Magnetism

46 - she's ill

It was Alex who picked me up on Monday; she didn't come in the house like she had done before.She stayed in her black ford outside and texted me when she had arrived. We had been so intimate - in many ways she was a member of the family, she got on with my siblings and talked to my parents so much so she wasn't even a guest in that house. But on Monday she made no effort to even come to the door. It wasn't raining, and for late February coming March there was a brilliant blue sky with only a small mesh layer of clouds. Granted, there was a chill but nothing to put anyone off going outside. No, Alex's choice was almost political. It was a statement. She didn't like what my parents had done, how they'd handled things; Alex wouldn't make life difficult for me, therefore she still picked me up, but it wasn't in her nature for her to be unconditionally nice to them.

"Morning" I said as I climbed in her back seat.

"You alright?" Noah asked from the front.

I rolled my eyes at the question but, nevertheless, I nodded.

"Yeah, you?"

"Good"

"How was your weekend?" Alex pressed, her intentions entirely clear even if it was phrased nicely.

I smiled, my friends cared, "it was alright, I've only spent two nights home guys they aren't gonna ask me to leave again just yet" I said with a laugh.

They didn't laugh.

Awkwardly, I filled the silence, "What did you guys get up to then?"

"Made this one revise" Noah gestured to Alex

"Successfully?"

Alex sighed "unfortunately so"

I watched as Noah gave her a false glare and shook his head at her. The two were opposites in so many ways, yet compatible in so many others. From the outside looking in, maybe it was odd. But I thought it was anything but, the two had complimented each other so well. I remember thinking that I wanted them to think the same of me and Ivy, in those moments that are impossible to replicate I wanted my friends to see us as I saw them.

"What time is she in?" Alex questioned drawing me from my thoughts

"She's there now"

"Oh?" Noah teased

"It's almost as if we have lessons at the same time"

Alex laughed a little "and they say romance is dead"

My friends rarely failed to put a smile on my face in days like that. And that day was no exception. By the time we were walking into the school building it was like we were all 15 again. Alex and I were pushing each other in the hallway, our hips clashing trying to send the other one into the wall. Her tight jeans held the small advantage of a metal clasp to the left of the navy waist band leaving me, in my leggings, defenceless. It resulted in me being the victim of our immature behaviour and Noah greatly amused at the success of Alex.

The three of us turned the corner of the hallway, towards a stairwell and, as we did, Alex decided to once again attack me with her hip. As she nudged me to the left I felt the brown plasticky laminate flooring  become oddly slippery. Next thing I knew I was on the floor, sat in the middle of a puddle.

I was still laughing as I looked up at Noah and Alex. Alex's face was frozen in shock but Noah's hand covered his mouth, as if he were hiding something like a lying child.

"Are you okay?" Alex asked

In response I just laughed more and nodded my head, which was apparently Noah's queue to remove his own hand from infront of his mouth and also flood the area with the sound of amusement.