CO-ED

The Walk Home

The school bell rang in five descending notes, drawing the day to a close. 

“Remember class, research on the theories of Thermodynamics and be able to give examples of instances and actual applications. See you tomorrow” 

Whispers, laughter and chatter emptied out of the classroom and into the corridors. Jamie was one of the last to come out, as if waiting for the noise and the bustle to settle before taking his leave from the room now filled with disarrayed desk chairs. It was silent enough for him to hear the tapping of his soles against the floor.  He went out of the room to see rotund Giancarlo leaning against the corridor wall; the guy had been waiting for him to come out all that time.  

“Hey man. Betsy and Carly went ahead to the library” On his clutch were the notes he researched during the first half of the school day “You coming along?” 

“I think I’ll pass. My feet seem to itch for a worthwhile learning session on the streets” 

“Walking your way home huh?” There was no surprise in his friend’s tone; Giancarlo somehow expected Jamie to come up with a response like that “I think you have more than enough money to take a bus. Why go through suffering on foot?” 

“Let’s say I like walking, and taking time to see things -” Jamie answered with a smirk “-besides, home is only half an hour’s walk away from here. I can save a few quid by not getting on a bus” 

“Ever your famous logic,” Giancarlo shook his head slowly “You are coming with us tomorrow huh?”  

“That, no doubt. Besides, I need to exert a little more effort in the grades race” Jamie waved the rattan stick and pointed at beyond the way one would do with a sword “There’s no way I’m turning my guard down and let folks through without a good fight” 

“Hah! See you around then” Giancarlo shifted his mass from the wall to the hallway and turned around to look at Jamie for the last time “And better be at your best. You have three challengers who want you at full strength” 

“I’m not going to fail you guys”  

Both boys took opposite directions. Jamie reached the parking lot and faced an orange sun that was about to end its watch. Most of the parked vehicles were without their drivers, save for a pickup and a sedan parked at the center right. Two groups of teenagers were loading their bags to the trunks of the automobiles; their smooth faces and well-styled hair were more than enough markers for Jamie to identify them as members of the school’s elite.  

He was again looking into the eyes of that girl from before. She had a welcoming face as usual, although Jamie had returned the look with a riddled expression for more than once. It also caught the eyes of her friends, who poked fingers at the girl’s cheek and began teasing her. It was the time when Jamie’s ears caught the girl’s name at last. 

“Look! Diane’s face is getting all red!” The voices melded into laughter and cackles. 

Jamie smiled at the thought of finally getting her name at least; he reached the maroon school gates and made his first step to the world outside. He took out an ersatz brown army cap from his bag and wore it with the visor acting as blinkers for his eyes.  

They were the same sights: lines of cafes greeted exiting students and drew them to the smell of hamburgers and various mixes of meats and vegetables that were prepared for the day. A humble bookstore was at the left elbow of the street, followed by three nearby apartment buildings that had five floors each. Jamie walked past the droning sounds of cars that sped by. There were quite a few that were traveling during that time of day. He would be passing by the main road soon.