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1721 Words
They walked down the corridor to the dinner hall grabbing their lunch sitting down with their friends. They walked out of the cafeteria Autumn looked straight at Mathew cutting her eyes as they walked out. They had a cigarette before the bell went for registration and their last two lessons. Autumn and Daniel said good bye to Connor and they went into their last lesson.
Autumn and Connor said good bye to their friends. They stood bye the bridge.
“So what really happened between you and Harding?”
“Nothing.”
“I saw the way you looked at him babe, if looks could kill yours certainly would.”
“He just said things that hit home.”
He edged forward. “Don’t Con.”
“It’s just a good bye kiss babe chill.”
“I..”
He pressed his lips on hers kissing her. He moved away. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your door.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I promised your mom.”
“Okay.”
They walked away they stood by Autumns. “I’ll see you tomorrow, babe.”
“Okay.”
He kissed her cheek. “Later babe.”
“Later Con.”
She closed the door behind her he walked away wondering if she’d ever tell him what was really said between her and Harding.
7th November
Mathew stood by the door she walked slowly over to him. “I didn’t think I’d have the
pleasure of your presence today.”
“I was board.”
“So is your ankle better now?”
“Yeah.”
“Come through and we’ll begin.”
She slipped into the room walking over to the sofa sitting down. He closed the door walking over sitting opposite her. “So.. how are you feeling now?”
“Okay.”
“Good. We’ll begin a new page today and begin with what happened between you and Taylor.’ He looked at her. “You are okay with talking about him aren’t you.”
“Yeah but it weren’t just him.”
“So who else was it beside him?”
“His friends. I always felt like he just asked me out just to torment me at every chance that he got.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Well it felt like it.”
“So, tell me what happened when you went to the swimming pool.’
“It all began with him pushing me in, well we all got pushed in then they all dive bombed into the water as we surfaced. Then he’d always tell me he loved me.’
He starred at her.
“Then it would all begin again. They pulled us under before they all went up on the boards.”
“And the incident.”
He pulled himself up he could tell she was finding it hard and he could see the fear in her eyes.
He placed his hands over hers. “It’s okay Autumn take your time.”
She swallowed. “I was really good the instructor said I was. I could’ve gone pro but they made me so nervous up there I tried to cancel, my instructor could tell I was falling back something that I’d never done. He had tried to talk to me. I told him that I was okay then I froze, it took me fifteen minutes to take the dive. He called me over to one corner and asked me what was wrong. I told him my friends decided to jump off the board with me. He requested that I stood down until I got my head sorted.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No. Taylor came round after I told him that I wasn’t going. He told me to get my stuff cause everyone was waiting.’
“So you did?”
“What else could I do Matt? I was backed into a corner with nowhere to go.” She explained sitting nervously, twitching.
“You don’t have to carry on Autumn if you prefer we can do this another day if it’s bringing back to many bad memories.”
“It’s okay.’ She breathed heavily and began again.” He placed his arm around me and closed the door.
“The guys are around the corner.”
“I don’t know about this Taylor.”
“It’ll be okay I promise.”
I smiled nervously at him our joint dates never went quiet to plan.
“There you are what took you so long?”
“Autumn hadn’t got her stuff ready.”
“I thought you told her?”
“I did you know girls.”
“Yeah I do. Come on let’s go.”
We caught the bus into the town he was all over me until we got to the pool where we all separated to get changed.
“I hope this isn’t going to be like the last time.”
“Me too. We’ll get kicked out.”
“I’m surprised that you came Autumn.”
“I wasn’t I told him I wasn’t.”
“So why did he call around for you?”
“I don’t know.”
We all changed going into the pool the the guy’s Wolfe whistled.
Taylor wrapped his arms around me. “You look hot.”
“Come on Taylor were going on the boards.”
He looked at me. “You coming?”
“I don’t know.”
“Come on babe.”
We pulled ourselves up out of the water walking over to the boards.
“You first, Autumn.”
“I…I.”
“Go on babe we won’t try anything. Promise.” He said kissing me.
Autumn sat nervously her eyes wide, dilated. ’Looking at your eyes I say he did.”
’I swallowed pulling myself the ladders to the top, Taylor and the others following. I know I shouldn’t’ve been so close to the edge of the board, all I heard was shouting then Taylor and Rudgey crashed into me. I lost my balance and fell.”
“Autumn!” Cas shouted whilst Rudgey held her back.
“They all watched as I fell.
Water vomited out of my mouth my eyes slowly opened.”
“It’s going to be okay miss, the ambulance is on its way.”
“What happened?” I asked, closing my eyes.
“So they planed it?”
“Taylor said they didn’t, but he told me to keep it shut. I came around in hospital and he smiled. “Taylor.”
“You okay babe?”
“I guess.” I replied groggily.
“Good.”
“You planned this didn’t you?”
“No.” He said nervously.
“Why are you looking like you did then?”
“I didn’t. So when the cops come and ask what happened you tell them them exactly that.”
“Bu..”
“Please Autumn we’ve already been slapped with a ban I don’t need a record too.”
“Okay.”
“He kissed me softly and stayed with me to make sure I didn’t slip up when the police talked to me.”
“So what did you tell the cops?”
“I lost my footing the guys thought I’d already dived.”
“So you lied.”
“He’d’ve had an asbo or worse Matt. He’d had loads of warnings.”
“So what happened after?”
“His brother picked us up and took me home. He called him a little prick for being so stupid. And I could’ve died if I hadn’t hit the water right.”
“I guess he was mad?”
“So was my mom. I wasn’t meant to see him again.”
“But you did.”
“Try telling someone it’s over who won’t listen.”
“So what happened Halloween?”
“I guess he thought he was getting back at me for trying to dump him.”
The bell rang.
“We’ll talk more about this next week okay.”
“Okay.’ She said pulling herself up. ’Thanks.”
“Anytime you want to talk just drop in.”
“Sure.” She said’ opening the door.
Bonfire
8th November
Connor met Autumn by the bridge, he smiled kissing her cheek. “Are you sure about tonight Autumn?”
“Yeah.”
A bang went off she jumped. The illumines colours lit the whole of the sky.
“Chill babe, it’ll be like this all weekend.”
“I know.”
“We can bail.”
“No. Let’s just get it over and done with.”
“Sure.” He took her hand walking away. “Is you mom okay with you staying over?”
“Yeah.”
“Even though you sprained your ankle and bumped your head.”
“She still doesn’t know the truth and I prefer it that way.”
“Sure my lips are sealed.”
They walked up to James’ house. She’d wished they’d taken the bus her ankle was beginning to show the strain.
“You okay babe?”
“Yeah, I put a support on it.”
Connor knocked the window. James opened the gate. “Con, Autumn come through.”
They steeped onto the long garden as he closed the gate. “Sit down Autumn and put that leg up.”
She sat down pulling her leg up onto the crate. Connor sat next to her, the bonfire blazing.
“Here you go guys something to warm you up.”
“What is it?”
“Drink it Autumn, it will keep you warm.”
“Okay.” She said, taking it off James.
He smiled walking away. Going over to the others passing the drinks around talking to Gaz.
“It’s okay babe, it’s just a little brandy. It keeps you warm on these cold nights.”
She blew the steam away sipping it, pulling a sour face.
“You’ll get used to it.”
The fire works began, pretty colours, whizzes and screeches. They watched as the fireworks lit the sky.
Connor had left Autumn alone as the bangs grew louder and she jumped the firework came toward her his coat covered her, the fire work bounced off it.
- Writer
