The Boy from the Past

Chapter 2 - Past

20/01/2004

I was surrounded by one of those dreams bubbles that keeps you warm, I never wanted to wake up from that dream. But unfortunately, the alarm clock ticked 8:00 precisely. I glare at the digits, frowning, my time in bed was over.

I get up hazily, cause the alarm sound was so irritating. I stumble upon my sleepy feet to reach the bathroom. Another day, the same routine again, I was in no mood to go to school but had to as there was no way I could use the excuse of stomach pain again. That excuse was overused way too many times by me. Besides mom wouldn't believe me anyway. I rinse my face with cold water to fresh up the comforting warmth of the sleep washed away. I brush my teeth and wear my black and white uniform; a black skirt, white shirt, black tie and as it was cold a black coat. I was really in the mood of doing absolutely nothing. Ah, sometimes I was lazy. An unconventional behaviour for an A-grade student, like me. But I wasn't perfect, nor I ever pretended to be. I have just been lucky.

A little bling sound brings my attention to my phone. I flip open the phone and stare at the phone screen and continue the exhausting mission of dressing myself. I already know who it is when I take the phone. It's Queen, my official best friend. I say "official" because she proclaimed herself this title.

I read her message which says: "Did you finish math homework? come soon !!!!".

 I sigh, great, now I have a reason to go to school. Queen has all her intention to copy my homework, I need to stop her before she becomes too lazy to do her homework herself. I shove the phone in my jacket pocket, grab my bag and leave the room.

In the living room, my mom and dad are sitting in their usual places. Dad is on his sofa reading his favourite newspaper and mom on the table with her favourite newspaper. Sometimes I ask myself how these two got together, they were completely different from every point of view, from physical to intellectual. Mom with her 1,69 height and Dad only 1,50. They made a striking couple, one strict other soft, one sour another bittersweet. But then they complimented each other well and I love them both. They were up early in the morning and had already breakfast before me, 'Good morning dad,' I kiss him on the cheek. 'Morning mom,' I gave her a light hug, she wasn't a big fan of kisses.

'Morning sweetheart.' My dad replied. I scrunch my nose and grab an apple from the table.

'Sara, you are late', mom says to me as I bite the apple '...again.' I'm already packing my sandwich in foil paper, which mom prepared for me. I exchange a glance with my dad, he does a funny face at me, and I answer his expression. We always do that when mom starts her preaching or is about to. 'Anna relax, it happens sometimes', dad says to mom 'and I was not feeling very well,' I add. It was only late ten minutes; I gave her an apologetic smile. 'You want some medicine' she looks concerned, and I feel a little guilty for making her worry unnecessary.

'No mom, I'm fine,' I hug her again, 'I'll leave now or the school gate will be closed.'

On the step door of our home, Moonrise is lying lazily on his small bed. Moonrise was my birthday gift on my sixteenth birthday, from my dad much to the dismay of my mother, as she didn't want pets in the house. So, I could have Moonrise only if I kept him outside, poor baby, and he was only allowed in my room, nevertheless, I absolutely loved my cat, I nuzzle his soft grey fur, giving him a soft kiss on his furry head and leave him in his blissful sleep. I walk hurriedly out of the building and down the street. My school wasn't particularly distant. I liked the daily walk; it was comforting as I had time to think and most importantly listen to music. I shiver a little from the cool weather, there was a little snow piled up on the corner of the road with dirt, not a good looking view at all. I pass the line of houses in my lane, they all looked the same, orange walls with little garden each.  Upon the main venue, there is a small crowd of kindergarten kids, going somewhere, on a trip. I pass them smiling, my early grumpiness leaves me completely when I reach school. Thank god, the school gate is still open, there are still some students roaming in the yard which means, I'm in time. I reach my locker and as I expected Queen is there waiting for me, on our usual bench, her books and notes spread around her. Queen and math were in a constant war.

'Hey, genius', I greet her and land quite ungraciously beside her joining her in her mess. 'Thank god you are finally here. I've been waiting for you since...', she looks at her wristwatch '...an hour.’

'An hour?!... you were that early?' I exclaim. But she was already busy rummaging in my bag. 'Here,' I help her taking out my math notebook.

'Don't copy too much.' I mumble. I never quite like quite copying homework, especially with Mrs Pentos, she had a sharp eye for copied homework, not that I could refuse my best friend.

'Yes, yes, don't worry, you know how it is. Medusa is going to eat me alive if I don't show my neatly done homework today, and if she says something, about our homework being the same, we'll tell her that we did it together,' at this she grins at me like she is impressed by her own evil lie.

Medusa aka Mrs Pentos was, by the way, our math teacher, legend says that she could petrified students with her eyes, which explains the nickname, I never really had any problem with the teacher, she once even complimented me for an assignment, which meant a lot to me, because she wasn't much fond of praising.

'....and you know what happened last time when I showed her my empty notebook. It was horrible, and I told her that I tried to solve the equation, but I could not get the answer. I mean. It's frustrating. I really don't understand why the school hired a teacher with such less empathy and that incompetent tutor of mine is not useful at all...', my friend is on her free rant mode, whenever she is too sad or too excited, this happens to her. I just mutter a 'Hmm' every now and then and pat her shoulder as she continues speaking about how bad that day was. I smile lightly at her remark on her incompetent math tutor. But something in the corner of my eyes catches my attention.

My attention falters away from Queen’s rant and I'm not there anymore.

My eyes fall on a figure standing at the end of the hallway. Right in front of the president's office. He was standing right across me, leaning on the wall, with his hands shoved in pockets and one leg bend so his foot was resting on the wall. Even from that distance, I could tell he was tall. I didn't know why I was so blatantly staring at a stranger. Yet I could not look away. His face was hidden in shadow, but it had somewhat fascinating. The sunlight coming from the window above casted shades of gold on his soft blond hair. I was hypnotized.

He was wearing a sand colour jacket, rather thin considering the temperature, a pair of consumed jeans and rugged boots. His head hand low like a defeated animal, like he already lost a battle he never agreed to fight. He gave off an aura of danger, even though he wasn't dressed like the typical "so-called" bad boys of our school. There was something about him, the grim expression, the way he stood like he owned the place. One thing I knew, I was instantly attracted to him. It was fast yet slow, like in slow motion. I was almost feeling dizzy from all that tornado of feelings. This was new to me; I was feeling like I've been waiting for that moment to come. I was shocked at myself for thinking so.

I was still staring at him, and just like that in a flick of a moment, his head turned into my direction like he felt my gaze on him and he caught me looking at him. I immediately turn around, toward Queen, who against all odd was still talking. I hesitate to look at the boy again, red in the face. The president's office door opens, a woman, around her forties, comes out holding a file in her arms, she is of a petite frame, with a short haircut, that makes look her like a pixie. She puts her hand on the boy's shoulder and says something. He doesn't seem very pleased to hear what, I assume, his mother says. He replies to her with a serious expression and then they both leave. He doesn't look back at me. Thank God. I wonder if he just got admitted to the school. My hearts accelerate at the thought.

God, get a grip on yourself.

My eyes are still fixated on the point where the boy was leaning. 'Sara,' Queen had packed her stuff and is ready to leave, waiting for me, I didn't realize the bell rang. I must have had a lunatic expression on my face because she frowns at me, 'You fine?'

I sigh, 'Yes, never felt better.' I smile at her.

And we leave for the class together.