The Moon & its Shadows

A new Friend-Chapter 2

The bus was driving on, leaving my home behind, the home where I had grown up in and had left deep memories of our once united family. I kept looking back knowing that I might never be able to turn back even after my studies, I’d have to get on with life and forget about my past…. Forever!

We went past roads I had previously been on with my family, when we would go to trips together or when we would go for birthday parties. We would have taken the longest routes so my mum would have enough time to prepare everything before my brother or I would arrive. Again, they are all now distant memories!

The bus was a double decker and even though it was large it was very cosy. The bus was half full, mostly with college girls gossiping and having a laugh together. I was sitting with my brother at the back near the windows on the left side. I was on my iPhone and Dave was playing on his psp console. I didn’t notice at first, but there was a girl (around my age) sitting on the other side of the bus to my right. She had dark coloured skin, the colour of chocolate when it’s melted. She had long wavy black hair and even though she was sitting I could tell she had a nice figure however she was kinda short. She was sitting there alone gazing out of the window, smiling at something which I didn’t know until I realised that she was listening to music on her pink Samsung. I know music does bring your spirits up, but I didn’t feel like listening to music this particular moment. The girl turned her face and looked straight at me.

I was stunned… so I gave her a quick smile. Just to be more polite I stood up and headed to sit opposite her.

“Hello!” she said. Her voice was very sweet and gentle and very melodic.

“Hey” I said sounding very shaky all of a sudden, without knowing the reason why.

“What’s your name?” I asked, trying to be polite.

“I’m Melody, what is your name?” She asked.

“I’m Everlie, nice to meet you” I replied.

“You too” She took her hand out for me to shake. Wow! She really was polite.

I shook her hand and we both looked up and smiled.

“How old are you by the way?”

“Me?” she asked. Not to be rude or anything, but who else would I be asking?

“Yep you” I said popping the ‘p’.

“Oh yeah right, I’m 18”

“Same”

She giggled.

“Where are you headed off to then?” I asked curiously.

“well, I’m going to college to complete my A-levels, I used to go Bradford college but it wasn’t as good as I expected so I decided to head off somewhere else where I’d be able to get a proper education.” Wow she was serious about her studies.

“Oh right, that’s nice.”

“Where are you headed to?” She asked sweetly, with a kind grin on her face.

“I’m going to drop my brother off to his Academy, he’s going to be staying there.”

“How old is he?” she asked confusedly.

“9” I replied.

“OMG, that’s so young for sending him off like that.”

“I know, but there was no other choice.” I said sadly. My eyes slightly watering.

“But... Where are your parents?” I knew she would soon ask that question, but I decided not to hide anything. Just for the best.

"Well, my mum recently became a vampire and just disappeared…and as for my dad, he became an alcoholic and left a while back.” I said. It felt good to pour my heart out to someone, I realised. I hadn’t really told anyone this before, and even though I probably wouldn’t see this sweet girl again, I had trust in her.

“Oh, so you’re heading off and making a new life of your own but can’t look after your brother so you’re sending him off.” She summed up pretty cleverly.

“Umm… yeah that’s about it.” Wondering how she knew.

“We’re quite similar actually.” She said with a grin. I was even more confused now. How were we so similar? She didn’t look like she had a bad life. And if she did, she hid it pretty well.

“My mum and dad divorced a couple of years ago, when she found out he cheated on her with an angel. Because of this, my mum went into this depressive state and one day just disappeared. I have an older brother who looked after me at the time, but recently became a vampire and decided to go to this ‘Vampire Academy’ somewhere in the middle of nowhere...” She thoroughly explained. To have so much go on she was a pretty strong girl.

“So all those years you’ve been fending for yourself?” I asked surprisingly.

“Yep… well not really, I’ve been laying around in my mates houses, but decided to look for a better future and not just keep using my friends’ homes all the time, I’ve always wanted to start a brand new future, you know to create some happy memories in my life.”

“Do they know about you leaving?” I was curious.

She looked out of the window, her eyelids closing for a second before opening them again.

“No they don’t. I ran out secretly yesterday, I didn’t want to tell them in case they got worried.”

“But that’s bad, what about if they come looking for you or something?” I asked concerned about her. I could tell it was hard leaving her friends.

“I know but just like you there was no other choice.”

We both gazed out of the window, I turned to my left and noticed that my brother had dozed off with his psp on his cute face. I stood up and went to take his embroidered blanket that had been given to him from my dad when he was born from my backpack and covered him with it. My dad had gone to all the shops before Christmas Eve to make sure he would get that blanket with ‘Dave’ embroidered on it. My dad absolutely adored him, he wanted Dave to join the military when he grew up, to be a brave soldier and fight for what he thought was right. I guess that dream wouldn’t ever come true.

I kissed my brothers chubby cheeks and placed the soft blanket on him, my eyes swelling up with tears knowing I would have to leave him, to create a future of his own. The bus drove on and slowed down at a sign which read ‘Camperlane Academy ahead in 50 miles’. Oh god, I thought. It was coming near, the time where I would become alone in this world, no family besides me just myself and my bitter-sweet memories…

Melody stood up, headed to my seat and placed something on my lap. She was so pretty. She was wearing a crop top which said ‘Taylor Swift on the run’. I obviously knew that she was a Swifty. She paired the cute top with tight black skinnies and knee high buckled boots. She took my hand in hers and then spoke.

“It was very nice knowing you, I’m heading off now. If you ever need me just call me on this number okay? I will be there for you because were in the same boat and I know how hard it is, just text or call me whichever you prefer, but I might not always be free. You can add me on Facebook as well it’d be much easier for me because it’s always on my phone.”

She tapped the Facebook app which immediately went to her account. I was shocked from such kindness that my mouth would perform coherent words. I just nodded to say I understood. She smiled and waved goodbye and headed off down the steps of our little section, down to the bus driver and with a smile she jumped of the bus.

I felt so lonely all of a sudden, no one to share life stories or memories with. I touched the cross symbol on my necklace and made a little prayer that I would see her again. I picked up my phone from my lap and sent Melody a friend request and added her number on my contacts list. It was not long before my eyelids started to droop and refused to stay open. I went to sleep sitting on the floor with my head on my brothers’ lap, fingers crossed hoping that God would not let me down… AGAIN and would shower me with blessings and mercy from heaven. FOR ONCE!