Somber

4

Before she could even comprehend how quickly time had passed she was up and off to school. Amara had her usual composure as she walked up to the bus stop the same she does every school day. Her hair dragged down and flat on one side from the pillow cuddling up against the side of her face. Her clothes a little disproportional and almost falling off her shoulder, in this case it was her flannel which was a size too big, but she loved it that way. Her jeans were comfortable and at the perfect halfway between tight and loose, fitting on just as she had hoped it would the first day she bought it. Her backpack was slung lazily over her left shoulder, and her eyes were half open, only waiting for the bus to come so she could shut them once she sat down. Which is exactly what she did, the rest of her family was still asleep, and people were somehow rambuncious on the bus in the morning, not that Amara cared, but she was happy to have this time alone to herself and to catch up on sleep she had missed playing video games and hugging Chewy. Her homework had all been done in class the Friday before this Monday, and the weekend just zoomed by before she could even understand that it was over. Of course this was normal, Amara was used to time slipping through her grasp as she just floated around focusing on the chores at hand until she would finally look up at the clock and realise it was four in the morning and school started at seven thirty sharp. Her thumb twitched randomly as her whole body usually does, causing the kid on the opposite side of the row to glance over in her direction shooting an odd look. She cast it aside, because she couldn't care less, but when she had gotten to school things were a bit more hectic. People swarmed all around in crowds, and though Amara pushed her way through diligently, she noticed something odd, that people actually took notice of her. Eyeing the crowd which made people look away, a chill crawled down her spine and she put her music up by two presses. Now not being able to hear anything at all, she made her way up to her locker and opened it. The song being one of her favourites, she made sure to take her time before she unplugged her headphones and shut off her phone. A sigh emmitted from her mouth, but it cut off half way when she heard a voice she didn't recognize from behind her.

"Not a good day?" Goosebumps sprawling across Amara's skin, she whipped around eyes wide to see a boy behind her, putting his hand up slightly to say hi, and then let it drop back to his side. Silence grew between the boy and Amara, as he raised his eyebrow as she searched throughout the hall to make sure he wasn't talking to anybody else.

".... Me?"

"Well who else would I be talking to?" So he was talking to her specifically. Amara's mind flipped causing butterflies to flutter in her stomach. No one's ever really spoken to her, and definitely not consent wise and by their own will. This was weird.

"I dunno, I was just making sure."

"Alright alright." The boy giggling a bit, he took a step closer and placed himself leaning on a locker which was two lockers away from Amara. Noticing she still had some space around her, she relaxed and put a smile on, turning away to put her phone in her sweater pocket quickly and then back to the boy.

"So what's up?" Amara remembered this was what normal people would do if they had any human socialisation, but the only socialisation Amara knew was Chewy and how to get him to roll over. She had no god damned idea how to say hi to someone much less keep a conversation going. This was too draining for a morning like this.

"Oh, right, I'm trying to start a club, and I was wondering if you would like to join." Amara snickering, the boy narrowed his eyes at this not seeing how this could really be amusing. Which he had a right to think so, because Amara wasn't known for being sincere.

"What's so funny about this?"

"It's just that you didn't tell me what the club was about." The boy realising the error he made, his face flushed and his shoulders dropped, relaxing themselves on their own.

"Oh, it's not really a club if I'm being honest..."

"It's not?"

"It's therapy." Amara now the one to take offense, she took a step back and placed a hand on her chest, causing the boy's eyes to widen once he realised yet another error he had made judging by the defensive tone in her voice.

"Therapy?"

"Animal therapy! Sorry, I didn't phrase that properly, just, I think it would help a lot of anxious people in the school. And you seem like a quiet kid, maybe you want friends maybe you don't, but there'll be animals there." Amara staring at the boy, she set him a smile as she closed her locker and locked it tight.

"Are we aloud to bring our own pets?" The boy seeming unsure about this, he bit his lip and looked away quickly, thinking, before bringing his eyes back onto Amara and locking eye contact.

"Are they trained?"

"He knows how to give a high five." Amara readjusting herself as her shoulders broadened, her pride clearly showing, the boy sent a small grin not sure how to respond.

"Uhh, I'll see what I can do." Amara sending him away with a smile and a wave, he walked down the hallway giving a wave back before disappearing into the sea of people. The smile staying on her face even after he left, it wiped off instantly as the principal called her down to the office.

Of course.