Ashley Needles

That night searching through a swirling mist ridden darkness, crying out his name, fear wrapped icy hands around my heart. Waking, uneasiness churned and the temptation to call, see if he was okay nearly overwhelmed me. Instead of embarrassing myself though, I was quick to get to school. Bare hallways had yet to come alive. A few students haunted the commons, the sound of their footsteps echoed. Each pretended the others didn't exist. A baffling behavior. Humans, social creatures, meant being alone in high school flashed a neon sign of 'There is something wrong with you,' in giant letters over your head. The lack of exchanged pleasantries and avoidance of eye contact would have been humorous if it weren't so sad. Afraid to say, "Hi," afraid of rejection or of stepping outside the lines, I smiled at each of them and watched as one by one they scampered away as though my smile were anthrax.  A bus arrived. The loners looked up, hoping for frien...

The halls bustled with students but something was missing. At lunch it clicked. No one was going out of their way to be mean. For once I wasn't surrounded by snapping vipers. A few girls pointed and whispered, and the boys didn't quite meet my eyes but no one had tripped me or called out insults as I passed. Max averted his gaze instead of his long inscrutable stare. In sixth period Senecca, who belonged in the middle of the high school hierarchy leaned over to talk. Despite having sat together for several months this was the first time she noticed I was alive. "You're dating Lee Lavellan?" She whispered tapping my arm. We'd kissed but were we dating? What did she mean by dating? Did she want to know if we were a couple? For a moment I was stumped, different answers and scenarios ran through my mind. "Um, we've just been hanging out." "You are dating!" She latched onto the piece of gossip her eyes gleaming. Why was she so ...