A Rooftop Encounter (Short Story)

chapter three.

Smitty and I continued to joke around together for quite a while, simply enjoying each other's company. It was odd how well we were getting on considering we had only just met and I seriously lacked in people skills.

However for some bizarre reason, I felt as though I knew her well. Perhaps we had been best friends in a previous life or something, not that I believe it any of that nonsense. We just seemed to click that's all.

I had never encountered someone who I could be myself around so quickly. Usually it took me weeks, sometimes even months, before I felt remotely comfortable around a person, but with her it was different. I couldn't quite put my finger on why or how, but I liked the feeling a lot.

"So is Smitty your real name?" I asked curiously, knowing it sounded daft as soon as it left my mouth. Of course it wasn't her real name. Her parents would have to have been absolutely crazy to name her that. She seemed to find this suggestion amusing as well.

"Ha! Nah, just a nickname," She giggled, holding a hand over her mouth. I was surprised by this. She didn't seem like the type of girl that would giggle like an innocent school girl. She seemed far too cool and spunky for that. I definitely found it quite sweet though.

"What's your actual name then?"

"Oh... don't really matter. I hate it anyway.... That's why I get everyone to call me Smitty" She replied, a smile growing on her rounded face.

This made me very intrigued as to what her real name was and why she disliked it so much. Surely it couldn't be that bad. I mean, I didn't exactly have the most common of names.

"Why Smitty though?"

"Well... my last name's Smith... Guess it just comes from that... I'm not sure who came up with it though..."

I nodded silently in response. In all honesty, I thought Smitty was kind of a cool nickname. It went along with her gutsy appearance and personality. I was still wanted to find out what her real name was though. I guess I would just have to stay up here with her until she eventually opened up to me. I definitely wasn't leaving this roof without knowing that's for sure.

"Do ya have a nickname?" She quizzed, "Elijah seems like it could be a mouthful"

I thought carefully for a few moments before my childhood started flashing before my eyes,

"Not really... But when I was in primary school, people used call me Jar Jar Binks" I remarked, a sense of amusement in my voice. It was the truth too.

When I was around eight years old, some kids would taunt me because Elijah was a fairly unusual name so they had never heard it before. So they started calling me 'Jar Jar Binks' because 'Jah' sounded very similar to 'Jar'.

It just goes to show how kids are willing to go to mock someone. Although, I wasn't really affected by it much. I actually found it quite nice that they cared enough to even give me a nickname. Besides, I was kind of a secret fan of Star Wars, not that I wanted to admit that to Smitty now.

She barked with laughter, shaking her head, "Good one!"

I couldn't tell whether she was being serious or not, but I don't think it really mattered. She had obviously found something I said funny and that was enough for me. Whether she was laughing with me or at me wasn't the issue. I gave her a crooked smile.

Once she had ceased her adorable laughing, the conversation between us kind of died down a bit. There were so many things that I wanted to talk to her about, but something was telling me not to. She probably wouldn't want to know about all of my life problems anyway.

"When ya do finish school then?" She questioned, out of nowhere probably to break the silence.

"In June, after my exams..."

"Man... that's soon! You scared?"

"About what?" I frowned slightly, not sure what she was referring to. Was I scared of finishing school or scared of exams? The truth was I was pretty terrified of both.

"The future, duh... Ya don't wanna end up like me" She joked, crossing her eyes in a humorous way to make herself seem ugly and undesirable. I didn't understand why she put herself down so much. I would be proud to be like her. Just because she didn't have a hugely successful job didn't mean she wasn't someone to look up to. She was fearless and outgoing. Things I definitely wanted to be.

"Err... not really... I'm thinking of going to Uni though..." I said flippantly. In actual fact, the truth was I was still confused about the idea of going to university. The future wasn't exactly clear for me. I constantly had people telling me that I had to make a decision quickly and that I'm old enough now to know what I want out of life. But I don't. I really don't.

"For real? I didn't have ya down as the nerdy type..."

"What's nerdy about wanting to do well in life?" I quipped back, a little too harshly. I didn't like when people judged me. I had been through life with people always trying to shape me into something I'm not. I couldn't deal with it from her. I knew she hadn't meant anything by it, but it bothered me all the same.

"Nothing... I never said being a nerd was bad, did I?" She replied, the corner of her mouth turning up slightly in a sympathetic way.

My shoulders sagged a tad. I felt bad for snapping at her now. She hadn't done anything wrong. Sometimes I just got a little too defensive. It was a coping mechanism I suppose. I didn't like anyone telling me what to do, but I still let them do it.

And for a second, I felt an odd sense of confidence and admitted that I didn't want to be pushed about anymore.

"Sorry..." I mumbled. A silence growing between us again before Smitty soon interrupted it.

"You don't wanna go, do ya?"

"What?"

"You don't wanna go... to Uni, I mean..." She repeated.

"I-I do..."

"Nah, ya don't... I can tell" Smitty said knowingly. She raised an eyebrow at me as though she was edging for me to admit it. She was right. I didn't want to. I just hadn't admitted it out loud to anyone before. Nevertheless, my newly found bond with her and the idea that I may never see her again pushed me to confess.

I sighed, "Fine... n-no... I don't."

In a way, I was pleased that I had told someone; even if it was a stranger that I met on the roof. Having my true feelings out in the open felt good. Of course, it wouldn't be as easy when it came to telling my dad this because I knew he wouldn't take it as well.

"Why are ya going then?"

I glared at her, my eyes scanning around her face as she waited for my answer. I wasn't sure whether I even had one. I looked down at my knees for a second before glancing up at the sky. I started feeling jittery all of a sudden. What was coming over me?

"I-I don't know..." I stammered nervously, "Because I feel like I h-have to, because my dad wants me to and I-I don't want to let him down... e-everyone is telling me where I should go and what course I should do and n-not asking whether I even want to... it's just... s-so much pressure..." I ranted, taking huge gulps of air and raking my hands through my dark hair.

My heart had quickened significantly now and I wasn't exactly sure why. I guess talking about my future kind of got me worked and scared. As though I was trapped on a strict path that I was being forced to travel down. Like my whole life was being mapped out in front of me and I was powerless to stop it. I held a sweaty hand against my chest.

"Whoa... are ya alright?" Smitty said; a frantic tone in her voice. She was sat up fully now and swiftly shuffled her bum over, so that she was sitting closer to me. I noticed her body warmth radiating onto mine and I locked eyes with hers.

"Hey, hey" She whispered, "S'alright... don't panic, take some deep breaths..."

I felt her place a hand delicately on my back and begin rubbing it comfortingly. But somehow I wasn't too focused on that right now.

I had never experienced anything like this before, but I was pretty sure what it was. I think that I was having a panic attack.