Nightmare on Broadway (California Dreaming Sequel)

Chapter Four

  Would love to hear what you think about this story so far! Hope you enjoy :) I understand this isn't the most eventful chapter but, hey ho! Thank you to AWriterDreamer for all the amazing comments, and you should definitely check out her book :) Thanks xxx

  I flicked to the right page in one of my new textbooks and began skim reading the page, crossing my legs beneath the smooth, wooden desk. I twiddled a piece of dark hair between my fingers as I looked up to the lecturer, waiting for him to tell me what to do next. My tutor was a fairly young guy, tall and slim, probably in his late 30s. His hair was gelled back, ice blonde, against his skull, blending in with his ivory skin tone. His eyes, despite the distance between us, were a piercing, shocking blue, and I was sure I could see a tribal tattoo wrapped around his left upper arm. His name was Arthur Wayland, but he had insisted we called him Art. 

   He was pacing up and down at the front of the class, his hands tucked into the pockets of his khaki chinos. His suede, desert boots were scuffing against the industrial carpet. The room was alive with the sound of chatting students, the flicking of pages as people tried to find the right textbook. The seats were tiered, shiny, blue plastic, each one connected to a plain, wooden desk. The walls were painted a plain white, and there were large, glass windows surrounding the room, looking out onto the city. 

   “Considering this is our first session, I’m going to keep it short, you’ve already put up with me for an hour,” he grinned at the class and a few students chuckled. He ran his fingers through his hair and stopped in front of the long, blackboard, picking up a piece of chalk and starting to write down page numbers. “I know that all of you read some of the books on the reading list I wrote for you,” he glanced back over his shoulder and smiled charmingly, “although if you didn’t, I suggest you get a reading!” He dropped the chalk back down and wiped his hands against his trousers.  

   I smiled to myself and pulled out a notebook from my rucksack, using one of my biros to scribble down what he had just written down on the board. I thought about the list the college had sent me, along with which building my classes would be in and which halls of residence I could stay in. I’d gone straight to the bookstore in Brentwood and purchased every book on music theory and music technology that had been listed; I wanted to be good at what I was studying. 

   “So, for tomorrow, I want you to read the first chapter of your theory introduction, if everything’s understood we’ll start something new in class tomorrow,” Arthur sat down at his desk and put on a pair of reading glasses. “That’s all for today, good session guys, go have fun!” He shooed us off and I started gathering up my stuff. 

   I dropped my notebooks and textbooks into the bottom of my bag and packed away my pens before grabbing the pair of roller skates I’d stashed under the desk, holding them by the shoelaces. I slipped out of my row of seats and jogged up the steps to the exit of the room. Other classes were being let out and the hallways were busy with groups of students, chatting and giggling...and then there was me, on my own. 

   I hurried outside into the fresh air, running onto the concrete sidewalk and finding the bench outside where me and Henry had promised to meet at the end of our lecture. I sat down, feeling the cold metal against my bare legs, adjusting my cut-off, jean shorts as they rode up around my thighs. I began untying the knots in the shoe laces of my skates before yanking the boots on, stashing my plain, black flip-flops in my rucksack. I was tightening the laces on the right boot when I felt someone’s hands fasten around my shoulders. 

   “Boo,” Henry chuckled in my ear, blowing a cool puff of air against my cheek and making me giggle happily. He jumped over the back of the bench and started to wriggle his roller skates on as I did the same.