Do You Know Indigo?

Chapter Thirty Six

I let the phone ring out before giving up and leaving a message.

"Hey Kieran, its Chris. I need to talk to you, it's important. If you can, call me when you get this. Bye." I kept it brief to avoid slobbering nervous nonsense down the phone. Kieran was probably working and my drivel the last thing he'd need to hear.

Once I'd put the phone down I wavered, disorientated by finding myself purposeless. But, helpfully, my stomach rumbled. I patted it gently.

"I guess you're the next thing on my to do list." I sighed before going to make a sandwich.

Tummy appeased and quiet reigning supreme in the Evans residence, I opened up my history folder and poured over my scribbled notes. I'd escaped to my bedroom in the fear of being disturbed - who knew when my peace would be brought to a sour end?

As hard as I tried to concentrate, the word that I'd written on the pages began to blur. Tiredness, although not the sensation that overcame me when Kieran was interfering, captured me. And when a person decides to rest their eyes for a couple of moments it is almost inevitable they are going to fall asleep.

Surely a kip for a couple of minutes would do me no harm.

A loud knocking at my bedroom door woke me. I'd fallen asleep with my head on top of the Berlin Crisis. There were worse places I could have fallen asleep on I supposed. A second knock came and I rolled off the bed to answer it. I wasn't sure what time it was but it was still light out. Jackson stood awaiting me.

"Dinner," he said before scooting off to stuff himself. I brushed my hair and straightened out my clothing. Had I been drooling? My sandwich felt like a lifetime ago. I trudged out into the hall in search of food, my primal instinct guiding me straight into the lion's den.

I was delighted to find Jackson had obviously gotten into trouble for something and for one night and one night only I was to hear of how the golden boy had fallen from his pedestal.

Could it be my luck was changing?

****

My luck was not changing. The history exam was tougher than anyone could have anticipated. I'd felt the pressure of the clock and the expectation of proving to Mr Gregory I hadn't wasted his time weighing heavily on my shoulders.

Kieran came strutting out of the exam as if he'd been for a walk in the park. Still, I was eager to talk to him after he hadn't called, even if it meant taking the brunt of his smugness.

"Well girlies that was fun," he boasted, all smiles. I elbowed him grouchily. Kieran was practically a walking, talking primary source, a sure advantage in a history exam. I wondered if that counted as cheating under SQA guidelines.

"Speak for yourself. My finger is blistering and I didn't even manage to finish the last question," Beth murmured, rubbing her finger sulkily. I could predict a solid seventy five percent despite Beth's complaining and the unfinished question. Beneath the ditzy facade, Bethany was an intellect.

"How did you find it Chris?" Kieran asked, sweeping off Beth's complaints.

"I've passed I think." Shrugging, I put my numerous pens into my back pocket. "Anything more than that'll be a miracle."

We began to walk out of the school, free to leave and get on with revision for further exams or, in the case of many, skive until the last minute.

"You'll have done fine, history comes naturally to you." Beth sulked, kicking an empty bottle across the playground. "I didn't do enough revision. Serves me right if I fail," she whined, clawing her face with her hands. I let her have her pity party.