The Foils

Chapter four

 

CHAPTER4

The snowy wind made my face numb and the case with my foil and mask gripped tightly in my cold gloved hand. The white weather was blinding and it was a long journey to the bus stop. Pixi couldn’t take me to school and mum nor dad believed in driving. So now I was trying my best to not sink in and become wet or get lost and not find the actual stop. I could finally make out the outline of a seat and a bus map with the times and numbers on the back. I had to catch 274 so I stood and clutched the free arm around me. It felt like I’d waited a year for the bus to arrive but it was there in its run down glory. I hopped in and fell into a seat in the middle it was basically empty. There was only three people in here. An elderly couple and a boy around my age facing the window. I stared for a bit he looked familiar. ‘Greg?’ He turned his head but it wasn’t Greg it was Jack, someone I hadn’t talk to for a couple of months well, it made sense because of the murder and me being at home for a long time but it wasn’t just that. He had left to go to New York for holiday must have only just returned back. ‘Jack!’ I said in a slightly overly loud voice I stood and went to sit next to him. He hung with us sometimes but only really when Mike was away. You see Jack was gay and had asked Mike out so of cause Mike said no because he claimed ‘not to swing that way’ then tried to prove it by dating Kim who he dumped after a week because she had tried to sleep with him and he hadn’t felt ready. ‘Hey Pip. How has everything been? I heard about the um...’ He fumbled with his bag ‘Yeah, it was a big shock had me shit scared missed school yarda yarda yard but the point is I’m over being scared now I just want to find out who did it. So how was New York?’ I asked after rushing through an explanation. He stared back out the window a smile tugging his lips and a shiny glint in his eyes, ‘I met an amazing guy, his name was Randy but when he found out I had to come back here he promised to visit and that once he was finished in school he might come to live. It was so nice we spent almost the whole time together and he even bought me this locket.’ He twisted it from his neck to show me a silver locket and opened it to show a picture of him hugging a very tanned guy with sandy blond hair and deep blue eyes he was kissing Jacks cheek and I grinned, ‘Aw well that’s very sweet. I beat Hanna in fencing’ I chuckled, ‘she has actually improved.’ Jack didn’t like Hanna because she was who she was and well Jack was a nicer guy then that. He laughed and we talked a bit about how they had seen some famous Broadway and gone to some really nice restraints.

‘Is it true they used her blood to write on the walls “you’re next”?’

‘Oh I heard it was Hanna trying to seek revenge because Rose kissed Philip’

‘I heard it was all faked so Pip could miss school because she was pregnant and her parents were going to kick her out’

‘who’s the father?’

‘No it isn’t that, because someone told me she was lesbian and that’s why Rose faked it, and that’s why she got kicked out!’ I stared at the group of girls asking questions to Pip. She looked very pissed off. I guess it was my duty to save her. ‘Well girls! It was none of that if you want to know the true story it was... YOU FUCKING ASS WHIPES NEED TO LEAVE MY BEST FRIEND ALONE AND PAY SOME REASPECT TO KELLY WHO IS NOW DEAD!’ They all scurried back and one even screamed. When they were all out of sight Pip ran up to Greg and I, with Jack behind her, she gave us our handshake and thanked me. ‘Rose?’ we all turned and I saw him. In his slightly tanned matter and brown hair. I for one, didn’t like the dude. Anyone who dates Hanna isn’t someone to trust, Pip looked nervous for some reason, she looked at him for a bit in a daze. ‘It’s Pip,’ I told him, ‘Hey.’ She finally said. ‘Glad to see you’re back.’ He looked at her for a moment then at Greg then Jack and then lastly at me, he narrowed his gaze a bit. So did I, ‘it’s nice to see you Jack, did you enjoy New York?’ He asked Jack but kept his eyes on me. ‘Yes!’ Jack gushed that made me turn to look at him, I raised an eyebrow.

‘Really?’ I heard Mike ask. But I was looking at Hanna who was coming up behind Philip. ‘Sweet heart! There you are! Oh Rosey nice to see you again,’ she hissed a bit glaring at me. Philip gave a ‘I-told-you-so’ look and I rolled my eyes. ‘I’m going to go see Coach Jenny’ I announced and started to stride to the gym, I breathed in. I can do this. I thought to myself. I strode to the office where the sport teachers were. ‘Rose, so nice to see you back,’ Mr Fork welcomed; he was our dean of sport. ‘Thanks good to see you too, can I see Coach Jenny?’ I asked, he nodded, ‘Yes I’m sure she would love to see you. I’ll go get her.’ He walked off and five minutes later Coach Jenny was there, ‘Oh Piping so nice to see you back, I won’t mind if you don’t do anymore practice for a while.’ I shook my head, ‘No I want to go back I think I shouldn’t let something like this get in my way.’ She nodded, ‘Ok but if at any time you feel as if you need a break you may sit out, and anyway you are very behind in theory. Are you reading any of the books your mother is buying?’ I shrugged. She sighed and held her head, ‘Ok well I’ll see you at the tournament at lunch, ‘It’s the men, I think your friend Michael is competing.’ I grinned but then took it back he hadn’t told me.

 Mike was versing Tom a great fencer but each time these two were in a round they were both pretty equal. It was Mike 3 to Tom 2 and they had two more rounds. They did the entering bow and they started again. Tom won this one so it was neck and neck. I watched as Mikes muscles tensed, ‘Tom will win,’ I jumped, as Philips voice entered my ears. ‘I’m not sure, but I’m obviously going for Mike.’ I said taking my attention back to the game. ‘Yes but think about it Tom isn’t distracted.’ I twisted my head, ‘Huh?’ He smiled showing his bright white teeth, ‘Well for one, you’re watching; and if you hadn’t noticed but Mike has the hots for you, and two I’m here with you he hates me.’ I tensed, ‘that’s not true.’ He cocked his head, ‘to which bit.’ I chocked, ‘both of cause.’ Philip shook his head his hair flipping to the side as he did so. ‘Just because you don’t like him in that way doesn’t mean he doesn’t have feelings for you.’ I flushed. Never had I really had any concern to the fact Mike might be crushing on me. But it made sense. I sighed, ‘You’re right,’ I agreed finally, ‘So you do think Tom will win!’ I shook my head even more, ‘No! Mike is going to win I can tell Tom is slowing down, he used too much energy at the start, it’s tragic how much this happens.’ Philip just shrugged. It ended up that the bell had gone before either could win; I jumped down the chairs, to Mike and gave him a hug. He didn’t seem shocked it was how we had always been, but it was normally when we needed it; and I felt I did because of how recent everything felt. But beside that I didn’t enjoy hugging people it kind of made me seem clingy. ‘What’s wrong?’ Mike said inhaling deeply his voice muffled in my hair. My stomach clenched, ‘Nothing it’s just this place reminds me-,’ I whispered. It was the truth but I wasn’t sure if it was why I was hugging him. I unfolded my arms from his back. ‘We should go to class,’ I said but I couldn’t even hear myself too well, he chuckled and cleared his throat, ‘not dressed like this,’ he said, I looked at him again all of him, he was amazing his tasselled colourful hair and bright eyes that seemed to gaze through me, his body was also good looking, he was nicely toned and the sweat on his skin made him seem to look smoother and clean-cut he had the perfect amount of blush to his cheeks and his lips they were so... I shook myself. What had I been thinking? I wasn’t someone to think such strange thoughts of my best friend It was wrong I would never want to ruin our friendship. ‘You should leave; you’re starting to turn green.’ Mike pointed out his voice was ruff, I nodded; then stalked off to my class.