Everybody's Girl

3.

I lived a ten-minute walk from school. Our sixth-form was the local boys and girl's catholic comprehensive intergrated, but we all knew each other from forever.

Before anything went down, I was set on having the best two years with my best friend. Now, I regretted not applying anywhere else, and taking further maths.

I weirdly liked all the teacher's at my school, except Miss Rice, but that was a story for another day. They were mostly old and genuinely rooted for their student's success, part of the reason why so many chose to stay. I wondered if they heard, or if they would care at all.

I took the long way to school because I was so early, the shopless route where I wouldn't see any faces that I knew. There was nothing but pigeons keeping me company, and a boy on a ridiculously used bike. He was struggling to get up a little hill that let to a roundabout I would walk over to get to the sixth form building. I kind of admired the perseverance. He could just work, but he was really putting the bike to work.

I make a point not to notice people, but it was hard not to. Even in his hoodie and corduroys (I wasn't wearing my glasses), I could see he was dressed way better than any of the boys I went to school. He was tall and had a heavy-looking backpack over his shoulders. I would bet money he was breaking a sweat. I wondered where he was headed, what stories he was carrying with him. It wasn't the time to think of others. It was time to face the music. i could only loiter around the school gates for so long.

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unedited