The Story of Alyson Feir

Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight~

This so called 'relationship' with James wasn't working out as we wanted. We just kept our relationship as friends when we were alone, but everything got awkward when someone we knew was near us; especially Sam.

Sam wasn't as subtle with his raised eyebrows he would give when it didn't seem like James and I were acting as if we were together. I just wanted to have things the way it used to be; when we were all friends. Of course, it would never be like that anymore, ever again.

School was a bustle the day we got our exam results. I rushed to James when we both got our envelopes and decided to open them at the same time. We would have had Sam with us, but we were worried that his marks might not be the best and it would ruin it. Since he at school for over a month and a half, he missed everything and barely had time to study.

"Ready?" James asks.

I nod my head. "Ready." And we tear open the envelopes.

I'm not sure why I was quite nervous for this, I knew I was going to be fine. The grading methods here are different than some of the other Districts, they only mention if you passed or failed, then a total mark for all of them.

James and I ended up both passing, him with a average mark and myself with 'flying colours' as he told me.

But I just wondered how Sam did.

I went to the bookstore after school with James. Even though exams were over and school was ending in a week, we still used this time together. The only difference was that Sam started coming.

Sam never brought up my 'relationship' with James, he only implied it sometimes with some of his jokes. I rarely mentioned it though, since it really wasn't true.

The bookstore was quiet that evening, all you heard was the sound of pages flipping near the tall wooden bookshelves, and feet rubbing on the carpet. Dawn was busy organizing books on the shelves, and was only able to manage a small wave in our direction.

I glance at Sam. He was busy flipping through an old, dusty book that he picked up from the window sill next to us. It must have been left there for ages, considering no one really cleans the windows anymore; they're all caked with dust and imprinted with smudges. "So," I say, breaking the silence. James and Sam look up at me. "How did you do on your exams?" 

Sam gave a small smile and went to look in his bag. He took out a folded piece of paper and turned it towards James and I.

James looks at me when we see the mark. "You got.." He starts. "Perfect?" Sam shakes his head but James ignores it. "It says right here!"

The paper clearly said it was perfect. I even double checked to make sure it really was his, but sure enough it said "Samuel Jamies" at the top. "This is great, Sam." I say, still staring at the paper. "I just don't think it could even be humanly possible to cram that much information in your head in such a short time! You only had about two weeks to study everything we learned!"

That old book Sam was flipping through was not his point of focus anymore, as he just sighed and looked at us. "I didn't have just two weeks to study. Nor did I only have those two weeks to catch up on every little thing."

"Then how did you-" I start, but Sam just shakes his head.

"I was, sorta always with you guys." He tells us.

James looks at him, his eyebrows furrowed. "With us how? In spirit?" He exclaims.

Sam chuckles as he shakes his head. "Usually, I spent time here at the bookstore at the back helping Dawn out. I wanted to get out of the house sometimes, but who'd want to go to school? Dawn asked me if I could help her out with some things here, since of course, Rose wasn't here. Then I heard you guys talking, but I never wanted to disrupt you, so I just stayed in the back and took notes with you."