HAVEN BLACK - complete

THE WALK HOME

Chapter 8 – THE WALK HOME

The school bell rang signalling the end of another day and as I sat in the corner of the principal's office folding the last of the school brochures, itching to leave, I gazed outside noticing that the clouds had suddenly appeared to have darkened over the last half hour and were now threatening to rain. Standing up from the tiny corner desk I walked over to Mrs Aiken's large desk where Mrs Aiken sat upright, looking as though she was engrossed behind her computer screen.

"Ahem," I cleared my throat hoping to detract her from the screen.

"Yes Jacob," Mrs Aiken said drowsily "...yes, you may go home – I do not want to see you here again alright?"

"Yes, madam."

The fresh air outside was heavy and moist, but was better than the hot stuffy afternoon air that was trapped in the room I had just spent over an hour in.

Walking down the concrete steps out from the school entrance, my feet still felt light from the encounter with Jill. The car park was mostly deserted with the exception of only a few small groups of students who hung around by their cars; Halfway down the car park, a modified looking car had its bonnet up as three guys conversed around the engine bay occasionally laughing, while on the side closest to the school entrance sat two other vehicles; a red car which had three girls inside and a blue pickup that homed had a single occupant. They were parked side-on to each other while the group of seniors inside the vehicles socialized loudly with the other; I knew them, their names and faces, but I doubted they even saw me as I walked out into the car park... probably a good thing.

"Shit shit, shit.., my bike!" I said in a small panic as I remembered the morning's dilemma.

At a jogging pace, I quickly got to the bike rack and noticed that my bike was still there in the same place that I left it at the start of the day.

"Thank God!" I breathed a sigh of relief.

As I pulled my bike from the rack drops of rain started to patter on the surrounding pavement giving off a wet earthy smell. Oh no, rain, I worried, knowing the ride home was going to get me uncomfortably soaked.

All the remaining cars that had lingered in the car park drove off except for one; The blue pickup had moved slightly and was now arrogantly parked blocking the entrance to the school gate. The fellow senior driver appeared to be talking to someone but the truck blocked my view of who it was. The driver suddenly shook his head hotly and gestured angrily at what the person out of view must have said before driving off at an aggressive pace, his tires slipping on the asphalt.

It began to rain steadily and as I peered through the mist that arose off the warm tarmac I saw Jill standing there, facing the sky with her hands raised above her head; her mouth was opened wide as though she was attempting to catch the rain drops in her mouth! I couldn't help but stare with a look of humored confusion. As I stood still feeling the cold rain seep its way down behind my shirt, thoughts swirled through my head. What the hell is she doing? God she is beautiful. Tilting her head forward, Jill spotted me and jogged clumsily over in my direction. I tried to look casual, but it was hopeless as I just stood awkwardly in the rain.

"Don't you love it Jacob?" she said excitedly.

"What? Love the rain?" I replied somewhat stumped.

"Doesn't it feel refreshing on your skin?" Jill said in a carefree tone.

"It's cold and wet, if that's what you mean," I replied intrigued. "Just before...were you trying to drink the rain?"

"Yeah! That's right!" Jill said laughing. "...it's the purest form of water and I think it tastes really, really good".