My Shadow [on hold]

1) The 'Curse'

I smiled sheepishly, saying the words that could and possibly would, end in my demise.

"What do we have first?", I asked.

Izzy, my bestfriend scowled, narrowing her eyes in anger. "Emma Abigail Malcolm!", she chastised. My smile turned into a grimace at the grating sound of my middle name. "When are you going to check your timetable before you get to school? You do this everyday!" She punctuated her angry tirade by throwing her hands in the air.

Izz, or Izzy, or when I'm frustrated with her, Isabella Grace Brown, had been my best friend since 4th Grade. Her feisty personality and death glare were enough to put anyone six feet under, or at least leave a scathing mark. She could roast you like a marshmallow with just the heat of her words.

She had short brunette hair, and brown skin, thanks to her black South African mother, and her eyes were a deep russet colour. I always thought it rather ironic how her mother decided to marry a white guy with the surname, Brown.

This was in fact, our last year in school, and over the years, I have started relying more and more on my friends to direct me on my educational journey.

"And when are you going to stop lecturing me about checking my timetable and learn that that is never going to happen? You do this everyday!" I shot back, dramatically throwing my hands in the air too. Together we looked like grown Italian men, with our hand gestures. But as far as I'm aware the closest link we had to Italian blood, was our shared love of Italian cuisine.

"Hey, guys." Liam greeted. Liam was my other best friend. He joined our small group of 2 in 5th Grade. He was the type of guy your parents wanted you to marry. He and Izz were still trying to fend off Izzy's mother from arranging their marriage. His eyes were an electric blue, and his hair was a wavy blond. Liam was sweet, polite and he had basically the polar opposite of Izzy's confrontational personality. A definite charmer — until you saw him snort milk from laughing too hard. Yeah, no.

He turned to me. "Did you already—?"

"Yip", I cut him off.

"Did she already—?"

"Yip", Izzy cut him off.

He smiled and softly shook his head. "Everyday."

"So Liam—", I started.

"Maths", he deadpanned. Izzy just gave me one hell of a death glare.

"Thank you." I directed a sweet smile at Izzy.

"Anyway," Liam moved on, "Did you hear that 3 of Rodney's tyres were slashed? He had to get a ride with Nathan this morning."

"Oh", I chirped, "I read about that a few days ago."

"That Rodney was going to get his tyres slashed?", Liam asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No, Dumbo, that the insurance will only cover it if all 4 of your tyres are slashed, and if you slash the fourth one to claim insurance, it's insurance fraud."

They exchanged unsteady glances, before their eyes met mine again.

"What, I didn't do it." I held up my hands innocently.

"No, we were just silently communicating how you need to get a life," Izzy pitched in.

"Thanks", I drawled.

"What happened to Aidan?", Liam asked, directing our attention to the snickers in the hallway and the guy that had seemed to be the origin of the embarrassment. He looked all flustered, and was wiping at the large wet patch on his pants. He foraged through his bag, taking out various items, in a measly attempt to see how he could fix the unfortunate pants situation.