Invisible - l.h

"Are you into coffee now?"

Luke's P.O.V

Normally, I'd hate this Monday morning because who wants to go to school & start another long week of the same old shit. However, today I was actually a little anxious to get to school. Why? I wanted to see Ellie. I wanted to watch her a bit closer & I wanted to figure this girl out.

I was going to see her in a new way.

My mom dropped me off at school & then I quickly brought my lunch off to my locker & I exchanged out my books. I then quickly went over to the hallway, giving some small waves & good mornings to people on the way, where Michael's locker was since that was where he & Calum were already standing around. It was our usual routine that I meet them there every morning.

"You have a pep in your step for it being a Monday." Michael observed.

"Oh, what? Yea. I had coffee this morning." I lied. I couldn't bring up Ellie again. I spoke about her this entire weekend & they were getting annoyed with me about that. Apparently I found it extra interesting about her secret life & they were sort of over it for the moment.

"Are you into coffee now? Since when?" Calum then asked me. I still hadn't crossed that line of a coffee drinker yet but today, I had to lie about it.

"I'm not. I'm trying to get into though so I had my mom make me some but I feel it already." I lied again. "I'm fine."

"Maybe I should drink some too then." Michael spoke up. "Do you think it'll help me get through the day until lunch? It tastes like shit but if it gives you energy, I should."

"I don't know. Sure. I'll let you know how I feel today."

I wasn't really paying attention to them at all. I was watching out for Ellie instead. I knew her locker was on the other side of the school, since it's alphabetical, but I also knew that she walks to school because sometimes when I hang in the car park, I see her walk away from the lot & towards the houses nearby. It was actually possible too that she might enter by the side doors down the hall from Michael's locker because there were only so many doors to enter in at & the one right near us currently is the one that's closest to the direction I think she walks in.

I kind of felt bad that I stood in this hallway every single morning for years yet I had no idea if Ellie passes through it or not on a daily basis.

"Luke!" I heard a voice approach me. Sherrie. "Why didn't you come to my party on Saturday?"

"I was busy, sorry."

"I missed you. I really wanted you to come!"

"I'll make the next one."

"Do you promise?" She looked at me with a pout on her lips.

Sherrie was a fairly popular girl. She was actually probably the most popular girl & people always thought she & I would get together although it never happened. I took her to a dance last year but that was it. I just wasn't into her that way but from how people talk, she is into me in that way so it makes it awkward.

"Sure. I promise."

"Yay! Thanks! I was just so upset you weren't there when I had the entire house to myself once everyone left, you know?"

"Yea." I replied, not really caring about her having a parent-less house. "Sure, I know."

I then saw Ellie.

I felt so bad that I never realized Ellie had come through this entrance. Every single morning she passes right by me & I never saw her. Actually, I probably did see her plenty of times but I never cared enough to register that I saw her or care about the fact that I did.