Chapter 2 - New Meetings

As I left the classroom with the small group of girls— so that they could show me around; I heard the one that I assumed to be the leader of the group speak up.

"Well, where should we start? I know, why don't I show you my favorite place to hang out around campus. It's the best place to go to avoid being seen if you want to do anything— fun." She said with a giggle, the other two girls giggling along.

I was starting to regret this choice of letting them show me around. Here I thought they would just show me the important places like the shop or the cafe— but no— they are showing me some shady hiding place— like I care to use it.

'This is going to be a pain to get through isn't it?' I questioned myself in my mind— as I simply smiled in response to them and faked laughing along.

"Sure, sure, why don't we hurry this up I promised my dad I would help him out— with unpacking the boxes today," I said to them in an attempt to get this tour over with quickly. It wasn't a total lie— I did promise that I would help with unpacking the boxes— I just didn't promise when.

I've grown tired of unpacking things only to have to pack them back up again within a year— I often just leave the things I don't need in the box and only take out the stuff I use often; that way I didn't need to rush to pack whenever we moved.

It worked so far— so why fix something that isn't broken.

My thoughts were broken as we reached the spot that they wanted to show me— behind the gym. It was actually quite the secluded spot now that I looked around— some walls blocked it from behind seen on all sides— the only way in was through the hedges.

"Tada! Isn't this amazing? It's the perfect place to hang out if you don't want to be seen. We use it all the time, not a lot of people know about it." The blond girl said in a cheerful tone.

"Yep, we use this place sometimes between classes when we want to hang out with our boyfriends." One of the other girls said— she had short black hair that barely reached her ears, with a short frame and a petite body.

As I glance around the open area— my eyes fell on the ground where empty beer cans lay thrown around and the walls where oddities were drawn onto them.

Hearts and names of people saying they would be together forever, some rather crude jokes, and many more.

It looked like how you would expect a high school bathroom stall to look— so I was rather disappointed they ruined such a good place to relax.

With that thought in mind, there isn't much I could do about it— it's not like I could argue with them about something I wasn't even around to care about. So I simply nodded my head to their statment and gave an uncaring reply.

"Yea it sure is," I said with as little emotion I could muster up for them— thankfully, they seemed dense enough to not notice my lack of care and just started babbling on about their boyfriends.

Something I didn't even bother listening to.

Their rambling went on for around five whole minutes before I got tired of it and spoke loudly with a groan— breaking them out of their speaking trance.

"So, where to next?" I asked as a fake friendly smile covered my face— sometimes I wished I wasn't as nice as I was— because people like them would've been cursed a long time ago.

"Oh— uh. How about the cafe? They serve the perfect afternoon snack." Said the third girl seeing that the blond one couldn't come up with a reply. She had long brown hair with an average look in both height and frame.

"The cafe sounds great— why don't we go there?" I replied quickly before any of the other two could shoot down the suggestion.

The cafe was one of the few places I actually wanted them to show me to— how could I let them not.

Becky, the blond girl's name— which I almost forgot, to be honest— was the first to speak up in response to what I said, "Well I guess if you really want to see it, I don't see the issue with it."

Smiling at how easily she accepted it— we started to walk back the way we came from. Heading inside of the building once more, but this time going to the right— we eventually reached the large open area that was the cafe.

It wasn't anything fancy— as you would expect from a school cafe— but it was large enough to easily fit around a hundred students in it.

Along with the kitchen staff that served meals of all kinds from a diverse menu— it was quite good.

"Well, this is the cafe. It's really nothing fancy— I don't know why Grace suggested coming here." Said Becky as she gave the long hair girl a side-eye glance in annoyance.

I didn't pay attention to any of this though— I was far too distracted by glancing around the room— taking in the layout and already planning the perfect place to sit where I wouldn't be bothered by annoying flies.

Before I could fully observe the area though I was pulled aside by Becky with her saying something I barely caught, "Let's go check out somewhere else this place is boring."

She didn't even give me any time to respond when she pulled me out of the cafe and back down the hallway. I wanted to retaliate, but what was the point now that we were already walking.

We walked for a while without me even knowing where we were going— just as I was about to turn and ask Becky where she planned to show me next— I suddenly felt something bumping into my shoulder.

"Yes?" I turned my attention in front of me to see what it was and replied on reflex— only to be met with a girl close in age to myself standing before me.

She was somewhat shorter than me— but that was to be expected since I was taller than most people my age and gender— standing at 5'11 in height.

Given the height difference, she couldn't be any taller than 5'7.

She had long white hair that barely reached her waist— her frame was slim but even I could tell she was athletic from the outlines of muscles on her clothing. Workout clothing that is.

As my dull purple eyes peered down and met her own eyes— light blue like the ocean's waves— a thought flashed in my mind that I avoided thinking about.

"Sorry." She said in a soft voice that was barely hearable. She didn't bother staring for long and instead walked directly passed me— going on her way.

As my eyes trailed behind her as she walked down the hallway— my mind drifting away at how odd that encounter was— I heard a voice from behind me speaking up.

"That's Rosaline. Ignore her, she's normally like that. She moved her like 4 years back but she barely spoke to anyone in town— I don't even think she has any friends. Apparently, her dad's some sort of security adviser or something."

Becky said in a hushed voice— so that the girl wouldn't hear— not that she would since she was now gone.

"Is that so," I replied with little care once more but my mind still lingered on the encounter. While I didn't show it, I made sure to remember the name in case I needed it for another time— why I did that— I don't know.

As we were about to keep going with this tour I checked my watch— seeing the time to be after 10 AM already.

While I wanted to stay for the later classes— I had already decided to head home early today and get settled in.

I also needed my books still so it wouldn't matter too much whether or not I attended the classes.

"Sorry, but I need to head home. Like I said earlier— I promised to help my dad out with unpacking the boxes so I need to go do that."

I gave a quick excuse— and before they could say the words of complaint I saw forming on their faces— I quickly ran off.

Out the door and towards my home.

I decided to walk since it wasn't too far away. And walking would give me a chance to take in the layout of the new town.