37
1631 Words
5th November
Connor knocked on Autumn’s front door, she opened it. “I’m Sorry Con Mom insists on taking us again.”
“That’s okay, babe.”
“No Dan again?”
“No, I think he thinks he’s the gooseberry.”
“He’s not, we’re all friends.”
“I know babe.”
“Mom, Con’s here.”
“I’ll start the car.”
“Okay.”
She stepped out the door. “Morning Connor.”
“Morning Miss. Cleveland.”
“I advised her to stay home today, but she said she had to be in cause of seeing her shrink.”
“Mom.”
“Sorry Connor, we don’t talk about it.”
“It’s okay Miss. Cleveland it’s cool. I know she sees him he’s new he likes things to run smoothly and his patients on time.”
“Con.”
“I can’t call you a subject can I?”
“I guess not.”
“Let’s just say he helps those out that have issues.”
“Sounds just as bad.”
“Come on, I best be getting you two to school with that headmistress of yours.”
“Yeah if we’re not on time we’ll be in isolation.”
“Hop in.”
They all got into the car and she drove away dropping them off the same place as the day before.
“I’ll pick you up tonight.”
“I’ll be fine Mom. Con will walk with me. Won’t you Con?”
“Yeah I will. You’ve got nought to worry about Miss. Cleveland Autumn will be delivered straight to the door.”
“Thanks Connor.”
“My pleasure.”
“I’ll see you at home Autumn.”
“Yeah sure bye mom.”
“Bye Connor.”
“Bye Miss. Cleveland.”
Thy walked away. “I’m sorry about all this Con mom fusses too much.”
“It’s fine babe, really. Saves the legs.” He cracked.
She looked at him unimpressed.
“Come on let’s get in.”
He placed his arm around her and they went into the high school where their friends were waiting.
“So you two got a lift again?”
“We did.”
“This is coming a regular thing. Sure you two ain’t…”
“No we’re not come on.”
The bell rang and they all went in.
“So you got Harding this morning?”
“It’s the only reason she came in.”
“Con.”
“Well that’s what your mom said.”
“I’ll walk down with you I have Grayson.”
“Okay.”
“I’ll see both of you later.”
“Later.”
Connor went into registration as Daniel and Autumn walked down the corridor sitting down outside the offices. “So are you okay now Red?”
“I’ll live.”
“We’re really sorry.”
“You haven’t got any need to be I chose to join you.”
“I guess.”
Mathew opened the door. “So are we ready Autumn?”
“Yeah.” She pulled herself up and Daniel smiled.
She shot a short, brief smile his was going in.
He closed the door as she sat down.
He sat beside her, nerving her. “I noticed you were limping and you have a gash to your head so are you going to share how they happened.”
“I guess.’
“We’ll talk about your head first them move into your ankle.”
“Okay.”
He looked at her. “So what happened to your head?”
“An accident.”
“Some accident if you needed stitches Autumn.
“I went carting with the guys.”
“What guys Autumn? Be more specific.”
“Con, Dan, James, Harry and Ashby.”
“Oh I see.”
“It wasn’t like that it wasn’t their fault.”
“So whose was it?”
She looked at him. “Why can I remember everything bad that ever happened and not the good.”
“What’s do you mean Autumn?”
“I lied to them. I lost control.”
“Why Autumn?”
“Because they would think that I was fruited.”
“I’m sure that they wouldn’t.”
“They wouldn’t understand.”
“So tell me what happened so I can at least try and understand why you felt that you had to lie to your friends.”
“Everything was going fine til we’d all done a few laps, the walls were going way too fast and I drifted.”
“You seem to be doing a lot of that lately.”
“I just wanted to be normal and he ruined it.”
“Is this to do what you told me before half term?”
“Yes.”
“So you decided to face your fears head on?”
“Yeah like Halloween.”
“I don’t think that was really wise Autumn.”
“Maybe.”
“So tell me a little about what happened Halloween.”
She looked at him nervously.
“Me and my friends met up with Taylor and his for Halloween we were all dressed up we all went to the school disco they all thought that it would be cool to sneak away and to go into the cemetery on Halloween at midnight. Me and my friends were fourteen, they thought it would be fun to tell ghost stories and go into the cemetery. They all disappeared we all went in splitting up. He came out of nowhere Con and came at me with a scythe. I had no idea where my friends were, I screamed and ran he followed. It felt so much like that night I broke my ankle and had severe concussion from the blow to my head.”
“So who was was following you?”
“I don’t know Taylor was there when I came round no one else. He took me to hospital I couldn’t hardly talk. Sam picked us up, they argued about his foolishness. Mom was pissed she wanted me to stop seeing him.”
“At a guess you didn’t.”
“No, he made sure I didn’t I’d forgot all about it. Well I tried to until the guys asked me to join them Halloween.’
“What happened? It must’ve been really bad.”
“Noting much.” She looked at him. “Sorry I don’t want to talk about this anymore.”
“Its okay Autumn, take your time.” He breathed heavily. “So let’s begin with how you sprained your ankle.”
“I went out to a Halloween party damn dress got caught underneath my shoes.”
“Are you sure that’s all it is?”
“I am.”
“Only a little birdie told me different.”
“No, no it’s not.”
“I heard you lot went out into the grave yard and they all left you there and s**t you up. It sounds like da ja vous to me, so shall we start again.”
She looked at him. She didn’t want to get them in trouble.
“Well Autumn.”
“I already told you what happened.”
“So your sticking to it, fine.”
“I just want to forget Matt me and Taylor, well I loved him and my mom made it quiet clear he wasn’t right for me. I disagreed you must think I’m a fool.”
“No not at all. We all fall in love Autumn, we all have to make mistakes to learn by them.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t after the pool.”
“So why did you stay with him he seems to much trouble to be even bothered with.”
“He said it wouldn’t happen again.”
“Then it did.”
“Yeah Halloween.”
“Why stay with him Autumn?”
“I loved him. He was different when we were alone. I guess he had something to prove to them, prove I wasn’t holding him back.”
“You should’ve left him Autumn.”
“It wasn’t that easy Matt . I tried he turned it around so I wouldn’t. He made damn sure I’d stay around.”
“I’m sorry, Autumn.”
“It’s okay. I just got into deep and I couldn’t get back out. I loved him and he left me alone to pick up the pieces making everyone around me hate me.”
He walked over to her sitting next to her placing his hand in her face nerving her. “None of this was your fault Autumn, you we’re better than them they should’ve been glad of having a good friend like you, and he should’ve appreciated having a girlfriend like you I would.”
“I wish I was dead, Matt.”
“Don’t think like that Autumn. He obviously had problems of his own that he didn’t wish to discuss with you. It wasn’t your fault okay.”
“But they’re dead and I’m not.”
“Don’t feel guilty Autumn. You shouldn’t have to feel guilty for them choosing the easy way out. you got through it they could’ve too.” He got closer. “You should be proud of yourself for not choosing the easy way out and seeing it through.’
“But there still not here with me.”
“I know.” He pressed his lips on hers and she hesitated, his tongue slipped in kissing her harder and harder.
She shot back. “I have to go to lesson.”
“We’ll talk more Thursday okay.”
“Okay.” She shot up leaving the room.
- Writer
