The Life You Love

Chapter 2/Part 2

My registration class is on the same floor as English, my first class of the day and it's a bloody double. Don't get me wrong – I love English. It's one of two of my favourite subjects. But I want to avoid Alex at all costs and having him in my class isn't ideal, especially as he sits on the desk next to mine, which is almost the same as sitting next to me. I also wish we would study something other than Shakespeare. Mr Stevenson is an ancient teacher. He's taught at Sparrowell Academy since before it was Sparrowell Academy: he taught my parents at the old Sparrowell School. Back in their day Sparrowell was such a small community that they only had the one school. But in the late 80s the town expanded and we needed a bigger school so the old School building became a community centre and they built a separate primary and secondary school at opposite ends of the town. Mr Sparrowell is obsessed with William Shakespeare. He will teach nothing else if The Bard is an option. Stevenson prattles on about "Bill" like they were the best of friends back in the day, and the knowledge of our teacher should be inspiring but really it just encourages the artistic types to illustrate him wearing elaborate outfits next to a blue police box. We're all pretty sure he's time travelled to meet him, otherwise the passion is a little weird. The one plus side to double periods is that we get a ten-minute break in the middle and people bring in cakes and biscuits for the class. I would enjoy this more if it weren't so early in the morning but seeing as I didn't have breakfast this morning I'm counting down the minutes until someone whips out the chocolate digestives and mini rolls. I'm almost salivating at the thought of the snacks when a crumpled piece of paper lands on my desk. I look in the direction the paper meteor came from to find the culprit staring at me. Guess who. Is this seriously happening? The look on his face informs me it's not intended to annoy me, and Alex motions for me to open it up. I didn't realise people actually do this in real life; throw notes in class.

"Sorry I abandoned you in regi. I don't have an excuse. I shouldn't need one – it was horrible of me to do that to you. Forgive me?" I don't know what to do. Ignore him? Forgive him? Maybe I was wrong – I wasn't a mission after all. I can't help but smile, though. For below his apology, Alex has drawn two boxes, with "yes" and "I suppose so" underneath them. No outright option to not forgive him. It's sweet. I know he's been watching me so I put my head down and tuck the paper into my bag. He might know it made me happy, but he's not getting the satisfaction of a reply.

'Miss Fawkes?' I expected Mr Stevenson to be staring at me, anticipating an answer to a question I never heard, but I hadn't been that out of it. I wish it had been. I looked up to see Mr Campbell at the class door, beckoning me outside. I start putting my folder away, thinking the worst: Dad's taken everything. He's burnt the house down. Mum and I are moving in with gran down in England right this moment. But I'm interrupted by the Head; 'Leave your stuff, you'll be back before the bell. Sorry to interrupt, Mr Stevenson.' Although it's a relief to know I'm not about to be kicked out of school – for what I don't know, but the thought crossed my mind along with all the other possibilities – I'm by no means calm about this schedule change, especially not when I step outside and am asked 'Would you mind if we had a quick chat in my office?' I agree, stumbling over my words and follow behind. In my 5 years at Sparrowell, I have never been near Mr Campbell's office and I'm surprised by how small it is. The desk barely fits in along side the shelves full of folders and books. He notions for me to take a seat in one of those weird, cushioned chairs that are wider than normal but are only about a foot off the ground, so it feels like my knees are rammed into my chest. I can feel myself starting to shake and I'm fairly certain a dizzy spell is on its way. You're fine. You're going back to class before the bell. You're just hungry and that's why you're shaking. Once you get some sugar in you at break you'll be grand.

'I'm sorry for interrupting your lesson, Elissa, but I'm concerned about one of your classmates, Miss Bourne – Amelia – and I believe she's a friend of yours?'

Amelia? That's what this is about? 'Um, yes Sir. We've been friends for ages, but I... I haven't spoken to her much recently. Is everything alright?'

'No, no, everything is quite alright, I was just wondering if you knew where she was today?' My head is reeling. Why are they asking me? She apparently told Miss Fuller she had an appointment so surely the school should know that? I explain to Mr Campbell what I know, to which he slowly nods his head and "hmms".

'Right, well, thank you, Elissa. If you do hear from her, tell her she must provide a doctors note or letter from whomever she has an appointment with in future or she will be marked as unauthorised which won't look good on her record.' I agree, though I'm doubtful I will hear from her if she hasn't even spoken to the school. Also, why is it my job to tell her? I have enough of my own problems to deal with; Amelia already being one of them. I want to forget the conversation happened but I can't help but worry about her. This isn't like her – Amelia was always the teacher's pet and even in when we moved up to the Academy she continued to be a favourite. Why hasn't she called anyone? I make my way back to class; just managing to miss the rush of changeover, and luckily the treats were just beginning to get ripped open so my return turned no heads apart from Mr Stevenson who gave me a curt nod, just checking everything was alright, and of course Alex came over, holding out a mini roll for me. I make to take it, the words "thank you" on my tongue, when Alex raises his eyebrows and his hand with my chocolate cake in the air. Tease.

'You didn't answer my note.' I'm still a little wary about the truth, and before being pulled from class I might have played along with Alex right now, try to figure him out but I'm too busy worrying about my best friend to play his game. It dawns on me that Alex was the one to tell me about Amelia's appointment.

'Listen, forget about this regi thing,' I urge, eager to find out if he knows anything more about this "appointment", or Amelia herself. I doubt she yelled out in front of the class to Miss Fuller so why was Alex paying attention? Then again, why was he paying me attention?

'Remember you said Amelia had an appointment?' I wait for his answer but he just looks confused, still holding his hand above his head.

'On the bus, I asked if you'd seen her not expecting you to know who she is but you said she'd told Miss Fuller about an appointment?' I'm exasperated now. Was he lying? Or have I just got him off guard?

He furrows his eyebrows, slowly nodding and lowering his arm.

'Uhh yeah? Why?' I briefly, and quietly, explain what went down with Mr Campbell and Alex looks suddenly unwell. I don't get to question him further. He tells me not to worry about it then, with a far away look on his face he absentmindedly hands me the cake and heads to his seat. Mr Stevenson prepares to start class again, standing by the whiteboard and writing characters names down for who knows what sort of task to fill the next hour and I go back to my seat along from Alex. I turn around to see him frantically typing on his phone. I want to ask if he's alright but he smiles, turning to the friend he shares the desk with and shows him something on his phone. Assuming he's replying to some girl's Snapchat or a message from one of his pack about something or other, I stare ahead at the pale blue, hospital-esque walls of my English classroom as I half listen to Mr Stevenson drone on and on about how each character connect to each other and try to explain the ye olde English way of speaking and iambic pentameter. The other half of my mind is running through the possibilities of Amelia's whereabouts when I feel that familiar rise in my chest and I get that sinking feeling in my stomach. I'm not just worried about Amelia – I feel guilty. She's my best friend, but clearly something is wrong and I never noticed. How long has this been going on for? Have I unknowingly pushed her away and now she thinks I don't care? Does she think I don't like her? But why isn't she telling the school where she is? What's wrong with Amelia?

//

Thanks for all your votes! 

I hope you're all enjoying TLYL so far. This is the first draft I wrote so there will be some problems and probably way too many plot lines and overdramatic-ness... so if you've read this far well done hahah <3