Pieces Of My Life (Waterloo Road)

Chapter 7

We arrived at Waterloo Road within ten minutes to find the school minibus parked on the car park. Rose hugged each of us individually as we climbed out of her car. She opened the boot of her car and Denzil unloaded the luggage handing each item to its owner. Rose then forced us all to have our photos taken as she revealed it was so she could see how much we had changed once we came back to Rochdale to visit her.

I was really going to miss this place. I had only been there a term but to me, it was my home; it had so many memories and I didn't want to let go of them.

"All in the name of progress eh?" Those were the first words Mr Clarkson said as he made his grand appearance onto the yard.

"They'll have those windows smashed within a week." Mr Chalk replied. 

I was stood with Scout, Phoenix and Denzil by the mini bus which was to take us up to the new school. Each of us were listening in to other conversations as the atmosphere was so tense; Denzil was remembering the memories of his sister, Phoenix was remembering the death of his nan which haunted him, Scout was remembering her brother and how she was taken into care and looked after by her teacher and I? I was remembering Maxine.

I stood behind the mini bus and inhaled my surroundings. This was Waterloo Road. The home I was going to be leaving behind. 

"I'm going to miss this place." I said to Mr Clarkson as I felt his presence appear next to me.

"Me too. I've been here for over ten years and I've seen so many memories." He gave a weak smile.

"My cousin used to love it here. Said it was the best school she'd ever gone to."

"I didn't know you had a cousin here. What's her name?"

Mr Clarkson seemed surprised at this news but I then remembered I had only ever told my closet friends here about Maxine so he would obviously have no idea. Although I was shocked that Chlo or Donte hadn't mentioned it to him.

"She was called Maxine. Maxine Barlow."

I watched as his face twisted into a mix of recognition and sadness.

"She was a lovely girl was Maxine. I know she had a troubled past and it was good to see her turn her own life around."

"I know. We used to be really close until Kevin waltzed into her life." I shivered at the sound of his name. I never want to see him again.

"I still can't believe he worked here. So sly and sick. I hate people of his sort."

"I agree. Me and Max didn't like him from the day we met him. I noticed him looking at girls wherever he went. He's so sick and twisted."

"Well he got what he deserved."

"Exactly."

He then smiled at me before heading off to board the coach. I think he had sensed I didn't want to continue the conversation of Maxine as I would've gotten emotional so I became grateful to him.

I then headed onto the coach and said a cheery 'good morning' to Mrs Diamond who was marking names off the list she held on her clipboard. By the time I had gotten on the mini bus, most of the seats were occupied; Phoenix was sat next to Scout (who didn't seem pleased at the idea at all) and Denzil had a random girl who he didn't know sat next to him. He noticed me looking over and gave me an apologetic smile which I gave him a nod of the head to inform him everything was fine. I ended up taking a seat next to Mr Clarkson's son Josh.

Mr Budgen and Maggie then came into sight obviously deciding it was time for them to board the mini bus after arriving fashionably late so they made their way slowly over, each clutching identical bags.