A Rift Between Us

Chapter 19 - Unrelenting Annoyance

Alfie carried his overloaded tray to a secluded, foldable table, distancing himself from the bustling crowd. The air buzzed with more chatter than before. Students paraded past the lunch tables, exchanging gossip that he largely ignored. He ran his fork through the food on his plate, mixing chunky chips with gravy and doing the same with the two British bangers, while leaving the peas untouched. Glancing around the canteen, he scanned for any teachers. Seeing none, the tension in his shoulders eased. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his phone, and opened his nature album, scrolling through the few pictures that had survived the hacking attack.

It's gonna take ages to take photos like these again.

He sighed, locking the screen and slipping it back into his pocket. His lunch was quickly cooling, but he barely noticed. The school flower beds came to mind as he savoured the last bite of his sausage, their vibrant colours a welcome change from the drabness of the canteen. Having put his tray away, he stepped out onto the school grounds. The chaos of the lunch rush had subsided, leaving a peaceful calm that allowed his mind to unwind. He took a deep breath, the fresh air a drastic change from the stuffy indoors, as he let his thoughts drift to the tranquillity of the flowers.

He strolled towards one of the manicured garden beds, where an oval-shaped hole had been dug and filled with mulch. Snowdrops and multicoloured hellebores were planted together, creating a striking pattern that caught the eye even from afar. Alfie moved closer, pulling out his phone and experimenting with different angles and distances to capture the perfect shot.

This isn't gonna work. I need my Canon camera with the right lens to do this properly.

He knelt on the ground, carefully angling his phone to capture the flowers. His finger hovered over the shutter icon, ready to capture the perfect shot. Suddenly, an unexpected force shoved him forward. His finger pressed down, taking an accidental shot that resulted in a blurry mess. He stumbled, losing his balance, and tumbled onto the mulch. The delicate snowdrops crumpled beneath him, their petals crushed. Pain shot through his knees as he hit the ground, and he winced as he tried to steady himself, the sight of the damaged flowers filling him with regret. Looking up, Keiko towered over him, her face etched with scorn. He looked at some distant students, avoiding her stern, grey eyes.

"What the heck are you doing, nerd?"

She crossed her arms as she spoke, while he repeatedly rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes constantly avoiding hers.

"I'm just...I'm looking at the...," he stammered, unable to formulate a proper sentence. "...I mean, I'm taking some photos of the flowers."

His cheeks burned, a misplaced lump swelling in his throat. Keiko's face softened as she turned her gaze to the flowerbed. Alfie slowly lifted his head, his eyes tentatively meeting her face. The once intimidating aura around her dissolved as she focused on the delicate blooms.

"You can't take photos to save your life," she smirked. "You need to stop being an idiot."

Alfie's breathing quickened. His eyebrows furrowed as he grappled with Keiko's words. Every few seconds, his upper cheeks twitched, like a mouse nibbling on cheese.

This is it. I gotta show her I'm not afraid of her.

Keiko narrowed her eyes, scrutinizing the subtle cues on his face. She stepped forward, arms crossed, her glare intense and unyielding.

"What? You got a problem?"

Alfie's body trembled as he recalled the earlier incident in the storage room. He tensed his arms, trying to shake off the unease as he locked eyes with Keiko.

"Y-yeah...I got a little problem indeed."