It's Not All Roses | Editing

Chapter 4

Lucas:
As I walked through the school gates, I searched all around for Rosa. However, she didn't seem to be anywhere in sight. At least s  hundred students pushed their way past, shoving everyone out of their way. I almost tripped over in their rush.

Giving up on Rosa, I chose to go to class. Perhaps it may be a little different if I actually got to class on time instead of being late.

The moment I stepped into my maths class, several people turned towards with shock. Including Mr Peters! As well as that, as more students entered the classroom they all stared at me in both confusion and surprise.

Glaring at majority of them, I sat down in my desk near the front, as everyone stayed in complete silence. I grabbed my maths book out of my bag and plopped it onto the desk. Evryone continued to stare while I grabbed my pen, pencil, rubber and ruler out of my trouser pockets.

"Lucas?" Mr Peters looked more confused then anyone else. "Are you early?"

"Yeah. Why is everyone staring at me?"

"You're always late. To every lesson." One girl in the back announced. "I don't think you've ever been early."

There was a slight chuckle coming from multiple people around the room.

"Yeah, well I'm early today, is that allowed?"

"Yeah, yeah of course, it's great." Mr Peters smiled, giggling to himself. "Now then, did you do your homework?"

"What homework?" I stared at him blankly in silence while he did the same for a few minutes.

"You're joking right?"

"Nope, I honestly didn't know there was homework."

"Of course you didn't. I mean what did I expect?"

The second he finished speaking the bell rang making everyone in the room jump. All of a sudden, the room became full with students as they sat down at their desks. Everyone flipped open there books as the teacher set up a PowerPoint on his whiteboard.

The second school had finished I ran out of the school gates and searched around for Rosa. I have no idea what I had expected, she hadn't been there all day. Decidedly, I walked home assuming that Rosa must have just fallen sick after she left. So, I chose to walk home, instead of worrying over where Rosa was.

As I got about half of the way back home, I spotted Rosa sitting alone on a bench. The cool breeze blew across her face, pushing her hair over her eyes and cheeks. She wore a pair of black, bagging trousers with a navy hoodie, with the hood over her head.

Confused, I hurried up to her flicking my blonde hair out of my face. The autumn leaves crunched under my feet as twigs cracked into two pieces. Flocks of birds overhead chirped noisily and a few dogs barked at scurrying squirrels. But all of it just seemed like white noise as I focused on Rosa.

Then she caught sight of me and tried to bolt, almost tripping over in the process. I grabbed her hand at the very last second before she could get away. She gazed at her shoes, avoiding direct eye contact with me.

"Why weren't you at school?" I questioned, refusing to release her hand and she struggled against me.

"Let go of me, Lucas!" She snarled, prying her hand away, but thankfully, she did not run away.

In the struggle, she managed to flick her hair out of her face. My eyes widened in shock. My jaw dropped with horror. Rosa tried to cover it up but it was already too late. The damage was done. I had seen it.

Directly on her right eye was a large, blue and purple bruise. There was also a small cut on the left side of mouth. She looked as though she had just been in a huge fight, and whether she lost or won was unclear.