Before it ends

School spirit...

We sat at the usual lunch table. Me, Hayley, Dan and Hayley's friends Jordan and Lee.

"So have you heard the rumours?" Lea shoved a fork of salad into her mouth.

"What that like totally every girl in this school is in love with me?"

"Ha." Jordan chocked on the peanuts she was eating. Her eyes were a bright green colour, same as her sisters. "Sorry you're like third place. It's Jake, Ryan and then you. You used to be second but well - you're a dick." Jordan and Lea were twins. Jordan was more yeah-I-went-braless-today-and-what? Lea was more I-know-I-look-great-I'll-even-leave-the-tag-on-so-you-know-it's-designer. I didn't know either of them much, they were okay to hang out with, but I got the feeling they were 'The Girls' the ones that, along with Hayley, thrived in High school.

"Focus donuts." Lea shouted. Dan stuck his tongue out at that. I laughed. "Vee might be coming back." Everyone looked to Hayley. I didn't, not until I saw the looks being shared across the girls.

"Who's Vee?" I asked the table but my question was really directed to the girl sitting next to me.

"My best friend. " the twins rolled their eyes. "Well at least until she left 8 months ago to live in Canada with her dad after her parents got divorced." Hayley seemed a little uncomfortable with the conversation. Was there more to the story? Did Dan know? Did the twins? Why do I have the feeling everyone knows but me? Should I press more?

"Yeah she was into some really messed up shit aswell-" Lea began.

"No she wasn't." Lea's mouth snapped shut. Why was Hayley so quick to defend this Vee girl? "You never knew her like I did. She had it hard and whatever stupid fuckery she got into, she did it to forget her her home life."

"Whatever, she was a fucking bitch."

"You never knew her." Hayley muttered that last part. I think she knew it was pointless to carry on. I reached for her hand under the table. She looked up, her eyes met mine and she smiled. It reached her eyes. It wasn't the classic superficial patronizing smile she reserves for school. It was the smile I saw at the funfair and in the car ride home and at the shed.

"I have something for you." I whispered this into her ear. It felt private. It was a real Hayley moment- and those were just for me.

"You do." she wriggled her eyebrows, trying to keep the excitement out of her voice. "Well where is it?" Her hands traveled down my pants, patting pockets and looking for small lumps in my jacket.
"Hey, hey, hey. At least buy me a drink first." She laughed and then bit down her bottom lip. "Curiosity killed the cat gorgeous." She leant forward, closer to me.
"Give me one." I kissed her cheek.
"No." She tried to catch my face in her hands but I moved around her. Kissing every where but her lips.
"Stop." She was giggling and smiling and her hands kept trying to grab my face.
"Okay. Okay." I stopped to look at her. The once tamed locks of blue were now falling on to her forehead. I don't think she meant for her bun to look messy, or to look carelessly stylish or to smile so perfectly. I think that's why everyone wanted to be with her- because she never meant to do anything. She made insecurities and she broke them, and something about that almost seemed contagious.
"You know that's not what I wanted. I wanted a proper kiss." Her laughter faded and a small pout was sketched onto her lips "Give me a real kiss."
And so I did- and it felt just like all the others times I'd kissed Hayley, Exciting and new. Not 100% mine, more like the promise of something.
She laughed, parting away from me slowly.
"Now can I have my present?" She smiled. I shook my head.
"Tomorrow." Her lips connected to mine again and my insides churned, my hands became clammy and my heart played the base in a rock band.
"Only you have this effect." She placed my hand on her heart. She read my mind.
"Who knew you were such a romantic, Rhys?" I kissed her again, my hands moved down towards her ribs.
"Ryan. Stop." She laughed and I laughed at her laugh- and then the whole table was laughing and I was brought back to reality. Where it wasn't just me and her. Where we were all talking and laughing and eating and things seemed perfect for the moment.
"I have a reputation to uphold Montgomery." She turned back to me once the table was fully engrossed in a new conversation "How am I meant to be feared if people see me laughing like an idiot?"
"Why would you want to be feared, why not loved? Liked?" To this she scoffed
"There's a very thin line between the two Montgomery. So thin you may often find yourself feeling both at the same time ."
******