The Ripmender

Chapter 2

But I hadn’t fitted in. I soon realised that my home life had been extremely conservative, and coming to college was like being transported to another planet where I didn’t speak the language. I found myself being horribly homesick for a home I had longed to escape.

So here I was, on a Friday morning just before lunch, alone in the wood on the college property.

Alone …

The story of my life.

I scrunched my eyes up, and sternly told myself to stop being a baby. Then I opened my drawing book to the page I was supposed to be looking at. I might as well get some work done, and not add failing my first drawing assignment to my pathetic existence.

I was sketching a tree; a particularly lovely tree with an incredible texture that I just had to get right. The old bark flaked off in papery rust-coloured shavings, exposing a smooth olive green sheen underneath. Its new leaves were fresh and lime-tinted.

I couldn’t concentrate on the tree though. My thoughts persisted in straying onto a handsome male face. If only Nathan would notice me. I wished more than anything that I could be a part of his life.

He was one of those supremely confident people who never have a day of doubt about who they are, and what they should be doing. When he walked into a room, he immediately owned it without making any effort at all.

When I walked into a room, no one noticed.

They would notice me, if I walked into the room with Nathan by my side…

Articles and websites always talked about how firmly grounded he was, unlike many famous eighteen year olds. In interviews, he seemed to be humble and quiet; almost shy.

He was also incredibly talented. He could sing, dance, write songs and play almost every musical instrument known to man.  He would give me the confidence I needed to take my own talent to the next level.

He was everything I wanted, and he would make me the person I was meant to be. If Nathan was in my life, my life would be perfect.

A movement of something in front of me took my attention off my sketch. It was like a giant invisible jug was pouring a fast stream of water onto the ground, except that it wasn’t water. As it poured, it became a person, from the shoes up.

It became Nathan Jake.

I sat absolutely still in the shadow of the sweetly-scented Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow bush and held my breath. How had he done that? Was it some hi-tech stage gimmick?

The sudden flapping of my sketch book pages in the summer breeze caught his attention, and he turned and stared at me.

Yes, it really was him. I would know those dreamy eyes and trademark curls anywhere. He wore designer jeans and a tight black T-shirt, that showed off his well-built arms, tanned bronze by the South African sun.

I scrambled to my feet and smiled.

“Hello,” I said, with a voice that was a bit hoarse, and very squeaky.

      “What are you doing here?” he asked. His voice was low and wary.

       “I was drawing the tree,” I said, pointing to it.

He would ask to see the drawing, be struck by my extraordinary talent, and decide that he couldn’t spend another day without me in his life…

Nathan Jake didn’t bother turning around to look at the tree. He kept staring at me, as if I was a monster with two heads.

       “So you were here before I came.” he said.

I nodded. This conversation wasn’t going the way I had hoped.

       “You saw me arrive?”

I nodded again.

The wary expression on his face changed to anger. It was then that I realised that he hadn’t wanted me to see him. His lips trembled.

Then he swallowed, and said, “This won’t hurt. You won’t remember any of this…”

He pointed his phone at me. A harmless gesture, if it wasn’t for the fact that he looked like he wanted me dead.