Silver Lining

Chapter 3

 The next morning and it was pouring with rain. Whoever said 'it never rains, it pours' had evidently visited Wales. I had no problem rousing Ilish- she was excited at the prospect of seeing Xavier again and the rain was pounding against her window. “Wouldn't it be cool if this amount of snow fell?”

“It's the second week of November.” I pointed out. “No snow yet.”

“Yeah, but that means there's forty five days left until Christmas, and it's bound to snow before then.” I decided not to point out that it was unlikely, instead ushering her down the stairs to the kitchen. She grabbed the bread and set about making sandwiches for lunch whilst I flicked the telly on inside our scarily large living room. When I say large, I meant that it took up nearly the whole bottom floor of the house and was close to having a horizon!

The living room was reached by descending two wooden steps to a deep red carpet. In the middle of the room were three sofas and a coffee table, set out in a square with a plasma TV screen opposite, over a large fire place. In the far left corner was a bookcase that held more books than I care to count, and two large armchairs. On the right side of the room was a set of large French windows that led out into the vast garden behind the house. To the left of the door was an old globe (when I say old I mean that it belonged to my grandfather) and to the right was a pile of Ilish' sketch books. In fact, now I come to think of it, there are piles of Ilish's stuff everywhere.

I shook my head as I flicked the TV on, looking for something interesting. There wasn't much. The weather forecast was lousy as usual and the main part of the news was filled with politics and celebrities acting up for attention. If Ilish or I wanted to, we could have more attention than they could ever imagine. All it would take would be for us to yell “I'm immortal!” and do something that would kill anyone else. But neither of us wanted that attention and it was going to stay that way.

“Yo! Dreamer!” I jumped as Ilish clicked her fingers infront of my face. “You've been staring off into space for ten minutes and I want to get to school.”

“I wonder why.” I muttered sarcastically, turning the telly off and heading for the door.

“And I'm taking the car today. You can walk if you want to, but I'm not!” I rolled my eyes, grabbing the car keys from the table and blocking out her happy yell. I let Ilish drive, hyper aware that my mind kept wondering from one subject to another. “So, what is the matter with you?”

I snap my head round to look at Ilish as she starts the car. “Huh?”

“You. Elliot. What's wrong?” I shrug in response to her, not really sure of the answer myself. Maybe it's because we'll be leaving in little more than a year, never to see our friends and, in ninety or so years, realise that they're all dead. A depressing thought, yes. One that fades and doesn't hurt so much over time, no. “Lighten up!” Ilish sighed, guessing my thoughts. “Lighten up or we'll both be crying!” I rolled my eyes, turning to watch the soaked students run into school as Ilish parked the car as close to the entrance as possible. We made a mad dash for the doors, barely avoiding several puddles on the way. Once in school it was a matter of life or death. The sloped corridor was covered in a later of water and mud, the surface turned into a muddy ice rink.

By the time Ilish and I made it to the correct corridor, the bell was almost ready to go. Elliot, Xavier and, much to our surprise, Jasmine, were the only ones there. “Where are the others?” Ilish almost demanded, a little surprised by the fact that Jasmine, who was never in school more than three days in a row, had managed a whole week.

“Their buses got caught in the rain.” She smiled in reply, her eyes not quite focussing on Ilish. Something was seriously up with that girl.

“So did I.” Elliot mutters and I turn to face him and realise that he's soaked to the bone.

“Ever heard of a coat?” I laugh and he shakes his head violently, spraying me with water.

“Ever heard of calling to offer me a lift?” He replies with a quirk of his eyebrow and I shrugged.

“Sorry.” Elliot rolls his eyes and pushes off from the wall to envelop me in a large, warm, wet hug. “Gross!” I cry as his wet jacket presses against what was my dry cheek. “Get off me!”

“Nope.” he laughs, popping the 'P'. “I'm cold and wet and you're warm and dry.”

“Not any more I'm not!” I moan but Elliot cuts me off by brushing his lips briefly against mine. I hear Ilish and Jasmine pretending to throw up and Xavier mutter something to Ilish. A few seconds later and she starts to laugh.

We bid good-bye to the three of them as Miss T shows up, heading up the stairs to form. “These stairs never get any easier.” Elliot comments when we reach the top. “And I swear they add one every day.” I laugh, shaking my head as I take my seat on one side of the desk, Elliot sitting down opposite me. “You going to tell me what was happening with you yesterday?” He asks, leaning forwards and I'm so tempted to tell him everything.

“No.” I shrug, avoiding his gaze. “I don't know myself.” I know it frustrates his but I can't tell him the truth. I'd loose him sooner if I did and, I know it's selfish, but I wasn't prepared for that to happen.

Thank fully I was spared an interrogation by the entrance of a rather wet Mel and Lacy. “I hate Wales!” Mel moaned before she'd even sat down. “It always rains!”

“It didn't rain for one week out of seven during the summer holidays!” I joke and Mel shook her umbrella in my direction, spraying me with water. “Hey!” I laughed, grabbing one of Mel's shiny folders to defend myself with.

“Melissa!” Miss T yells. “You come in late and this is the way you behave? Sit down, now!” Mel rolls her eyes but obeys our moody tutor, sitting down with a sigh.

“Moody bitch.” She mutters darkly and Lacy sniggers.

X

By break my nerves were wearing thin. It had been one of those days where everyone and everything annoys the heck out of you; the lesson plan, the teacher, who you sit by, what you write, what people say and do and most other things. Ilish's recent mood was not helping me in any way either. She still appeared to be moping about Xavier looking like James, despite the fact he's given her his undivided attention.

However, the course of my day was about to be changed dramatically. My life turned pretty much inside out as the fire alarm began to blare. I only registered the fact that it was blaring for a few seconds before a louder noise took over.

The sound of an explosion.

It took about two seconds for the shock-wave to follow, then the heat and then for the roof to cave in. I dived under the tables, grabbing the two nearest people to me. Jasmine and Mel. I could heat blood pounding in my ears and that, along with the falling plaster of the roof, drowned out all other noises. At a loss of what to do, I curled up in a tight ball, folding my arms over my head and bit my lip to stop me from screaming like Mel and Jasmine. I could hear the table above me creak in protest as the falling debris fell heavily onto it and I realised, with a sickening horror, that if the table collapsed, the chances of us all surviving were very thing. Unless you were me or Ilish.

As the dust began to fill my lugs it became harder and harder to breath. Each breath soon became laboured and my sight began to fade. The last thing I was aware of before I lose consciousness was the splitting and breaking sounds of the table that shielded me.