String of Fate

Chapter Twenty Six

"Nicholas, do you want to be late for your first day of school?" Mum yelled up the stairs. I sighed to myself. I'd already been up for half an hour. I was just sorting my hair out and messaging some old friends. They'd already seemed to move on even though I had only been gone for three weeks. I hadn't really fitted in at the private boarding school, anyway, so, they weren't really going to miss me and I didn't really have any proper friends to miss. It was good to be back home after just one term there, which should have been the beginning of my final year in school. "Nicholas!"

This time, I actually groaned and headed from my bedroom, picking up backpack from the floor near my door. My mum and dad were both sitting at the table in the kitchen, a croissant on a plate for me. I sat to grab it, wondering why I had to stay for breakfast with them. I even skipped breakfast at boarding school because I didn't really like breakfast at all. I stayed quiet and was thankful when my parents made conversations around me. They must have thought that I was nervous about going to school, but I wasn't bothered about it. It was just a new school with new people. If my dad hadn't moved for work, I wouldn't have even gone to the boarding school.

I ended up leaving for school about ten minutes early because my parents were annoying me a little bit, and really misjudging how long it takes to get to the school – actually getting there half an hour early. I got to the reception, actually getting my timetable and student diary straight away, which was surprising for a school in my opinion. The receptionist then told me where to go for my registration class. I turned down the offer to have a full school tour since I was so 'eager' to get to school. I headed to the English block myself, only to find a girl sitting outside the classroom, her nose buried in a book.

She jumped when she noticed me, closing her book and pushing her glasses up her nose. They had fallen slightly down her nose because of the angle of her head as she was read and they magnified her bright blue eyes. She seemed nervous when she saw me, but she still put a smile on her face and spoke to me. "Hi. You must be the new student. Welcome to Abbeycombe Comprehensive School. It's nice to meet you, I'm Nicola, but friends call me Nicky."

That was a very unlikely possibility that we would have nearly the same name. I actually smiled at the possibility. I didn't actually know anyone with my name, or the female equivalent, which was strange because it was quite a common name. I slid down the wall and sat next to her in the corridor. There was still fifteen minutes until the first bell of the day was due to ring, so, I was not going to stand all that time. I was too lazy for that. "It's nice to meet you, Nicky. I'm Nicholas, but feel free to call me Nicky, too. Everyone except my parents do."

Her eyes widened as she registered what I had said. Then she burst out laughing. I actually laughed, too, although, I was a bit confused as to what I was laughing about. "I'm so sorry but I have never met anyone else with the same name as me, let alone the male equivalent. It seems to be uncommon in this place. Well, I hope you enjoy your time until we graduate."

"Thanks, Nicola." I replied to her, smiling at her. At least it seemed like the people around here were nice and friendly. Maybe finishing my final year in this school wouldn't be so bad. Besides, it would be funny confusing the teacher with our similar names. This was going to be great.

"You're welcome, Nicholas." She answered, smiling back at me.

It was then that the teacher decided to show up and let us in the classroom, then she seemed to realise that I had never been here before and looked a bit confused, her face not registering me as one of the many students that she regularly taught. She must have already known all her year sevens faces even though they had only been there for one term. I smiled at her and held my hand out to shake hers. "Hi, I'm the new student starting today. My name is Nicholas Evans."