Malediction

7 - Accident

During class, during lunch, during all school related activities, I forced my brain to take a rest. I did my best to avoid thinking about the Newscot secrets, and by early afternoon, I began to settle back into a semi-normal thought process.

"I have a favour to ask" I turned towards Cara moments before final class

"What's that?" She quirked an eyebrow

"You have Math next right?" I knew how much she hated math, and selfishly I was going to use that to my advantage

Her head nodded, eyes rolling "Ugh, yes"
She groaned

"How would you feel about truanting class with me?" I watched her expression carefully, either of us having skipped a single class in the last year. She thought about it for a moment, stopping her walk mid-hall with me. 2:40pm the final bell sounded, Cara's light eyebrows were creased in the middle, and then they relaxed, her lips turning up into a smirk.

"We better go quick" She complied as she pulled my arm along

Cara and I began our rebellious run towards the front of school, laughing like small children as we broke the rules to which would indefinitely get us grounded.

Adrenaline was running as fast as our feet, our eyes on high alert until we were certain we were far enough from the buildings to get caught. Two blocks away, we slowed to a walk, breathing heavily, excited and nervous.

"We haven't done this in so long, why now?" Cara asked, our noses red from the chill of cold air

"Exactly that" I began, breathless "We haven't done it in so long, we were due"

She bought into the lie, shrugging excessively to keep herself warm.
Her outfit was gorgeous, but it wasn't as practical as mine for the state in weather. Clouds continued to growl overhead, rain threatening to spill at any moment in time. We were unprepared if it did, but at that point, I didn't care.

"We should go to Power street" Cara began "I need a dress for a wedding in September"

Power street was another two blocks away. It was about a 20 minute walk, but would be well worth the missed lesson. It was sad that I had felt the need to skip History class, it had always been my favourite, and in a sense, I felt guilty for letting Danny Newscot push me away from something I loved. But it was one lesson, I would catch up. I was a good student, so was Cara. I wouldn't be making a habit of my behaviour, I knew the boundaries, and I knew that if I fed some sad story to dad and mum, they'd buy it. 

The entire walk to Power street consisted of Cara and I discussing excuses, varying from a pets death, to a broken heart. Eventually we settled on telling them that the other had had a menty b and needed support, it was what any good friend would do, right? The lie wouldn't have been completely dishonest, at least not for me.

"Let's go in here" Cara instructed, pulling me into a trendy clothing store along Power street. Power street was a long stretch of road lined with clothing stores, restaurants, alternate stores, a shopping centre, and the cinema. Friday and Saturday nights were bustling, alive with life, but on a. random Wednesday afternoon, it was dead, just how we needed it.

Music drifted through the air in the small space cluttered with expensive denim and cotton. Prices were marked high range, the shop being more on the elite side of brands. Cara had the money to spend, her dad was a private investigator, her mother a fancy real estate agent.

I was slightly jealous that Cara didn't need to work outside of school hours. But I felt proud that I had earned what I could spend, I was preparing myself for the real world. I had worked for the last year, it was casual, flexible, one week I would work everyday after school, others, like this week, I would only be required for two days.