Bride In The Voyage

Interlude I

7:20AM. I'd gotten caught up with all of the drama that'd previously happened. Frantically squirming around the house trying to get ready, I slid open my wardrobe and pulled out my tattered charcoal trousers, along with a chequered shirt colored black and white. There they laid, flat on the ironing board, awaiting their turn to have the creases removed from their skin. After attending to each piece of attire, I hurried to the shower, once again having it at the point where my skin felt like it was melting, but the situation which had happened before had dwindled the pain I was feeling.

"Miles, stop stressing yourself man. C'mon."

With a clenched fist and a deep breath, I let go. Clothing ready and secured, I sprayed a puff of 'Amber pour Homme' on each side of my neck, along with another going on my wrist from which I rubbed together. Grabbing my ID card with one hand and a slice of toast with the other, I ventured out into the Virginia streets. It was 52 degrees Fahrenheit; the aroma of gasoline from passing vehicles enticed my nostrils and sparked my will to live.

Step by step, crunch by crunch, I got closer to school. Closer to her. Harriet. My heart chimed and a grin entered my face. Whilst conceptualizing a vision of us in my head, my phone went off. 'UNKNOWN' was the word that laid within my phone, draining every emotion in my body and replacing it with consternation.

I clicked the answer button.

"Hello?" Spoken with hesitancy.

"Miles... Miles."

The voice was croaky and deep, it sounded as if no soul had claimed it, as if it were seeking retribution. However, sparks of humanity faded in and out. For a minute, it even sounded like someone I knew.

"Miles... get your dumb ass to school. You're late."

"Wait, Ronnie is that you?"

The line went dead.

I walked the remaining one mile with curiosity on my mind. When I reached the entrance there he stood, Ronnie Herman, with his eyes the same red as his star spangled jumper.

'WHACK!' That was the sound his head made when I hit it with full force; a slap filled with anger and retribution.

"Hey!" Replied Ronnie with a light tone.

"The hell is wrong with you? You can't be doing shit like that."

"Maaaan," Spoken with no care in the world, "You is just soft."

"Whatever man, let's go inside."

With the scan of my ID card, the gates opened and we both passed through. First lesson: Geography. Teacher: Mrs. Dixon.

"Yo," I muttered, "We've got Geography bruh. Have you done the homework?"

"Homework? There ain't no homework. Is there?"

I slapped my forehead and with a worried chuckled from Ronnie, we ventured up the steps to the Geography corridor. The door to Mrs. Dixon's class remained open, the majority of the class already inside and seated. Harriet was there, she made eye contact with me and winked. I would indeed be lying if I'd say that it didn't make me happy.

Ronnie barged me out of the way and sat in his seat at the back of the class. Mine stood vacant, at the front. Harriet resided in the core of the pack. Without wasting anymore time, I got to my seat and firmly sat down.

"Right," stoutly spoke Mrs. Dixon, "Before we begin, the homework which I set you must be handed in. Please place it on your desks. Failure to do so will unfortunately result in a detention."