Space Blood

2. Alia Taylor

"Happy birthday Tom!" I was greeted by my two best friends, Benjamin and Daniel. I unlocked my locker and pulled out my text books. Then I heard the familiar high heeled shoes, and sighed.

  "Hey bae! I've got extra tickets to this new movie, wanna come?" I closed my locker and looked at her. Let me introduce you to my girlfriend, Lauren Major. Our families are close and I knew her since preschool. She was okay in Primary, then she found out about 'popularity' and she changed her look and personality.

  "Lauren, I'm breaking up with you," I said as I looked her in the eye, her eyes widened and she went quiet. "I'm sorry, but it just isn't working for me."

  "Why?" Lauren's body was shaking, tears started appearing.

  "It's just not working and I think we're better off friends," I gave her a small shrug and turned around and walked away, leaving Lauren standing by the lockers.

__________

  "She's in pain, she's trapped and confused, there's this spark of anger in her waiting to be ignited. She will help me perfectly," The voice in the core smiled.

__________

  I said goodbye to my friends and started up my driveway. I unlocked the front door and found a note on the kitchen counter. 'I will be back before 5, there's muffins in the fridge. Love, Mum.'

I grabbed a muffin and went through to the backyard. I checked my phone and I got a text from mum. 'Remember to go over to Mrs. Bateman's house.' I texted back and finished off my muffin. Mrs. Bateman was an old classmate of Mum's and I was paid $20 a week to do the chores.

I grabbed my jacket and the keys and left the house. I headed to Mrs Bateman's street, and soon I was knocking on her door. I heard the lock click and the door opened. I expected to see Mrs Bateman's cheerful face, but instead there was a girl around his age. She had long brown hair and sapphire blue eyes that glistened in the sunlight.

"Hi, I'm Thomas, I'm looking for Mrs Bateman?" I looked at her and felt my heart skip. She turned around and shouted, "Auntie! It's Thomas!"

I heard a woman's running footsteps and saw Mrs Bateman with an apron on.

"Come in, come in dear. I just need you to water the plants and vacuum the floor. I had Alia help me with some of the chores today." Mrs Bateman said as she led me into the kitchen. "Alia meet Thomas Kenny and Thomas meet Alia Taylor, my niece. She came to stay with me for a few months because she wants to move here. This is Thomas, his mother and I used to be classmates and he's been helping me around the house."

Alia smiled at me and I felt my face heat up. Mrs Bateman returned to her work and I pushed through the back door into the garden.

"What school do you go to?" I jumped and relaxed when I saw Alia grinning behind me.

"Cheril High."

"Do you like living here? My Aunt says I would love it here and there are plenty of public high schools."

"Yeah, it's pretty fun. Where do you come from?" I crossed the lawn to the tap. "Watch out."

"I come from Florida, I wanted to move somewhere else because of the weather, it's boiling all year around in Florida." Alia stood closer to me and I turned on the sprinklers.

"Wanna hear a joke?" Thomas said as he crossed the lawn, with Alia behind him.

"Sure."

"How do you make holy water? You boil the hell out of them!" Thomas looked at Alia hopefully.

  Alia burst out laughing and she had to place a hand on my shoulder. I grinned and I felt happy, finally a girl that gets my jokes. I found Mrs Bateman cutting up a freshly baked apple pie.

  "Hey kids, have a slice of apple pie, it's fresh from the oven!" Mrs Bateman said as she placed two plates in front of them. I munched on the pie, Alia beside me, eating with just as much enthusiasm.

  I found the vacuum cleaner and started in the living room. I usually hated vacuuming, but now I had Alia to talk to and to laugh with, I was kinda sad when I finished the last room.

  "Bye, I'll see you tomorrow," I waved to Alia and Mrs Bateman and walked back home.