Dérive

Chapter 3 (b)

[ SIX YEARS AGO ]

I guess Juliet was right; her slate is never clean. On a Friday morning, we always wanted to start our day with a good vibe, but I guess the only fortune ones get it.

All the boys came usually early to send out invitations for parties or any plans they made for the week-end or for the evening on Friday. Me? Well, I just watch people consuming into their plans and excitement. Like always, my body was leaning on the wall size radiator as the others were only 5 metres away from me, for me to be able to listen to them.

8:30 am, when Juliet walked in with her ear plugs in as always. I stood - smiling - waiting for her to catch a small glimpse of my existence. Which let me tell you this, she did. SHE DID. Only to form an apparent smirk on her face, narrowing her eyes at me, as to make sure if I was watching; I was. She slowly and smoothly curved past the tables and pupils to make her way towards the group of year eleven students. Juliet seemed to emphasise her confidence by gracefully flipping her hair whilst she walked past me (still piercing her eyes right through me). Her smirk only grew wider, sending an unclear doubt in my head; suggesting how she knew what would tick me off or make me feel better.

My heart thumped faster against the rigid bones of my ribs as she took each step closer to Scott. For me, it's a nuisance having him around Juliet and somehow Juliet saw that right through me. How do I know that? The fact that she decided to go and grab his face aggressively, smashing her chapped lips to his. Rather than closing her eyes, she kept her sight on me. She triggered the pistol inside my mind which kept shooting at my heart as the thumping could be heard against each and every bone within me. I do not think I'll be pettish over her choice of male nevertheless, I will be sulking over the fact as to how easy it is for her to have an affect on me.

"Did you hear what I said?" Nathan asked as I averted my gaze around the canteen to clear the vivid image from my head. "Oh, I didn't even know you were here," I shrugged as Nathan put his arm around me, leading the way to the group of boys. "I was saying that Justin took Gemini to a water park for their first date." Nate chirped and I said, "And..." He rolled his eyes as he carried on, "Her make up came off and he left her there, right after laughing and insulting her amongst a large crowd!" The whole crowd broke into a chorus of laughter right when Gemini walked past us. Her face seemed paler than ever and her eyes were darker than the night sky. Gemini wasn't pretty but she wasn't exactly ugly. She had acne; the so called 'disease' that teenagers nowadays counted as an ugly part of the human.

"You really shouldn't have done that," I frowned, joining the circle. "So you would date a girl that ugly and full of flaws!" Nathan scoffed. "Everyone has flaws Nate, that includes that 'ugly' mark on your back." I shot back, being irritated already. "Yo lad, I'm so fucking glad I saw those spots before even calling her mine or shit." Justin chuckled as Scott added, "True true, would've been embarrassing to date a girl like that. Heck, they need to stop with the make-up. Really can't find true beauty." Everyone agreed to Scott which only made me frown even more. "Find true beauty? If that's how you treat a girl with her true beauty, then I understand why the fuck they have to wear make-up." I snapped at everyone, silencing their sorry asses. "They wear make up to avoid shit from dogs like you." This time it wasn't me who directed that at the group, instead it was Juliet who glared around the circle and sending me a soft glance. I stationed in my position, holding the gaze with Juliet. 'It's so easy for her to have an affect on me': that was all I needed to remember before I stormed off to class.

                                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Taming of the Shrew." Miss Dallas said sternly, containing her excitement. " Petruchio will be Zane,"  She said smiling at me. "Kate, Gemini your it." She finished off. This play meant everything to everyone here. All the drama, photography, music and other art and graphic students were here. This play determined everyone's final grade. "Miss, Kate was PRETTY flawless!" Nate shouted making the whole theater to  erupt in laughter. "Nate trust me, her acting and actual beauty is better than what your dating." Miss Dallas shot back. "Juliet, Perla and Tyler, I want you guys to be working with Zane and Gemini during this play. Juliet, as you being the best photography student, I want you to take best pictures of them from the preparation till the end. Perla you will obviously be their costume designer and Tyler, you will be directing them throughout this play." Miss Dallas looked around and carried on, "The rest of you, you are as important as these. If you collect the play guidance you will see who is in your group and what you will be doing. Today, I want you guys to start planning and map out how things will work out between each one of you. Good luck Year 11!" Miss Dallas ended as she left the theater room.

"Zane?" Gemini called out to me. She darted in and out of the students and said, "I'm sorry if it wasn't me you wanted to do the performance with." To which I replied saying, "I would rather not choose anyone else Gem."

"Zane, getting some with Gemini now eh?" Tyler winked as the others joined us. Juliet stood beside me, only making me move across her. "Fuck off mate." I cursed. "Zane, can I talk to you for a second?" Juliet asked. We both shuffled to the side, letting the others carry on. "Look Zane, Whatever you think there might be between us - I just want to make it clear that I'm not interested in you," She sighed, letting her frustration hit the floor yet weighing it on my heart. "Juliet, I don't know who you think I am, but I'm not Scott or Tyler. I'm me and I'm gonna do me. You think I'm interested in you?" I chuckled humorlessly. I stepped closer to Juliet knowing the fact that my palms were sweating behind my back; well knowing that my knees were shaking because of the proximity. "Not everything is about you Juliet." I whispered in her ear, leaving her baffled and stationed right there and then.