Seasons

Chapter 11 - Suspicion

"Boo!" Cried a voice from behind me. I gasped and dropped my biology textbook which slammed down onto my foot with a loud slap. I winced and tears sprung in my eyes as my toes throbbed painfully.

"Whoops," said the girl in front of me as she swooped down to retrieve the dog eared book, and straightened up with an apologetic smile on her freckled face. She gently placed it back into my hands and cocked her head, the happy expression from two seconds ago now gone, her eyebrows furrowed and her grey eyes searching mine. "Bit jumpy?" Rikki asked softly.

"Yeah," I admitted, "didn't sleep well last night."

"Oh," she breathed, watching me as I tucked the thick textbook into my bag and closed my locker. Students were beginning to swarm around us as they flowed to their classrooms.

"Yesterday," I explained as we began to make our way down the corridor, weaving in and out of loud teenagers, "I'm still freaking out about that diver."

"Please don't," pleaded Rikki, her usually bubbly character subdued with concern, "I promise he didn't see me."

I just bit my lip and watched the worn floor move beneath my sneakers, not answering.

"Yo babes!" A loud voice yelled from in front of us. A crowd of noisy seniors thundered past, boys shoving their way towards a gaggle of blushing girls who all giggled and continued texting, pretending to not noticed them.

I sighed audibly as their skimpy uniforms and dark ringed eyes reminded me of Sidney: Dan's girlfriend who was quickly developing a fierce hatred for me.

We soon reached our homeroom, and a sleek brunette head came into view. Emily was standing outside the classroom, her head bowed over a book and her dark eyes flickering over the pages, thick lashes fluttering.

"Hey Em!" Called Rikki from beside me, causing our friend to look up startled.

She grinned when she caught sight of us walking towards her, her elvish face splitting into a cute smile and she gently snapped the book shut.

"Hey guys," she smiled, "how are you?"

"Tired," I admitted, watching her readjust the massive camera on her shoulder. Rikki had already explained what a fanatic she was and I could see her reasoning; I barely saw her without one slung over her tanned shoulder.

Emily cocked her head, her chocolatey brown eyes searching mine.

"Yesterday," Rikki explained for me and Emily nodded slowly, opening her mouth to reply when the door behind her suddenly opened and our class began to file in, chattering away.

We followed in behind, quiet in comparison. The secret that we held between us seemed to be sitting heavily on our shoulders, threatening to spill itself to anyone around us.

We weaved between students and desks to our usual back corner and we dumped our bags, sliding onto the worn chairs.

"Oh great," muttered Rikki sarcastically, resting her head on the table and groaning dramatically.

"What?" I asked her, whipping around in my chair to scan the crowded room.

"Bleach blonde clones," she whined, "I was hoping their makeup has suffocated them or something so they couldn't come to school."

I heard Emily giggle and jokingly tell her off as I swept my eyes towards the door to see a tottering herd of fake tan, lead by the carrot coloured main-girl Cindy. I could still hear Rikki groaning and moaning from the table next to me as they collapsed from their towering high heels into the seats in front of us, but what caught my eye were the two girls that swept in after them.