The Sheep in Absentia, chapter 2

Instructions

~Chapter 2~ ---------------------------------------- The next morning I'm out the door before the sun is over the horizon. Tyler walks beside me quietly on our way to school. 'Strange' he's usually so talkative in the mornings. I almost wonder if something happened yesterday. "How was school?" I ask casually, breaking the silence. He gives me a rather discussed side eye before replying. "We aren't even within eye shot of school." I sigh. He knows what he's doing. And he's doing it on purpose. 'Something did happen.' I think, looking him over. My little brother has had trouble with bullies before but I thought it had stopped after I beat them up in an ally. "OK, well, let me know how school is later then." I call as I turn down the road to the high school. My school. 3 long years and the sight of the magnificent building always hits different. With summer just a couple months away, it almost feels a little heartbreaking to see it. Almost. The halls are crowded as usual as I force my way to my locker. Boys are wrestling and throwing each other against lockers, girls are crowded around one locker, half of them checking makeup, and friend groups are running all around to get wherever they need to be. And then there is one girl in particular shouting my name. "ASHLEY!" my best friend, Morgan yells as she runs towards me. I spin, dropping my bag at my feet and hold my arms out to her. Morgan jumps and I catch her, spinning on my heal. "Where were you yesterday?!" She asks, standing on her own feet. "Sorry..." I whisper. I give her a look only she knows. A look that means that instead of being at home sick, like should have been, I was anywhere else. "Ash, you really need to stop doing that." She sighs, handing me my bag. "But it's not like I'm failing. Most of my grades are better then yours." She slaps my head with a laugh. "ONE of your grades are better then mine!" Just then, the bell rings and everyone is moving to class. Morgan and I link arms so we don't get separated in the sea of people. And as we do, I duck my head and blow some of my hair into my face to cover my eyes. Morgan says my eyes are beautiful, and I believe her, I do. But in crowds like this, I can't help but feel self conscious about the unnatural bl00d red color they are.