The Last Spade

1 : STRANGE

19 years later ...

"Yes mom, I shall not misbehave and I shall not get into any tiffs. " Roger reassured his mom.

It was first day at school after the summers. With the track record of Roger, there was every possible way for him to be thrown out of school. His tantrums had a wide spectrum , from breaking a glass at school to puncturing vehicles of the professors whom he did not fancy much. The only relief his mother had was his pal.

"I will be leaving early mom. I need to wait at the Private Drive, he will be picking me up. " Roger shouted just so that his mother heard him proper, who was at her room with some work definitely more important than Roger's stupidity.

Roger walked past his house, crossing the lanes that had tall buildings which were in white, grey and brown in major. As it was post summer, the city Chrisinau was pleasently sunny , less windy and had the tinge of warmth in it.

Roger reached the Private Drive at 9.30.

St. Germains was the school he studied at. He had another half an hour to reach. The school commenced at 10.

Roger was more of a light person at heart. Less sensible but a very good companion. He made it sure that, every year end he had a list of confessions to Lord Jesus and one resolution every year which were followed very intently for not more than a day. This is what set him slightly off than all the others and this attitude of his was the one that he liked in him. He and he were friends since childhood.

"Aah! Damein Barnes. As always. On time. I appreciate." Roger was being sarcastic. Damein had arrived at 9.50 and looked guilty in no angle.

He just gave a look with a late formed half smile and threw the door of his black ford open to let him in.

Damein, unlike Roger was more responsible, spoke less, observed more and believed in "actions speak more than words". The long face with hair straight and smooth that covered the forehead, had the Greek god definition. The picture perfect face had those intent golden brown eyes which emoted a lot of depth. Those eyes had a story to tell. The glitter in the eye gave the extra shine to the face. A smile, was a rare entity. Very rare, and only a few people had had the chance to witness him smile.

Girls drooled over his intense looks in school but no one ever had got lucky till date. Not that he was gay, but he never ever turned towards one. He always stayed with a gang of very few people, and the most silent being of the school. But his presence was known to all because of the girls who used to talk only about him in almost every corner. No wonder , he had many boys who hated him.

" And you are going to tell me, what kept you late today, or you are going to shrug it out like always?" Roger asked getting comfortable and turning towards Damein.

Damein acted as though he had never heard what Roger had said and fixed his gaze on the road. His long hair were being disturbed by the wind. His face seemed pleasant and calm. This was nothing new. He always stayed calm and the world had never seen him worked up.

"I demand an answer!" Roger patted on Damein's back.

"Why do you always try, when you know you will return empty hand?" Sarcastically Damein shut Roger up and threw a mischievous smile. Roger grunted to it and looked front.

"Its 10 already!" He yelled causing Damein to shut his ears.

"Stop acting like the bird in the wall clock that pops out after an hour. I know its 10. So what!? You are behaving as though you have never been late to class. " Damein honked at a car driven by three girls. He started nodding his head after crossing the car ; "who gives license to girls" he gobbled the words as he saw Roger getting worked up. He drove to the left and stopped the car.