Shades of Blue

Part One - Chapter 1

Date Clock: 17:00

All these events somehow had trail in a year ago. The days on which Kylie Allen sat at the rear section of the class and most of the time was attended to the whiteboard. She was not a cynosure girl, therefore barely made friends. She just mingled with a group of boys and girls, and after a month or two, mingled with anew. It was the early school year, and she was tired of these dull relationships. These all assisted her to be attracted to a newly arrived girl, named Emily Wright. Emily was a tall blond girl which unlike Kylie, looked older than her real age. It was on her arrival day that she first glanced at Kylie, while making her way to the end of the class, and sat behind her. After a few days by then, Kylie guessed her to be a unique girl. Kylie somehow tended to talk to her, for she was like herself, silent all the time. Emily didn’t talk much, and when she did, it was like Emily dealing with a child. She just didn’t care about anyone and seemed like she didn’t think about anything either. But after almost a week, the moments which Kylie was coming in or somehow confronted Emily at the break times, she noticed Emily’s glances toward herself, and averting instantly after Kylie’s attention turning toward her. Kylie knew that it was something uncommon to be seen from someone like her, but whatsoever, she did not want to start the conversation. She feared to be treated indifferently.

One day, when Kylie and some of her classmates were chatting sitting on the class lounges in a circle, she noticed Emily’s gaze again. Emily averted her eyes, but this time Kylie continued gawking at her, in order to force her to look back. Emily looked with a stare, then slightly shook a hand for her. Kylie smiled. Next day, Emily came to the class when Kylie was already in. She passed Kylie with downed eyes, and said hello to her. Kylie felt a chill, looked behind from above her shoulder, where Emily sat, and said “hi” with a smile.

Days passed like this, till one day a reason to start the conversation came from nowhere. Class was starting soon while Kylie came in. She sat on her lounge, then like current days, looked back to Emily and said “hi”. After a while, one of her classmates named Rose came and sat beside her.

“Hi Kylie," said Rose.

"Hey Rose, what’s up?” said Kylie, and looked at the round faced Rose.

“It’s fine. Look, we had a party this weekend. I wanted to tell you.”

"It's okay, I wouldn't have come anyways.” said Kylie with apathetic voice.

Rose hesitated, then said “Hey, I am sorry okay? It wasn’t like I didn’t want you to come. What you heard is not true.”

“I know Rose,” Said Kylie. “It’s not your fault, neither is any other’s. It’s mine,” and laid a hand on herself. “You don’t have to compensate anything.”

“No, it’s not your fault either. It’s j...”

"It’s just the way it is,” Kylie interrupted her. “Thank you for understanding me. We are even.” And smiled.

Rose didn’t seem convinced. “You aren’t upset on me anymore?”

"I am not upset with any of you,” said Kylie with a flat voice. “We should get used to such things. I just don’t want to talk to you anymore. Can you go please?”

Rose’s face flushed, she turned to go and stalked to the fore sect of the class. Kylie closed her eyes with a sigh and tried to bury all the emotions inside her.

South River High School, Kylie’s school, located on a main street, which straightly led to one of the bridges on the river Blue. This river passed from the middle of Hutsen city, with a moon like curved shape. There were 5 bridges on the river Blue, 4 of them in the city, one out.

They reached to the end of the school day, and as always, Kylie got out of the school apartment, passed the campus and walked on the pavement across the main street towards home. The streets, the buildings, pavements and almost everything else there, were so worn out and corrupted, as was most of the southern part of Hutsen city. However, kylie somehow enjoyed ambling beside the old main street, and considered it as the best part of a school day. It was a sunny day, and she was head down, while suddenly noticed a taller figure slow paced at her right. She looked, and saw the shiny face of Emily Wright. “Hey!"

Kylie smiled in shock. “Hey. Wasn’t expecting you.”

"It’s my everyday route,” said Emily.

"Really? Where do you live?”

"Somewhere near here,” she said with a smile. “Where do you live?”

Kylie regarded her with a strange look. “Straight ahead, this side of the bridge.”

"Riverside?”

"Yeah.”

“Seems like a harsh place,” whispered Emily.

"Like all the southern parts.”

They both fell into silence, ambling next to each other. They prevented to look at their faces as much as they could. Emily broke the silence. “I heard you talking with Rose today.”

Kylie scowled at her. “Ah, It wasn’t anything special. There are many that just pretend to be your friend, you know? It happens all the time.”

"I can walk with you if you want.”

Kylie gave her a flat look.

“I mean everyday," Emily corrected.

“You always give these suggestions to those you want to be friend with?” asked Kylie sarcastically.

"It’s the first time,” said Emily, smiling.

"Where were you before? I have never seen you in South River High School.”

Emily hesitated. “I was living far south, with my mother. She died of a heart attack a few months ago.”

Kylie flushed. “Oh, I’m sorry.”

"No, It’s okay,” said Emily, and looked down.

"What about your father?” asked Kylie curiously.

"He left us when I was a kid. I know nothing about him. I’m living with my grandma.”

Kylie pressed her lips together. “Seems like a rough life.”

Emily seemed apathetic. “I don’t care. I have my own ways.”

"For what?” asked Kylie with a stare.

Emily tuned her voice into a whisper, “for solace,” she said. Suddenly, Kylie drowned in some of the weirdest emotions she had ever experienced. Who was she? Kylie wondered.

"Whatever,” continued Emily. “Tell me about yourself.”

"Tell what?”

"What it’s like to live in Riverside?”

"It has a good view of the river and the bridge, but other than that, it’s rough. You don’t dare to get close to anyone.”

"Then why live there?”

"We can’t afford,” answered Kylie and smiled.

Emily did not reply and they both continued to walk in silence. After a while the bridge appeared and Emily said “goodbye”, then turned right and crossed the street into a road. Kylie continued her way alone, delighted. She once thought of Emily to be snobbish, but it turned to be not true. Or maybe she was snobbish, but at least not with Kylie. So again, it was a good sign.

Some moments later, Kylie was near the river, she turned left into a wide avenue, where she lived. It was old, true, but somehow magnetic. There were wooden houses in both sides of the road. And behind the houses on the right, the Blue River existed, and behind the left ones, was another avenue, similar to this. She lived in a house in the left.

When she arrived on the porch, she noticed Mary, one of the neighbours on other side of the road, coming towards her. Kylie busied herself with looking for keys in her bag, when Mary stopped about her in the yard.

“Hey Kylie, can you tell James to come out?”

Kylie looked at her. "What do you want from him?”

Mary seemed impatient. “Just do it.”

“Whatever, he might not be home,” said Kylie with a wave of her hand. She opened the door with a key, went in and returned a minute later. Stood on the porch and said, “as I told you, he is not here," her face bored.

Mary frowned. “Look Kylie, it will be the first and the last time you are hearing it. Stay away from Mike, okay?”

Kylie looked right in her eyes. “What did he tell you?”

“You know what he told me. He asked for money.”

Kylie’s face turned serious. “Look Mary, he’s just a child. He doesn’t know what he is saying. And I don’t know why everyone comes to me whenever something’s wrong.”

“Stop acting Kylie! It’s exactly what I mean,” shrilled Mary. “He’s younger than you, be ashamed of yourself and stop manipulating. Everyone knows you around here. Is there anything you don’t do for money?”

Kylie’s body grew hot. She closed her eyes and said, “get lost Mary!” with a muffled voice.

“Next time be careful who you are playing with,” said Mary and strode back.

Kylie got in with anger, and washing her tearful face was the first thing she did.