The Evil Inside

Chapter Ten - KATE: Take a Deep Breath

One night. That was all it took to drive me to distraction. That was all It was late in that same night that I decided something. I made a significant choice. I was going to tell him. Final, absolute, nothing going for it.

Until I saw Alex’s face. When I walked into school, wearing my trousers, no less – ha-ha, in your face Kelsey – and my one and only non-tie-dyed blouse (carefully hidden after the first fell victim), I sighted him in the middle of the classroom, sitting on the desk. It’s funny how Alex managed to look to alone, lost and vulnerable, despite the fact that people, predominantly his friends, surrounded him. I couldn’t tell him now. Later, I thought.

Boy, would Kelsey laugh at me for losing my nerve. Not that I had told her or anything. She knew way too many of my secrets already. To her credit though, she still hadn’t told him secret, so it as – thank goodness – still a secret; at least, I presumed so. But not for much longer.

As I was thinking this, he looked up at me as if he could feel my gaze resting on him. On instinct, yet against my wishes, I blushed furiously. Suddenly, to my extreme surprise, his cheeks reddened, eventually to match mine. He caught my eye and then quickly looked away.

Confusedly, I shook my head. I must’ve imagined the flush on his face. But really, what on Earth had just happened?

¿Si yo le gusto?

Sometimes, school can be fun. Oh, and just so you know, I can feel the anger of a million school-teachers around the world, now trying to emphasise to their students that learning is always fun, no matter what. Well, I have nothing against enthusiasm; they have my permission to keep trying. How far they will succeed however, is another matter.

Everyone has at least one subject that they dislike/detest/simply don’t enjoy, and at least one subject to counter that. For me, Design and Technology is one of those subjects.

Now, I am the first to admit that I am not altogether that creative. I like D.T. because it allows me to make stuff and but still be fairly orderly about it. Straight lines and uniform parts are generally the things I make the most use of.

I have a question. Do you know anyone who kills all the life around them? An all-round misery guts, or ‘fun sponge’? Well, guess what, I do.

Sunshine Johansson has to have the most ironic name ever. One would assume that she was a ray of light, a joy, a spark of imagination in a world of darkness.

Yeah, right. You just go on thinking that.

Where was I? D. T, right. Well, the world has decided that it hates me - because guess who my partner is for now and forever? Yup, got it in one.

Little Miss Sunshine scowled at me, ready to launch into the long string of insults that I now know so well. “Kate, why do you never wear any make-up?” Sunshine leered, “Well, I guess it’s not going to make you any prettier is it? Nothing could, so why bother?” she tittered at her own joke. I ignored her. “Why is your sleeve tie-dyed orange, Kate? Trying to make a fashion statement, are we, to impress our boyfriend?” I gritted my teeth. Kelsey, you are going to pay for this.

“Oh, push off, Little-Miss-Sunny-Personality – you know I don’t have a boyfriend.” I scoffed.

Sunshine raised an auburn eyebrow (and yes, the girl named Sunshine had flaming hair to match) at me. “ Is that so now, Kate?” She tilted her head in the direction of a boy who was making his way across the room, two pieces of polished wood in his hands. Alex.

“Hey Kate.” Alex said. “Do you have any idea how these are supposed to fit together? Every time I ask her something like this, Miss Heath gives me this look that’s all ‘You’ve failed your D.T. coursework now and forever, Alexander.’”