Faceless

The first monday of September always smelled like rain and anxiety. Ava Reynolds pulled her hood tighter over her head as she walked through the school gate,eyes fixed on the cracks in a sidewalk.She could already feel the stares and whispers that always came when the "faceless girl" passed by. They said she has never showed her face. They said she was hiding something awful. They weren't wrong. Inside the hallway,lockers slammed,laughter echoed,perfume mixed with cheap cologne-the sound of high school life she only half belonged to .Ava had become invisible by choice.she liked it that way.mostly. Until he walked in The new boy He was tall,with messy brown hair that looked like it had never seen a comb and a half smile that felt too confident for a first day.The kind of boy who belonged in the spotlight without even trying.He looked lost for a second,scanning the hallway and then,somehow, his eyes found hers. Ava frozed. He smiled. She quickly looked away and shoved her earbuds in,but it was too late her heartbeat had already betray her. later,during English class the teacher cleared her throat." class we have a new student joining us today.Eli carter." ofcourse it had to be him Eli gave a small wave as murmurs filled the room.He scanned for a seat,and the only empty one was beside ava. "Mind if i sit here?"he asked softly Ava kept her head down "do whatever you want." He chuckled,settling into the chair."cool.Guess we are seat mates now." She didnt reply.But for the first time in a long while,Ava felt something other than fear.Something she hadnt felt since before the accident.