Colour My Shadow

Chapter Fifteen - Perfect

And that was how I found myself in a bus shelter with Hazel, waiting impatiently for Steven to arrive.

Despite the fact that I'd made it clear that he didn't have to walk me home, he did. I resisted a little, but quickly succumbed. I wasn't as if I minded... and besides, I was trying to work out whether Hazel was right. I doubted it... but I hoped. 

"Patience, child," She chuckled, as I stood again. The plastic bench in the shelter was uncomfortable, and the skirt I was wearing made me slide off easily, if I didn't brace myself with my feet. Hazel was faring better, in jeans, and with longer legs that propped her up better. 

"I am patient! I just don't like the bench!"

She rolled her eyes. "Sure."

I sighed. "I am patient. I just don't like the benches."

She studied me for a few seconds, not responding. "What's wrong? What's really wrong?"

Huh? I gave her a blank look, and she responded with raised eyebrows. "Nothing's wrong. Um... I'm okay."

I couldn't work out why she asked me, but she replied with a huff, "Look, something's bothering you. I can tell... don't tell me it's Steven, because it's not completely." She started out annoyed, and ended up caring.

I stared at her. "Since when did you become so perceptive?" I asked, surprised. 

She shrugged. "I don't know. But you're snappy, rather than being excited to see Steven. It's not even nervously snappy."

Well, I knew why I was snappy, if nothing else. But how could I explain Storm to Hazel? I sighed, blowing upwards and moving my hair off my forehead. "It's nothing. I had a fight with... a friend. Um... the son of one of my parents' friends."

She nodded, looking unconvinced. "What did you argue about, then?"

I sighed. "He... hangs out with people who I really don't like. Not druggies, or anything," I say quickly, noticing Hazel's eyes narrow, "But I said so. Not in a mean way, or anything, and he took it badly. I haven't heard from him since."

"What exactly did you say?" She asked, frowning in consternation.

My breath caught. "I'm not sure... I mean, I don't remember exactly." I did, but I couldn't tell Hazel that, at least without explaining the rest to her, as well. "I said they were different to him, in a bad way. And then he yelled at me, said, stuff about him being different from them, too much like me. That they weren't good enough for me." I thought I'd explained it as well as I could, with the circumstances. 

She nodded, looking pensive. "Do you think maybe... he admired you? Not necessarily fancied you, although that's quite possible, but he looked up to you? And so, when you didn't like the people he did, he felt snubbed. I'm not sure I'm explaining this right, but maybe he overreacted a bit, because he liked you too much. He might even have been trying to impress you, so when it didn't work..."

She trailed off, shrugging. After a few seconds, I admitted quietly, "Yeah, I thought that. But you haven't met him," I shook my head, "He's good-looking, really good-looking. And clever, and confident... jeeze, he's like Mr. Perfect."  

She smirked for a few seconds, until I realised quite what I had said. "And so how does he fit in with Steven?" She asked, giggling. Then she composed herself. "I'd apoogise, but expect him to as well." 

I turned properly to face her, scowling, but a smile broke across her face, and she waved to someone behind me. "He's here." I didn't have to turn to know who she meant, and from the glances she was giving me, she clearly thought it was perfect timing.