ºChapter One

Ever since I can remember, people have stared at me. I know why though. It's because I'm different. Around me are people always in a pair. It's because at the end of the day when I'm walking home from school; I'm alone. Those pairs are the lucky ones; holding hands and mixing saliva with their beloved. Let me just back up a little though before things get too complicated.

     "Raine just what exactly are you doing?" I peered down at my best friend tracing the black letters on her left hand knuckles, spelling the name Blake. She turned up and looked at me with her big doe eyes and I could tell she was ecstatic to see me. She yelled my name, almost splitting my skull into two pieces. I laughed as she came over and hugged me. I breathed in and enjoyed the faint smell of whatever she had for breakfast as her fluffy black hair tickled my arm.

     "Where have you been all day? We were waiting for you!" she called as she gestured to my other best-friends who were all sitting at the same table, eating breakfast. They just gave me lazy glances and continued to eat.

     "All day?" I glanced at the sky and gestured to the other kids just getting to school. "Its morning you moron! Plus you know I have orchestra class before school starts." I laughed at her and took a seat at the table where someone called out my name and tossed me their milk. This is was my highschool. It was small and ghetto, but it was the best place ever. It would be a lie to say I wasn't popular; it's just that the people sitting me right now were the people I was closest to. All of them had a very special place in my heart and when I was with them, time really did fly. I smiled a sad smile though; knowing this was my last day being surrounded by my real family. Raine must have noticed and rested her head on my shoulder.

     "I don't get it ~. Why do you have to leave us? It's only been a while since you got here." I could feel her warm tears as they were absorbed by my shirt. I wanted to cry too, but I couldn't. If I did, they would all know I was sad. I patted her head softly.

     "Raine, stop you're going to embarrass me," I said. Then I cracked a joke causing my entire table to look at me. Before they could begin their protests about how insensitive I was being, the bell rang and we all scrambled to class. I walked with Alexander to our first class, math. 

     I was in science class as the day came to a close. I was brushing off my messy desk that had little bits of crumbs from the cupcakes, pizza, and whatever other snacks everyone brought in for my good-bye party. The class had about thirty kids and we all knew each other well. Not too well, but to the point of where any of us could jump on anyone else's back without getting into trouble.

     "~, come here please." I turned from the full wastebasket and my gaze flickered over each of their faces. The one who called me was Alexa. In my first two years of being here we hadn't gotten along so well, but she calmed down as time went on and slowly joined my group of friends. As I approached her she plastered a sly smile on her face.

     "So remember the other day when you told me that you," she made a quick heart sign with her hands, "told me that you liked Michael? Well-" She was just cut off by Joseph, a tall and built guy.

     “He said he likes someone," Joseph said bluntly. I swallowed and laughed. No one knew I liked Michael. I had only told Alexa because she had pestered me enough by asking if I liked him because he liked me. I wasn't surprised when she had told me he liked me. In my first year in middle school he had had a friend ask me out, but I said no because I was dating someone else then.

     "Who?" I asked Joseph, but he replied that it was some Asian girl who went to another school. I kind of believed him. The thing was Michael used to be part of my group, but after I had turned him down he had left us promptly. He always kept his distance from me. Though I knew when we had PE he would cast small glances over at me. Alexa brought back my attention as she asked one more time if I liked him. This time I looked at her carefully before denying having any feelings for him.

      “I meant as a friend. How could I like him? We never even talk anymore and only have three classes together. Even then he just does whatever he can to ignore me," I lied. I was lying as much as I could to save my . I remembered last year when he had teased me for having named my guitar. The only possible way to know that was to read my project that was taped to the wall along with everyone else who had to do the project.

"Oh" Joseph and Alexa said at the same time and then told me that was all they had to say, even if they didn't totally believe it, and allowed me to return to my seat. 

     "Michael please!" I pleaded with him. The bell had just rung and I had made sure to slip out before him. He shook his head no and continued to walk away from me. "It's my last day! Just give me one hug!" I demanded but he wouldn't comply. Our teacher came out of the classroom and asked us what we were doing. I had frozen and assured her nothing, but Michael had taken this chance to escape. He was already down the cement stairs leading away from our science class on the second level. I scampered down the stairs and yelled after him. “Fine you jerk! I can't stand you anyway." That was the second lie I had told that day. I proceeded to walk home though, goofing off with my friends Kelvin and Aimi. Eventually, Kelvin had to leave Aimi and I. He crossed the walk way with the counter beeping down his time. I turned toward him as he called out my name. He ran back to me and hugged me quickly.

     “~ I...” He looked past my head.

     "What?" I barked. I was known as being the "lone-leader" of the wolf pack at school. Unfortunately this also meant I was known not to be patient.

     “Nothing, never mind." He gave me his fake nerd glasses and pushed them up into my hair. “It looks the best like this," he said and fixed my hair for me. Promptly he turned and jaywalked across the street. I walked back with Aimi to her house and we chatted about little things... I can't really remember. I know I spent the longest time at her house though. It was the longest I had ever spent at her house unless I was spending the night.  I ate dinner with her family, and her mother, who I always addressed as "Oka-sama," made dinner and a special dessert they called it my send-off gift. I remember being escorted home by Aimi, her mom, and her older sister. We all walked into my empty house. It once had expensive black couches and a large TV. We walked to my mother who was packing the last suit-case, and Aimi's mom began talking to us, asking if this was really okay, getting re-stationed in South Korea and all. I went upstairs to my room with Aimi and her sister, and once again Aimi organized my suitcase for me, this time being the last. She left out clothes for me to change into before leaving for the plane.

     “~ We’ll miss you a lot!" She hugged me tightly and began to cry. Her older sister patted my back and kissed my cheek.

     "Stay in contact with us." She pulled down my shirt to show my collarbone. “Make sure to find this person alright? This way we won't have to worry so much about you." Aimi nodded her head in agreement and went down stairs when their mom called for them, announcing that they were leaving. I waved to them from my window and watched as they both began to sob as they entered the car.  I went to the mirror and pulled my shirt collar down some and traced the strange symbols on my collarbone.

     "I'll make sure to find this kid. You guys have already found who you're meant to be with. I'll make sure to find him and show you that this separation isn't as bad as it seems." I turned off the light and returned to my bed, eventually falling asleep, exhausted from crying myself to sleep again.