Chapter three

 

Chapter 3

 

Luke seldom left my dreams after that. We never returned to the strange room but he was always there, wandering with me through the confused stories of my mind in those kinds of dream that never quite make sense.

Sometimes, as expected, I recognised elements of my day mixed in to the medley of storylines, but once in a while we’d end up somewhere I’d never seen before. I didn’t think too much of it; I mean dreams are dreams right? But I sometimes wondered where the images had come from. I think I asked Luke about it once in my dreams, but I couldn’t, for the life of me, remember his answer.

In reality, Luke and I hadn’t spoken properly in a while; a shy smile here and there, an all too arrogant and confusing wink from him in English once in a while. We’d started a new essay so time for class room chatter was scarce, and my mother, in a sudden bout of authority, had had me get a job, (something about responsibility…bleugh) so I had little free time outside of school.

I missed my weird conversations with Luke, but my job did have certain advantages, for example, I didn’t get home till late so usually missed my parents completely.

Hurray for responsibility!!

My headaches seemed to have disappeared in the past week, and, by time I woke on the fourth painless morning, I was considering forsaking my paracetamol pot which still resided on my bedside table. I looked at it considerately, and then left it there; I didn’t trust this reprieve.

On the drive to school I was in high spirits, my hair up in a pretty clip and my head miraculously pain free, and so was happy to see Luke’s Mini waiting in the empty car park. I got out and perched on my bonnet, interested as to what he had to say.

“Long time no speak, stranger.” He said, grinning down at me. I smiled back shyly, not quite sure what to say to that. Did I agree? Laugh? Run away and hide?

I ignored the temptation of the third one; I enjoyed talking to Luke, I really did, but I was always tempted to run away before I did something stupid.

“Hey.” I compromised, hoping my voice didn’t sound as shy as I thought it did. Then sighed inwardly as the softening of his smile and twinkling of his eyes told me it blatantly did. He grinned.

“No paracetamol overdosing today?”

I didn’t ask how he knew, just shook my head.

“No,” My tone sounded wondering, even to me, “They’ve randomly gone, not that I’m complaining.”

I thought I saw his expression flash briefly to worry but it was gone so fast I was almost sure I’d imagined it.

He bounced off where he was leaning on my car and glanced around the filling car park in an almost nervous manner.

“Hey, do you wanna come over to my house after school? There’s someone I want you to meet.” He glanced at me and took in my shocked expression with a grin. I pulled myself together.

“Um…I…no, sorry, I’ve got work.” I said quickly, inwardly reeling. He was inviting me to his house. In my books that was a little bit forward, though I can’t say I minded. (Bad Sarah! Bad s****y Sarah!)

Luke didn’t seem bothered by my discomfort; he merely smiled and slung his bag over his shoulder.

“Oh well, some other time then, see you.”

I watched him walk away, still slightly dazed.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, “Some other time.”

“Sarah!”

I jumped slightly and turned to see Kate striding towards me. I’d told her all of the me and Luke saga, apart from the dreams… the dreams were private. She reached me and gave me a hug, perching next to me on my car’s rusty bonnet. I grinned at her.

“Heya, what’s up?”

Kate rolled her eyes impatiently.

“Never mind me. What’s up with you?!”

I frowned at her, confused, and she raised her eyebrows.

“You and lover boy? I saw you guys talking so don’t give the whole “nothing” s**t. I want details!”

I shook my head at her in mock admonishment.

“You are so nosy, and so annoying when you accentuate, every, other, word.”

She slapped me playfully on the shoulder.

“Don’t change the subject. You. Luke. Tell.”

I shook my head.

“It was n-”

My words were stopped by her hand over my mouth.

“Ah, ah, aaaah.” She said, “What did I say about the “nothing” s**t?”

I licked her hand and she jumped away, wiping her hand on her trousers.

“Ewww, gross Sarah!”

I grinned at her.

“Fine,” I began again, “It wasn’t anything much.”

Kate sat back next to me, frowning.

“You know that’s practically the same thing.” She grumbled. I smiled.

“Indeed, I do. Anyway, he just asked me over to his house.”

Kate squealed.

“He asked you over to his house. Oh my god! You’re going to his house. Oh my god-”

“Kate,” I cut her off, before she could find any other ways to say it. “I said I couldn’t go. I have work.”

She just stared at me.

“Are you and idiot?!”

She looked so appalled and incredulous that I laughed. I shrugged at her.

“What could I do? I have work; I can’t just not turn up!”

She opened and shut her mouth in disgust.

“I just can’t believe that you said no to one of the fittest guys in school to go to work. You need to sort you priorities.”

I sat up straight and put on a mock posh voice.

“That’s why I’m working, to gain knowledge on responsibility, something you might want to look up.”

“Oh puke.” She replied, making gagging noises. “Ugh, ugh, ugh, uugghh…you sound like my mother.”

I laughed and grabbed my bag as the first bell rang and we were sent hurrying to class. We had Theatre Studies next and as we hurried towards the theatre I felt my mind wander to the English class we had to come this afternoon. As the only class I had with Luke it always held a bit of interest, but following our first conversation in days I was looking forward to it more than usual. I pushed open the double doors at the front of the theatre building and held them open for Kate who was rummaging in her bag. She looked up anxiously.

“Do you have your Troilus and Cressida script? I’ve think I’ve lost mine.”

I grimaced as she continued her hurried rummaging.

“No, mines gone AWOL too. Hopefully we won’t need them much today.”

It was a false hope; we always needed our scripts, but I’d like to think Mr. Hickory had got used to my forgetfulness by now. Kate looked up suddenly, hope plain in her eyes.

“Wait, we have a new pupil today remember. We’ll be doing the new pupil thing; we won’t have time to need scripts!”

She clenched her fists and looked up at the ceiling in a triumphant posture.

“Yes! We’re saved!”

I laughed at her and pushed open the door into the auditorium, wondering how the new pupil would react to our teacher’s initiation tradition. As we entered in to the rows of seating I was surprised to see Luke leaning against one of the red painted pillars. I assumed he’d come to talk to our Mr. Hickory so was confused when Mr. Hickory entered and Luke made no move towards him.

I had a wonderful, horrible thought.

What if Luke was the new kid?

I looked at Kate who was eyeing me with an unusually nasty smile for my reaction.

“He’s not the new kid is he?” I asked hesitantly, afraid of the answer. She grinned at me again, laughter sparkling in her eyes.

“It looks like it.” She giggled, then doubled over with laughter at my horrified expression. I hit her on the arm.

“Shut up! Why are you laughing?”

“Because,” she hiccupped, “you’re going to have to act in front of him, and sing,” she grinned wider, “and dance!”

Then she was off again, guffawing her guts up, unaware of my unamused expression. Outside I was calm, inside I was panicking; dancing in front of Luke, singing in front of Luke. S**t. I did not want to perform in front of Luke. No, nope, no way freaking José.

“Guys?” Mr. Hickory’s cheerful voice rang across the theatre - projection at its best - and every one quietened to listen to him.

“Guys, I want you all to get in a circle if you please. We have a new pupil and we all know what that means.”

Everyone groaned; Mr. Hickory had a tradition concerning new students to make us all stand in a circle, like we were in nursery, and recite our names and an interesting fact about ourselves. Helps the new person “familiarise” himself with us… Every one hated it, or said they did. Secretly I think we all enjoyed our little moment in the spotlight, we were all acting types after all, especially when it was someone as hot as Luke.

Thinking up a fact was always pressuring. Do you try for funny? Obvious? Just plain normal? Determined to find something interesting to say I racked my brain as we all congregated into a circle.

My name’s Sarah and I think your fit.

My name’s Sarah and I dream about you every night.

My name’s Sarah and…

Hmmm… maybe not… I was vaguely aware of the people around my speaking and I still had nothing to say. I looked at Kate, standing next to me, calm as a cucumber and panicked as she started speaking.

“Heya, my name’s Kate and my favourite playwright is Christopher Marlowe.”

S**t… I cleared my throat and looked up, my eyes locking (of course…) immediately with Luke’s.

“Hi, my name’s Sarah and…”

I trailed off, my mind going completely blank as I tried not to say any of the things I’d just been thinking.

“…and you’re in my English class.” Luke stepped in, saving me from humiliation by appearing to interrupt me. How he knew I was struggling I don’t know but I was exceedingly grateful as he smiled and continued.

“Yeah, I know you, Sarah Johnson right?”

I smiled at him, amused.

“Right.”

He grinned and gave a small wave across the circle.

“Hey.”

“Heya.” I replied, waving back and stifling a laugh as I turned to the person next to me in the circle who, though obviously interested in my relationship with Luke, caught the hint and began the circle again.

“Hey, my name’s Amy and I have four cats.”

The exercise continued and as we dispersed from the shape. Luke grinned and winked at me and I couldn’t help smiling back as we settled into the front seats of the auditorium. Mr. Hickory made his way to the centre to the stage, arms spread out in a dramatic pose.

“So children, let us return to the wonders of Shakespeare.” He strode towards Luke and handed him a script of “Troilus and Cressida” open to a specific page. “Luke, let’s see what you’re made of. You can read Troilus and…” he looked around, eyes locking with mine as I had had a horrible feeling they would.

“…Sarah, seeing as you and Luke seem to be acquainted, you can read Cressida.”

I glanced at Luke, looking steadily at me, then at Kate who was covering her mouth with her hands to suppress the laughter that was rocking her frame. I gave her a dirty look and she laughed harder, trying futilely to turn it into coughs.

“Sarah?” Mr. Hickory was holding a script in front of me and obviously had been for some time.

“Sorry, Mr. Hickory.” I mumbled and took the script, noting with panic that we would be doing the “lovers goodbye” scene. Great, just great. So I had to act like I love him whilst trying desperately hard to pretend that I don’t like him. Easy peasy… right…

I got up slowly and made my way no to the stage where Luke was waiting, a tale tale humorous glint in his blue eyes as he registered my discomfort.

“When you’re ready.” Mr. Hickory encouraged from the seat he had taken in the auditorium. I glanced at the script and took a deep breath, changing my posture and facial expression to one of dread and staring blankly at the wall as if imagining the horrors that would befall me with the greeks. If I had to do this then damn it I was going to do it well.

“I must then to the Grecians?” I whispered, turning my tortured face towards Luke and rubbing my left arm as if it had suddenly gotten cold.

TO BE CONTINUED....

Reviews

[s]

Ronald Regan in a knapsack� Alright, now that that is out of the way, and I have opened with something random as to break the ice because I favor smashing it rather than taking a chisel and saying "hello", I'd like to say first off that the grammar needs a bit of work. But hey! Guess what? I'm sure you already know that, so! Moving onto far more important things!
Thinking of something original is a nice start to a story, and even more enticing is a myriad of emotionally colorful characters and the easy style given to express them. The first person perspective is fun isn't it? I like the train of the plot, and where it seems to be heading, I'm almost a little depressed that you don't have a chapter four to read, but seeing as I can become mentally draw to a sketch pad rather than a keyboard, I can understand that there were other things in our lives that hold paramount as opposed to the secret love of writing.
Side Note: Don't you find it odd that people will brag about being good at sports and acting, all that jazz, but people who write or draw tend to keep it to themselves? I'm sure the reasoning is multi-faceted as well as the events leading to said reasoning. Shrug. Moving on!
I liked the feel of the first chapter as you dive into the main characters world and learn little by little of the realm they exist in, however, I feel that it's a little disjointed as you progress onto the later chapters, and that the emotional spacing is sporadic. I can understand that the focus is on Sarah and Luke, but I think you'll find that the development of your characters will be easier to pursue if you add in a few more human elements. Of course that's a lot of things to go over, human expressions to situations, emotional, mental, physical, as well as the differing responses to certain people. But that's difficult to build onto. I find that I end up getting it just right when I go over it a few times� and by a few times I mean, every time I open word to start writing, I read over what I wrote the night before and flesh out the bones I had button mashed out previously. Oh! And by the way, I LOVED the "dream" portion where they were in the room with the Latin book. I really liked how Luke, seeming to hold power over all earthly conversations, is painted as submissive in this space by his posturing, even though it is it more intimate because they are sharing a mental space as opposed to a physical. Loved, Loved, loved. Good stuff� oh, and I demand more� Kthx =)


-SenirraFace

[deeps]

Nosey, and annoying like that, again I know people like that as well.
I really like this chapter so much detail and imagery.
It's so wonderful, I could see the events unfolding.

You are very talented, I do like your style.
I would love to read more of this when you add it.
I find it interesting and it holds my attention.