A Month To Live

A Month To Live (7)

By the time we'd reached the main part of the school, there were kids running through the corridors towards the cafeteria excitedly. It seemed we knew how to waste a hell of a lot of time. Bradley simply gave me a look as if to say "oh well" and walked on towards the door that led outside.

We made our way to the trees we'd sat under yesterday but no-one else had beaten us there yet. I dropped down onto the grass and crossed my legs.

'You made us miss two lessons,' Bradley said, yawning slightly as he sat opposite me.

I lifted one of my shoulders carelessly. He didn't seem to give a rat's ass and neither did I. Perhaps we were a bad influence on each other... it certainly seemed that way already. I, at least, had a good reason to be cutting class. I didn't know what his reasons were.

'Well, I'm sure your teachers didn't miss you that much, pretty-boy. You're probably a straight F grade student anyway, ' I teased.

'F grade,' he said with an incredulous look. 'I'm not getting below an A in any of my subjects,' he informed me with narrowed eyes.

I wondered if he was lying or not - I mean the guy couldn't be perfect at everything could he? So far, I knew that he was on the football team - which meant he has to be pretty damn good. Have you seen the amount of guys who usually try out for high school football teams? So, good at sports, pretty hot, straight-A smart ass... what else?

'Okay, Mr-I-Boast-A-Lot,' I replied, raising my eyebrow as if to appear unimpressed - hey, just because I thought he was good at everything - well better than me - didn't mean that I was going to let him know that. 'I guess that's one less thing that I can tease you about. Actually I could use that against you... call you a nerd-' I began.

'Don't even try it,' he warned me, picking a blade of grass and twisting it around. 'You've got enough to mock me for a lifetime.'

'And you have nothing on me,' I replied before realising this would turn the conversation in a direction I wanted to avoid.

'That's because you refuse to tell me anything about yourself,' Bradley muttered, tearing the grass in half and flicking it away.

'I've told you some things,' I replied, trying to steer the conversation away from the inevitable. This was really neither the time or place - and I didn't want to talk about it even if the time and place were acceptable.

'But not purposely. I've had to trick information out of you,' he said in a displeased tone.

He was a very easy character to read on most things. Actually... that wasnt quite right. It was more like he didn't ever try to hide his emotions. He wanted people to know how he was feeling.

I liked that about him.

I shrugged in response to his statement. It was true. I didn't think I'd willingly told him anything about myself - not even my own name.

'Plus I'm keeping this "secret" of yours, too and you pay me back by teasing me and blocking me out,' he prodded.

He was probably wondering why I wasn't talking back to him like I usually did. Truth was, I didn't really have a good answer.

'What d'you want me to do about it?' I grumbled. I really didn't enjoy having serious talks but sometimes they've just got to happen. 'By the time I tell you, you won't have time to get to know me because it'll be too-'

Late.

I internally sighed. I needed to learn how to hold my tongue better. Cutting off sentences halfway wasn't exactly the subtlest of routes to take when witholding information.