"Whether you like it or not, the world is constantly changing." someone had told me that, but I don't know who and when....
Another thought surface on his mind.
Can you live up to love this school? No, at least not for me. Just one more year... one more.
The warm sunlight spilled from the east, wrapping Clayton Morissey in a golden embrace as he muttered under his breath. Petals of cherry blossoms danced along the breeze, brushing past him like fleeting moments he couldn't hold onto. He let out a heavy sigh.
A familiar stone pathway stretched out before him, its surface weathered by years of footsteps like his own. On either side, cherry trees stood in quiet bloom.
In the distance, the school building stood—steadfast, unchanging. The pathway ahead wasn't just a route to class, it was the path Clayton had taken longer than almost anyone here. From his middle school beginnings to the cusp of his senior year.
Can you really love this town? Clayton mumbled to himself before his gaudy and dazzling dreamworld shattered completely. He subconsciously shifted his gaze around only to find a familiar person standing in the distant.
Who knows... Clayton began taking a step towards the person bit by bit, a long brown hair surging along the wind— a girl stood there, clenching her fists tightly while glaring at her shoes.
"Do you like this school?" the brown-haired girl murmured, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves. "I'd rather stay home, watching or reading something." Her words didn't seem meant for anyone in particular. As he approached, Clayton noticed her hair wasn't entirely brown, rather a brownish black.
"But if I do that," she continued, almost to herself, "what am I going to do with my life?"
Clayton stood beside her, staring at the distant school. As the brown-haired girl kept her head lowered, glaring at her shoes instead of noticing my presence. They stood frozen not daring to make a sound while people brushed past them. The warmth of the sun could be felt on Clayton's back, the petals of the cherry blossoms floating along the wind, He broke the silence.
"Well, we just have to endure it one last time and we graduate." the brown-haired girl turned her head around, her brown pupils catching the sunlight at just the right angle, locked onto mines
It is possible to tell people's emotions through their eyes, but this girl's eyes were unreadable— eyes carrying mysterious within it, impossible to grasp any emotions. Was it because of my lack of understanding of her?
Clayton continued without waiting for her response. "As for the future, we really don't know anything, do we?" he displayed a faint smile before looking away.
The future was indeed scary. For someone like me— I'd probably end up working as a taxi driver or something. But are there anyone who isn't scared of the future?
Probably so. Then should you be scared? Everyone has a different story— we live and understand things using different context, meaning the methods that worked for others doesn't mean it'll work out for us. You should be scared, and if you're not then you're a fool. Because only the clueless can be fearless.
"Things" one lacked understanding of were always scary, and the future ahead of us was the example. We have no idea of telling the future, that's why it's scary. The origin of all fear— the fear of unknown and the fear of knowing but not having the power to change it.
I knew my future, but I also didn't know anything about it, and I also do not possess the power to change it.
"We're going to be late, let's go." I quickly jolted out of my reverie and spoke in a gentle voice before heading to school.
Still, I never let the future hold me back from my desires. Because, I believe our world is a novel written by someone from somewhere, our lives are nothing more than stories to the readers and we are nothing more than a mere 'character' within the story.
We do not have complete control over our lives— the control is within the author's reach. That's why, no matter what I do—the outcome of the future and the events unfolded in the past will always remain predetermined.
The brown-haired girl stared at Clayton for a while, "Right." she muttered before taking her first step towards school.
As Clayton followed, the three-story building with its glass windows reflecting the sunlight grew clearer, framed by cherry trees and bushes. The courtyard was crowded with faces—freshmen, juniors, and seniors gathered for the opening ceremony.
"What a hassle," Clayton muttered, trying to navigate through the noisy crowd.
"Claytooon!" a voice called out. Clayton reflexively turned around, scanning the crowd— waiting for the person who called his name to step out from the crowd. Eventually, Clayton gave up with a heavy sigh, attempting to turn around.
But right as Clayton was about to turn around, someone smacked him on his back. "What's up buddy."
"You scared me idiot." Clayton recognized who smacked him from his voice alone, turning around in fluster.
"Woah, you got really tall Clayton." his eyes widened in disbelief before he grinned like an idiot. "Still, you're not going to pull more ladies than me he-he."
"Looks like, you're still the idiot you were before, Ethan." Clayton sighed heavily as he displayed a disappointed face.
"Whatever, I still scored higher than you in the math test last time." Ethan smacked Clayton again.
"God must've blessed you then, and stop smacking me, will you?" Clayton spoke as he slapped Ethan back.
They both broke into a loud laughter— something they haven't done in a while.
"Anyways, what're you planning to do? We still have some time before the ceremony ends."
"I was planning to find a quiet place."
"Then let's do it" Ethan's lips curved up in satisfaction, slapping him reflexively.
"I told you not to slap me idiot!" as he shoved his hands in his pockets, walking ahead nonchalantly.
After walking for a while, they sneaked into the school through a window. "You idiot, we almost got caught because of you."
"Shut up and go." Ethan replied, grinning.
Sunlight shining through the open windows, they tiptoed through the freshly cleaned school halls with rows of teal lockers lining one wall and the polished white floor.
Not going to lie, they did clean this place nicely," Ethan commented.
"Yeah." Clayton replied with a faint voice as they stepped on the concrete stairs.
They silently climbed the stairs and walked through the empty hallways and eventually they stood before the door to the rooftop.
"It's been a while since he last hangout in our spot." Ethan pulled the door handle excitedly. Intense sunlight shined directly towards them— narrowing their eyes as they walk towards the shadow in the corner.
"It's been a while, boys!" a person was already sitting there— glaring at them while smoking.
"Dammit! she's in our spot!" Ethan screamed in disappointment as he turned his head to Clayton.
"It's been a while, Miss Mae"
Charlotte Mae, a woman in her late twenties, a literacy teacher as well as the class teacher of Class C— Clayton and Ethan's class. Clayton and Mae's connection way go back— as she was Clayton's teacher back when he was in middle school.
"Seems like you've gotten quite tall Clayton." Miss Mae chuckled while holding her cigarette in her right hand.
"Wait, you're okay with her being in our spot!" Ethan screamed again in frustration.
Miss. Mae broke into a loud laughter before continuing "On the other hand, Ethan hasn't changed a bit. It's okay, sit down if you want. I too, am here because I don't like being in large crowd."
Clayton strolled towards the shadow, sitting beside Miss Mae with a heavy sigh.
"Don't leave me Clayton!" Ethan who was standing few steps behind Clayton complained!
"Just come sit with us Ethan!" Miss. Mae said in a mocking voice.
"So, what's with the lab dress? I mean the school just opened."
"I had some work to do in the lab, so I came early." she replied casually.
Clayton nodded with a straight face as he reached for his pockets, pulling out his smartphone and turning it on— he stared at the bright light glowing from the LCD screen of his smartphone and began scrolling.
"Watchya watching?" Ethan and Miss Mae spoke at the same with the same tone, peeking at my smartphone.
"Still reading web novels huh?" Ethan displayed a confused expression
"Has been since middle school," Miss Mae chimed in, smirking.
Ethan gasped in astonishment "Seriously? " Before continuing in a mocking voice "You a little nerdy huh?"
"Shut up." Clayton mumbled.
Miss Mae added, "But I think you should do things other than reading you know? Today is the youngest you'll ever be, so enjoy your youth."
"Mhm." my mind drifting within the text, I mumbled vaguely.
The trio hid in the shadow for a while— Clayton reading a web novel, Ethan glaring at the sky, seems to be in his reverie while Miss. Mae cautiously spied on their actions while smoking.
Suddenly, Ethan broke the silence, "Miss Mae stop smoking, it's getting in my lungs!"
Miss. Mae chuckled "Alright, alright. Clayton? it bothers you too, right?"
Clayton turned his smartphone off, putting back in his pocket replied, "Not really, my father used to smoke next to me all the time."
The awkward silence returned before eventually being broken again. "I see. Anyways, you two should get going. The ceremony is about to end!"
The boys stood up exchanging their goodbyes. "See you, Miss Mae."
"See you in class," she waved, a mischievous grin on her face. "Prepare yourselves for my wrath!"