36
1606 Words
“Argh sour face will get over it.’
“Did she?”
“Yeah after we promised never to do it again, Yeah right.”
“You guys are bad.”
“I know.” Harry laughed.
“Next year it will be better we’re all going all out.”
“Come on guys let’s go for a fag before lunch is over.”
“Sure.”
They all pulled themselves up. “You okay babe?”
“Yeah.” She said, breathing heavily.
“You guys carry on we’ll meet yo there.”
“Sure.”
They carried on.
“You didn’t have to.”
“It’s okay, babe.”
“But lunch is almost over.”
“Just catch your breath first.”
“He’s sure going out of his way.”
“He feels responsible for Halloween. He thinks he let her down.”
“How?”
“By not telling her the drill.”
“Maybe, but that’s all part of the fun.”
“I know.”
Connor and Autumn turned the corner to the cigarette corner as the others finished their cigarettes. “Took your time.”
“We’re here now.” Connor said, passing Autumn a cigarette lighting them.
“You sure you want to be here Autumn?”
“Yeah.”
“He’s right babe, you should be resting that leg.”
“I did, for three days it was fine yesterday.”
The bell rang they doubted their cigarettes out and walked away to registration before there last two lessons.
“We’ll catch you guys later.”
“You will later.”
“Later guys.”
Connor and Autumn walked away.
“She should be resting.”
“Take it easy guys she’s independent.”
“Yeah, too independent.”
“She just wants to prove the pain isn’t getting to her.”
“Well it clearly is.”
Autumn limped out of school to wait for Connor, who was running late. He stood by his bike smoking, now she knew why he’d chosen to play the part of the reaper. His bike said it all. “Autumn.”
“Gaz what are you doing here?”
“Waiting for Jae?”
“Oh.”
So how’s the ankle, and the bump?”
“My head’s fine, my ankle’s sore.”
“Let’s take a look.”
She sat down he slid her shoe off unravelling the bandage.
“It’s swollen babe you should be resting.”
“I have been.”
“School can wait a few days, Autumn.”
“It can’t.”
“I’ll change it but your going to have to promise me you’ll rest it.”
“I will when I get home.”
“And tomorrow?”
“I..”
He changed her bandage.
“You always come prepared.”
“Safety and precaution when you ride babe.”
“I guess.”
“Keep still I need to get it as tight as I can.”
She sat and watching as he wrapped the new bandage tighter round her ankle, fastening it with a safety pin. “There you go.”
“Thanks.”She said slipping her foot back into her shoe.
“Gaz what are you doing here?”
He looked up at James. “Picking you up you nonce.”
“You hitting on Autumn?’
“No. I just changed the bandage while I was waiting for you.”
“Sure you were.’
“Well I’ll see you around, Autumn.’
“Sure and thanks.’
“No probs.’
“See you tomorrow Autumn.”
“Yeah sure bye Jae?”
They got on to the bike and rode away.
“Was that Gaz?”
She turned looking at Connor. “Yeah he was picking James up.”
“So you talk to him?”
“Briefly, he changed my bandaged and told me to take a rest from school.”
“Good idea.”
“It would be if I weren’t seeing Matt tomorrow.”
“I’m sure he’ll understand.”
“Maybe.”
“Just see how you are in the morning.”
“I will.”
Connor placed his arm around her. “Come on let’s get you home.”
They steadily and slowly walked home.
“I’ll see you tomorrow just let me know if anything changes.”
“I will.”
He kissed her cheek. “Later babe.”
“Later Con.”
She closed the door behind her he smiled walking away.
5th November
Connor knocked on Autumn’s front door, she opened it. “I’m Sorry Con Mom insists on taking us again.”
“That’s okay, babe.”
“No Dan again?”
“No, I think he thinks he’s the gooseberry.”
“He’s not, we’re all friends.”
“I know babe.”
“Mom, Con’s here.”
“I’ll start the car.”
“Okay.”
She stepped out the door. “Morning Connor.”
“Morning Miss. Cleveland.”
“I advised her to stay home today, but she said she had to be in cause of seeing her shrink.”
“Mom.”
“Sorry Connor, we don’t talk about it.”
“It’s okay Miss. Cleveland it’s cool. I know she sees him he’s new he likes things to run smoothly and his patients on time.”
“Con.”
“I can’t call you a subject can I?”
“I guess not.”
“Let’s just say he helps those out that have issues.”
“Sounds just as bad.”
“Come on, I best be getting you two to school with that headmistress of yours.”
“Yeah if we’re not on time we’ll be in isolation.”
“Hop in.”
They all got into the car and she drove away dropping them off the same place as the day before.
“I’ll pick you up tonight.”
“I’ll be fine Mom. Con will walk with me. Won’t you Con?”
“Yeah I will. You’ve got nought to worry about Miss. Cleveland Autumn will be delivered straight to the door.”
“Thanks Connor.”
“My pleasure.”
“I’ll see you at home Autumn.”
“Yeah sure bye mom.”
“Bye Connor.”
“Bye Miss. Cleveland.”
Thy walked away. “I’m sorry about all this Con mom fusses too much.”
“It’s fine babe, really. Saves the legs.” He cracked.
She looked at him unimpressed.
“Come on let’s get in.”
He placed his arm around her and they went into the high school where their friends were waiting.
“So you two got a lift again?”
“We did.”
“This is coming a regular thing. Sure you two ain’t…”
“No we’re not come on.”
The bell rang and they all went in.
“So you got Harding this morning?”
“It’s the only reason she came in.”
“Con.”
“Well that’s what your mom said.”
“I’ll walk down with you I have Grayson.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll see both of you later.”
“Later.”
Connor went into registration as Daniel and Autumn walked down the corridor sitting down outside the offices. “So are you okay now Red?”
“I’ll live.”
“We’re really sorry.”
“You haven’t got any need to be I chose to join you.”
“I guess.”
Mathew opened the door. “So are we ready Autumn?”
“Yeah.” She pulled herself up and Daniel smiled.
She shot a short, brief smile his was going in.
He closed the door as she sat down.
He sat beside her, nerving her. “I noticed you were limping and you have a gash to your head so are you going to share how they happened.”
“I guess.’
“We’ll talk about your head first them move into your ankle.”
“Okay.”
He looked at her. “So what happened to your head?”
“An accident.”
“Some accident if you needed stitches Autumn.
“I went carting with the guys.”
“What guys Autumn? Be more specific.”
“Con, Dan, James, Harry and Ashby.”
“Oh I see.”
“It wasn’t like that it wasn’t their fault.”
“So whose was it?”
She looked at him. “Why can I remember everything bad that ever happened and not the good.”
“What’s do you mean Autumn?”
“I lied to them. I lost control.”
“Why Autumn?”
“Because they would think that I was fruited.”
“I’m sure that they wouldn’t.”
“They wouldn’t understand.”
“So tell me what happened so I can at least try and understand why you felt that you had to lie to your friends.”
“Everything was going fine til we’d all done a few laps, the walls were going way too fast and I drifted.”
“You seem to be doing a lot of that lately.”
“I just wanted to be normal and he ruined it.”
“Is this to do what you told me before half term?”
“Yes.”
“So you decided to face your fears head on?”
“Yeah like Halloween.”
“I don’t think that was really wise Autumn.”
“Maybe.”
“So tell me a little about what happened Halloween.”
- Writer
