III .
MY FINGERS TAPPED ABSENT-MINDEDLY ON the surface of the table while my one foot rested on the chair next to me, the only emotion I was feeling this Saturday morning was pure boredom of waiting for Amanda. I don't understand why it was taking her so long to get here unless she didn't know where the library was because maybe she has never been to one, I mean it does have the word 'LIBRARY' attached to the front off the building above the door. I looked to my right at the clock seeing it was five-past-ten, I could still be in bed asleep if the biology teacher didn't pair us together. I took my glasses off and threw them onto the table. Pinching the bridge of my nose I started to feel frustrated inside as I hung my head back and rocked on the chair, for this project I knew I could probably do it on my own not needing a partner. I could just pick a topic and subject and be done with it.
I placed my glasses back on and stood up from the chair to look for the books that I was going to need, silently cursing myself inside when I knew deep down she was going to do this to me and stand me up. So be it, as long as I don't have to see her face or hear her voice I was fine with doing the work on my own. I ran my finger tips along the laminated spines of the books on the shelf, grabbing a variety of different biology books that I needed to get this project started, with an armful I made my way back to where my bag was sat, I placed the pile of five books onto the table while I pulled out my notebook to write down any important information regarding the project, not really knowing what we would be focusing on because she wasn't here yet, so we couldn't decide.
It came closer to an hour later and she was still a no-show while my notebook contained five pages of appropriate draft notes towards different subjects. I kept looking at the clock seeing it was after eleven when I finally decided to give up and close the books to leave in a pile on the table. I just wanted to get out of here, hating that I had already wasted my morning when I could have been doing something important.
I packed my bag and got up, pushing the chair in to leave the library. I smiled my goodbye to the librarian when I exited out the revolving doors to the main street my car was parked on. Taking hold of my hair tie I pulled it free from its usual bun to allow it to fall in delicate waves over my shoulders and chest when I felt a warm hand grab hold of my wrist making me turn around to see who it was.
I pulled my arm free when I saw that it was Amanda a confused look placed on her face as she looked back at me with a questioning gaze, I just looked back at her with annoyance waiting for her to speak up and throw some crappy excuse my way as to why she was late, but it never came instead her eyes looked over my hair since she had never seen it down considering I never see her outside of school. Occasionally she will come into the coffee shop, but like usual my hair is always tied back.
"Where are you going?" she enquired, her dark brown eyes looking into mine while I brushed a hand through my hair and let out an exasperated sigh. She didn't really get to question me when she never showed up at the agreed time.
"Home. I said ten in the morning, not eleven. I left the books on the table for you to put back on the shelf when you're done." I answered walking backwards away from her before turning back around to get to my car, not wanting to stop and listen to her reasons.
I climbed into the driving seat and placed my bag onto the seat next to me while I turned the engine on, buckling myself up before pulling away from the kerb. I reached into my bag to find my phone to quickly send a text Ryan when I saw that I had a missed call from a number that I didn't recognise, I knitted my eyebrows together when I redialed the number when I came to a stop at a red light, holding it up to my ear, the ring tone seeming like it was never ending. As the traffic lights turned green and I was about to put the phone down someone finally answered.
"Hello?" an overly peppy voice chimed through the receiver my eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"Is this Amanda, if so, how in God's name did you get my number?" I questioned in an unhappy voice while I accelerated down the road. The other end of the phone fell silent for a few seconds as I waited for them to answer my question.
"I got your number from Catherine, I-" I cut her off before she could compose the rest of her sentence, I know I was acting like a bitch but this girl hated me and I wasn't so fond of her either and for her to now have my number is just another thing to deal with.
"How did she get my number? I don't even talk to the girl." I seethed through gritted teeth while I turned the corner to get onto the by-pass to head back home.
"If you would let me finished, Wilson. She got it from Ryan, I think his name was. I called you to let you know I was going to be late but it went to voice mail. I had things to deal with first and I had to walk there." She explained, making me feel the slightest bit guilty for my cold-front until I remembered who she was. I felt my upper lip curl when I thought about working with her for the whole of this term, having to spend my weekends with her as if being at school with her wasn't enough.
I will no longer get a day off to myself.
"Yeah well, if you knew you weren't driving you should have left earlier." I snapped down the phone at her wondering why I haven't hung up on her yet. I shouldn't be on the phone while driving but then again I do send the odd text every now and then.
"Have I ever made an assumption about you?" she half yelled making me move the phone from my ear, my eyes looking out for my turning to get into the countryside.
"Yes, yes you have. Numerous times at school in case you're too dumb to recall anything from this week and the rest of the school year. You and your friends pretty much make my school life a misery. Goodbye, DeCeno." I said getting ready to hang up when I heard her call, wait.
"In case you don't recall, that was my friends never me. Yes, I act cold towards you because I simply dislike you but not once have I shoved you or smacked your books from out of your hands. I have never done anything to you." She said defending herself, "meet me tomorrow at the library, same time. And for your information I don't drive, I just got held up at home, not that I have to explain myself to you." She said dryly hanging up the phone on me, all I could do was chew on the inside of my cheek after having her snap at me.
I threw my phone into the passenger seat, not wanting to deal with any of this right now. The side I was speaking about that I hadn't been on with Amanda, well, I think I'm on her bad side now. At least tomorrow will be eventful and not boring to keep me on my toes.
I turned the music back up in my car letting my current thoughts of annoyance slip away slowly, trying to forget about Amanda, about Ryan and Catherine I just wanted to get home and slob around the house grateful that I didn't have to work this weekend and could do as I pleased.
When I arrived home Ryan was leaning against the side of his car with his arm crossed over his chest with his hand tucked under his armpit, his head looking down at his phone before looking at my car as I pulled up next to his. I climbed out leaving my bag on the passenger seat since I was going to be returning back there tomorrow morning.
He opened his mouth to speak only to have me hold my hand up to his face to keep him silent not wanting to hear his voice right now with my head shaking slightly as I walked to my door. Once inside I kicked my shoes off into the corner leaving Ryan to close it shut behind him while I walked into the kitchen and went straight for the fridge to get some water when I slammed it shut to turn around and face him.
"What the hell, Ryan." I half yelled, my arms going up in the air to only slap against my thighs when I dropped them. His lips pressed into a thin line while he stayed standing in the doorway, his eyes looking me over seeing that I was annoyed at him. "I don't even know Catherine, I don't even like Amanda." My voice raising towards the end of the sentence, his lips pursed together when he gave a simple nod and looked down at his feet.
"I didn't know she was going to give it to, Amanda. If I did, I wouldn't have given your number to her, I thought she was wanting to talk to you not hand it over to someone. I just assumed you were friends or something." He tried to explain, my emotions were still running on feeling angry and pretty pissed-off.
"No, I told you she goes to my school not that we are friends and we have only spoken nothing but a few words." I sighed running both hands through my hair while he looked down at the floor, "how are you and her, anyway?" I asked, changing the subject from off me to notice the smile on his face when he looked up at me again and stopped avoiding my gaze.
"Well, I took her out for breakfast and I'm going out on a date with her tomorrow." I gave him a genuine smile, happy to see him going out on a date, "when are you going to get yourself a boyfriend, or should I say girlfriend?" he asked, making me go straight back into a mood with him.
"Screw you, Ryan." My voice sounding irritated as I left the kitchen making sure my shoulder hit against his as I walked passed to head towards the stairs to go to my bedroom. "Maybe I'll ask your sister on a date, considering she is a new found lesbian," I called down to him while I opened up my bedroom door hearing his feet come up the stairs while I gritted my teeth waiting for him to flip out and get defensive.
When he got into my room he grabbed onto my upper arms and forced me back to lay on my bed when he straddled my waist, I let out an annoyed grunt as I wriggled underneath him, his body weight making it hard to breathe when I felt my arms get pinned against my side. The more I struggled the heavy his weight started to feel as I gave up when I made no progress.
I know I touched a nerve because his jaw was clenching and unclenching as he stared down at me with me just giving him an unimpressed expression.
"You will not go after my sister, promise me." He said through barely parted lips, "she's younger than us and even if I can't beat up a woman I would definitely kill you. You're supposed to have her back not trying to ride it."
"She's younger than me by a year, Ryan. Now get off me, I can't breathe." I said through gritted teeth.
He rolled to the side an got from off me, the relief from the weight being removed making my body feel light. Ryan is just a solid mass of muscle.
"Well, just to let you know. I'd have no guilt in kicking your ass." He commented making me turn my head to look at him, "I mean it, Bec." He sighed when I raised an eyebrow up at him.
It did make me wonder if he was being serious and that his threats weren't empty. If I did actually date Leah, I am curious to how he would act, would he hate it as much as he puts across or is it all a tough guy act of being the older brother and watching out for his baby sister.
-
The next morning I was sat in the library a little before ten in the morning with my handwritten notes in front of me and the books that I had picked out yesterday, they did contain a lot of useful information but it all depended up on what topic we chose to study. I reread over the pages that I used yesterday, wondering if she even did anything or just left this place when I did. I felt my phone vibrate on the table as I looked at the screen seeing a text from my mum - probably saying she has to do over time or that she is going on another business trip - I rolled my eyes not bothering to reply back to her, not having any idea what to do for my dinner though. Ryan is on a date and I don't talk to anyone else. I guess it will be a takeaway for one if there is nothing in the house worth cooking.
I looked at the clock again seeing it was saying five-past-ten, giving her ten more minutes to show before I packed up and left for the second time not even understand why I gave her a second chance. I felt my jaw tense while I tied my hair into a high pony instead of the usual bun.
With puffed out cheeks I drummed my fingertips on the table absentmindedly when I turned my head to look at the revolving doors to see a girl walk in with a small tray that held two coffee cups when I realised that it was Amanda. I felt my eyes narrow as I tried to figure out her intentions as I watched her stand near the entrance trying to find me at the many desks that littered the library, a slight frown starting to appear on her face as she chewed at her bottom lip. I let out a sigh and gave out a wave with my hand so she could see me, a quick smile formed on her lips when she spotted me only to disappear just as quickly as it came.
"I got you a coffee to make up for yesterday, and for the day that, Chrissie hit one out of your hands." She spoke placing the cardboard tray onto the table before sitting down, taking her scarf off from around her neck the smell of her perfume making me scrunch up my nose when it wafted my way.
"Thank you," I said cautiously looking at her hoping this was just a kind gesture and not something she might hang over my head.
"I asked for your usual since you grab you coffees from there too." She explained sliding one across to me, my eyes not leaving her when I gave her a small nod of appreciation.
"Thank you. What did you get?" I asked, insinuating small talk which was unusual for me but we've had to do this together and get past the awkward stage.
"Low fat, decaf." She answered, taking two books from her bag to place onto the table next to the ones that I took from the shelf.
"So, no taste option." I said in a serious tone making her look at me, "What? I'm only trying to be civil as best as I can."
"You should wear your hair down, suits you a lot more." Her tone just as serious when she looked through the book before going to work on the project and ignoring my comment, my eyes narrowed at her again when I tried to imagine her head exploding under my gaze. A throaty chuckled escaped from my lips while I leant back in my chair and continued to look her way
By the time lunch rolled around my stomach was grumbling when I started to feel hungry, regretting on not having breakfast this morning and only having a cup of coffee. Much to my surprise Amanda and I worked somewhat okay together without squabbling or insulting one another like we do during school, that's when I shut the books in front of me causing her to look up from her work with a confused face, while I shrugged her way and shut her books for her too.
"You hungry?" I asked her, catching her off guard by the way she was looking at me. "I can be nice when I want to be," I spoke defending myself from her scrutinising glare.
"I don't have any money on me to eat out." She spoke quickly, composing herself like she had something to hide unless I caught her off guard again . But what did I know, I barely knew her despite being in the same class for the past how ever many years as well as every school that we have attended.
"I'll pay, you bought me a coffee. My way of saying thank you for not standing me up twice in a row." I said with a soft smile as she looked to the side like she was thinking of something to say, "I want to get out of this library, we've been working for over three hours." I added making her sigh, nodding in agreement instead of arguing with me.
"I will admit, I am hungry." A quick laugh escaping her lips as I stood up and packed my bag.
After putting the books back we made our way out the building towards my car, her hand running along the black paint on the body as if admiring it while I climbed into the driver seat, waiting for her to get in so we could decide on where to eat. I raised my eyebrow at her when she got in turning to look at me as she shut the door when she mouthed the word, what. All I seemed to do was shake my head at her instead of actually using words. It's like she's never been in a car before and here I am assuming that Chrissie gave her lifts to school but I guess she obviously doesn't.
After being sat in the car arguing about where to eat we both agreed upon the Thai restaurant called Sukho Thai, about a fifteen-minute drive from the main road the library is on. The drive wasn't relaxing, nor was it awkward. I watched her from the corner of my eye staring out the car window as we passed many trees, not to sure what she found interesting when I turned the radio on for background noise so we wasn't sat in silence. I felt my phone begin to vibrate in my pocket insistently with the caller continuously calling back already knowing it was my mother. She didn't believe in being patient and waiting for the person to ring back when they can, she would rather ring and ring and ring until she either annoys the living hell out of you or until she gets through.
I pulled into the car park for the restaurant, the two of us got out the car while I pulled my phone from out of my pocket to call my mother back. I held the door open for Amanda allowing her to walk in first, an appreciative smile on her lips while I waited for my mum to pick up the phone while I followed her on through, an agitated grunt rattling through my chest when she didn't answer her phone leaving me to hang up on her, not waiting around for her to pick up and not wanting to be like her and consistently keep on ringing.
We both made our way to a small booth as I quickly text my mum to tell her I got the text from earlier if that's the reason for why she rang me, either way I didn't care right now I can deal with it later as I stuffed the phone back into my pocket while sliding into the seat opposite Amanda, her eyes watching me closely until I looked back at her when they diverted back down at the menu.
"How do you even pronounce these names?" she asked rhetorically, making a playful smile pull up on my lips while I looked at the vegetable section.
"Just say the number, that's what I do 'cause saying, 'Pad Pak Prik ', is like insulting someone if I pronounce it incorrectly," I said making her laugh a little as she nodded her head.
"Okay, if we're going to be spending numerous days together out of the week, for the next few months we need to know things about one another, so basically twenty-one questions but longer." She spoke a little after we ordered our food, while I sipped at my glass of water.
I swallowed the water before speaking, "I'll go first. Why are you and your friend's such assholes?" her face dropping as she gave me an unimpressed look like she was ready to slap me... Or rip my head off.
"I'm trying to be nice here, Wilson. Also, maybe you should have asked why are my friend's assholes. I've done nothing to you." She snapped getting irritated with me.
"Okay, I'm sorry. Let me try again. Do you have any siblings?" I asked making her face seem lighter at that question when I made an effort.
"I have no brother nor sister." She smiled, being an only child the same as me. There is one thing we have in common, "what about you, any brothers or sisters?" I just shook my head answering her question as I sipped at my water.
"Only child. Why are you friends with Chrissie and Tiffany?" my fingers interlocking together as I rested them out in front of me on the tables surface.
"I've always been friends with them since I was younger. Why do you always wear glasses and your hair up?" that question made me laugh slightly causing her to cock her head at me.
"I don't, only at school or with people such as yourself. Why are your friend's assholes?" I put emphasis in the word, your.
"Because they have everything that they want and can get anything that they want. They get to pick and choose who they want to associate with regarding their social status." She explained as I nodded thoughtfully about it. "What's your favourite meat or food in general?"
"I don't eat meat and anything with vegetables," I grinned before closing my mouth when I saw her naturally straight white teeth, reminding me that I had metal teeth tracks glued to mine.
"You're the first vegetarian that I've met." She said an impressed look on her face when I saw our food coming towards us.
We were in the restaurant for nearly an hour sat eating and talking to one another as we got to know each other. We discussed our pet peeves and general likes that everyone would be interested in, learning that we're not much different besides our social status at school. She and I have top grades in school and pretty much aced every test we have been given throughout this year. Both our parents are divorced and we live with our mothers, the only difference is she has contact with her dad while I avoided mine altogether and from what it sounds like her mother actually cares while mine only pretends to when it's needed so she looks like the dotting mother.
After I paid for the bill the two of us grabbed our belongings to go outside while I held the door open for her again to exit out first, she thanked me for lunch and for giving her a second chance after being late. When we got outside I made my way towards my car as I unlocked it watching her walk the opposite way, I felt confused as to why she wasn't going to get in the car with me considering I did give her a lift here, I already had the intentions in giving her a lift back home.
"DeCeno, get in the car," I called towards her, making her turn around slowly to look at me. "I'll give you a lift home," I explained opening up my door as I leant on it, watching as she looked behind her giving a small sigh while she walked on over towards me pulling a small smile on to my face while I climbed in shutting the door to turn on the engine, waiting for her to get inside glad that she didn't put up a fight and listened first time.
"You really don't have to, you can just drop me off at the library. I can walk from there." She spoke in a soft voice while she climbed in shutting the door, I just looked at her as she did her seat belt up, a dumbfound expression on my face.
Why would I bother giving her a lift to just kick her out the car by the library.
"Tell me where you live," I said pulling out the car lot onto the main road, my eyes glancing at her face like she was thinking before I looked back at the road again.
I heard her let out an exasperated sigh before she spoke, "It's near the library it's the right turning before you reach it, then you carry on down the road until the last house on the end." She told me in defeat as she looked down at her hands, "don't make this a habit, Wilson." She added in a serious tone, making sure it was clear where we still stood with one another.
"Trust me, DeCeno, I wouldn't be caught dead with you," I answered back, a smile fighting it's way onto my lips when I shook my head.