Sealed with a Kiss ✔

Chapter Six | Sealed with a Kiss

The speed I'm heading to school at means I'm hopefully going to get there in about five minutes. If I don't walk fast there's a likely chance of me freezing to death. If I thought yesterday was cold then today's temperatures are bloody Arctic.

I swear under my breath as I stride down the street, each day the temperatures have been dropping lower and lower.

When I catch sight of myself in a car wing mirror my mood further drops, the cold weather has my already pale skin looking a thousand times lighter so I end up looking like a ghost. Brilliant!

My insides squirm as I continue rushing down the pavement, I wouldn't usually have been dreading Tuesday this much, or more specifically be so reluctant to go to the assembly we have today.

But going by the past few days, I'm not exactly looking forward to heading into certain lessons and periods of the day. All because of a brown-eyed, big-headed idiot.

"Ruby!" I hear my name being yelled a few metres away and looking up I see Oliver standing on the street on the other side of the road.

"Hey mate," I say as he jogs over. Oliver's reindeer antlers from work have been replaced by a beanie that suits his messy orange hair. His nose is bright red from the cold and, maybe it's the Christmas spirit, but he reminds me of Rudolf.

"Why're you looking so miserable?" Oliver asks, nudging my side with his elbow and grinning a playful grin. How can he be so bloody upbeat during such a freezing morning?

"No reason," I shrug, trying to swallow down the lack of enthusiasm I'm feeling for today's assembly.

Oliver doesn't look like he believes me as we both resume our walk to school. "Tell me," he urges, "you've been all weird recently."

I shove my fingers into my coat pockets to try and regain some feeling into them before reluctantly asking, "'All weird'?"

Oliver nods, looking at me pointedly. "Yeah."

"How?"

"I dunno, you've been extra-moody and stuff," Oliver says, shrugging. "And Imogen mentioned you acted like a nutter at that café place yesterday."

I stumble a little as we head down the road. I'm about to demand just what Imogen has said before I hear a high-pitched: "Oliver!"

It's the girl from the Letterhead, the one who'd bagged Oliver a job, Rebecca.

"Hey," Oliver says, I notice his smile falls a little. We've reached the school gates which Rebecca's standing outside of. She walks over, looking at me with a fixed expression. Her eyes scrutinise me and narrow.

"Who's this?" she asks, pointing towards me, the brightness of her voice doesn't reach her eyes which look deadly.

"Ruby," I say flatly, "I'm in your Chemistry class."

"Right..." Rebecca nods. "You two are friends right?"

I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Oliver looks the same. "Yeah."

"Look, er, I'll see you later," he says, offering her a brief smile before turning to me again.

"Oh right," Rebecca says, smiling steelily, "don't be late to work tomorrow. I've got something planned for us." She then walks off through the school gates to a gaggle of friends who are waiting for her.

"Fucking help me," Oliver whispers once she's out of earshot.

"Why?" I ask, grinning at the look of horror on his face.

"Ever since she got me that job, she thinks she's my bloody wife. I thought it was just a friend doing me a favour!" He grimaces.

"Ah." I smirk. "Now that's your fault for dating lunatics."