Merula 2:1

Chapter 2:1 -School

I’d set the clock. Being late on the first day in a new school was not an option. Not an option for me at least. The other girls weren’t too happy when the alarm set off in the early morning. Mandy sat straight up, shocked and annoyed by the sound of the alarm. Her hair was a real mess, tangled on one side and completely flat on the other side. Adeline hid under the bed cover and curled up into a ball. Me?
I’d been awake awhile before the clock turned mad. I was nervous about school and puzzled about Rogan’s reaction. For the rest of the weekend no one saw Rogan except Blake as they shared room. So I couldn’t explain the situation to him. Was it supposed to be like this every morning? Forever? Surely not. Maybe a week, at most. I mean, he had kissed me so he couldn’t hate me that much. But then again, what the hell was I doing in his home. I could understand him but if his weird behaviour was going to be prolonged… What a dramaqueen. Those were the thoughts swirling around in my tired and confused head. When the alarm started I’d been awake two hours already.
-Turn it off! Mandy complained and threw her pillow in my direction.
Somehow did the three of us walk into the kitchen together. Hazel looked at her daughters with wide eyes as they sat down at the table with grumpy and tired expressions.
-What are you doing up so early?
-Edi’s alarm woke us, Mandy muttered and buttered a loaf with half-closed eyes.
Adeline put her head on the table and went back to sleep. She really was as I had thought her to be. Short fiery hair, multicolour painted nails and a small body. She reminded me of me. Except I was black and she was a rainbow.
-Amazing. Thank you Edi. You have no idea how hard it is to get these girls up. I hope you set that clock tomorrow as well, Hazel winked to me.
-No! groaned Mandy.
I smiled happy, this was exactly how I’d imagined a family breakfast and it would be perfect if it wasn’t for…
Blake walked into the kitchen and swiftly made a sandwich.
-Rogan? Hazel asked worried.
-Says he’s gonna eat at school, Blake answered as he pushed the sandwich into his mouth.
-Oh, she simply said and turned back to the stove.
Owen put down his morning paper and fixed his eyes on his eldest son.
-He’s making his mother unhappy. Tell Rogan that he has to eat breakfast here tomorrow morning or he’ll be grounded.
-Owen, no, it’s alright. He just need time to adjust, Hazel protested.
-Fine. Next week, Owen said and went back to his paper.
Blake nodded encouragingly to his mother before he disappeared with the sandwich in his mouth. Mandy snorted as she tried to lick up the jam from her sandwich on her fingers. She was a lot perkier after a sugar boost.
-Like he’ll last a week, he doesn’t have ‘nugh money for eating out each day, she said. –Are you done? Mandy continued and pointed at my sandwich which I’d barely touched.
-If we go now, we’ll catch the early bus and don’t have to huff and scuff with the rest. And also, I can guide you through school before the mass arrives.
I stared blankly at my sandwich.
-You can eat it on the way, Mandy said and pulled me up.
Mandy and I took our things and walked off to the bus. I don’t know how she did it but somehow Mandy managed to look like an old school film star despite the early start of the day. Her hair lay completely flat and her makeup was flawless. Beside her I was invisible, or rather I would be if I wasn’t dressed completely in black.
The blocks of flats formed a square surrounding the common green. I saw a swing hidden by overgrown bushes, it looked rusty and instable. It could be the perfect hiding place for me when I needed to be alone which would probably be soon. I wasn’t used to being surrounded by so many people every second of the day. The walk to the bus took us less than three minutes and Mandy used the time to verbally illustrate how the school looked like a prison or a grey cloud on a sunny day. She didn’t really raise my expectation of my new school, but it didn’t matter as it could never compare to my old school. It had been a private school with squeaky old floors of wood, great teachers who enjoyed their work and lunch food from a well reputed restaurant. The building dated back to the 18 century and every classroom oozed with history. By Mandy’s description I expected this new school to by a lump of grey and boring concrete, with plastic floors easy to sweep but always in the strange colour mixture of puke and mud. The classrooms smelled, supposedly, of chemicals and crushed dreams.
When we finally reached the bus stop I let out a sigh and wondered why I’d bothered setting the alarm last night. As if my dark mood couldn’t get worse we happened upon Rogan, waiting by the bus stop. He’d plugged his ears with music and didn’t notice us until Mandy hit him over the head with a textbook. He pulled out the earphones and glared at Mandy (rightfully so as she had hit him) and then at me. What had I done? Was I supposed to prevent Mandy from hitting him by reading her mind or what?! And yes, I was overreacting, but this boy made me made like no one else. At least I kept it to myself, unlike others. I stared back at him but he avoided eye contact.
-What? Rogan snapped at Mandy.
-You forgot your book, she said and waved the book she’d just hit him with.
Rogan grabbed it, stuffed it into his bag and walked away.
-What are you doing? The bus is coming soon, Mandy called after her brother.
Rogan ignored her and put in the earphones again.
-He’s just a tad crazy, Mandy said and turned to me. –You’ll get used to it. Or not. Probably not.
The bus arrived and we took seats far back in the bus. At the next stop Rogan got on. When he saw us he choose a seat in the front. Far away from us. Or was it just me. Wasn’t this avoiding business going a bit too far?
-Crazy, Mandy muttered under her breath. –He must have run to get to the next stop. Why do that when he simply could have stayed put.
She rolled her eyes.

To be continued...
By J.L.Frick