Chapter 1

“Oh come on Mel!”

“No Steph I told you I don't like hanging out at such events!” Mel tucked one leg under her butt, while the other dangled off the side of the bed. Her back pressed against the headboard.

“But it won't be fun without you there.”

“Oh trust me Steph, I'm pretty sure it will be.” she retaliated.

All those parties she attended were always overcrowded and Melissa could barely navigate herself through to get to the other side of the room, and she only know this, because she went there once, just once, to see what it was like.

“Mel, don't be so pessimistic! You need to get out of this room every once in a while.” Steph paced around the room. “It's depressing.” she ended, flopping down on her stomach on Melissa's bed.

“The only depressing thing here, is you trying to convince me when you know the answer, is no.”

“Ok listen, you know Hidden Valley High is playing against Long Side High next Friday right?” she asked, now perched up on her elbows.

“I know.” the entire district knows that, but Melissa's only ever seen three matches, not fun might she add.

“So since you don't want to go with me to this party, you're staying after school with me to watch the match, ok?”

“You won't let me say no, will you?”

“No.” she said.

“Ugh fine! I'll go--” Melissa was always the one who caved first. Terrible habit she can't seem to get rid of, or stop.

“Yay!” Steph squealed, very unnecessarily.

“But this is the last time!” Melissa preached.

“Totally.” Steph confirmed, nodding her head. Melissa knows Steph, once she wants something she won't stop until she gets it and right now all she wanted was a yes, and she got it. As always.

•

Fridays are supposed to be Melissa's days.

The days she gets a break from studying and gets to watch all the episodes she missed during the week, from her favourite serious, Orange is the new Black.

Now she's here.

Sitting on the pavilion, with the rest of the school, waiting for the first team football players.

“I still can't believe you made me come here, this is even worse than being at one of those parties you attend.”

“Come on Mel, if anything, this is a downgrade from those parties.”

Melissa rolled her eyes. Steph always had an answer for everything.

“Seriously though Mel, you need to live a bit more, go to the extreme, write a bucket list or something. Anything that'll get you out of that room more often.”

Steph was right, as always. This was her last year in high school, she needed to be more socially active this year.

“I know Steph, but you know I'm not like that, it's not going to be easy for me. I'm not exactly a social butterfly. I can't change that easily, hell I can't change at all, and you know I've tried.”

“I know Mel, but all you need is someone who'll help you with that.”

“You?” Mel asked knowing what Steph's answer would be.

“Oh gosh, no. I've tried Mel and I failed, miserably, but there is someone out there to help, I know." she said with a smug look plastered on her face.

“You sound so sure.” Mel mumbled under her breath.

“What was that?” Steph asked, her curiosity-filled eyes waiting for an answer.

“Huh? Oh, I said the game is starting.” Mel said pointing to the field. Luckily for her, the football players came jogging onto the field.

Steph said nothing more and left the topic, but she'll start this again later.

Mel knows she will.

After being trapped on the pavilion for an hour, Mel started getting restless, so she decided to go for a walk around the school, just to get the feeling back in her legs,

“Hey Steph--” Mel started.

“Huh?” Steph replied, not even sparing her a glance.

“I'm going for a walk around the school, my legs are dead.” Mel was known to exaggerate a situation and made it seem extreme. That was just the tip of the iceberg.

“Ok sure! But don't flake on me, okay. We're walking home together.”

“I won't. See you later.”

“Sure.”

Finally, some alone time. Mel has been at this school for four years now, excluding this year. Her fifth year has only recently begun. It's only been four months into Senior Year. So, therefore, by looking at the amount of time she spent at this school, she knows every inch of this place, like the back of her hand. She was about a few feet away from the pavilion, when she noticed her shoe-string was untied, and she could not afford to trip here.

Too big of a crowd, too big of an embarrassment she'll face, so she bent down to tie it back. When she raised her head, she saw this guy just staring at her, or at least it could've been her.

There are prettier girls behind me, Mel thought. She brushed it off and walked inside the school building.

It was empty, no surprise there, but there was an oddly creepy feeling about the corridor, like she could feel someone behind her.

Too many horror movies, she guessed, and one thing she learnt: was to never turn your back if you think there is some weird entity behind you, that is until she felt a tap on her shoulder and she let out a scream.

“Ahh!” her hands instinctively balled into fists, and she swung them around in the air, her eyes shut tightly.

“What the hell?” Why'd you scream?” mystery guy asked. He backed away slightly to avoid her flying fists. Mel opened her eyes, and recognised him as the watcher from outside.

“What do you mean, why'd I scream? Wouldn't you if some random person tapped you on the shoulder, in a very creepy looking corridor?" she spoke glancing around the corridor to prove her point.

“Uh...no." he replied slowly.

“Who are you anyway? I don't think I've seen you around this year. Are you new here?” she rapidly asked him questions, to take her mind off the shock she just had.

“No. I'm Jace. And you are?”

“Melissa. But you still didn't answer my question are you new here?”

“I told you, no. I'm a college freshman. I graduated from Hidden Valley last year. I just hang around every Friday, to watch the matches.”

“Oh, sorry. Well Jace, I've got to run now...” Mel said looking down at her wrist-watch “...but I guess I'll see you soon?”

“Yeah, you will.” he said with a wink and a small wave.

No need to say it like that. Mel thought, walking away, her front still facing him.

“Bye Jace.”

“Bye Lissa.”

He is literally the only person to call her Lissa. Everyone else calls her Mel. She doesn't know why, but she has this weird attraction towards him and she barely even knows him.

Maybe this year won't be so bad after all, she thought, turning around and walking towards exit.