Looking For Lacey

The Box of Sentimally Valuable Material Possessions

EW-

"Mr Winter please pay attention!" I roll my eyes at the teacher and continue to play on my phone. The old fart doesn't do a thing to stop me. Never has never will.

About five minutes before class ends, I stand up and walk boredly out of the classroom. Why, you may ask? Because I'm the bad boy. I always was I guess. Even in grade eight I was the kid who talked bak to the teacher, skipped school and took it into my own personal hands to make history class a bearable experience. I got better with Lace though.

My grades went up, and I found myself wanting to come to school. Not wanting. I needed to come. But now that she's de- gone, now that the highlight of my day isn't around, I find myself going back to my old ways, but worse. I figure if she's not around to make me want to achieve well, I mean, why would I need a good job if I have no one to support?, then what's the point?

"Watch it." I growl as someone runs into me. They trip and stumble down the stairs. When I turn my head around it's like this enormous sense of déjà vu. Lacey? But it isn't Lacey.

"You watch it. You were the one not looking where you were going."

"Oh yeah?" I cock my eyebrows at the girl, challenging her. "What's your name?"

She looks at me in surprise, but stands up and brushes off the back of her uniform shorts, which actually fit her well.

"Evie-Jane. And you?"

"Elliot." I reply, "so you new here or something?"

"Obviously. I can't seem to find A02. This school is so confusing. A01 is over there, and so is A04, but what about A02?" I laugh at her and take her timetable.

"Well lucky for you I'm both your chaperone and classmate today... Evie-Jane."

There's something about her that makes me want to know her. It's the same thing that drew me to Lacey, but... Different. I fell in love with Lacey the instant our eyes met, but with this Evie-Jane I feel curious. Like I want to know her, and know her story. I've never felt such a powerful emotion.

"Well that's just wonderful," she sais sarcastically, although with a grin. "Come on, I don't want to be late."

"Well I'm afraid that late is the only way I arrive, so you're about to become rebellious."

-:-:-:-

"Elliot! Elliot is that you?"

"Elspeth?" I ask in confusion. What's she doing here?

"I haven't seen you in forever!" My sister squeals and envelopes me into a tight hug. My muscles tense up but I hug her back anyway. Ever since Lacey I've kind of tried to avoid any kind of physical touch, whether it be affectionate or aggressive.

"So how are you?" She asks. I can tell that she's really wanting to just burst into story about university in Brisbane. My sister, although our family is ridiculously broke, got into the QUT university in Brisbane, which is the Queensland University of Technology.

"You know, same old same old..." I shrug although that really isn't true. I am not the same old Elliot Winter I once was.

"How's school? You need to shave." She points out the stubble on my chin and jawline, while putting her long hair up into a tight bun. Elspeth is everything a star student should be. She's dedicated, kind, intelligent and free-spirited. There's only one other person I've ever met that could possibly out-do Elspeth, and she's not exactly around.

"Thanks for that one mum." I joke and take a seat at the dining room table.

"Here! I got us some afternoon tea." She sets down a platter with fruit and vegetable sticks, two glasses of cold water and a few slices of pizza. "So tell me about yourself Eli, I haven't seen you for ages." That might seem like a strange way for two siblings to start a conversation, but it's true. We are notoriously terrible at keeping in touch with people.