Chapter four

As I pulled out the school, I took a quick glimpse at my gas. It was practically on Empty. I had no idea where the gas station was in this stupid town so I just followed a bunch of "busy" streets until I found one. I pulled in and parked at the one that seemed like it would work the best, even though they all were pretty shabby. I sighed a heavy breath thinking about my day at war, when I realized, I parked right in front of a shiny, black, old school Volkswagen Bug. I had never seen such a shiny car in this town... or in my life! All the ones here are either old and rusty or new and unnoticeable. I saw the driver step out of the car and I seemed to follow. We gave each other quick glances until she gave me a friendly smile in which I returned. I got a guy who works at the "run down" gas station to fill it up while I went into the store. I looked around for the girl but she was nowhere to be found. So, I started walking into the little store they called a super market and I could see the girl in my peripheral vision walking in the same direction as me. When I stepped inside of the store, the warmth of the store smashed into me and my lungs were filled with relief. I hadn't realized how cold it was outside until I stepped foot into this "haven."

I saw the girl ahead of me grab a few items quickly while I, stood in the isle, deciding which bag of chips I should get. Then I heard the girl and the cashier exchange some quick words to the cashier. He then gave her a quick smile and then… at me. When a couple came to the register, however, he rang up their items. I felt a light tap on my shoulder and I looked back. She was the girl.

"Hey, um can you grab that pack of watermelon gum for me please?" she asked pointing straight ahead of me. I looked at where she was pointing and then back to make sure this was the one. "Yea sure." I reached for the gum and handed it to her. "Thanks," she responded. The couple in front of me paid for there items and left while I stepped forward digging through my wallet for a twenty. I put the money on the table and he rang up my items where I then received the change.

"You know you have to pay for the gas here right?" the cashier asked me. "Oh…" I replied. This must be a smaller town than I thought. I pointed out my car (it wasn't hard. Once I said yellow, he got it). He nodded and punched in a few things on the register while I once again looked for a twenty. I put the money I dug up on the table and he handed me my receipt. I went to go grab it but he seemed to have a strong hold still on it. "Have a nice day," he said while he smiled at me. I ripped the receipt out of his hands and practically ran out of the store. Ugh… creepy! The man I told to fill it up was done and I showed him my receipt. I was good to go!

"Hey!" I heard someone call. I turned my head and the girl was waving her hand at me.

"Yea?" I called back, walking in her direction.

"You're the new girl at school right?" she asked. Pulling out the gas pump that was in her car.

"Yea. You recognized me?" I called backed. She smiled and replied, "I think everyone in this town knows who you are." She reached into her car pulling out a small bottle of hand sanitizer and started walking towards me squirting some in her hand. "Im Giselle." She smiled rubbing her hands together quickly and holding out one hand to me. I smiled and took it. "Larissa." I said shaking her hand. "I saw you today at lunch. I was sitting under a really big tree… but any ways we also have a couple classes together." She said. I gave her a questioning look. I didn't remember seeing her in any of my classes. I think she caught onto my look. "Oh! I sit in the back in almost all my classes." She added quickly.

"Oh, Okay, then that probably explains why I didn't see you." She nodded making the red pom-pom on the top of her aqua blue beanie wiggle. Without thinking I chuckled while staring at the pom-pom. Giselle gave me a confused look and then reached up touching the top of her head and felt the pom-pom. Her confused look vanished and was replaced by giggling. "I forgot I had this on." She laughed.

"Yea, it's nice." I commented. I looked at my hands and saw the filth that was all over them, probably from the store. "Um, could I have some of that" I asked looking at the little square bottle of hand sanitizer in her hand. "Oh, yea sure, sure." She said and squirted some into my open palm. I rubbed my hands together. "Well, I will see you tomorrow at school." Giselle said. "Yea, tomorrow." I smiled. "Cool, well see-ya." She said and walked back to her shiny VW bug and driving off.

I felt a drop of rain fall onto the tip of my nose. I looked up and I could see droplets of water start to fall out the sky. "Great." I muttered to myself. I ran into my car, fastened my seat belt, and I was practically home.

Thanks to Erin who wrote pretty much the entire chapter - couldn't do it without you :]