The mist hadn’t returned and, for once, the sun was out and scowling down on the world. Dragging myself out of bed I got dressed, threw my phone, purse and keys into my bag and ran out of the door. Late again. I got to the bus stop just as the bus doors were closing and sprinted the last couple of paces knocking on the door. The driver noticed me and let me on. There were no seats left so I grabbed one of the poles and slumped against it. I bumped into someone and turned to say sorry, meeting a glare so powerful that I stepped backwards into someone else who pushed me back into the other girl. This wasn’t unusual; the people I’d bumped into were my old ‘friends’ Samantha and Emily. They’d stopped speaking to me since my dad won the money. It wasn’t jealousy, it was because my dad didn’t want me speaking to them anymore, he said they were a bad influence. I was going to ignore him but I told them what he said and they just stopped speaking to me.
I battled through Monday and left quickly, bypassing the bus and wandering up towards the train station alone. The drab people of Glossop milled around staring at the floor and bustling aimlessly. Occasionally I noticed one of the rare people who seemed to be happy with their life floating around the town, which always freaked me out. I never understood why sunlight made people so depressed around there. They were depressed when it was sunny and depressed when it was overcast. I suppose it was just that valley, it sort of harbored hate.
I ducked into the train station, I’d just seen Robert. We used to be friends but then he got new ones and they hated me. I stood behind one of the supporting pillars, almost praying they wouldn’t see me. Too late, they were coming towards me. I tried to act natural, sitting on the back of a bench, my feet on the seat but they headed straight for me. I lowered my head and tried not to flinch as one of Robert's cronies, a young lad with black hair and rosy cheeks, spat at my feet. Robert himself had never done nor said anything to me but that only made me more scared of him.
“What are you doing here alone? Have you lost your little followers?” sneered the young lad.
“They’re… busy…” I faltered, I knew it was strange for me to be seen without Emily and Sam and they knew I wasn’t telling the truth.
“Don’t lie to us emo bitch!” shouted a willowy figure beside Robert. Robert remained silent, staring, his porcelain skin shining in the mocking sunlight. Then he stepped toward me, leaning in, breathing deeply, an apologetic yet almost hungry look in those grey eyes. When I couldn’t take it any longer I moved to push him away but he stepped backwards, shocked. “I don’t want your smell on me.” he whispered, barely audible and yet he looked pained. Then he was blocked from sight, the girl stood in front of me. Robert warned “Don‘t Sarah.”
“Don’t you touch him!” she hissed and then my nose exploded with pain, I couldn’t breathe, my passages clogged with blood, I swallowed and looked up. Sarah’s face in mine, she spat at me, “Get it?!” she yelled then stood and looked around, the remaining four looked bewildered, Robert had disappeared. The girl’s phone beeped, she glanced down, nodded at the others and they left. I was alone.
No comments:
Post a Comment