Exams had arrived finally as October started gleaming in the sunlight. Fortunately, the teachers weren't setting homeworks to them. Now they were revising whatever they had been facing as courseworks for those exam.
Luke Dean felt feverish the morning of his maths exam, almost tempted to email an application. But June Dean wouldn't approve sadly. Instead, he waited for the first thirty minutes to pass, so that he could run to take the bus. He had caught the habit from James, his ex from Quinceraven when September started. He would take the first bus and when it would pass by St. James square, Luke would hop in and be the first one to step out from the bus between both of them. Quinceraven was an hour away from Pristine Academy.
Last night, he had told Jonathan to drive him and today when he woke, Jonathan was already gone. At least, he could blame it on his twin if he turned out to be late. Well, Poppy had asked if she could drive him in the group-chat but he had declined.
Truth to be told, he wasn't going to be late. He knew any bus he would take from St. James would pass by Hammersmith in less than twenty minutes. He still had thirty minutes before the copies were distributed among the students, not even the questions. And not just that. He was late because he didn't want to face James by taking the first bus.
Luke slid in the second bus that went to Hammersmith, taking a break from the sunshine that was too bright for October. He had stood with his face turned up into that sunshine for a moment, feeling grateful to have missed James and be in time for the next bus. Also, the fact that it wasn't raining like the whole week helped. He felt as tall as the Gherkin and then he sighed when he was reminded of the exams.
Luke found himself sliding towards the back of the bus, finding no seats at the front. There wasn't any empty at the back either.
But there was a very cute guy standing a feet away, a bit shorter than Luke, holding the pole, his knuckles purplish and bruised. Luke felt blood rushing under his cheeks as the guy reached up to rake a hand through his golden curls absentmindedly. His eyes were on the screen of his phone while his left hand clutched the pole between them. Luke contemplated reaching for the same pole for a split second. But when those eyes met his, the blood that had rose on his face drained down immediately at the familiarity.
Cameron Clarke stood, his golden curls a cloud around his head, his eyes a honey-brown. He wore his uniform this time instead of nothing but a swimming trunk he had worn the last time.
But Luke didn't care now. When a cute guy was your friend’s younger brother, he became a cute kid and nothing else. Also, Cameron wouldn't be into boys, would he?
Getting ahead of yourself, Lookey.
Hopeless emotions made him so heady that he didn't listen what Cameron had uttered just seconds ago.
“What?” Luke croaked.
“Done with your revision? Noah was still poring over his copies when I walked out,” Cameron smiled sheepishly.
“Huh? Yeah.” A large grin spread across his face, and he knew how idiotic it must have looked but he couldn't seem to stop himself. “Doesn't he drive you to Pristine?”
“Sometimes. But I like taking this bus.”
This? Note to self: never take this bus.
Luke had never seen Cameron as nothing more than his friend's kid brother. But now today, seeing him as a stranger for the first time caught him off-guard. It was embarrassing, truly.
And when they reached Hammersmith, Cameron went quickly down the steps, saying his goodbye so fast that Luke had to frown. He couldn't have gone faster. Luke saw his retreating back almost against his will and he watched the bright golden of his hair, the way his uniform jacket hugged his shoulders, his tanned complexion and a small cut on the knuckles that had been spread against the pole in an embrace. The bruise around the cut had looked deep but not lengthy and Luke had wondered from where he got it.
A sigh escaped him as he, himself, went down the steps like a old man looking for support and stood at the front of the college, watching Cameron disappear into the building.
Just a kid, he thought and then he thought again, have some shame.
"Hey," a familiar voice erupted from behind him and he felt the fluttering of butterflies in his stomach again. But it was of different kind, the kind he had never felt, even when he saw someone cute like Cameron.
"Hi," he smiled as he turned to face Cassidy Dubois, standing with a welcome smile.
"Did you do the maths I asked you to?" Cassidy tucked a strand of golden hair behind her ear.
"Oh, yeah," he nodded, sheepishly.
He would probably drink a glass full of poison if Cassidy asked him to. That was how sweet she sounded.
*
“Well, it wasn't that bad,” Olivia Portman said anxiously. “I'll at least get the pass marks. Was the last one done with parabola?” When Julia nodded, she happily added, “Pass marks then.”
“Liv,” Darien spoke sternly. “We're not talking about exams until English paper starts the next week. Please.”
“I wouldn't believe if you said you did bad, even after you swear on your sister.” Poppy rolled her dark eyes and swept her long braid behind her uniform-clad shoulder.
Darien began to move towards her locker, sighing. The boys were already before their lockers. She could untangle their voices and get the sense of what they were saying - something about a ticket. Then she heard Noah say, “We're still not sure. I mean isn't it presumptuous to think she might be into me?”
Oh, it's definitely not presumptuous, Darien wanted to say. But then she realized how two weeks had passed since Julia had mentioned anything regarding Noah. If he was going to ask her out, there was no need to be so nervous. Yet a thought bugged Darien. What had Julia been doing for the past two weeks? There were plenty of Instagram stories and posts. But nothing said who she was with. And yes, she was with someone. That, Darien was sure of. Who else would take her photos? Chuck? That had possibilities.
Darien, reaching for her locker, noticed her empty finger for the hundredth of time and sighed again. She hadn't mention this to her father that she had lost her mother's engagement ring. Sooner or later, she would have to though. And what about her mother's diary? Her father would look for that as well. But she hadn't read it yet. She didn't have the guts to.
Students who didn't have exams were passing by them since the lunch hour had started. Darien looked around sharply and saw Ibrahim standing there before his own locker. Darien saw with dismay that his feet were turned towards her and moving.
“What do you want?” Her voice came out high-pitched, almost accusatory.
“Your ring,” Ibrahim Nizami said, holding up a platinum band and attached to it was a pear-shaped diamond that twinkled in the sunlight wavering into the corridor.
Her face froze, turned red and when he held her hand to place the ring on her palm, she almost cried out. Almost.
“Thank you,” she muttered, her brown eyes still wary.
“Oh, don't,” Ibrahim smiled and for the first time, she just stood there, admiring the way his eyes crinkled and his cheeks flushed. “Next time, don't be so careless. It seems expensive.”
She was trying to slip the ring down her finger but stopped at his words. “It is expensive, yes, and I'm not careless when it comes to something like this.”
“Then what was it doing lying on the floor?” Ibrahim came closer and pursed his lips. He walked as if he had done her a favor by giving her the ring. At least, that was what it looked like to her.
“You know what, Nizami?” she said, feeling brave. “You think you've done me a favor? No, you haven't.” She shook her head to emphasize. “Are you even aware of the mirrors around you? Cause it seems like you see yourself only.”
With that, she trotted down the hall, not glancing back as Ibrahim stared, feeling guiltier than ever. That girl probably had been going insane for this ring. And what about the diary?
Had it been Marlene Pryce’s diary? There were letters in it, he had noticed. Maybe Darien was going through them all alone. There were things you couldn't share with your friends.
“She was really worried about the ring. Thanks, Ibrahim,” a pleasant voice said from behind.
Julia Eden stood, smiling up at him, her golden hair pulled up into a ponytail. Her phone was buzzing in her pocket but she didnt notice for it had been on silence.
“I get it,” Ibrahim smiled down at her. “How was your exam?”
“Not as good as yours. I don't have geniuses sitting around me,” she grinned, shutting her locker.
“Hey, I practiced a lot as well. Don't give all the credit to Clarke,” he protested, breaking into a grin.
“I hear someone say my name,” Noah said with some pride. For a moment, the three of them looked at each other cautiously. Then Ibrahim smiled tentatively. “I'll be off then. Mum's monthly checkup.”
He went away, hoping to run into Darien in the hospital again this time. Too bad she wasn't going cause Lotte was back in London already.
“So how was it?” said Noah, leaning against Julia's locker and crossing his legs.
“I used the theory for circle instead of parabola,” sighed Julia. “It means five marks is already gone.”
“Ah, well,” said Noah easily. “That's only one mistake, isn't it, you'll still get-”
“Oh, shut up, Noah.” Julia shot him a look. “What if this is the five marks that make difference between a pass and fail.
“Ah, you have lovely temper,” said Noah, very quietly and Julia only looked at him for a while. “You've been going to art exhibitions lately.”
“Yeah,” Julia smiled, reminded of Neal Williams. She was supposed to call him to let him know how her exam was. She reached for her phone in the pocket at that thought. “Been exploring lately.”
Her eyes darted towards the screen of her phone, scrolling down the text notifications.
Neal : can I come over in thirty? how was your exam?
She typed, smiling to herself.
Did fine. See you in thirty. xx
“Why not another one then?” Noah was saying.
“What?” Julia looked up abruptly, eyes wide.
“I said I have tickets to Jenny Holzer’s tonight. And there isn't any exam for the next three days. What do you think?” he explained and Julia watched with concern.
“Headache, Noah. I would've loved to but…”
“Headache,” Noah cut in and then shrugged, his thin lips pressing into an awkward smile. “Take some Ibuprofen maybe. I have a packet with me.”
“Oh, no, not with an empty stomach,” Julia smiled. “Thanks, Noah.”
And she felt it in her bones then. Guilt. Was she making a mistake? She didn't know. At least she wasn't stringing both of the boys along.
Not when Neal Williams would be waiting for her when she got home.