This Kind Of Love...

*Chapter~One*

As we walked to the school hall I felt an exhilarating thrill of excitement come over me, I'll finally be able see my friends everyday.

While I'm listening to Ashley's rant about how much he missed me while I was in Mauritius during the holidays I notice our group of friends already seated at the back of the hall.  I pull Ashley towards them,  since our arms were interlocked the whole way to the hall.

We a group of 6 friends since our first year in high school - around June,  we came in pairs to be specific, with our best friends.

It's Emily and Lucy who have been best friends since they were toddlers,  they actually complement each other; Emily is wild and takes risks while Lucy is always on the safe side of life.

Then there is Lindy,  short for Lindiwe,  and Tristen who have been best friends since primary school.  They are both from different race groups which is socially accepted in our country,  even their parents support they friendship.

Last but not least you have Ashley and I who have been best friends since crèche,  we are also from different race groups but then again it is normal for us.

We are all from different race groups to be clear,  while Emily and Lucy are both Indians Tristen is English-white and Lindy is African-Zulu then you have me a Coloured who has more of a white culture and lastly Ashley who is an Afrikaner. 

Assembly begins once everyone has settled in the hall. The principle,  Mrs H. du Plesis walks up the stage while we stand.  She begins with the morning prayer and moves on to instructing us to sing the school song.  We sit down then she starts of the the boring "Welcome Back" and "Welcome new students" speech.  I zoned out before she could start with the "Academic" part of the speech.

I feel Ashley's elbow nudge the side of my body he leans to my ear and whispers,  "Hey, we have just been instructed to go fetch our schedules - stop zoning out. " I smile and we both stand up and walk to the foyer where we are given our schedules.

I go to the girls and Tristen,  with Ashley on my heels,  who were waiting for us in the quad area.  "Oh my word, I missed you guys so much," I say this while pulling Lindy,  who was closest to me,  for a breath taking hug.  She giggles and squeezes me back.  I hug everyone else with the same enthusiasm and force Tristen who said I was crushing his ego.

Lucy takes all our schedules and compares them to see which classes we share.  We notice that we share a period with atleast two of us except for Maths and Physics,  they all have the same class there while I'm all alone.  Bummer I know!

Lucy gives me a sympathetic smile while Emily and Tristen make jokes of my high IQ and how it has resulted in me sharing a class with the nerds. I totally ignore them and look at my schedule to see what I have now.

"You guys,  who has English now, " I ask while scanning my schedule. "Oh it's Ashley and me, " Lucy responds.

We bid our goodbye's to Tristen,  Lindy and Emily before walking to Mr van der Merwe's class for English.

"So how is everyone at home doing, " Lucy asks me.

"Do you mean Cole,  as in how is Cole doing? " I respond.

"No,  I'm totally over him. "

"Oh are you? "

"Definantely! "

"Oh really? "

"Oh shut up!  Please Courtney, " Ashley cuts in.  "Well,  now that I have your undivided attention it looks like we have a new eye candy in our bunch"

"Where? " Lucy asks while looking around and her head stops right behind me,  I turn to see none other than the same guy who was starring at me by the lockers, walking slowly with one hand in his pocket and the other holding his Adidas bag, all this time his gaze was distant .