One Kiss... (Completed)

Leaving My Life Behind (Toby)

My first teacher-student romance! Please comment and vote! Your comments are really valuable to me as well as your suggestions! :) 

Springfield Falls. Sounds like an advert for a housing estate, I thought, pummelling the basketball onto the tarmac. Sounds like a cross between The Simpsons and a Jodi Picoult book… I added bitterly. I jumped up, chucking the ball towards the net. It skimmed over the rim, rolled teasingly, then dropped off the edge. Two large flat hands reached up with lightning speed, snatching it from the air. Josh, my best mate.

“Oi! Dreamhead!” He chucked the ball at me with jest, nearly knocking me over, even though it wasn’t a particularly hard shot. I caught it flat against my chest. “What’s up?” He pressed, pushing his long chestnut hair out of his eyes. “You’re a bit... away with the fairies.”

“Nothing.” I looked down at the ball trapped in my hands, analysed the mud and grit stuck in the grooves. I realized just how much I was going to miss him.

Josh strode over, and clapped me on the back. 

“Hey,” he said softly, “Just ‘cuz you’re gone doesn’t mean that I can’t officially steal Darla off you.” I punched him in the ribs, watched him splutter in surprise.

“You asked for that one,” I said humouredly, wincing at the sudden painful vision of Darla, with her train track braces, over-sized specs and bubblegum pink dungarees. She’d had a crush on me since we were four. Darla was one of the reasons that I couldn’t wait to leave Swansea; Josh was the anchor that was stopping me. Josh, with his rich Welsh accent and impossibly brilliant skateboarding skills was the greatest mate a guy could have. Tomorrow, I was leaving him. Possibly forever.

“Cheer up, Tobes,” Josh slapped me on the back, leaving a paw print of mud there. “At least you’ll get some sun in the Midlands.” As if on cue, the sky rumbled hungrily. “Wanna come back to my place? Mum’s out. Maybe we could stick a pizza on speed dial and grab a game of Fallout 3?”

I nodded, feeling hollow inside. My mouth felt empty, dry like a gas chamber, and just as poisonous. Tomorrow, I knew, was going to be a whole new life. And I hated the idea of it.

Later, I lay in bed, watching the moon throw shadows of silver across my bedroom ceiling. I couldn't help but wonder what might lie in store for me at my new school. It sounded wet. The name 'Springfield Falls High School' sounded bad enough. I turned over away from the window, wrapping my quilt around me. Next door, I could hear quiet noise, like a cat mewing. It was mum, crying. I felt my stomach ball itself up tight. Why was I worrying? Mum had so much to worry about -  more than I ever would. 

I pulled the duvet over my face, so I wouldn't have to stare at my school uniform hanging on the wardrobe. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?