A Rift Between Us

Chapter 2 - Unwelcome Company

"Heya, nerd."

She held a mischievous grin as she slid into the chair beside him.

Alfie barely turned his head, snapping it back rapidly as he focused his gaze sheepishly on the desk.

"Er...a-are you talking to me?"

Keiko flicked her straight black hair away from her face, rotating her torso further in Alfie's direction. Her monolid eyes scanned him as if decoding his body language.

"Of course I'm talking to you." She rested her face on her palm, squinting her eyes. "Who else?"

Her voice dripped with sarcasm, causing Alfie's hands to twitch. A soft rumble filled the air, like a bowling ball rolling down a lane. He stopped, shifting further to the left and widening the gap between them. Keiko's expression sank.

Why is he moving? Shouldn't he be trying to talk back? Whatever, I'll try again.

Alfie rubbed his chin.

Why did she have to sit here?

"You wanna know something, nerd? You look soft. Someone like you can't survive school without me. You should be grateful I'm here."

What? She's out of her mind.

Alfie's hands clenched into fists. His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he kept licking his lips. His eyes darted around the room. Head still. Nobody was looking. Good. He shifted his chair until it collided with the table leg. Mr Dodge's voice droned on, calling out names and ticking off the register. Alfie's eyes snapped to the right. The same rumble that came from his chair now echoed from hers.

Why is she approaching me??

Her eyes narrowed as she drew closer, her breath tickling his right ear.

Ugh, he moved again...I'll try harder.

"You must be wondering why I'm being like this, hmm?" A wily smile appeared on her face. "It's simple. I'm the boss. You're not. You better grow used to this."

Alfie's forehead grew damp as he tightened his grip on his bag. The placidity of the classroom did nothing to calm his nerves. An overhead light blinked intermittently, mirroring the turmoil in his mind.

Okay, she's crazy...

The thought circled in his head as he struggled to stay composed.

"I'm just..." He paused, running through potential answers in his mind. "I'm here to focus."

He bit his bottom lip. That didn't sound right at all. The answer was clear in his head, but his mouth messed it up. As always, nothing new, but still annoying. Sweat trickled down his face, falling onto his bag and being instantly absorbed by the porous material.

"I need to...secure a position in college."

He sighed, his grip loosening and leaving palm-sized pinch marks on the sides of his backpack. Keiko raised an eyebrow, covering her mouth with an open hand as she giggled.

"You? Get into college? You must be outta yo-"

High-pitched metallic slaps reverberated through the room, causing multiple heads to duck and everyone to face the front desk. The sounds ceased with a final clang as Mr Dodge's ruler tumbled near the edge of his desk.

"Alfie and Keiko, stop the private conversation. I'm literally in the middle of the register," his arms extended towards them. "I don't want any disruptions during registration."

A swollen vein protruded from his forehead. He rubbed it back and forth, focusing on the register once more. His hands shot towards a ripped pack of Blue Tack, pulling a piece away and rolling it into a ball. Alfie watched him intently, eyes locked and lips sealed.

The big day isn't that far. But with her here, this won't be easy.