A Hiker's Dream [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11 - Decision time

I was pulled back to life the next day by Anna, who sat next to me, poking her pencil in my ribs. We were in English learning about Shakespeare. Wonderful. I glared at Anna and she eyed the teacher, encouraging me to do the same. I stared at Mrs Fern, who looked back at me expectantly. I blushed and opened my mouth to speak. Anna rolled her eyes.

“He says here. He’s just thinking of the character he wants to write about.” Anna stepped in and I looked from her to Mrs Fern. She seemed to buy it and carried on down the register. I bowed my head and looked at the table, embarrassed as the rest of the class slowly looked back to the front of the room. Anna leaned forwards so that she could whisper quietly to me without being overheard. Since the weekend, Anna had started talking to me regularly in lessons. She was even starting to sit with us at lunch with the rest of the group, bringing half of her friends to join us, even if they looked like it was the last thing they wanted to do. “Are you alright?” She asked me as Mrs Fern continued down the register.

“I’m fine.” I traced pictures on my desk with my finger. Whatever I was drawing seemed to be the same pattern over and over again. Wherever I tried to move, it always led back to the same pattern. Up, diagonal, down, up, up, round, diagonal, down, up, round, diagonal, down, round, down, up, left, right. I didn’t have a clue what it meant.

“Nicolas.” She touched my hand and I looked up at her. “I am sorry.”

“About what?” I pulled a confused expression.

She shook her head. “Nothing. I won’t make the same mistake.”

“Oh.” I knew what she meant, sort of. Mrs Fern stood at the front of the room and looked around at the class. She began to talk but I wasn’t really listening. I hadn’t been listening much all week. I felt so distracted and worn out. I just wanted to put my head on the desk and sleep. My head was bowed, balanced on my hand, my elbow leaning on the table. I did the pattern again. Again. Again and again. I didn’t even know what it was!

“Nicolas.” Anna nudged me again and I glanced at her. She was getting up. I frowned and looked around at the class. Everyone was doing so. I stood up quickly and pushed my chair under.

“Thanks.”

“Try to pay attention, okay?” She pushed me forwards gently and I slowly moved out of our row. Malcolm was at me in a flash. He must have noticed my lack of attention, though, by now he must have been getting used to it. I’d been the same for the past three days. It was as if I was a completely different person.

“You seem out of it, mate.”

“I wonder why.” I muttered but tried to forget about it. I didn’t want to cause an argument. After all, Malcolm had been so close to me the past few days, making sure that I was okay, and even my dad was softening towards him. Even though Malcolm could be a pain in the butt at times, he really did care about certain people, particularly his friends, especially when they needed him like I needed him now.

“Smile.” Anna instructed softly and gave me a huge beam. I just looked at her before squeezing through the door. I couldn’t smile. Not when I felt this way. I hadn’t smiled properly for ages.

“Nicolas, my little powder puff.” Malcolm took my arms from behind and began to use them like puppets. He flung them around like string. I didn’t stop him. They dangled lifelessly. He let go of me, giving up; it was too difficult to do while we were moving.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” I asked him, trying to direct the attention away from myself for a bit.

“Emma? Oh I don’t know. She’s probably off playing her flute or something.” He waved it away. Emma was a smart girl, but only musically. She was definitely the best flute player in the school, but that was more due to the fact that her mother made sure she practiced almost in every single free period she had. Emma didn’t seem to mind too much. She enjoyed getting the attention when she showed off her skills in the plays and the productions. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was already up for a scholarship in flute playing. “Anyway,” Malcolm added in a whisper, twisting his eyes to the side, “You seem to have really scored.”