The Shrink Program

Chapter 9

It only occurred to me as Vain stepped off the bus, that going to school with Vain actually meant going to class.

And being exposed to... Shudder...education.

Yea, that was slow, even for you Maddison.

For normal people, going to class isn't a big deal.

For me, going to class was the same as trying to figure out a Rubix cube, while navigating a maze.... on an alien planet.

Surely a situation that must be avoided at all costs.

As Vain walked through the gates and towards the school building, I scanned my surroundings for a possible escape.

Beyond the front gates of the school was a large, expensive courtyard, with gardens and benches, and a big ass water fountain smack dab in the centre of it.

Here, there be rich people.

Directly parallel to the golden gate, stood the giant main school building, the centre of the entire school grounds and the place where all classes were held.

To the left of the courtyard was the administrative building and staff offices. To the right was the opening to the greenbelt. A cobbled path travelled through the extensive garden area that surrounded the school, allowing students to view the lush green fields, shaded by many species of trees and plant life.

So long as they didn't stray off the path, they were safe.

From people like me.

And it was at this point that I would normally be taking a turn for the right. As Vain continues making his way the main school building, I sent a longing glance at the entrance to the greenbelt, watching the butterflies flutter about playfully under the rainbow and Bambi skip welcomingly over a patch of daffodils.

In comparison, the school building looked like a prison, cold and unwelcoming. People were staring at me as we walked past, most of them too shy of Vain to actually say or do anything.

It was times like these that being with the unapproachable ice queen of the school came in handy. Only people with balls of steel or egos the size of planets could build up the nerve to speak to the quiet beauty. He's nice to look at, but for most people, interacting with him was like talking with a brick wall.

A scary brick wall.

The fact that he didn't immediately warm up to anyone who was trying to get friendly with him was one of the things that I liked about him. The only friendship he had to offer was the real kind, and you had to earn it.

Too bad you screwed that friendship up Maddison.

My hands clenched, balling up the material of Vain's shirt. The giant boy didn't even seem to notice the disturbance.

What am I doing? Going to school together, sitting on his shoulder and talking to him...

Like I hadn't been the one who nearly got him killed two years ago.

Vain continued walking, oblivious to the sullen change in my mood.

We had been friends for so long, it had been all too easy to fall back into the old routine.

He was helping me. We were getting along, but that didn't mean that what was broken between us had been fixed.

That I had been forgiven.

There is no way to just forgive and forget after what had happened between us.

So I still couldn't understand why he had agreed to help me in the first place.

Obligation. Pity.

Suddenly, the prospect of going to class wasn't the only reason I wanted to escape.

Somewhere in my head, I knew that under my current circumstances, ditching Vain probably wasn't the best idea... but my delinquent instincts got the better of me.

I needed to get away. To do something, so that the sharp pain that was expanding in my chest would fade away.

That's when luck struck me like a lightning bolt. As unlikely as it was deadly

I spotted Alexander Floid.

The red-headed delinquent was something of a co-worker, the surliest person I had ever met and was pretty much the closest thing I had to a friend.

And he was currently stomping out of the school building and towards us.

Seeing my ticket to delinquent haven, I decided to take my chance.

Alex stormed past us, the tall boy not even noticing when I leapt off Vain's shoulder and onto his bag.

Like a ninja.

Clinging to the leather of the bag, I ignored the jolting sensations of Alex's steps as I climbed, swinging into the loose opening of the old bag, peeking back through the slit long enough to see Vain continue walking away. Leaving me behind.

His mind too full of thoughts to notice the slight weight leaving his shoulder.

Good.

Letting go of the rim and dropping lightly to the bottom of the bag, I tried not to feel the light sting in my chest.

It's better this way.