The Turning

Chapter One

Why is my face hot all of a sudden? I thought as I quickly went to my locker to gather my belongings to head home for the day. It's not like anyone would be interested in someone like me. I looked around the small confines of the hallway only to see people gathered around talking to one another about what they were going to do for the weekend ahead of them, but not a single soul was staring in my direction. I was more of a loner when it came to relationships and friends. Lina and Matt were the only exception in this case because, without them, I think that I would have already lost my sanity. I breathed a sigh of relief and turned my attention back to my locker, which was near bare compared to other people's lockers. I mean what was the point of decorating a locker when, at the end of each year, you'd be cleaning it out anyway. I kept mine simple and well bare because I know that by the time the year comes the only thing I would be worried about is snagging my lock and anything that was mine out of it.

"Why is your face red?" I heard Lina's voice chirp from behind me. Her face appeared next to mine. Her long flowing silver hair was braided, showing off her delicate but beautiful features. I kept my head down so she wouldn't see my face. 

After a brief moment of silence, I grumbled. "It's just the heat getting to me." Lina lifted my head with her two fingers and examined my cheeks, then placed her palm on my forehead. "Lina," I protested. "I'm fine."

Lina shook her head and let go of me. "It sort of feels like you're coming down with a fever." I could only shake my head as I shouldered my bag.

"There isn't anything you need to be worried about," I assured her as I began to scan the halls for Matt. He took the longest when it came to meeting us back here. Normally, because he always got caught up with his teachers about goofing off in class or if he was in a half-decent mood and actually paid attention in class, his peers would talk to him about extra-curricular courses, because of how smart he was. " Why does Matt take longer than us to meet,up here?" I eyed Lina who was leaning casually against the locker next to mine and toying with the end of her braid. 

"No idea," she responded softly. "All I know is that he had better hurry up." She moistened her lips and breathed a sigh as she fanned herself. "It's hot and I am down for some serious ice cream."

I chuckled lightly. "When are you never in the mood for ice cream?" I teased. "We can wait for him outside on the school patio to save our skin from burning up." I said jokingly. 

"I suppose that would be a good idea," Lina agreed somberly. "I hate hanging out in the halls when everyone has already gone elsewhere."

I waved my hand toward the exit, indicating that is where freedom was. "Shall we?"

Lina pushed herself off the locker and went first. "Again he needs to hurry up."

I could only laugh lightly as we headed toward the exit to the school patio. "He'll be here." I said lightly as I grabbed Lina by the wrist and dragged her towards the exit.

An hour passed in utter boredom and both Lina and myself were still waiting for Matt under the patio beneath the shaded part away from the killing rays of the sun. Lina, who was nearly passed out on the wooden bench, jerked herself awake and groaned. "Where the hell is he?" I glanced at my phone to look at the time. 5:00 p.m.  I breathed an irritated sigh and pushed myself to my feet.

"I don't know but I should be heading home." I took a look at the exit of our school to see if Matt was headed out from wherever he was, but nobody was around but silence. "My mother would be wondering where I have been for the last two hours."

"Has it been that long?" Lina too stood to her feet. "f*****g Matt," she sounded angry and for that I didn't blame her one bit. Matt was a slow poke at times, especially when it came to his studies or being in trouble with his teachers for acting out as a class clown. He was a boy who didn't know when to stop. She gathered her stuff and lugged it over her shoulders and came to stand by my side.

"Let's go before it gets any darker out here." The sun would be setting in another hour and a half and Lina was right. I didn't want to be out here any longer either.

"I'm sure he'll explain himself tomorrow or something like that," I said as I felt my face heat up again. I put the back of my hand against my forehead and felt my own temperature. "Let's not worry too much though. He may have snuck out while we were dozing out here waiting for him."

"I honestly think he should have woken us up so we could go home and relax," she breathed in some air attempting to calm herself in the process. “But you're right, I'm not going to worry about it."

I could only nod as Lina and I headed out of the patio and toward home.

I looked back once more to make sure that Matt was running out from the exit and toward us to catch up and head home with us