The Boy in Blue

Chapter 4

Eden shuddered as she huddled together with Nikita and Lei as they walked to the library. Dew hung from the trees lining the pathway and the air was crisp. If Autumn was to start, it would definitely make an impression with the sudden cold that Brisbane woke up too that morning. Once the automatic glass doors were in view, Eden ran inside the library, slapped by the warmth. Lei and Nikita followed swiftly, Nikita taking her hands out of her blazer and rubbing them together.

Eden dramatically fell onto the seat, Nikita sitting next to her while Lei took the window seat opposite to them. She looked out of the glass window wall, huffing as she complained about the cold.

"Guys, it really isn't THAT cold out'' said Flick as she plopped down on the spot next to Lei. She laughed as Nikita and Eden shuddered in response, turning to Lei so they could talk about how 'not cold' it was.

"What, are they both made with thermal fluff or what?"

Nikita and Eden snickered together at the joke, tactfully dodging glares thrown at them by the two girls in front of them. The sound of the doors automatically opening reverted them from a 'would be' play fight as they all looked at the people approaching them.

The girls waved at Hong and Lucas as they walked in, both carrying laptops and sitting down at another table.

Eden smiled at a girl walking past her, before gesturing for her to sit.

"Guys, meet Hanna! She's new here and I'm her buddy."

Eden turned to Hanna, looking regretfully as she apologised for the morning. Hanna laughed it off, explaining to the other girls how Eden had lost her that morning and had placed her in several wrong classrooms, making her late on her first day.

The girls all laughed, Eden eventually laughing along.

"Seriously Eden, you do have a knack for leading people to doom on their first days, don't ya? Flick leaned on Lei's shoulders, placing her pencil on the table.

"Remember how sport was my very first lesson and how you managed to get me to trash talk the guy sitting next to us because he annoyed you earlier?

"Xander? Well, he deserved it."

Lei pushed her hair out of her face, flashing a smile.

"Well, mine was DEFINITLEy the most iconic."

Eden laughed nervously, playing with her tie.

"I am actually really sorry for that Lei"

"And I said it's fine. Kinda happy you did, if i'm being honest"

Hanna leaned into the conversation, a curious look on her face.

"What happened?"

The girls joined in, asking Lei to recite that day's events to them.

"Jeez, y'all are so pushy. But sure." She glared at the group, a smile tugging at her lips when she noticed Eden's apologetic face. "ummm well we were all sitting at the front of the library walkway and everyone was talking. It was only my 3rd day or something, so I was very quiet."

" I literally thought you were mute on your first week, I didn't hear you utter a single word."

Nikita laughed at the face Lei pulled, before urging her to continue.

"Well, me being me, I just sat next to Flick looking at my phone. When she got up, so did I, but Eden had her back facing us and was talking to Nik. As I walked past her, she stepped on my foot. It hurt a bit, but it was definitley memorable."

Nik yelped, diverting the attention from Lei to herself. She threw a playful slap back at Eden, who had accidently shoved her elbow in Niks eyes.

"I guess it ain't gonna stop is it?" Lei rolled her eyes and snickered, stopping when loud cries sounded from the table behind them. Hong had lost a game of chess. Eden glanced behind her, laughing as he dramatically threw a chess piece at Lucas, who was sitting in silent victory, a smirk on his face.

"Wow Hong, sore loser much?"

"hE BEAT ME THREE TIMES"

Felicity paused, trying not to laugh at Hong's stricken face. "What, in the span of 20 minutes? How bad are ya?"

Nikita paused, before talking. "Actually, he's pretty good. I think I've only ever beaten him like, what, two times? And we've played heaps. And I would say I'm actually pretty decent at chess so..."

Eden looked back at the boy's table, thinking. She watched their silent communication, the moving of various pieces on the checkered wood. It was indeed fascinating to her.

He was real smart. In the few weeks that had passed, although she never talked to him, she had picked up a few bits and pieces here and there. As far as she knew, he did two sciences and engineering, along with extension maths and HPE.

She herself was in two sciences, although she had picked up art and humanities along with business. Her parents didn't approve, but she had convinced them with much pleading and desperation.

"Eden, don't you have detention today?"

Nik stood up and packed up her pencils. The bell rang, signalling the first period was about to begin. She gestured to Lucas, not quite looking at him. "He does too, does he not?"

"Ew dont remind me. I swear, is being late a crime nowadays?"

Eden's protests were put down by Felicity, who smacked her playfully on the arm.

"Actually, in a school setting it is a crime. So you better not forget." She walked off, Lei in tow behind her."

"Defend me, bestie." Eden turned to Nikita, who smirked and dashed all of her hopes.

"No can do, Eden. I would smack you myself if you were late today. You gotta start being more organized." She speed walked after her statements, causing Eden to half protest, half laugh as she fought to catch up.

Another cry of defeat sounded from behind her, just as the second bell rang signalling class time.

"Just in time," she thought to herself.