The morning comes quickly after a restless night, and I wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed. My schoolbag is at the foot of my bed, packed for the day, and my phone is fully charged by my head. Jai must have plugged in my phone, I think, and it's such a sweet gesture that I just lay there smiling for a few seconds. Then I realise that it's the first day of term and my smile wavers.
The only people that I want to see right now are Serendipity and the Brooks brothers, and the Brooks even go to our school anymore. I want to wag school, I need to go and see Luke.
He's like my drug, I don't want to need him, but at the same time I know I do.
I am not in the mood for school today. My past week (seems like more than a week!) has been hectic and the best week of my life. School is not my top priority right now.
I get dressed quickly in my school sports uniform, even pulling on the jumper because it looks like it's going to start raining. My black and pink Nikes are the only decent sneakers I own, and because I'm going to walk to school today, I decide to wear them. Then I pick up my phone and bag, and jog down the stairs.
I grab a muesli bar on my way out the door and don't bother saying goodbye to my mum or my siblings.
Partway through the walk, I realise why I never walk to school anymore. Because it's a freaking huge walk to do every morning. It's been three quarters of an hour already and I'm not nearly there. Changing the song I'm listening to, I notice Luke has texted me, telling me he's going to be coming back to school for a few days, but he'll be in class with me and the Serendipity girls.
I text Luke to tell him I'm on my way but I'm still on Seafront Road, and he replies almost instantly saying Beau's driving him up to meet me. I start to smile, then feel the first drops of rain start to drop and my smile slides straight off again. Fabulous. By the time Beau pulls around the corner, I'm absolutely drenched and have pulled my hood up over my face to stop my makeup from running. He drives the car right up next to me so Luke can lean across to open the side door for me to hop in.
The relief of being in a warm car, with Luke, on my way away from my mum, is amazing. Even if we're going to school. Neither Beau nor Luke ask me any questions, Beau just pulls out onto the road and heads off down the road. I was with Beau when he drove for the first time off his P plates, and I'm still just as scared as I was then. He seems to regard the speed limit signs as scenery. Luke's phone is plugged in and Teenagers by My Chemical Romance is playing. I sing along without noticing and Luke joins in, turning the volume right up.
Teenagers scare
the living shit out of me
They could care less
as long as someone'll bleed
So darken your clothes
or strike a violent pose
Maybe they'll leave you alone,
but not me!
When the song ends, Luke turns the volume back down and turns to me, breathing heavily. Before I know it, he's leaning over to my side, kissing me. I almost forget where we are in that two seconds flat until Beau stomps down on the brake and we're both jerked against our seat belts.
"Can you guys please just lay off each other for ten minutes? I'm not driving you to school as you fuck in the backseat." He says, then continues driving.
I smile guiltily at Luke, and he grins back, face flushed, and winks.
* * * *
School sucks. I'm in the back row, almost asleep on my desk, and Mrs Kelly hasn't stopped droning on for the past half an hour. Alicia and Mel are my only other friends in this class and they're in identical positions on either side of me. Luke is sitting two rows in front of me and he hasn't been told off yet, even though he's chewing on gum and has his feet on the desk. Plus, he's got his entire right arm covered in tattoos. There's no way in hell anyone can actually believe he's a Year 10.
It's the start of Term 4 in Year 10 and I can't wait to get out. I'm considering just dropping out after Year 10. I already know what I want to do - film editing. I've always had a knack for electronics, and I'm in charge of our YouTube. I learnt editing because me and Luke used to muck around on the computer making movies.
I'm just dozing off when he hits me with a balled up piece of paper. I blink a few times against the light before unravelling it to reveal his spiky scrawl.
I need to get out of here.
I roll my eyes. Doesn't everyone?
I scribble my reply, 'theres a window right beside you' and chuck it back at him.
"Miss Bradley!" Just my luck. "I do not want to see you throwing things in my class again!" Mrs Kelly screeches to me and I nod with a complacent smile. "I don't want any of this cheek either! Stand outside please, until you're ready to come back in!" I fight to keep my grin hidden as I stand and walk proudly from the room. Just as I put my hand on the door knob, I hear her scream, and I know what's happened.
Luke's jumped out the window.
Sure enough, as I turn, I see him crouched on the tree branch just below the window ledge. This classroom is on the third storey; Luke is literally two centimetres from falling to his death. As we make eye contact, he beckons me.
I really shouldn't.
"Miss Bradley, don't you even think about it!" It's this comment from Mrs Kelly that sends me running across the classroom and leaping out the window into the tree's many leafy branches. Luke shuts the window behind me and climbs over to my branch, laughing.
"That was golden!" He crows, "Her face was absolutely priceless!"
I'm breathing heavily. "Wow, that was exhilarating!" I gasp, starting to giggle. "That was so much fun!"
Mrs Kelly is rushing to the window, phone in hand, and the class has gathered around the pane of glass, hands pressed against it in awe. Mrs Kelly starts to push through the crowd and Luke pulls a face at me. "Come on! Let's get some ice cream!" I giggle outrageously at the ridiculous situation but start to scramble down the tree branch. I knew gymnastics would come in handy one day.
"I'll race you!" I call to Luke, and he grins.
"Game on!" He replies, and jumps to the branch below. I jump, hands first, to the branch level with mine and swing under, letting go at the end to land on a lower branch. Catching Luke's amazed expression, I poke my tongue out and mark an imaginary '1' in the air. His expression becomes competitive again.
We continue this way all the way down the three storeys, competing with each branch, racing the whole way. I can't stop laughing but at the same time, I'm in it to win it. When my feet touch the grass, I look up to Luke triumphantly. Next thing I know, he's thrown himself off the last branch on top of me and we hit the ground hard, together.
When I'm flat on my back, breathing heavily, Luke simply gives me a quick kiss on the forehead, and stands up. "So, do you wanna get some ice cream or what?" He asks innocently. I just smile.