▌│█║▌║▌║Chapter 1║▌║▌║█│▌

“Yeahhhh!”

The whole class of 2020 shout as they throw their graduation caps into the air. My senior year of high school was over, and my path into adulthood has started. “It has to be better than my childhood and high school life.” I thought to myself.

I wouldn’t say that my high school life and childhood was bad per say, but it wasn’t amazing either. I have a loving family and many friends, but something was missing. If I had to describe my life up to this point in one word, it would be lonely.

Out of all my friends I’m the only one that hasn’t had a girlfriend or been in any relationship. It got really tiring to constantly be the third wheel at parties and get togethers.

I can’t complain though. Other than the occasional depression spell about it, being alone really doesn’t bother me. It’s a stark contrast with my little brother who alwayshas a girlfriend. Whenever he breaks up with one, he always has another one lined up.

It makes sense though. He is a natural extrovert that can talk constantly with everybody. I’m a natural introvert that feels better alone and out of social situations, but I have learned to talk to people. He has short, well kept, light-brown hair. I have a little longer, unkept, curly, dark-brown (almost black) hair. He has a chiseled look almost straight out of a comic book, and while I’m not that bad looking, compared to him I’m pretty ugly.

He recently got a new girlfriend that is super clingy to him, and she constantly wants to be over at our house. I find her to be annoying from her constant nagging of him, but it’s none of my business. I always just stay in my room or go out when she is over.

I walked over to where my family was at after the ceremony, and of course, there she was standing next to my brother waiting with my family for me. I let out an exasperated sigh and trudged my way to them.

She had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a resting witch face to go with it. She isn’t the skinniest girl, but she isn’t fat either. She has a few freckles on her face, and pale white skin. She plays softball and soccer. She isn’t what I would find attractive, but she is also four years younger so that probably goes into it. I don’t find people more than two years younger than me attractive.

“Congratulations son!” I heard my mother say as I drew nearer.

“Congrats Mark.” “CONGRATS!” My brother and his girlfriend said.

I responded to them with a dry, “Thanks.” as my mom hugged me.

The whole ceremony was a bore, and the crowd of many people in the skinny hallway was stressing me out. I didn’t take my anxiety pills today, and I was feeling it. I tried to put on a smile for my mom though as she was tearing up. She has been through a whole lot this past year with my dad getting deployed and her work hours getting bumped up. Right as I was going to ask her when we will be leaving for home, an unfamiliar quiet voice said, “Congrats.”

I looked around the crowded hallway for the origin of the voice directed at me, and I saw a girl standing behind Danny’s girlfriend (Gia) looking at me.

She stood about as tall as her (5’6”), had black hair, blue eyes, pearly white skin, along with a cute face. She was skinny, but she wasn’t that skinny. She was athletically skinny if I had to choose a way to describe it, and a definite younger look to her. She looked about the same age as Danny, and had a doll like feeling to her. I would probably fall for her if she was my age.

“Uhh, thanks…Who are you again? I’m sorry, but I don’t remember you.” I told her.

Before anyone could speak, Gia piped up, waving her arms energetically, saying, “Her name’s Romantica! Everyone calls her Rom for short though. She comes over with me some of the time to your house when I come over to see Daniel! She is like my best friend ever! If you come out of your room everyone once in a while maybe you would know who she is.”

Her snarky remark ticked me off, and I couldn’t help myself from saying, “Sorry Romantica. I maybe would have come out of my room before if your friend was quieter.”

“Uh, rude!” She exclaimed in response as Danny giggled to himself a little.

“How am I the rude one?” I pondered to myself.

My mom quickly defused the situation by interjecting saying, “Why don’t we all go to get something to eat now? I’m starving, how about the rest of you?”

As soon as she asked that Gia blurted out, “I sure am! I didn’t eat breakfast today because I had to pick out what I was going to wear. I had to look my best for Danny!”

This caused Danny to wrap his arms around her and start whispering something in her ear. She knows how to get on his good side, I’ll give her that. I simply said, “Yeah, I’m pretty hungry.”

Romantica simply just nodded her head gently. She isn’t that much of a talker, is she? That’s probably why Gia likes her so much. She is pretty, but doesn’t steal her spotlight too much.

“Let’s go to the mall to get something to eat and get some shopping done for your college.” Mom said.

I started walking away and said, “Okay, I’ll meet you guys at the food court in the mall”, but internally I was thinking, “Great, another super crowded place. I want to go home to the safety of my room.”

I went to my car and saw my best friend (John) talking with a large group of the more popular people in my grade, and I tried to avoid his gaze to no avail. As soon as he saw me, he grabbed me in a headlock saying, “Leaving so soon?” and dragged me over to the group of people to my dismay.

When I joined the group a couple of them said hey to me, but most of them carried on with their conversation they were having before I got there. It didn’t take long for me to figure out it was about what they wanted to be their major in college. I quickly wanted to get out of there as fast as I could because I’m embarrassed to say mine. Justas I was about to make my leave though John asked me what I wanted to major in.

I reluctantly said, “I want to major to be a Screenwriter/Director/Actor.”

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