness.

"What are you doing anyway?"

"I was heading to lunch when I saw you staring at your locker," his lips twitch upward.

"Okay," I make a face, "You still decided to sneak up on me."

He grins slightly, "Maybe a little," he says, "wanna walk there together?" he asks, nudging his head in the direction of the cafeteria.

I shrug, hiking my bookbag up to pull both straps over my shoulder.

"Sure, why not."

~ • ~

The clinking of trays against on the tables was heard from outside the double doors that lead inside the cafeteria, conversations and occasionally laughter flow into the air. Dylan pushes the doors inward, the sounds from inside becoming much louder as we pass over the threshold, my fingers rising to shortly rub the lobe of my ear as a prickle of nervousness begins to stettle at the base of my spine

"Is it always like this?" I question, the sound of someone's bellow of laughter overpowering the noise in the area.

He shrugs, "Mostly, we're all coming back from a long holiday so people are catching up with one another," he explains.