How this Hippie Fell in Love

Chapter 2

*Beep beep beep*

I squeezed the button on my phone to snooze my alarm and rolled back over to sleep for another five minutes.

*Beep beep beep*

There's no point in fighting the inevitable, Emma. I thought in my whiniest tone before throwing my covers off and climbing out of bed.

I looked in the mirror and cringed at the sight before me. I must have tossed and turned more than I expected. I finger combed my hair in an effort to detangle it and headed down for breakfast. Neither mom nor dad were anywhere to be found.

"I'm on my own again, I guess." I grumbled reaching for my secret stash of surgery cereal and pouring the almond milk with a yawn.

I sat at the table and quietly ate my breakfast.

I was rinsing out my bowl when I heard someone come through the front door. I grabbed the umbrella next to me in case it wasn't a friendly visitor.

I rounded the corner and Lena's blonde tresses caught my eye.

"Lena! I almost killed you!" I exclaimed

"I'm so afraid of an umbrella." She rolled her eyes before giving me a once over. "Did you just wake up?" She asked

"Mostly." I shrugged nonchalantly. Like my mom, Lena is a morning person. She's up with the dawn and has her whole morning routine done before I climb out of bed.

"Is that what you're wearing?" She asked gesturing to my white tank top and pink pajama pants.

I rolled my eyes and walked up stairs, the sound of her sneakers following close behind.

I grabbed a white Ramones t-shirt and a pair of black flared jeans.

Lena scrunched her nose in disapproval. She was a weird mix of tomboy and girly girl. She played sports and worked out, but she also wore heels and dresses.

We could not be more opposite. It's a wonder we make best friends.

After changing my clothes and slipping on my converse, I pulled my long hair into a ponytail and grabbed my bag.

She and I were carpooling today because she had practice after school and I had art club. This way Link didn't have to hangout waiting for her.

"How was the game yesterday?" I asked hoping it went well.

She sighed and shrugged her shoulders "We lost by one point."

"So close game, huh?" I said trying to take interest. Lena laughed.

"Yes, Emma, you could say that was a close game." I parked in my assigned space and walked inside linking arms with my best friend.

We were halfway to my locker when I tripped over a black leather boot purposely placed in my way.

"Walk much, psycho?" Callie called standing above me. Everyone in the hallway laughed. Everyone except Lena, who shouldered her into a wall, and a tall figure by the opposite side of lockers whose beautiful blue orbs rested on me. His eyes held disdain and sadness… maybe?

I felt my face flush with embarrassment and took off to the bathroom without a second thought.

I stared in the mirror for what felt like an eternity, willing myself not to cry. I composed myself and made a second attempt to access my locker.

I took my seat in first period just as the bell rang. Mr. Gardner started his lesson and I started to daydream.

The bell signalling the end of class pulled me out of my own head.

I hurried to put my supplies away and felt a familiar tug on my hair. Before I could react, I saw the culprit slink out the door.

Why?

I headed to my second period art class shaking my head, trying to understand the enigma that is Aiden Gray.

Mrs. Clark began class by talking about abstract paintings and how so much emotion can be conveyed in the most obscure way.

She set us loose to create an abstract painting of our own. We had to pick a specific emotion to portray over the next two days and when they were finished the class had to figure out the emotion.

The painting with the most complex emotion to figure out received extra credit.

I poured my paint on to my pallet and looked at the canvas hoping it would direct me where to go.

I dipped my brush in the purple and started tracing random curves. I then intertwined those purple curves with deep red. Then black running opposite the other two colors, followed by deep red again.

I was halfway finished when Mrs. Clark called to rinse out our brushes and pallets.

The bell rang as I put my canvas up to dry and I rushed out the door.

My locker was on the opposite side of the school. I needed my book for music and I didn't have much time to grab it.

Darting between bodies much larger than my own, I made it to third period with not a second to spare.

I grabbed my guitar and took my seat in the circle.

Mr. Adrian walked barefooted to the front of the room as he always did. He said that was the only way to truly feel the vibration music wanted you to feel.

He's weird- it's fine.

We spent the next forty minutes learning a chord progression. He gave us the last five minutes to pack our things away.

The bell rang and I headed off to ELA.

We're reading Of Mice and Men, an American classic I have read thrice. It doesn't matter how many times I read it, the ending always makes me bawl like a baby.

We spent the period reading it and whatever wasn't finished turned into homework.

Finally the bell rang for lunch. I'm starving.

I made my way to the cafeteria. Walking swiftly through the lunch line I grabbed a turkey wrap, fries, a pear, and water. I paid and took the seat Lena saved for me.

It was just she and I today. Link was sitting with the jocks and Taryn was in the drama room practicing for the part he is sure he was awarded.

"How was your day?" Lena asked nibbling on a carrot.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Eh" I responded nonchalantly. She nodded her head and stole a fry. I glared at her and stole a carrot. She laughed and we finished our lunch in comfortable silence.

The nice thing about a life long best friend is not needing to fill the silence. We're comfortable with one another's presence.

In so many ways Lena is my platonic soul mate.

Lunch finished, we said our goodbyes and headed in our own directions.

I went to my second art class of the day, sculpting. I love all things clay. The way it feels, the way it smells, the way you can mold it and the only limit is your imagination. Clay is my favorite medium.

Our assignment was to recreate something in our bedroom. I chose my vanity. I knew it would be a challenge. I craved the challenge.

I started with the stool, trying to replicate the velvety softness that is the cushion using only clay.

I set it in the kiln to bake, washed my hands, and waited for the bell to ring. It took so long for me to get the cushion just right that there was no point in my trying to work on the desk itself today. That will be my project for tomorrow.

The bell rang and I strode off to social studies, class number two with Aiden Gray.

We were talking about the government and about the electoral college. Mrs. Peterman was a very open minded individual and encouraged open discussion in her classroom.

There were always healthy debates and sometimes some not so healthy arguments.

I successfully avoided Aiden by bolting out the door as soon as the bell rang.

My seventh and final period was sociology, which I also had with Aiden.

Today, we talked about ourselves and who we are.

She asked each of us who we were and every answer we gave was wrong. She didn't explain then why it was wrong, but told us by midterms we would understand.

She spent the rest of class in a long lecture about humanity.

The final bell rang and as I was putting my things away a felt the familiar tug and warm breath on my ear.

"Nice try, Emma." Aiden whispered, sending a chill down my spine. He chuckled quietly and walked out the door.

I sat dumbfounded, trying to regain my senses. I snapped out of it realizing I'll be late for art club and ran out of the room.

❤❤❤

Art club ended before field hockey practice so I decided to hangout in the cafeteria and do some reading while I wait.

The cafeteria was fairly large for a school our size and contained circular tables, some smaller and some bigger. The walls were painted a weird offwhite that was almost yellowing.

I chose one of the smaller tables toward the back so not as to disturb the study groups and tutoring. After sitting down I pulled the book from my bag and picked up where I left off.

I was five pages in when the chair across from me scraped the floor signaling I had a visitor.

I looked up and saw the familiar blue eyes of Aiden.

"What's up, hippie chick?" He asked smiling in a way that made me nervous

"Reading. Can I help you?" I replied coolly

"Nope." He responded then walked away.

"He's so weird." I thought shaking my head and returning to my book.

Half an hour later, my phone buzzed.

Lena: Where are you?

Lena: I'll meet you by Ruth

I smiled at her calling my car by her nickname. Slipping my book back in my bag I headed to meet my friend.

Lena was looking at her phone with her long slender frame leaning against Ruth's passenger side door. She was wearing a white racer back tank top, hot pink sports bra, hot pink running shorts, and white sneakers; her sleek blonde hair was pulled in a ponytail. Lena was a thing of beauty even after a hot and sweaty practice.

" Hello doll face!" I called getting closer to my friend.

"Well hello, beautiful!" She called back.

I clicked the key fob to unlock the doors and we both climbed inside.

"How was practice?" I asked starting the engine

"Ugh" She groaned "Don't even ask!" He laid her head back and put her hands over her face.

"That good, huh?" I asked sarcasm dripping from my mouth

"Just a lot of stupid errors made by a couple people and we all had to run laps." Lena crossed her arms

"And this is why I'm an artist and not an athlete." I stated proudly " Running is my enemy." It's true. If you ever see me running you had better start running too because odds are I'm running from something.

Lena rolled her eyes "I'm sure it has everything to do with running and nothing to do with your lack of athleticism and coordination."

I brought my hand to my chest and feigned betrayal. "Et tu Brute!" We both laughed.

"Has Aiden Gray been acting strange to you?" I asked changing the subject

Lena looked over at me puzzled.

"No. Has he been acting strange to you?" He responded

"A little." I shrugged

"What is he doing?" She asked

"Like while I was waiting for practice to let out he sat down across from me, made small talk and left." I explained

Her eyebrows knitted together "That is weird." She agreed "It's senior year. Maybe he wants a more friendly footing with you."

I nodded my head "Yeah. Maybe." But I wasn't sure.

I pulled in my driveway and we agreed to have a girls night this weekend.