The Shape of My Heart

Chapter 2

When I was younger, I used to be traveling around the world with mom. She took me everywhere even though she had offers from abroad. She never missed any chances to show me all of her love in her way, so I'd never felt lonely through my childhood. But now, I felt nothing but all alone.

"Dude, have you applied to the crew already?"

Dannie asked Taylor as he washed some dishes. They stood behind the counter of the New Rawley's reasonable diner, Friendly's. Taylor shook his brown head.

"Nah, I've not. I'm going to but was a little busy recently. Are you applying this year, too? You're Finn's favorite."

"Hey, it sounds odd. Anyway, I'll be in this year, too. I promised mom that I'd got the trophy at Regatta." They both grinned at the image of the trophy they'd got on Regatta last year.

Actually, the famous Rawley crew hadn't missed the victory of Regatta for more than a decade. Rowing oars down the river was already the symbol of Rawley Academy. The two boys, Daniel Krudski and Taylor Calhoun both were the junior students of Rawley. Their parents were both very rich like other students' but let them work part time for their independence. They'd actually worked here for more than two years.

"Hey guys."

The curly blonde girl walked in the diner raising her hand to them. Elle McGrail, the townie's potential hottie, was smiling friendly to the boys who she'd known for all her life.

"You two seemed bored. Is that too short of customer today?"

"Duh, it's too bad. Are you?"

"Isn't it obvious? Mum gave me a break coz I had nothing to fix." She sighed.

"Biz dip, man."

Three teens nodded with a triumphant air. As the boys finished dishes, the three of them started talking. Two boys were talking about their school, their crew and some of new students of RA. Elle talked mostly about her local school life and how her skill of fixing was advanced.

Suddenly as she finished the latest school gossip dramatically, a pair of skinny hands covered her eyes.

"What the hell!" She panicked at sudden darkness. Then familiar sweet whisper titillated her right ear.

"Guess who, Curly Ellie? Already forgot me?"

She immediately made her head turn and threw her arms to the person standing right behind her.

"Francis! God you scared me!"

"Sorry Elle. I just couldn't be serious, you know." The skinny boy held her tight chuckling mischievously.

Dannie and Taylor stared open-mouthed at the splendid-looking raven haired boy. Seeing their girl hugging the other boy passionately was not expected for them. He was shorter than Dannie but taller than Taylor. He was wearing a pair of black baggy jeans, a gray long-sleeved shirt and a silver chain around his neck. Taylor noticed his entire outfit was from a famous men's line in London, simple but cool.

"You didn't told me you'd come today." Elle finally pulled away from the boy and looked his pale face. He smiled at her a little.

"Well, I wanted to surprise you as usual. Didn't I interrupt you, by the way?"

"What?"

"Them."

Elle turned to where he pointed. There were two boys staring at a couple who were still connecting their hands. Then she realized that she had completely forgotten her other friends for the first time.

"Sorry guys. He's my friend from Connecticut, Francis Prescott."

"'Sup. I heard you guys from Rawley Boys. I'm a new one at junior, actually." Francis held out his hand to the boys. After a tiny hesitant, Taylor took his hand with a fake grin.

"Taylor Calhoun, man. Rawley Academy's official walkin' dic."

"He's just joking around. As usual. Oh and Daniel Krudski, by the way. I'm a captain of a rowing crew." Dannie interrupted.

"Good to see you, man. You know, I kind of chickened out for new school so I really meant it when I said so." Francis shook both their hands and grinned. He seemed quite easy-going for their surprise. They couldn't but grinning stupidly back to him.

"Well, guys, I'll be glad if my three best friends get along well." Elle smirked at the sight and they looked so embarrassed. "At least, as you guys are going to the same school."

Then Francis took a seat next to Elle. Taylor seemed jealous at him a little but pretended to be cool with this. Dannie, on the other hand, was quite busy to explain him how his team had won the last year to notice his best friend's feelings. But, unfortunately for Taylor, Fran did. He glanced at Taylor's face and bit his lower lip to hide laughing.

"How cute he is." Fran thought. "Sure Elle is too blind. Man, it's too obvious that he has a big crush on her. I bet Dannie Boy is just Jack for Elle Jen."