Chapter :1: The first Heartbreak
Chapter: 1 ; The first Heartbreak
It was a sultry summer morning in the vibrant city of San Diego,California. Despite the season, the sky was laden with ominous,black clouds hinting at an impending storm. In a small yet lively house, a voice rang out ,"Eva, come here! Your friends are waiting".
"Okay, Mom!" A voice replied from a young girl descending the stairs, two at a time, still fixing her uniform. With one flick of her hand , she flipped her blonde hair over her shoulders and grabbed her bag from the couch . Her blue eyes, full lips and petite nose were complementing her tall and messy self.
Outside the door, her best friend was already complaining. Katherine ( short jet black hair, nose pin glinting, that one friend who's always in hurry)
Eva we're getting late! Hurry up!!" She said,rolling her eyes.
"I'm coming, I'm coming." She mumbled, picking an apple from the kitchen counter. "Bye mom" she said, already halfway out.
Jake ( her boyfriend) was waiting in the driver' seat as usual. Tall, lanky, hair falling into his eyes So, he had to keep pushing it back. He gave her a smile when she got in.
Jake was driving Eva and Katherine to school when suddenly Eva's phone buzzed. Her face went pale. " Jake, stop the car!, right now". "What's wrong babe?" Jake asked ,concerned". Nothing's wrong. Just stop the car, I've got something to do .You go to school or you'll be late,"Eva replied, her voice a little shaky ."
She stepped out of the car and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
By the time she found another bus, she was already 20 minutes late.
She ran all the way from the bus stop to the main gate, her bag hitting against her back. The security guard was already closing the big iron gate.
"Sir, please! One minute!" she panted.
He just shook his head. "Late again? Go. Mr. Garold is on his rounds."
Great. Her heart sank.
She tried to sneak quietly down the hallway to her class, her shoes squeaking on the floor. But Mr. Garold was right there outside the 10th grade corridor, checking classrooms.
He didn't even shout. He just looked at her over his glasses.
"Eva Steven. Again," he said, checking his watch. "Last warning, Go."
She just nodded, her face red.
The day dragged on. Forever.
Math, then Science, then History she didn't hear a single word the teachers said. She kept checking her phone. No message from Katherine. No message from Jake.
By last period, her head was pounding.
When the final bell rang, she didn't go to the main restroom with all the other girls. She went to the old one at the end of the corridor, near the art room. No one ever goes there. The tap always leaks and the light flickers, but it's quiet.
She just wanted to sit for a minute and breathe.
As she walked down that empty corridor, she heard it again.
Tap. Tap.
Footsteps behind her.
She stopped. The footsteps stopped.
She kept walking, faster this time. The footsteps got closer and closer. Her heart started beating loudly in her own ears.
She instantly spun around. The hallway was empty.
"No one..." she whispered to herself, her hands suddenly cold. "I'm just imagining things."
She pushed the old restroom door. It creaked. Inside, it smelled damp, like old soap and wet floor that strange, empty school smell. It was supposed to be her peaceful place.
But it wasn't empty.
Near the last sink, Katherine stood too close to Jake. Too close. Katherine's hand was on his chest. They were whispering, laughing in a low voice she had never heard before.
Eva froze. The damp smell suddenly felt suffocating. Her stomach dropped, like she was falling.
The whispering stopped.
"Katherine? Jake?" Her voice came out smaller than she wanted. It cracked.
Jake immediately pulled his hand away. Katherine's smile vanished.
"Oh! I thought someone was following me... looks like I was wrong," Eva said, but the words tasted bitter in her mouth. Her eyes started burning. She felt heat rush to her face not from embarrassment, but from betrayal.
She turned to leave, her bag feeling heavy on her shoulder, her legs feeling numb.
"Wait, Eva! Listen to me!" Katherine grabbed her hands. Katherine's palms were sweaty.
"Don't touch me," Eva snapped. Her own voice was shaking now. She could hear her pulse in her ears, loud and angry. "What are you going to explain? How you were dating my boyfriend behind my back?"
