Chapter 5: Alex Again

We stared at each other for a bit. He seemed to smile at me like as if he liked me. Wait.

No, that couldn’t have been it. He has, Regina. And I am, well I may look like I’m nice but if he knew my past…

Suddenly Regina pops out of nowhere, crushing our moment. I mumble sorry again (though he probably didn’t hear) and run off, remembering Casey.

“WHERE HAVE YOU **** BEEN???” Casey shouts, she looks so scared, her face white as a ghosts. She was outside K-mart, when I found her. We both sit down on a bench.

“I bumped into Alex,” I say.

Her expression completely changes, “Ohhhhhh. I see, you bumped into Alex,” she says his name carefully, rolling the vowels in her tongue.

“It was nothing, really, he was with Regina. Though it looked like he might like me because of the way he said something…but, no. he’s with Regina,” I mutter quickly.

Casey just laughs.

“I knew someone just like you who got involved with the popular gang,” she said the word popular like her tongue was on fire.

“Who?” I asked.

“Me,” she says.

“Oh yeah, I wasn’t always miss. Goth! Haha! No, I used to be let’s put it in these terms, ‘Regina,”

My face shows my expression and I yearn to know more.

“Hey! Don’t look so gob-smacked, I can be very luring,”

We both fall about laughing

What would happen if Casey knew what he had done, that I was related to a…

“Anyway, they’re all useless jerks who mean nothing and are nothing,”

And the conversation ends.

***

“I see you went all out on your shopping trip!” my aunt laughs sarcastically, she is a very cool aunt.

I stare at my display of lollypops and key chains on the counter and laugh remembering each of the scenes that led us to our crazed decisions.

There was only one piece of clothing, a pretty silk dress that was slashed 50% off so many times that the stickers overlapped till it was three cm thick!

But it was beautiful; Casey mocked me over buying a “Girlies Dress” but in the end said that I should get it.

For some reason I imagined Alex when I saw it, I don’t know why. I cancelled the thought out of my head and headed to my room. I gazed at the picture of my mum. I was just a baby with a tiny ribbon on my curls

Oh, why did you have to die?

*** 

“And next week class we’re going to do an assignment on, ‘What’s YOUR future? Have a great weekend! I sure will, I mean, having to teach these horrible kids?” Mr Hendrix joked.

“Haha” some kids laughed.

I knew exactly what my future is going to be, architecture. I’ve wanted to be an architect since I was eight. Nothing amazes me more than designing and exploring magical buildings created by these glorious architects.

The week had gone by so fast!

Things had finally gotten into routine, the schedule was:

Meet Casey in the morning and talk.

Get into class.

Recess break: Populars continue to tease, Casey saves me.

More work.

Lunch break: Cafeteria line, then rush off as soon as we’ve finished to our favourite place to hang out, just behind the school.

Work.

Get on same bus as Casey. (Isn’t it cool that she lives on my street?)

And it starts all over again. Of course occasionally I see Alex…

I’ve been trying to forget, he keeps shooting me these grins and smiles but I try to ignore it. One time it slipped, but Casey helps me to PUSH ON.

The only reason he’s being nice to me is because that’s just how Alex is.

I found out that I’m, “Popular Material”

I was in the toilets one day and I overheard Regina’s gang talking this was how the conversation went:

NitWit1: How about that new kid, what’s her name…

Nitwit2: Hannah?

Nitwit1: yeah she’s so emo hanging out with crazy Casey!

nitwit2: yeah, CREEPY!

Nitwit1: too bad though, because she’s Popular material

Nitwit3: yeah, except for her nanny’s clothes

Nitwit2: Oh God Marie! (Supposedly nitwit3) you’re such a copy cat!

Nit wit3: I am not!

Nitwit1: you are, Regina said that.

Nitwit4 joins in: I think she has cool clothes

Nitwit1: No way!

Nice popular, (formerly nitwit4): Whatever, Class is starting.

I also found out that Regina says I have, “Nanny’s Clothes”

Who cares?

At least I have Casey as my friend, “Crazy Casey”

Why do they think she’s crazy??

***

Three days later:

The rain pours harder and harder as I run home, “See ya later!” I call to Casey as she runs the opposite way.

She nods in return and now I’m on my own. The fog is falling on me, what a horrible day! (Weather wise.) I search for some shelter, anywhere, because I can’t make it home in this rain. I find a house and beg that whoever owns this house won’t mind.

I soon find out…..

“There’s someone out here!” A voice shouts from inside.

He sounds so familiar, so familiar…

I get frightened and pray once more that they won’t mind, I prepare the words in my head as I hear them come to the door.

“Hey, you…”

“I’m so sorry…” we both say at the same time

And by We I mean, me and Alex

Me and Alex.

Me and Alex.

Alex’s house.

Me and Alex.