Shadows

Two - The Hang-Out

I hurry back to my feet, straightening my shirt as I go. The girl I'd run into is using the door's reflection to fix her hair while simultaneously shooting a glare at me.

'No,' she growls, 'I'm July Hepburn, Taylor's cousin.'

'Oh,' I can't stop looking at her, 'you look just like Taylor.'

'Whatever,' she turns to walk off but quickly turns back, 'wait, how do you know Taylor?'

I laugh at the look on her face, a mixture of smug arrogance and honest curiosity.

'I went to school with her in Brisbane. I'm Olivia but my friends call me Ollie.'

I hold out my hand for her to shake. She eyes it with disgust so I let it drop.

'So you're Olivia,' she says my name as if I'm a piece of chewing gum stuck in her hair extensions.

'Yeah, so?' I huff.

She's just like Taylor, I think.

'You're the one who put paint in Taylor's locker,' she scoffs, 'you better not do that to me. My mother is a lawyer.'

Then she shifts her weight from one foot to the other and gives me an impatient look.

'What?' I ask her.

'I'm bored so I'm leaving,' she knocks her shoulder in mine as she saunters off.

'Goodbye, July,' Kiki calls over her shoulder.

'Whatever,' July calls back.

Kiki and I give each other a knowing look before starting to laugh.

'She's so funny,' Kiki snorts.

'She's just like her cousin,' I reply through my giggles.

'Come on,' Kiki opens the door and steps outside.

I follow her back up to the dorm and go to unlock the door.

'How about I show you around first,' she says.

I return the key to my pocket and follow her back down the path. We link arms as we skip down the path, just like we did when we were younger. Because school starts in four days, we run into quite a few people, teachers and students alike.

'This is the academic part of campus,' Kiki announces with a flourish of her arms to indicate a tall iron gate, 'out of bounds during holidays and weekends.'

She drags me up another pathway that follows the length of the fence.

'The library is that way. It's open to all students from six to six on weekdays and grades eleven and twelve get special access until ten and on weekends,' she says, pointing out a concrete path to our left, 'and the sports fields are down that path,' she points to a rocky path to our right.

We continue for a bit and stop in front of a more modern-looking building. Its white painted walls stand out amongst the brown brick of the rest of the school.

'And this is the Hang-Out,' she walks up to the door and knocks three times.

'Who goes there?' a young voice asks.

'Kiki Rosetta and Olivia Green,' Kiki replies and winks at me.

The door opens and she walks in. She then gestures for me to follow. I slowly walk up the stairs and through the doorway.

'Hey, James,' Kiki says to the small boy holding the door open.

'Morning, Ki. This must be the famous Ollie?' James asks, holding his hand out to me, 'I've heard a lot about you. Kiki hasn't stopped talking about you all holidays.'