A Thousand Words | ✓

Chapter Nine: A Thousand Choices

Ignored weird mistakes and typos, enjoy :) x

* * *

Chapter Nine: A Thousand Choices

The next day at school, I noticed something really off about myself. Instead of my usual scowl and glare to anyone who makes eye contact with me, I kept my face blank and emotionless. Even as I passed by the jock who managed to piss me off my first day back from suspension didn’t get pierced by my harsh glance when we crossed paths. This was a rare occasion, and I honestly don’t know why. I felt lighter than I normally do.

 

Getting up in the morning wasn’t like taking the trail of tears. The snooze button on my phone was only hit twice before I hauled myself out of bed to get ready for school while as on a usual day, Rebecca would have to come and tell me to get my ass out of bed before I overslept. Even then, it was a struggle to leave my comfortable spot on my bed to come to this hell hole. Coming to school was mutual. I didn’t exactly fist pump the air on this cloudy Tuesday morning, but I was out the door earlier than I usually am.

 

I need to check my sanity. Seriously.

 

The poster project was rolled up and tucked under my arm. Charlotte swore on her little bunny’s life (its name is bubbles; ironic, right?) that if the poster was ripped, crumpled, or damaged in any sort of way, shape, or form that she would personally kill me herself. I held back my laughter after she left.

 

Lazily coming out of my first period, I was surprised to see that someone was already waiting for me. Jessica, looking more happy than usual, was standing next to the doorway. However, the smile on her face came effortlessly, which is why it made no sense to me whatsoever. This is why the first words to come out of my mouth weren’t exactly a greeting.

 

“What’s up with you?” My eyes narrowed. Jessica scoffed lightly at my so called ‘hello.’

 

“Is it such a crime to smile, King of Scowls?” she questioned, adding an eye roll to emphasize her morning sass.

 

“Yes. Now, bow down to me, peasant,” I ordered seriously, tapping her head with the poster and gaining a round of her melodic laughter. You could always tell the difference when Jessica’s laughter was genuine or just for show. It came out fluidly, effortlessly, when she found an actual reason to laugh. She also turns her head to the side for a quick second so a lock of her blonde hair falls in front of her face before she brushes it away, smiling broadly. She doesn’t do that when she doesn’t really mean it.

 

What’s even more creepier than my knowing her laughing habits is the fact that every time she turns her head and that lock of hair falls into her face, I have the strange urge to brush it away myself.

 

Smiling as she giggled to herself, I caught a group of people staring at us from my peripheral vision. My playful mood was instantly replaced with one of complete darkness as I turned to scowl at them. “What?” I snapped. Several people around us flinched at my harsh tone. They fled like deer trying to escape a wildfire.

 

“Reece,” Jessica called me out softly. I turned to look at her, a scowl still settling on my features. She looked at me with a disapproving frown and her head cocked to the side. “Why do you have to do that?”