String of Fate

Chapter Twenty Two

After my string had appeared, it had taken me a week to muster up the courage to speak to, and confess to, the guy at the end of my string, who I had actually liked for two years, since he had transferred to my school. I'd called him at lunch hour, and now we were standing opposite each other in a deserted corridor. "Um, Fred. I know we've never really talked before but I think I am in love with you."

"I'm sorry. I'm not into you that way. It could be because I don't actually know you. Also, I want to focus on my GCSE's, so, I guess we could try and get to know each other next year." Fred replied honestly. He rubbed the back of his head nervously as my heart broke. He shrugged as the bell went. "Well, I have got to go. I guess I'll see you around. Bye."

He headed away and I trudged to my afternoon registration class. I didn't think that Fred had noticed that we were in the same class for everything except registration. It was understandable that a guy like him wouldn't notice a girl like me. I decided that I would just try again in a little while.

It confused me that he wasn't in for the rest of the week. It bugged me that I didn't know why he wasn't in. I didn't want to ask any of the teachers because I didn't think that they would tell me. I was lucky when I overheard a couple of guys talking on the way out of the school at the end of Friday. "I can't believe that Fred sprained his ankle. He texted me to say he was gutted that he wasn't going to be in the game tomorrow. He's worried because his parents are going away for the weekend, too. Are we going to see him?"

"I can't tonight. Tomorrow we have the game. I've got hand-outs for him, though." The other guy replied. "Do you want to take them?"

"I can take them." I offered, not sure if I had seemed excited about that. The two guys stopped and looked at me, a little surprised at the outburst.

"Here you go. Tell Fred that we might be over at a later date. See you." The second guy answered, giving me the papers and heading away from me.

They were great friends, weren't they? They didn't even want to see him when he was practically bedridden. I put the papers neatly in my bag and headed in the direction of my home. I knew Fred and I headed home the same way. I just had to follow my string to find his house. It didn't take me long to find his home. He was talking with his parents by the front door, then the two of them got in the car and drove off. I headed over to the front door. He was about to shut it when he saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"Your friends couldn't make it so I offered to bring the hand-outs. Your parents looked like they were going away for a few days." I noted. "Are you going to be okay? Do you have a brother or sister who's going to help you while they're away?"

"I'm an only child, so, no." He answered simply. I held the hand-outs out to him and he took them. I didn't know what else to say. I didn't want to say goodbye so I just stayed quiet. He was also quiet for a bit. I was about to say goodbye and go as he spoke. "Do you want to come in for a bit?"

"Um, sure." I replied, walking past him as he moved out of the way. He shut the door behind me, dumping the hand-outs on the table behind the door and leading the way into the living room with just one crutch. He sat on the settee and I sat in one of the chairs. "I was wondering if you wanted to come with me, my parents and my sister tomorrow. There's a carnival that we go to every year but it's about two hours' drive away. Since you're injured and home alone, I won't be able to walk home and help you, so, I'd feel better if you came with us. You'd probably enjoy it, too."

"You don't need to worry. I've got friends who I can call to come and help me if I need it." He explained.

"Friends who palmed the hand-outs off to the first person who offered just so they didn't have to come and see you?" I stated, making it into a question. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."