I always thought that house was creepy. Even now, it still feels like someone is watching me from inside. Yeah, it’s really cliché how that’s the only house on the block that seems . . . haunted. Nobody has been in that house for more than 30 years.

I find it odd how people don’t want to move in, though. It’s a pretty decent house. People also always seem to quicken there pace whenever they pass the house like it’s going to eat them if they don’t walk fast enough.

However, what’s more cliché is the fact that it’s right across from my house; and I can see it right from my bedroom window. Whenever I’m sitting on my window seat, reading a good book, this cold feeling always settles on my shoulders. When I look over my shoulder, nobody’s there. I find it creepy; very creepy.
I shivered as I stood on the bus stop, waiting for the bus to take me to school. I curled my hands into fists in the pockets of my coat, burying my face in my plush scarf. Winter was here, and it was coming in fierce.

I’m not really a winter person and I was dreading the next few months of cold, blistering weather. As a small cloud formed when I took a shuddering breath, I glanced around. The same odd feeling came again and I bit my lip. No one was on the street besides me and only a few cars passed by on their way to work.

When I was about to lose hope and start the one mile walk to school, the bus pulled up. I sighed with relief and quickly got on, enjoying the warmth that hit my face as soon as the door had opened. I nodded to the bus driver, and then settled myself in the seat in the back. My stop was the first that the school bus came to on its route to school, so I could pick any seat I wanted to; of course, I didn’t do that, I just sat in the back.

I took off my mittens and flexed my frozen fingers. Despite wearing the warmest mitts I could find, my hands still felt like they were going to turn into icicles and fall off. I lay back against the seat and sighed quietly, looking at my beige Uggs. I glanced up as the bus pulled to a stop and a few people began filing in. Mostly kids from different classes and grades I didn’t know. I ran a hand through my red hair-no, not red as in orange; it’s actually red- and looked out the window. The landscape looked bleak and snow drifted lazily to the ground, melting upon impact. My eyes still felt a bit heavy from lack of sleep and I stifled a yawn with the back of my hand. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes as the bus pulled to a stop again. I prayed silently that I would not fall asleep and be late for school.

That, of course, was proved impossible when I heard someone calling my name. I opened my eyes and saw my friend, Hannah, rushing towards me from the front of the bus. Her blonde pigtails bobbed up and down as she went over to me, a bright smile lighting up her round face. I smiled a bit, waving a bit with my fingers.

“Hey, Hannah.” I murmured as she sat down next to me.

“Heya, Claire!” she said excitedly, flipping her hair over her shoulder. If she didn’t hang out with me and my other friends, I swear, she would be with the preps. She definitely has the looks to be one; she’s gorgeous. Of course, she gets way too hyper to be mellow like all the others. I snorted silently; they sure didn’t act mellow when my friends or I dissed them. Oh, we were really good at that.

“How was your vacation?” I asked, shivering as the bus door opened again, letting in another group of students.

“It was great! I went to the Catskills Mountains and I learned how to ski!” she chattered. “And the hotel was the best! There was a hot tub.” she said, emphasizing “best”.

I grinned slightly. “So I’m guessing you had fun?”

“Definitely.” She said, nodding. “What about you?”

“Eh, it was so-so. I stayed home, but my relatives visited.” I said with a light shrug.

“That’s nice.” she said, and I could tell she thought her vacation was more interesting.

This conversation dragged on for the rest of the bus trip, then ended abruptly as the bus came to a final stop. Everyone stood up and filed out of the bus, Hannah and I trailing behind at the end. As soon as we got off I headed to the front doors, Hannah skipping alongside me. Apparently she was more excited to go back to school than I was. I took a deep breath, the cool air filling my nostrils and chilling me to the bone. The creepy feeling had vanished, and was now replaced by something else, something like the feeling of welcome. I grinned as I entered the circle of friends that was my gang, each one of them as familiar as the back of my hand.
There were only four of us in total, but it was big enough for us.

First there was Brooke, a dark haired girl with thin black eyes, but she wore contacts which made her eyes look insanely blue. Her hair was swept back and pinned up messily with bobby pins. She usually wore bright clothing and bangles that sparkled in the florescent light. She held the brains of the group and always made sure we studied for our tests (which some of us fail anyway).

Then there was Logan. He had crazy hair: blue and green spikes that jutted out everywhere. His hazel eyes danced and sparkled every time he smiled and everyone was convinced that he was more or less bisexual. He hasn’t denied it, but he hasn’t admitted to it either; he always seems to not answer the question or just change the topic completely. He was considered the wise-crack of the group.

Then there left Hannah and I. All together, we were like family. We always looked out for each other in times of crisis and we always had a spare shoulder to cry on. I laughed a bit as Logan grabbed me in a headlock and ruffled my hair.

“Hey there, Claire.” he chuckled, releasing me. “I missed ya.”

“I missed you too, Logan.” I said, grimacing a bit as I tried to fix my hair. Brooke giggled beside us and I smiled at her. She grinned back and we exchanged a hug.

“Long time no see.” she said, pushing her black Dolce & Gabbana glasses further up the bridge of her button nose.

“That is sadly true.” I said, nodding once. “But at least that gang’s all here.”

“You got that right.” Logan said with a chuckled. We all grinned in unison, and then headed towards the school, laughing and talking like no tomorrow.