39
1588 Words
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.
She limped down the corridor, tears falling off her face. Connor slipped his arms round her kissing her cheek she flinched. “You okay babe?”
“Yeah I’m fine she said wiping her tears away.”
“So how did it go with Harding?”
“Fine.”
“It don’t sound fine.”
“Not now Con.”
“Later then.”
“Mmm.”
They walked into class sitting down he had to find out why she was so upset. She looked out the window wondering why he’d made a pass at her and what the hell he was after? She couldn’t give him what he wanted.
“Babe, come on let’s go for a fag you look like you need one.”
“Sure.”
Thy pulled themselves up leaving the class heading for the smoking area he handed her a cigarette she took it off him, her hand shaking. “What did Harding say to you?”
She blew the smoke out. Still shaking. “Nothing.”
“You sure? I ain’t seen you like this before.”
“I’m fine, really.”
“Con, Autumn.”
He looked over. “Guys.”
They lit their cigarettes smoking till the bell went.
“We’ll see you guys later.”
“Sure.”
Connor placed his arm round her. “It’s going to be okay, babe.”
She said nothing as they walked to their lesson before lunch.
“So are we still okay to sit with the guys?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“Just making sure you seem a little on edge.”
“I’m fine.”
“Okay, if you say so.”
“I do.”
They walked down the corridor to the dinner hall grabbing their lunch sitting down with their friends. They walked out of the cafeteria Autumn looked straight at Mathew cutting her eyes as they walked out. They had a cigarette before the bell went for registration and their last two lessons. Autumn and Daniel said good bye to Connor and they went into their last lesson.
Autumn and Connor said good bye to their friends. They stood bye the bridge.
“So what really happened between you and Harding?”
“Nothing.”
“I saw the way you looked at him babe, if looks could kill yours certainly would.”
“He just said things that hit home.”
He edged forward. “Don’t Con.”
“It’s just a good bye kiss babe chill.”
“I..”
He pressed his lips on hers kissing her. He moved away. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your door.”
“You don’t have to.”
“I promised your mom.”
“Okay.”
They walked away they stood by Autumns. “I’ll see you tomorrow, babe.”
“Okay.”
He kissed her cheek. “Later babe.”
“Later Con.”
She closed the door behind her he walked away wondering if she’d ever tell him what was really said between her and Harding.
7th November
Mathew stood by the door she walked slowly over to him. “I didn’t think I’d have the
pleasure of your presence today.”
“I was board.”
“So is your ankle better now?”
“Yeah.”
“Come through and we’ll begin.”
She slipped into the room walking over to the sofa sitting down. He closed the door walking over sitting opposite her. “So.. how are you feeling now?”
“Okay.”
“Good. We’ll begin a new page today and begin with what happened between you and Taylor.’ He looked at her. “You are okay with talking about him aren’t you.”
“Yeah but it weren’t just him.”
“So who else was it beside him?”
“His friends. I always felt like he just asked me out just to torment me at every chance that he got.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Well it felt like it.”
“So, tell me what happened when you went to the swimming pool.’
“It all began with him pushing me in, well we all got pushed in then they all dive bombed into the water as we surfaced. Then he’d always tell me he loved me.’
He starred at her.
“Then it would all begin again. They pulled us under before they all went up on the boards.”
“And the incident.”
He pulled himself up he could tell she was finding it hard and he could see the fear in her eyes.
He placed his hands over hers. “It’s okay Autumn take your time.”
She swallowed. “I was really good the instructor said I was. I could’ve gone pro but they made me so nervous up there I tried to cancel, my instructor could tell I was falling back something that I’d never done. He had tried to talk to me. I told him that I was okay then I froze, it took me fifteen minutes to take the dive. He called me over to one corner and asked me what was wrong. I told him my friends decided to jump off the board with me. He requested that I stood down until I got my head sorted.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No. Taylor came round after I told him that I wasn’t going. He told me to get my stuff cause everyone was waiting.’
“So you did?”
“What else could I do Matt? I was backed into a corner with nowhere to go.” She explained sitting nervously, twitching.
“You don’t have to carry on Autumn if you prefer we can do this another day if it’s bringing back to many bad memories.”
“It’s okay.’ She breathed heavily and began again.” He placed his arm around me and closed the door.
“The guys are around the corner.”
“I don’t know about this Taylor.”
“It’ll be okay I promise.”
I smiled nervously at him our joint dates never went quiet to plan.
- Writer
