Life After

Chapter 2//>>

Its been a week since mom left, she told me little about where she was going but I guessed its always going to be work, she gave all to her work, now that she has no son and husband to worry about its all going to be work! Work! And God knows what. little did I care.

Dad has been impressive lately, we've spent some quality time together this few days, played tennis together, he even thought me how to bowl and throw a baseball. We would stay up all night watching football games on ESPN and sometimes we'd watch Fear Factor. He promised me we'd see that new series premiere this weekend.

"Dude, what's up with you" I jerked backwards as I heard a croaky voice coming towards me which brought me out of my little daydream. "I've watched you try your locker's combination for the past 5 minutes, are you high?"

"Nope...." I was cut short as I tried to swallow a lump in my throat.

"You sound like crap" he chortle as he etched an eyebrow.

"Drew, stop this okay?" I snapped, finally getting my locker's combination. I took out my Biology textbook from my locker and jammed it loud enough to be heard by the principal. "This isnt the time to try one of your silly jokes, I've got a lot on my mind" I added as I walked off towards the science laboratory.

"Oookay!" He yelled, shooting me a confused look as I turned back to find him standing at the placed I left him. I'll have to figure how to make it up to him later, but now I gotta get to class because Mr Leon isn't a fan of latecomers.

I made it to class just in time before the bell went off.

"Randall, just about time. There, go take a sit" Mr Leon said as he ushered me to my regular space beside Charlotte.

"What took you so long!" She whisper-yelled at me as soon as I sat down.

"Not now Charlotte, I'm not in the mood!" I shot her off and focused on Mr Leon's stray eyes.

"Oookay!" She responded popping the "O".

"Is there a problem over there?" Mr Leon asked looking over from her to me.

"No sir!" I quickly responded before it got out of hand.

"I thought there was another lesson going on between you two and you'd like to share" He continued straining his eyebrow behind his glasses.

"Absolutely not sir"

"So you better shut it before it gets you two into trouble!" He continued cutting me off. With that, he faced forward and continued with his lecturing. I tried hard not to stare as she kept starring hard at me like she was going to bore a hole in my head.

********

I rose up immediately I heard the school bell, signalling the end to this utterly boring lesson with Mr Leon. Heaven knows I never enjoyed his teaching before.

"Students" he called out to us all. "You're to submit your class project next week ,OK?"

"Yes sir" they all chorused.

I was like WTF, I never heard him telling us about any project. This is definitely the reward of sleeping almost halfway through the lesson period. Who could blame me, that was the most boring lesson he'd ever given us.

I left the class immediately refusing to do what I had done every school for the past 3 years in high school, which has become quite like a daily routine for me. I grabbed my bag pack and walked out.

"Hey!" Charlotte called out to me as she tried to make her way past the crowded hallway. I didn't even look back, I just kept walking away. I got to my locker and opened it, threw my textbook inside and I faced her.

"Seriously, don't you know I'm not in the mood" I asked squeezing my face with intense condescension.  "I really don't wanna talk about anything with anyone"

"Aw! Randall don't be so emo about your parent divorce, it never gets worse it only gets better" she walked towards me and placed her hand over my shoulder.

*Well. I don't blame you" I shot her an apathetic expression. "Its not like your parents aren't together anymore, you still have 'em intact, no broken home. Do you think I'll ever have anyone that awesome like my mom in my life?"

"You know, there's nothing quite cynical about your question. There are a lot of saying about no one being able to replace a mother in one's life, I'm not a complete admirer of such saying, though my parents are still together but sometimes I still feel alone and lost in my thoughts, you're almost an adult you should learn to make decisions yourself, solve important and impractical problems for yourself and stop being dependent on the rift between your parents and the grief you feel."

"Trust me, there's more to life than break-ups, they have their life to live and you have yours. Saddle up and stop acting all emo about it OK?"

"Uhmm, I guess you're right" I smiled. "I never knew all I needed was just a boost of self esteem, now that I've had that I'll reward you bountifully" I laughed and closed my locker. "Lunch's on me!"

"Hell yeah!" She grinned raising her hands high. "I'm definitely taking this offer"

"I'll beep Andrew, actually I shot him down this morning when he tried talking to me"

"Hahaha, that was why I had to give you this pep talk" she said delighted to be restored to favour.

"Hey Drew, what's up bro!"

"I'm all good" he replied "I guess Charlotte is with you" he quickly added after noticing my tone of voice.

"Yup, she told me about your little pep talk idea to talk me out of my grief, that's quite a friendly thing to do"

"We're all friend here eh! I can never be happy if  you're sad." He said objectively. "Not if you stole my girlfriend and I got her back from you once more of course" he joked.

"I won't do that to you Drew, despite all my charms and testosterone there will always be dibs on our girlfriends"

"I support that"

"Let's meet at the cafeteria in 5"

"OK bro, Be right there"

And with that I hung up and we both made our way to the cafeteria smiling at others jokes.