Before The End

Silence Between

The rest of the bus ride was just plain awkward. I wanted to strangle myself for answering him in the most stupid and obvious way possible. I remained silent without saying anything with my earphones on. But even though I tried hard to focus on the music playing in my ears I couldn't stop wondering about whether I was doing the wrong thing and of what he must be thinking of the situation. I didn't like what was happening to me. I was turning back in to the old me. The me that could never stop thinking of how I seemed to others.

I closed my eyes trying to focus on the lyrics of the song. I looked out the window hoping it would help me. But it just didn't. The things that happened in the past were back in my head. Things that seem so silly now but were such a big deal to me then. Things I hated and didn't want to remember. The fact that a part of that past was sitting right next to me made it harder.

From the corner of my eye I watched what he was up to. He didn't seem to move much most of the time. I wanted to turn and take a glance at what he was doing but I didn't dare to. There was this useless fear of embarrassment stopping me. But as always curiosity got the best of me and I turned to look at him.

I gave out a sigh of relief when I saw that he was asleep. I could feel a tiny smile appear on my lips. I closed my eyes and shook my head.

Almost two years ago just after our first tests where finally over I was back in our class trying to think up some prank which would make my friend go nuts. I entered the class and stared at the blank blackboard wondering what I could do when I finally noticed the room wasn't totally silent. There was a faint sound of someone breathing peacefully in the background. I turned around to find that I wasn't alone in the classroom like I expected, but at the far corner was a boy fast asleep on the table. I went up to him to find out who it was. As soon as I saw the face I realised that it was the guy who was late to class on the first day. From what I had heard he didn't talk to much people in class and I found the fact that I never exactly heard his voice in class pretty weird. But something about his expression while he slept interested me. His eyelids suddenly began moving and that was when I realised that I had just been staring at a guy sleeping for a while. I hurriedly got my backpack and got out of the class completely forgetting about the prank.

I looked back at him. 'Nope I shouldn't let anything come back to me.' I kept repeating that in my head. I looked out again and noticed the signboard that hung outside. It said that I was at Reels. I felt the bus stop again. It was time for me to get down. That was when I remembered that there was someone blocking my way. That too someone who was asleep. I gently shook him so that he would wake up. When he finally opened his eyes I told him that I needed to step out. He got up and let me leave.

As I stepped down the bus I took in the new place that lay in front of me. I breathed in the new air and smiled. I liked it. It was a place that I had never been to before. Where I was supposed to spend the rest of the last year on earth. And after that this place wouldn't exist anymore. Neither would many other things. The bus had started again and was leaving. I looked at my watch. It was almost 7:45 . Almost an hour left for school to begin. I began walking again when I heard the bus stop. I turned around to see Luke step out of it.

'Oh no no..' I heard myself say. He was walking up to me.

'I guess I'm here too.' he smiled. A kinda dumb one this time.

But I didn't. I just stared back at him not saying anything. But he wasn't surprised.

'Can we go now?'

I looked at him confused. But he didn't say anything.

'Okay then.' I finally said.

But none of this was right. This wasn't how I remembered Luke to be. He had changed.