A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, having a bit of writer's block. I know the direction I want to take this story, I'm just having trouble getting things started. I hope you guys enjoy anyway!
The next day at school Lily sat at her desk, impatiently eyeing the clock on the adjacent wall. She thought it was hard enough to focus in math before, but now all she could think about was seeing Jack again. She sighed as she stared absentmindedly out the window, occupying herself with looking at clouds or the birds on the tree branches instead of whatever Mr. Cartwright had been talking about.
A few minutes later and the bell finally rang. Excitedly, she grabbed her things and stuffed them in to her bookbag and headed through the door.
The hallways were cramped with chattering students moving between classes. Lily wove her way through the others as she hurried to the cafeteria.
Once she got there, she looked through the large glass windows across the cafeteria and saw Jack sitting outside. She smiled, making her way across the cafeteria and to the glass doors leading outside. Unbeknownst to her, people were whispering and making comments about her to their friends and to others.
She pushed open the glass door, looking over to Jack. He was sitting under the same tree as yesterday, and he was reading again. She started walking over to him. Today he was wearing a dark gray Henley shirt with olive stripes, and the same pair of jeans and sneakers. She set her book bag down in the grass next to the tree, and then also sat down beside him.
"Hi, Jack." she smiled at him.
"Hey." he half-smiled back.
She glanced over, looking at the cover of the book he was reading. "Fahrenheit 451? Good choice."
"Yeah. I've never read Bray Bradbury before, but you said you liked his books so I snagged this from the library. It's really fucking good."
She giggled slightly. "Yeah, it is. It's one of my favorites."
"Oh, I brought you something, by the way."
"Oh?" She looked over at him, he set his book down and started rifling through his bookbag.
He pulled out a few worn books, handing them over to her. "I thought you might like to borrow these."
She took them gingerly, looking at the covers of the books. The Tomb and Other Tales, The Outsider and Others, and The Dunwich Horror and Others. All by H.P. Lovecraft.
She looked up at him, smiling. "Thank you, Jack."
"Of course."
She picked up the book on top, setting the others down beside her. The paperback was worn and faded, with cracks and pieces missing. She looked at the cover, which had an illustration of a man's head on the front. His eyes were wide, with small black dots for pupils. A large iron ring circled around his head, with a large padlock hanging in front of his face and hiding his features. His head was splitting down the middle, with blood red bats flying out of his head. 'I hope the stories are as creepy as the art.' she smiled to herself.
"Jack?"
He turned his gaze back over to her. "Yes?"
"Um, I was wondering…if maybe you want to do something after school?"
"What did you have in mind?"
"Oh." She paused. "I didn't really think of anything."
He smirked at her. "I have an idea. Meet me by my locker after school, it's across the hall from A107."
"Okay." She smiled slightly, trying to hide her excitement.
She watched as he stood up, picking up his bookbag and putting his book back inside it before slinging it over one shoulder. "I've gotta go. I'll see you later, okay?" He smiled at her slightly as he turned, heading back inside.