Cast The Die

Chapter Four

September 2017

"Guess what?" Jen jumped in front of me at my locker and I almost dropped my books. It's the third day of school and I already have a locker full of books.

"What?" I asked.

"I found out his name." She was grinning. I was trying to act nonchalant. "Well I found out more than just his name actually"

"God, you're such a stalker" I laughed.

"I am not. Jacob told me, he's on the football team with him." she said. Jacob has been our friend since Nursery. We were like three peas in a pod. We're still close and we hang out a lot but when we started secondary school and he got involved with football, he's more of what we call a "lad".

"He's called Auden, he's from Hampstead, he moved here because his parents split up and his Mum got a job here or something like that. He's like, amazing at football but he's like, super smart as well. Chemistry, Math and P.E. I mean, who even chooses to do Math? That's just crazy isn't it?" she explained, waving her hands in the air. She's one of those, she talks with her hands. She's the most dramatic person I've ever met.

"Who chooses to do any of those things. Playing with chemicals that could poison you, adding numbers together and even letters sometimes? Running around a field for fun? Crazy." I laughed and she returned a smile. I grabbed the books I needed for Biology and closed my locker.

I sat down in the Biology room and my phone buzzed in my jacket pocket. I quickly checked it before throwing it in my bag.

Cob is having party this friday...we r going!!

Cob is a nickname we gave to Jacob, I have no idea why, we were five. He hates it now because he's popular and his boy friends call him 'Jake'. Some of his friends were nice, some of them weren't. They're at an age where their bodies start reacting to girls and they learn new things about themselves. The girls are at a weird stage too, some have self-control, some don't. My parents have always taught me that men should have respect for women, and women should have respect for themselves. I, myself have learnt that you should respect everyone, male or female. Some of the boys in this school were clearly never taught the same lesson. The majority were okay, Jacob was one of them. Jen and I know a lot about the boys on Jacob's football team. Matt is going through a rough time with his girlfriend because she has other boys texting her. Isaac is gay, he just doesn't know it yet. Jack C likes Amy, who is in my Geography class. Jack N doesn't even like football, but his dad is the coach and he can't disappoint him. I wonder if he prefers singing. I get mixed up about the rest but they're the most talked about. It's like we have nothing better to do than talk about other people's problems. We never talk about our own.

The bell goes for lunch and I can almost hear my stomach begging for food. I head for the cafeteria to meet Jen and Jacob, its Wednesday, we always eat together on Wednesdays. I might suggest that we all start wearing the same colour. I grab the sandwich I want and give the dinner lady my card, she scanned it and told me the balance is running low. Great. I thanked her and walked over to our usual table where they are already in deep conversation.

"She totally likes you, why are you so stupid?" Jen said reaching over and shoving Jacob's shoulder.

"What? Who? Spill" I sat down as quickly as I could without stumbling over my backpack.

"Amy McCall totally likes Jacob and he won't do anything about it because Jack C called 'dibs' whatever the hell that means" Jen said rolling her eyes.

"She doesn't like me and even if she did, I would never go there, Jack has liked her for years, and he's my mate." Jacob said looking around the cafeteria as if he was avoiding someone.

"Okay, okay. Why you being so sketchy?" I asked.

"I'm not, I just, she's weird." He said quietly.

"Who's weird? Martha? I know, she eats an apple with a knife and fork. Her parents are both blonde and she has jet black hair. Weird" Jen said, stuffing her sandwich in her mouth.

"No, what? What are you talking about?" Jacob tried to hold in his laugh.

"Who are you talking about?" I demanded.

"Amy. Okay, she's really, really weird. She writes notes to me. Saying she likes my eyes. It's creeping me out" Jacob said, almost shivering. I burst out laughing so loud the whole cafeteria turns to looks at us. Jen almost falls off her chair laughing and Jacob joins in. After we teased Jacob about Amy for the rest of lunch break, it was time for a double lesson of English Literature.

I sat in my usual seat next to the window and organised my books and folders on my desk in front of me. I copied the modules from the whiteboard into my brand-new notebook. It was plain black, nothing fancy. A lot of the girls have pink folders and patterned notebooks with fluffy pens and pencil cases. Its very distracting. The writing on the board read:

Anthology: Love Poetry through the ages post-1900 and pre-1900

The Study of Literature theme over time

Mrs. Pearce explained that the first couple of weeks will be based around these topics. I began reading the poems I was given and the sound around me disappeared, like I was the only person in the room. All I could hear were the words that were written on the paper in front of me. I've always loved reading, poetry being my favourite. It made me feel alive, even when I was at my lowest. The only things I knew about love were from my parents and what I've read in poetry. I've never experienced it myself, but I have an idea of what it is like. I've also read what it's like to be heartbroken, and I think I will stick to reading about the two. I was so engulfed by Thomas Hardy and his words that I didn't realise it was 3.15pm. I gathered my things and left to meet Jen, we agreed to walk home from school together today to discuss Jacob's party.

"So, I was thinking maybe a theme? But Cob said no. But I think we should do it anyway. Like the 60's, or like Hawaiian? What do you think?" Jen loves fancy dress, Halloween is her favourite time of the year. I enjoy it too, just not as much as her.

"The 60's sounds great." I nodded.

"I'll text him now and tell him it's happening." She said reaching in her bag. "Also, Auden Brown."

"What?" butterflies filled my stomach.

"Cool name isn't it. Auden Brown." Yes, yes, it is. "Macey Brown...Auden and Macey, Macey and Auden" Jen winked at me and we both started laughing.

"Shut up." I said, although I didn't mind hearing it.