Day by daybreak

Samantha

_______

The bell rings and Mrs. Clancy’s physics class stands up almost like drones. Immediately the students are excited about their weekend and start a commotion. Samantha hurried like everyone else, except she wasn’t as elated as the rest. Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Samantha followed the crowd into the hallway. Students, packed like sardines, filled the hallways moving to one exit or another.

The suffocating feeling Samantha had while bumping shoulders with her peers squished her lungs. Practically gasping for air, her focus started to fade between strides. How long has it been since she had taken a break, she thought to herself. Either way, she needed to get out of here. Samantha had noticed several faces on her windy path through the school. She wishes she could stop to talk to them, but alas she pushes forward towards her exit.

One step after the other. That’s what Samantha kept telling herself. She was on a mission and no one was going to stop her. Pushing past who knows how many students in the beckoning halls of her High school, she finally was able to leave the front door. Inhaling her first breath of fresh air away from the sweaty mass of hormonal teenagers, she enjoyed her moment of peace before rushing to the student parking lot.

“Hey, Sam! Wait up!” Startled Samantha stopped to see who was calling to her, and there stood Isaac. He jogged a few paces to catch up to her. “Hey, how’s it going? That math test was pretty lame today, huh?” He scratched his head messing up his beanie a little bit. For a brief second Samantha's attention was pulled towards him. The raging trumpets in her mind stopped for a single staccato heartbeat.

“Hey, yeah it definitely tripped me up a little. I think I did well though, enough to pass at least.” Samantha held her breath once the words left her lips. She couldn’t look at him in his eyes, her nerves were getting the best of her. “I’m sorry, I’m running late for something, see you Monday?” She started walking backwards, slowly but surely making her way back to her car. With a half honest smile and a soft wave of her hand, she ushered her own departure.

“I’m sure you did great, and sure, see you Monday.” Isaac mirrored her actions and watched her walk away. Samantha waited for his response and then started hurrying back to her car. One step after the other, just like before. She made her way onto the sidewalk headed past the parking lot.

The chipped, faded blue paint of Samantha’s 2006 hand-me-down, sat peacefully in what used to be an abandoned church but has now been used most days as extra parking for the high school next door. Several other cars sat here, one of which had a young amorous couple leaning against it. Samantha was unphased and uninterested in them, so she just continued on her way.

Starting the ignition, and getting herself situated Samantha started pulling out of the driveway. Her plans race through her head, leaving her nothing but breathless gasps. With all of the possibilities of the unknowns scratching their way through her mind, she turns and swerves her way through the lanes. No music, no talking, just held guided breathes and limited blinks.

Whatever unfortunate events Samantha walks into later, she knows she'll possibly never see Isaac on Monday. With each mile, she slowly fades into a depth of nerves and strung out fears. The horrors that bestow the night will hopefully evade poor Samantha giving her the rest she so greatly needs.