***
A bang on my room door jolted me awake, a slight headache adding to my already grumbled state. The intruder went to open the red blinds, the radiant sunshine immediately attacking my eyes until I felt like they were burning their way into my skull.
Wait. I looked at my surroundings, the familiar scenery of my hostel dorm room registering in my head. How the hell did I get here?
I tried to remember what exactly happened but once my mind got to eating those scrumptious brownies, everything else drew blank. Stupid weed brownies.
"Don't tell me you've been sleeping all day young lady." The matrons voice was harsh and cold as she leant on my room door, arms crossed flexing her muscles while sending death glares in my direction.
My eyes were still adjusting to the change in brightness so I gave her a disgruntled groan. Obviously that didn't satisfy her.
"You missed your morning duties," she went on, looking at me with uttermost disgust like I was the dog poop she had to scrape off the sidewalk. "As punishment you'll rake all the fallen leaves in the vineyard."
Ugh, I just want to go back to bed. I turned to face her, taking in her khaki shorts and dark blue polo shirt. I swear that's all she every wears.
Nodding to show I heard her, I closed my eyes and tried to drift back to sleep. "Ungrateful brat," she hissed, opening the door and banging it behind her. Rude.
I had no idea what I ever did to her but from day one she never liked me, always giving me the stink eye once we crossed paths or giving me loads of unnecessary work to do.
Might as well get it over with. I groaned at the thought of getting up to work, every step dragging on as I got ready for the day. Well afternoon. Why did she let me sleep for so long?
Finally done I trudged all the way outside, till I figured I had no idea where they stored the rakes.
I was met with a calm and peaceful scenery, no one else bothered to disturb their beauty sleep. Ugh.
I roamed the school for a couple minutes, looking for a soul to help me find the rakes.
"Are you lost?"
I turned around to see Noah, the supposed soccer legend that turned out to be not so great.
"No I'm not lost," I replied, folding my hands defensively. I was totally lost, but he didn't need to know that.
He reciprocated my actions, leaning on the locker as he brought out an afro comb to brush out his messy mane.
"You look pretty lost to me," he said, smirking proudly, a small chip on his canine.
"Well I'm not." I turned to walk away from him, not in the mood for some egotistical prick who thinks he's better than everyone just cause he's got a few soccer moves.
"Wait, Debbie, I didn't mean it like that," he called after me.
I ignored him at first, until I finally registered what he said. "How do you know my name?" Thinking about it, how does everyone know my name?
"Why won't I know the girl that managed to best me at soccer?" Oh, that explains it. I turned back to him, seeing a half smile on his face.
"And don't you forget it," I teased, even sending him a playful wink. Maybe we're both egotistical pricks. That seemed to ease the tension, his whole face brightening.
"Didn't you also come this year?" I asked, wondering how he'll be of any use to me.
"So?" He smoothly jaywalked to me. "I'm sure I know these streets more than you do."
I somehow highly doubt.
"Sure homeboy," I encouraged. He slid his arm around my shoulder. "Lead the way."
"Actually," someone else said from across the stre- I mean hall. "I think I'm gonna take it from here."
He strode closer, eyeing Noah's arm. I'm not the only one seeing this, right?
Noah's release from my shoulder made me think he saw that too. Is he-
The thought made me giddy for some reason and I eagerly placed Noah's arm back around my shoulder. What was I doing?
Noah seemed a bit shocked but instantly cooled down once I placed my hand on his chest.
"Actually," I repeated. "I'm going with Noah."
Noah looked between both of us and quickly backed away, arms in the air. "Look man, I don't want to come in between whatever you two have going on."
I rolled my eyes. Coward. "See you later tiger." He pointed his two index fingers at me before walking away.
No don't leave me with-
"So, why exactly did you need Noah's help?" Raymond asked, looking at me as though I was this tough puzzle that only he could solve.
"I didn't need Noah's help." I shifted my gaze to the floor, looking him in the eyes suddenly became a difficult task. "I just didn't know where to find the rakes."
His eyes bulged at that and his whole stature became tense. "Why would you need to find a rake?" I finally looked him in the eye and I couldn't believe what I saw.
He looked scared, but not for himself. For me.
This doesn't make any sense. "Just show me where the rakes are so I can get on with this stupid task." I didn't mean to sound so harsh but all I wanted to do was climb back in bed and sleep till tomorrow.
"Don't worry I'll get it for you," he rushed, zooming to the back of the school building before I could even reply. He's acting weird.
Should I follow him? But...he's so far away.
Deciding it's just best to remain in my spot and ask questions once he gets back, I massaged my head that had already started hurting from the thought of having to do work on a Sunday.
It usually wasn't this painful, but that punch I drank last night must've really done something to me.
Raymond finally came back with...two rakes? "I only needed one thank you," I explained, wondering why he'd bring a second one. Did he expect me to do double the work? Hell no.
"I know I'm giving you a hand." He leaned on the rake, giving me that cute boyish smile that somehow managed to seep into my heart. Damn he's good.
"Why?" I started proceeding to the vineyard, with him following at my heel. I appreciated the gesture but no one just randomly decides to lend a helping hand.
"Cause I'm feeling generous." I didn't believe him one bit. He definitely wants something from me. Money? No, he has more of that than I do.
"No, but seriously, what do you want from me?" I turned to eye him suspiciously. Sex? Does he think I'll have sex with him just because he helped me rake a couple of leaves? Boy was he gonna be disappointed.
He looked so innocent, but I knew what he really wanted. This is probably how he gets the girls.
"I was just wondering if you'd seen any Ammolite lately." He asked it so casually, as though he didn't just ask me about a rare material mainly found along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, or at least that's what my geography teacher taught me.
"Pardon?" I just had to make sure he knew what he was saying. Was he aware that we lived no where close to North America? "Do you know where we live?"
"You're right, that was stupid of me to ask." He shrugged it off, but I could see the major disappointment rolling off him.
I didn't know what else to say so we just raked silently, the burning sun's ray piercing into our skin. The longer I stayed in the hot sun, the longer I plotted the matrons demise.
Sundays are for sleeping, everyone knows that. By now I had gathered all my leaves in a large bundle on the dry grass. Raymond finished way before me, and spent his remaining time watching me work.
His eyes stayed focus on me but I knew his mind was elsewhere, something crowding his thoughts. He had that look as though he was reminiscing a memory, a sad smile painted on his lips.
Quickly finishing my work, I knelt opposite him, his forlorn expression worrying me. I touched his shoulder but he barely acknowledged it.
"What's wrong?" I didn't like seeing him like this one bit. His usual playfulness replaced by this sadness, I didn't know how much of an effect he had on me.
My hands shifted to his face, holding his cheek tenderly as I tried to focus his attention back on me and not the sad thoughts swirling in his mind. I don't want to see you sad.
He leant into my hand, holding it as though I was gonna let go at any second. As though I was going to vanish right before his eyes.
He finally looked at me and at this position I could see his face clearly. More precisely, his eyes. I could see the green darken ever so slightly, the small specks of blood swimming in them.
Ammolite. His eyes reminded me of the gem, Ammolite.
"I don't think I can do this anymore Debbie."
"Wha-"
Before I could properly react he closed the small gap between us. His lips meeting mine.
***
Well damn! It seems like Ray Ray's got some moves. How do you guys think Debbie will react?
He calls her Emerald. She calls him Ammolite. I hope I've cleared that up.
If you likey don't forget to hit that star button, the next chapter is sure to knock your socks off ;)
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