Needless to say, over dinner I gave my Mum a heavily edited version of the day's events, which omitted the part about being hung up on a coat hook for the entire afternoon. I could tell that Olive was dying to spill the beans about what had really happened, but she managed to resist. Like I told her, I didn't want anybody knowing about what was going on with me and Taylor, especially not my Mum.
The last few years had been so hard on her. After my Dad died, it was almost like I had lost her too. There were times where she wouldn't even get out of bed because she just couldn't face the day. My lovely, funny, spirited Mum became someone I didn't even recognise anymore. I was only fourteen and it was a lot to handle. I was so used to her being the strong one.
These days she was finally getting back to her old self. It was so good to see her laughing and smiling again, just like the way she always used to. I wasn't going to let anyone take that away from us.
Especially not Taylor Raven.
After dinner, Olive went straight home whilst I decided to get an early night. I was so relieved that the day was finally over at last. I fell straight into a deep sleep, but my dreams were a strange and cluttered mess of everything that had happened during the day. Coat hooks and fallen books and clompy boots.
The next few days at college went by without incident. There were no more run-ins with Taylor Raven or the rest of his crew (besides a few dirty looks from Patricia in the corridor, which were obviously aimed at Olive and me). I wasn't sure if Taylor was biding his time for the next big attack or whether he'd finally had his fill of torturing me. Either way I was happy for a bit of calm in my college life, even if it was only temporary.
The one thing of note that did occur during the rest of my week was that I suddenly started to notice Vincent Hunter and his sidekick Alexis. Everywhere.
I guess I must have passed them by many times before in my day to day life, but before the "collision incident" I hadn't taken much notice of them. Now they seemed to be down every hallway, lingering outside every classroom and lounging around in every part of the field outside. Once I started noticing them, I found myself looking out for them all the time. I felt like I was turning into some kind of stalker. They became like a fascination for me. Particularly Vincent...
Whenever I saw him playing guitar under the tree where he always sat, he looked so serene. A world away from the angry young man who violently attacked a classmate during detention. I wondered if maybe he wasn't as bad as his reputation made out. I knew what it was like to be judged all the time and it wasn't a good feeling. Was Vincent being wrongly judged by the people around him for one stupid, out of character mistake he made years ago?
Then again, the more I noticed him, the more I noticed the dark streak running through him. The way he would barge angrily through large groups of his peers. Bitter arguments with teachers outside of classroom doors, and a general heaviness in his eyes that hinted at a history stained with darkness. Those eyes were a warning sign to the rest of the world and the majority of students stayed well out of his way.
Alexis was the only person who Vincent seemed to tolerate in any kind of close proximity, but when I saw her chasing after him chattering I wondered if even she was able to completely break through to his shell. Some of the time it looked like he was locked in a world beyond the physical and her words were nothing but empty smoke trails drifting behind him.
It was hard to believe that Vincent had actually been waving at me from the tree that day after I'd bumped into him. I wondered if maybe I'd been mistaken, because it seemed so unlike the guy I was now witnessing. Not to mention that if he recognised me, he wasn't showing it anymore. Whilst I was looking out for him, he had certainly given up any kind of interaction with me. A few times he breezed right past me, eyes locked straight ahead without so much as a glint of acknowledgement thrown towards me. Alexis also blanked me on the occasions when our paths crossed.
One person who didn't ignore my fixed glances was my dear old pal Olive. On Thursday afternoon, she confronted me as I was taking a pile of maths workbooks out of my locker.
"OK Scotty, don't think I haven't noticed." She was resting a long arm against the row of lockers next to mine and towering over me with an accusing look in her eye. "You're obsessed with Vincent Hunter aren't you?"
I nearly dropped all my books in surprise at her calling me out. "What are you talking about?" I spluttered.
Olive pointed her finger at me. "Nothing gets past me in this school Scotty Williams. Nothing! I've seen you molesting him with your eyes every time he walks past you. You're like a lovesick puppy dog with your tongue hanging out."
I somewhat resented this analogy. I mean, Vincent had peaked my curiosity for sure. But lovesick puppy dog? I was hardly in that kind of territory. I mean, yeah, he was cute... but I definitely didn't have feelings of love towards him!
"You're crazy!" I answered in defence. "I've barely even noticed him!"
"Bullshit!" Olive crowed. "You look out for him in every crowd! The other day I saw you walk the long way round to the cafeteria just so you could follow him for a few extra steps."
"I... I felt like a change of scenery," I mumbled. Had I actually done that? I couldn't remember. "And anyway, it sounds like you're the one who's stalking me here!"
"I'm just watching out for you Scotty," Olive replied in a more gentle tone. She took one of my workbooks for me and walked alongside me as I headed for class. "Just because Vincent was a little bit nice to you for like one second, does not mean that you should go and get carried away about him. The guy is a psychopath, and besides he isn't even gay so you're heading for total disaster if you start fancying him."
I seriously wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. "Olly, I love you and I love that you are worried about me, but like I already said, you're crazy! Vincent Hunter means nothing to me."
Olive tutted. "OK, so you're not going to admit it. That's fine, you don't like Vincent Hunter. I think you should keep it that way!"
"Well, I will keep it that way!" I repeated. "Because I don't like him! I don't even know the guy, he doesn't even cross my mind."
"Alexis would go mad as well if she found out," Olive added as an afterthought. "I'm sure those two are a thing and I bet she's the jealous type. You already have enough grief around here. You seriously don't need her on your case too."
"JESUS OLIVE!" I cried, making a few passing year 8 girls jump out of their skin. "I don't have a crush on Vincent, so just be quiet!"
It didn't matter how much you yelled at Olive, your words were like water sliding right off her skin.
"Yeah, I'm just saying if you did have a crush on him then that probably wouldn't be a very good idea so you should really try and find something else to focus on. I know it's difficult because we don't have many other gay students in the school, but you should be concentrating on your studies right now anyway, not your love life."
I actually wanted to scream and throw all my books on her head. Luckily for me (or rather, luckily for Olive) it was at this point that our conversation was interrupted by a call behind us.
"Hey Scolly, wait up!"
It was Mandy Peterson, one of the members of Dungeon Adventure Club. She was a few years below us and always referred to us as one entity rather than by our individual names.
"Hey Mandy!" Olive beamed, her head girl persona switching on instantly. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good thanks," Mandy replied. "I just thought I'd let you know I'll be running a bit late tonight because I got a stupid detention in P.E."
Poor Mandy was still in the year group where P.E. was mandatory. The worst ever subject for the majority of geeks and nerds like us. Particularly for Mandy who got picked on mercilessly for her looks. She was a bit of a big girl with frizzy red hair and freckles. As a result, she often "forgot" her P.E. kit and had to sit out of class. We knew this because she was always running late for our R.P.G. club due to detentions.
"Don't worry about it," Olive smiled. "We can hang on for you."
"And just think," I added, "only one more year and then you never have to do P.E. again!"
Mandy grinned from ear to ear. "Oh, what a joyous thought! Thanks Scotty, I'll see you guys later."
She skipped off down the hall, just as I reached the stairwell that lead to maths. I grabbed the rest of my books from Olive. "Right, I'll see you later then Ol."
"Yes, I'll see you in a bit. And remember..." She wiggled her blonde eyebrows with a knowing look.
I gave her a deadpan glare from halfway up the stairs. "And remember what? What the hell is that look supposed to mean?"
"It means nothing!" she exclaimed, feigning innocence. Then as she walked away she added, "Just stop fancying Vincent Hunter!"
I let out an exasperated groan that echoed all the way behind her as she strutted off.