Forever Gone

I walked slowly, hugging my coat around me. I watched the hallway move by in slow motion. The jocks high fiving and whistling as cheerleaders walked by, the geeks, crowded around the computer center door, popular kids hanging by the lockers chatting and gossiping over who broke up with whom today, the couples strolling down the hallway with their hands laced, and then me.
My real name, Kaori, means strong, but I was unworthy of the name and didn’t match its standards. I was not Kaori in my mind. I was trying to get to my car. I had the worst parking space in the student parking area. Far off in the corner, no shade, and it was off in the grass. I walked slowly through the halls of Bay view high. I wasn’t in a rush, I had no where to go but home.
A hand on my shoulder stopped me. I winced and turned around. Maria, the school reporter met my gaze.
“What?” I scoffed. Maria wasn’t just the school reported, she was nosey and annoying. I tried to shrug her hand away but she held firm grip on me.
“Kaori, Kaori.” She smirked. “This will take no time at all.”
“What do you want.” She let go, seeming insulted or offended.
“Fine, grouchy” she said. “I just want to ask you some questions about James.” I held my breath at that name.
“I don’t think so Maria.” I whispered. James had been my best friend, maybe even more. He disappeared the previous week and it just about tore me apart. “I don’t know anything.”
“Oh, but I think you do.” She retorted. “Where was the last place you saw him?” she pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, ready to write down my answer and possible twist it to make me seem like it could have been my fault.
“Back off Maria, it’s none of your business.” I said.
“Bitch!” she growled. She stuffed her pen and pad back into her bag. She turned on her heals, her long curly blonde hair almost whipping my face.
“err!” I kicked a locker that was close by. The hallway fell silent, and all eyes suddenly fell on me. I heard some kids whispering. “Oh my god, that’s her!”
“Whatever.” I whispered and kept walking.
I always felt like the outcast. Maybe because I was.