Finally, it was over.
The room erupted around me, a cacophony of packed bags and abandoned chairs. The day had been long and dull and never before had I felt so estranged. The walls of my final room, English Lit, were filled with the crash of a million raindrops. They hammered on the window beside me with a force that resonated in my heartbeat.
Dull melancholy filled my essence. I was tired, bored, and I was more than ready to go home. As the people around me faded out the door, I began the task of packing my bag.
I was the last to leave; my head was firmly ducked, my eyes on the glossy wooden floor as I followed the crowd in the direction of the nearest exit. The bodies that surrounded me were a riot of limbs and hastiness. They jerked and twisted amongst each other in a dance that hadn't been practiced nearly enough.
I didn't want to dance. Instead, I kept my body firmly tucked in, stuck to my position against the wall as I walked onwards. My pace was slow, hesitant, each move I made painstakingly deliberate. I was determined to avoid all physical contact.
I was so close, when I heard somebody call out from the back of the fast-moving horde. The sound was distant, but I soon recognised it to be a familiar voice, calling out my own name.
"Rose! Rose, wait up!"
A quick head turn revealed nobody of familiarity, but as my name was yelled once more, I remembered how short Amber was. And of course, at a closer look, dark coils could be seen bouncing behind the masses.
The hair hadn't been the only tell-tale. I could pinpoint her location from the loud swearing and the irritated complaints of the surrounding students as they were shoved out of the way. I didn't stop for her - it was practically impossible to do so unless I wanted to be trampled is the crowd.
Instead, I shot what I hoped to be an apologetic in her general direction. She probably wouldn't be able to see it, but instead of worrying about that I trailed out of the double doors and into the pouring rain.
Around me, hoods were lifted and umbrella's rose into the air. I walked alone within the crowd. My hair became wet, cold droplets slid down my cheeks and dropped from the tip of my nose.
"Rose!"
It was a different voice this time, one so familiar it stopped my heart. My head shot up, and the beginning of a grin tugged the corners of my lips. I was delighted before I’d even seen him.
Lucas Reyes was a navy splash in the rain, a small, bouncing form buried within a too-large coat. A wide smile and dark, slanted eyes glistened from beneath a fur-tipped hood. His features were rounded and petite; a delightful concoction of his Filipino mother and English father. When Lucas he waved me over, my fears were forgotten.
I ran to him, my path curved around the crowd and into the presence of my best friend. "What are you doing here?" I shrieked. His arms opened in response and I fell into them with abandon. He was wet and heavy and he felt like home, like a lifetime of friendship in a single, ever-present form. He laughed into my hair and struggled to manoeuvre the thick arms of his coat around me.
"Why wouldn't I be here?" He spoke with a throaty echo against the rain. "I know you, Rose. I wanted to come see you.” He shrugged, as though the journey here wasn't an hour long bus ride.
Before I could say anything, his eyes clashed with something behind me and his body stiffened. I didn't turn around, but I didn't have to. The shadow wasn’t silent for long.
"Same time tomorrow?" I could hear the wicked grin in her tone and as she walked past, Amber winked at me. I watched her disappear amongst the masses, squinting against the rain.
When I final turned around, Lucas wore a face of pure confusion. "You spoke to somebody?"
With his question came the urge to smile. I saw the proudness in his eyes, the twitching of his lips. I tried not to roll my eyes, and instead delivered a light punch in his shoulder. I carried on walking out of the carpark as I explained, "She didn't exactly give me a choice."
"You mean she befriended you against your will? How cruel."
I poked his shoulder. "You're supposed to be on my side."
"And your supposed to get out of your shell more." He poked me back.
My nose wrinkled as I complained, "You sound way too much like my mum."
"I feel honoured. Liz is an amazing woman."
"Shut up!" I laughed as I shook my head at him. "You sound ridiculous.”
"But that’s what makes me," he started, dropping his arm around my shoulder. "The greatest friend you've ever had."
I rolled my eyes. "You’re my only friend.” Plus, maybe Amber.
"I’m still the greatest. And as proof of my sheer excellence, I'm buying you cake.”
Our detour included a small café a few streets away from college. As we walked in the rain, he explained the success that cake and tea has for helping youths overcome the trauma that stemmed from education. The café's interior was enriched with natural chocolate and caramel shades which synchronised with the scents that emanated from behind the counter.
Heavy coats dripped onto the dark wooden floor as we moved towards a table, our stomachs tender from hard laughter. Lucas and I collapsed onto rich leather armchairs by the large window, a single streak of sunlight dashing across his face. His concern was shadowed by the mahogany waves that fell across his forehead as he watched me attempt prise my arms out of my coat.
Finished, I folded my arms on my chest and tried to pretend his expression didn't make me feel like shit. "I'm getting there, y'know." I wish I didn’t sound so defensive.
"I know." I wish he didn’t sound so worried. "Chocolate cake?"
"You know me too well." I sunk my back into the seat and closed my eyes as the smell of leather attacked my nostrils. My eyes remained shut even as I felt him leave. I hadn't failed to notice that we were the only people in here – aside from the lone red-head behind the counter. And when I opened my eyes, it wasn't hard to tell why.
The café was a little worse for wear, with cracks in the walls and chips in the furniture. From a glance through the window, people would easily be deterred. But it wasn't without its charm; the small pieces of art that hung from the walls, the amber glow from the setting sun and the faint sound of jazz music that hummed through the air.
After moments of silence, I heaved a sigh and reached for my bag next to me. The damp denim scratched at my hands as I rummaged inside the cluttered depths for my mobile phone. It used to be Lucas', before he got a new one for Christmas last year. He'd been adamant that I had it.
It was in my hands when he came back, mumbling to himself. "I should probably call mum so she doesn't worry," I mumbled as he sat down across from me.
Lucas shook his head. He leaned back in his own chair and stretched his legs out under the table, until his shoes knocked into mine. "No need – I already called her. Liz said that I get to have you for as long as I want." His smile was mischievous, the corners of his eyes creased as he gave me a half-assed thumbs up.
I promptly dropped my phone back into my bag. "You think of everything, don't you?"
"It’s all part of the package."
"Yeah, yeah." I waved a hand at him, disgruntled. "So long as you remember that you're my best friend, not my mums."
His hands raised in a mockery of innocence. "I'm sorry but I can't help it if I'm in demand. But if it makes you feel better, I'll break things off with your mum."
Two white mugs were placed on the table. I politely thanked the confused waitress, whose eyes kept flickering to Lucas - the guy who'd just implied he was dating my mum. I tried not to laugh as he remained oblivious. After the drinks, two small, sparkling plates were lowered between us with huge slabs of chocolate cake on top.
I’d already stuffed a forkful in my mouth when Lucas decided to talk.
"So how’s it going?" He spoke through a mouthful of dark chocolate mush. I grimaced at the sight as I pulled my fork out of my mouth.
"Thanks for the view."
"Welcome." Dark crumbs flew from his mouth, and he shot me a sheepish glance. He gulped, then reached for his mug to take a long sip of his tea. "How did it go?"
I bit my tongue. It was the awkward "how was your day at school" scenario and Lucas had taken on the role of protective parent yet again. I dropped the fork on my plate with a deep sigh. "It was fine."
Wise, almond-shaped eyes flickered to the half-eaten cake on my plate. "And is fine a reason to abandon chocolate cake like that?"
My lips pushed together as I met his eyes. Sometimes, having a best friend could be a curse. "Put it this way - I might pass my classes but I'm definitely going to fail at life.”
"You're too hard on yourself."
"Dude, I’ve spoken to one person the entire week, and that was only because she was practically harassing me."
His sigh was heavy as he placed his fork down. Soon after, a warm, golden-coloured hand landed on mine, gave a gentle squeeze.
“It can’t have been that bad. And if it was, so what? You just need to learn how to knock down your walls a little – or at least install some windows.” His smile was slight, encouraging, as he carried on. "You can't be a victim your whole life, Rose. One day, you'll look in the mirror and realise that you're not the failure you think you are."
"Besides, it was your first week. Anybody would be nervous."
I shrugged. "I guess. I mean, it's not like you get nervous that often."
"Me? Ha!" He shovelled more cake into his gob. "Don't you remember our first day at high school? I thought I was going to piss my pants."
My heart fluttered. "But at least we were together."
"You spent the whole day calling me names."
"I did not. I was a loving and supportive friend the entire time."
He took a sip of his tea, a single brow raised over the rim of his mug. "Oh? I distinctly remember you calling a baby at one point. In fact..."
He carried on speaking, voice awash with nostalgia and humour. As I watched him talk, I felt like an outsider, because although my memories with Lucas were happy and warm, they would always be tainted by darkness.
I felt fingers clutch at my own. Lucas stood beside me, so close I could see how much his lower lip trembled. He was my only friend – had been since primary school, so it was only natural that I held his hand and told him to stop looking so scared.
"I can't help it. You're the brave one, Rose."
My eyes rolled. "Baby." It was a joke, but I still felt bad when his head lowered, so I tried to make him feel better. "If I can be brave, then so can you. We can be brave together."
Our first day of school had begun with a tour - a frightening tour. Everything was bigger, scarier; the teachers were tall, some of the students were even taller. As we walked with our form group, I felt like we were children in a zoo, a loud, unkempt zoo where the animals ran wild. The only difference was that not all zoos had a dragon.
Or at least, that's what the kids called her.
She stood ahead of us, her hair stiff and her expression stiffer, a nose like a hawk, eyes like a snake. Her navy shirt was tucked into a pair of darker pants that strained over her big butt, and when I mentioned it to Lucas in a whisper and he’d actually snorted with laughter.
That was when the Dragon reared her ugly head. "You will all be quiet and respectful when walking in the corridors." The moment her back was turned, we shared a glance. His eyes were wide, and my lips were clamped against another laugh. The tour continued with the P.E. building, the assembly hall, the library, and our laughter continued throughout.
It was evident that the Dragon was annoyed: she wore a deep scowl on her wobbly face. When she face us, it wasn't difficult to imagine smoke coming out of her nose. "That's it, I will not tolerate disrespect. Austin, you will walk at the back of the group. You! Reyes, you will come up here to the front with me." Her order was heated, and the two of us were quick to follow her order.
"She's in love with you. That's why she wants you next to her," I hissed at him before I walked away. From the back, I could still hear him snort as he tried to hold in a laugh.
The back of the group was dismal, lonely. The kids huddled together and refused to look at me. The only person on their own was a timid brunette who trembled on the side-lines. Her eyes were red - she was the girl who had turned up late. I remembered her crying at the front of the classroom as The Dragon told her off.
I squinted at her. "Hi."
Her head was shaking before I'd even gotten the word out. "Please d-d-don't talk to me." Even though she hid behind her mousey hair, I could tell that she was on the verge of tears. I opened my mouth, but her back was already turned. The Dragon must have terrified her.
I stood on my own, walked on my own. From the front, Lucas turned to look at me with a bored expression that matched my own. The Dragon had stopped us in the corridor to point out a board on the wall, but I chose instead to stare a brightly coloured poster that screamed with an enthusiasm I lacked.
A door behind me opened. "I take it these are the new students, Mrs Low."
I jumped in surprise at the nearby voice, my eyes wide when I spun around.
It was a man with bright eyes and an even brighter smile, dark hair and a darker suit. I looked from him to the Dragon; Her smile seemed forced and the huge vein on the side of her neck throbbed. "Yes, they are. Class, this is Mr Haden. He's the music teacher here at Covrell. He'll be teaching you this year, I suspect."
A chorus of hello's followed her introduction. His grin widened in amusement. "I look forward to having the lot of you in my class this year."
Most students smiled, some even chuckled. He was the nicest teacher we'd met so face and the relief on our faces was palpable. But before he could say anymore, the Dragon instructed us to walk on.
"He seemed cool."
My heart began to race - Lucas' voice in my ear was a surprise, but a welcome one. He must have snuck to the back during the distraction of Mr Haden.
"Yeah, he did." My nod was enthusiastic.
"Mr Reyes," A voice boomed, and both our head snapped to attention. "At what part of the tour did I give you permission to leave my side?"
He looked like he was going to wet himself. Lucas mumbled under his breath as he slouched back to the front.
I found myself alone once again, however it it wasn't quite the same anymore. As we walked away, I felt it: that crawling sensation that ran along my skin. I was naive back then, I was innocent. To me, it was nothing more than an itch on the back of my neck. So I'd scratched and scratched until the patch of skin was red raw, but the feeling still hadn't gone away.
After that day, it never did.
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