Chapter 2

I storm into the lunch room and find Anna sitting at our usual table in the corner of the cafeteria next to the window. From here we have a prime view of everyone during lunch, and we even have the picturesque view of the school garden.

 

Most of trees are green and a few of the flowers are still in bloom, like little colourful rebels against the heat of summer.I take a seat opposite my friend and remove my sweater before reaching into my bag for my lunchbox.

 

“Jeepers Lena, who managed to put you in such a horrid mood?” I proceed to take a long gulp of my water before answering her, trying to calm myself down.

 

“The new guy you were talking about An? As hot as he is, his appearance is definitely ruined by his sucky personality...that creeper couldn’t stop giving me dagger eyes throughout English. He doesn’t even know me and he said something along the lines of seeing me tonight in a way which makes me not look forward to the experience, just before he left when the bell rang.”

 

“Lena, I think you’re just getting a bit out of your mind with this heat...that’s what you get for wearing a sweater and jeans in the middle of summer! Now just calm down, drink the rest of your water and listen to me. There’s no ways you heard what you heard, so unless he approaches you again today just write it off as a mild heat stroke induced hallucination.”

 

She smiles at me then, and I know that she is probably right. The school has been saving up to get air cons and more ventilators put in after students have been dropping like flies during summer due to the heat, and this was probably just something similar to that. I sigh, willing to accept that my day is just getting weirder and weirder.

 

Anna goes on to tell me about how Daniel Yeyta had passed her a note in Maths, but it had been intercepted by Mr Trell before she had been able to read it.

 

“I totally think he likes me Len, and he’s not exactly bad looking so I don’t have any objections!”

 

I know Daniel. He is a pretty quiet guy who doesn’t really stick out from the crowd. Nobody knows much about him except that he works down at the General Store during every odd weekend.  

 

“Oh Anna, let’s not have a repeat of the 5th grade incident when you thought Jack Kindle liked you, but he was really just passing a note asking if you had a spare eraser...”

 

Anna cringes slightly, clearly remembering the very embarrassing incident which had occurred that day. “Er, I guess you’re right...but I won’t be professing my love for him in front of the entire grade during break this time. I’ll wait for him to make the first move.”

 

She gives me a naughty wink, and I just roll my eyes at her before finishing off the rest of my lunch. I hand her the algebra worksheets she had missed and show her where she can find explanations in the textbook.

 

The bell rings as I am packing away the last of my things, and Anna had already run off to ‘bump into’ Daniel on her way to her next lesson. I throw the apple core from the remainders of my lunch into the bin as well as an empty crisp packet Anna had decided to scrunch up and put on my Maths book.

 

I open my science book for some last minute revision before walking towards my Physics class, knowing all too well that I’m going to look forward to my science test as much as I would look forward to having my teeth extracted.

 

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I am early for class this time, rather opting to use my extra time to look over my work before the hour of mental torture I know is awaiting me begins.

 

People make their way in around me, sitting down and taking their places in their desks. Somehow I can feel those colours again...everyone seems to have a blue-grey aura about them, a sort of nervous energy that is hard to ignore. That’s when I feel it again...a violent throb wracks my brain for the second time today.

 

The science notes in front of me go blurry and start dancing before my eyes, and that’s when he walks in. I take a couple of deep breaths before looking up to see Aidan glance my way as he takes the seat in the corner of the class. The throbbing calms down and now that I can finally semi-concentrate again I notice that Mrs Morees had entered the room and is already handing out the question paper. She placed a page on my desk and I can barely write my name through my swimming vision.

 

I spend the next hour trying to work out calculations with a pumping head and a shaky hand. By the time it is over and Mrs Morees sys that our time is up I am ready to keel over and eat headache tablets like they're M&M’s.

 

I chance a look over at Aidan, only to find him smirking in my direction. I don’t know how but I think he can somehow sense my discomfort, as if he knows his presence might be the cause of it. I glared back at him, determined not to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he is affecting me.

 

He just narrows his eyes before giving me a drop-dead look. I wither in response, averting my gaze back down to my desk. What is wrong with me? Since when do I ever back down from a challenge? I may not have the confidence of a public speaker, but I’m not some wallflower who lies down to be walked all over like a door mat.

 

I turn my attention back towards my teacher, who at this point is reminding us to bring our chemistry books tomorrow so we can start on a new chapter. The bell rings promptly and I run out of the class so fast I might have left skid marks in my wake.

 

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The rest of the day passes in a blur, just a consistent process of arriving for lessons, taking out notes and attempting to focus before the bell rings and the whole thing starts again. 

 

By the time the final bell rings for early closure I am all too excited to jump into the water polo pool for the team trials.

 

I walk to the poolside girls locker rooms and get changed into my costume along with all the other girls who are trying out today. I'm not planning on making the school’s first team; which is why I am at second and third team trials. I just want to make it into second team so I can play around in the pool twice a week and go to a few matches, since sport participation looks great on a university application. I rather want to play for the first side in my last year of school.

 

I jump into the pool as the coach arrives and I swim a few warm up lengths before we are divided into 2 teams. There is an odd number of people trying out, so the group I am placed in has one player too many. I opt to sit out for the first half of the try-out match, and so sit on the bench to cheer on the rest of the girls in the pool. When it comes to half time through the match, when I am meant to swop with one of the other girls and we can discuss strategy, I notice someone leaning against the fence on the far side of the pool area. That certain someone happens to be Aidan.

 

I am so momentarily confused at his appearance yet a lack of any mind-numbing pain coming from my head, that I don’t notice that everyone has gotten into the pool before the coach’s whistle brings me back to reality. I dive straight in, making it into the water in time before the starting whistle goes off and I swim down the length of the pool. I am looking around for an open player or a gap in the other teams defence when I feel the nail-gun sensation assault the back of my skull. I glimpse in Aidan’s direction to see him focusing on me, a look of concentration painted on his face.

 

My eyes go out of focus for a breath before the pain is gone again, but by now my team has possession of the ball and I am trailing behind my teammates. I sprint back, swimming past my opponents towards an open space. Then it happens again, the throbbing making my head pound so hard I gasp. I look back at Aidan to see his eyebrows knitted together whilst he stares at me. I am now certain he must be the cause of my miniature brain implosions and I am so NOT in the mood to have this strange, beautifully sculpted yet infuriating new guy mess up my one chance at getting into the team I want.

 

I give him an icy stare before making up my mind about proving a point to him.  I spin around my partner before treading water, calling to one of my teammates to pass me the ball. I sprint into a temporarily free bit of water in front of the goal's centre and catch the ball in my hand. I use a big kick to launch myself above the water as high as I can go.

 

Time seems almost frozen as I glance back at Aidan, narrowing my eyes before re-facing the goals and using all my strength to hurl the ball past the goalie protecting the net. The ball flies through the air; spinning in slow motion before hitting the back of the goal’s net as the coach’s whistle goes for the end of the match.

 

My face just about splits with my grin of satisfaction, but when I look back to shove my smugness under Aidan’s nose all I see is an empty space and stirred up leaves where I thought I had seen Mr Creepy just a moment ago.

 

“The team selection list will be up sometime tomorrow, so keep your eyes on the sports board,” the coach says as I hoist myself out the pool, completely at a loss for any explanation as to why Aidan seems to be ruling my brain space today.

 

I grab my towel out my bag, and dry myself off before walking into the girl’s poolside locker room to get changed. After getting changed back into my clothes I meet my dad out in the parking lot, putting my bag into the boot before heaving myself into the backseat.

 

He’s driven halfway down the road towards the main highway before asking “How was your first day back for this term?”

 

I sigh, nod my head and reply “Fine...nothing out of the ordinary really.”

 

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 I dump my bag in the doorway of my room once we’ve arrived back home, then collapse on my dove-grey and pastel blue coloured duvet on my neatly made bed. I have literally closed my eyes for 2 seconds when I hear my phone buzzing.

 

I moan in frustration, taking my sweet time deciding whether I’m up for any conversations before launching myself off the bed and become sprawled on the floor. I look like an idiot lying there trying to reach for my phone in my bag before it goes to voice mail.

 

I hit the answer button, putting it to my ear only to wrench it away again as a high-pitched scream erupts from the speakers. When the auditory slaughter ends, I put the phone closer and hear what sounds like an over-excited and hyperactive Anna speaking at the speed of light on the other end.

 

“Anna, slow down and lower the pitch and volume. You sound like you could be a chipmunk mascot for an energy drinks company!”

 

I hear my friend take a few deep breaths before saying “He did it Elena, he asked me!!”

“Whoa there, who asked you what?”A small squeal was barely contained on her side as she explained further.

 

“Daniel...he asked me out this weekend!” I could hear the wide smile she wore, and it made me grin in return. My best friend tended to fall a bit too hard too fast, but I watch out for her when the need for it arises.

 

“Care to share any details with me An? Or I am going to just keep guessing?” I say with a playful tone, and another small squeal erupted before she says, “Well he said it was going to be a surprise, and that all I need to know is that he’ll be picking me up on Saturday night at 7...oh, and he said to wear something with long pants”.

 

“Well that sure does sound rather mysterious for a first date,” I say with cautiousness. I know that although she would never let them know it, Anna is more than capable of handling any guy that comes her way.

 

“I’m happy for you Anna and I can’t wait to hear more from you on it tomorrow but unfortunately I have a ton of homework to do. Talk to you a bit later maybe”

 

“Ok Lena, but you’ll be sorry tomorrow when I won’t be able to stop talking about it!” I chuckle, shaking my head.

 

“See you tomorrow An” and with that final note, I put my phone down and carry on lying on my bed. Truth is I don’t have any homework to do seeing as it was only the first day back, but with the day I have had I posess very little patience to be making mushy talk about Daniel.

 

I take a deep breath in through my nose then I jump off my bed and go and take a shower to get rid of the chlorine smell in my hair. After changing into pyjamas (a rather shabby pair of purple star-patterned pants and a matching purple tank top) I eat dinner with my parents and skilfully avoid their questions as to what I did at school.

 

Retiring to my bedroom, I make a lame attempt at getting further in the reading we’ve been given to do for English this term. I read the same page about 3 times before I finally give up and put down the book on my bedside table, realizing that I’m about as interested in the inner workings of “Pride and Prejudice” as I am in my ceiling fan.

 

I pull the sheets back and fluff my pillow, before turning off my bedside lamp and embracing sleep with open arms

 

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The dream is more vivid this time, to the point where I’m wary of even calling it a dream. I’ve never had a dream where I can feel a slight breeze ruffling my hair, hear birds calling to each other or smell the faint aroma of salt on the air.

 

Instead of being in a tent, I find myself in a thickly forested area of trees with the sound of the ocean nearby. I hear men’s voices shouting barely 50 metres to my right, so I slowly make my way towards it.

 

I pass underneath a sunny opening in the trees, and the flash of a bright purple colour makes me hesitate for a second before I backtrack back into the sunlight.

Oh. My. Gosh. I’m in my pyjamas! I slow my freak-out mode a little, realizing that this is my dream so it really doesn’t matter what I’m dressed in...although, this doesn’t feel like a dream at all, so I cross my arms over my chest uncertainly.

 

I continue on towards the shouts of people, which grow louder the closer I get. The ground beneath my feet feels softer, and begins to change from a dark, mossy soil to a fine, beachy sand.

 

The tree trunks ahead of me thin out, and through the spaces in the leaves I can see a long stretch of sand with crystal clear blue waves breaking on a shore. Not only that, but there is a large ship drifting just offshore and smaller boats have been brought up onto the beach, carrying small loads of food and shelter.

 

A man leads a large group of men milling around the beach and this time I recognize him immediately. You don’t write a 500 word essay on a guy for a History assessment without becoming more intimate with him than you EVER want to be.

 

This could be none other than Christopher Columbus, whom I recognize from a painting of him I included in my essay project.

 

I stepped out of the tree line, readying myself to tell all theses old long-ago dead guys exactly whose dream they were invading when I suddenly remember I am wearing what I went to bed in.

 

Great...just perfect! I am going to have to be content with watching for now, considering I’m still not sure how much of a dream this is.

 

I walk back into the trees, glad that none of the men have noticed me. I shrink further into the shadows, worried about being seen when I see a very familiar pair of broad shoulders unloading the boats along with the other men.

 

They aren’t covered by a white shirt like earlier today but rather an overrobe under armour which is topped off with breaches, a cloak and boots, all of which were fashionable during Christopher Columbus’ time.

 

I’m a 110% certain though that the man pulling a crate out of one of the boats is not a 15th century sailor, but rather the ever charming Aidan.

 

My eyes just about pop out of my head at the sight of him, and my mouth goes into the shape of an over exaggerated “O” open at the shock of it all. Then something even creepier happens....He stops what he’s doing, almost as if he can sense my recognition of him and then turns around and stares STRAIGHT at me.

 

He begins to march towards me, with a look so deadly it could wilt flowers. I do the only logical thing any normal person would do if they had a psychotic looking guy making his way speedily towards them....I turn around and begin to high tail it out of there as fast as my legs can carry me.

 

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