Book Girl and Chestnut Boy

Chapter Two

May had just finished her last class of the day – GCSE Psychology, which she'd only taken because she hadn't been interested in anything else besides English Language & Lit. This class was situated in a different building, on the closed-off road behind college.

The building was a small two-storey affair which looked like it was in need of a fresh coat of paint. The culinary students mostly made up the kids studying in this part of the college, although there were a few rooms dedicated to other classes. It was all enclosed behind thick trees, with a tiny space in front where staff could park their cars.

She could hear the noise of lots of other kids leaving the main college building for the day too, excited that the first day was over and, with inductions out of the way, the real classes would begin tomorrow. People raced past her, eager to hit the town for a while with new or old friends before they went home. She wondered, not for the first time, if she'd should have fought harder to attend the first college of her choice.

This was her local college but her friends had chosen to branch out a bit, sick of seeing the same old sights their entire lives. Both of her best friends had urged her to come with them to the next town over but with the situation at home, she had agreed when her mother had said they had to take the most cost-effective option. This way, she got to save on the bus pass, avoided the temptation of shopping or eating out, and they wouldn't have to pay for someone else to look after the boys. Her heart felt heavy but what could she do? Mum had enough on her plate.

But maybe she should have gone for it. The learning allowance would have more than paid for the bus pass and whatever other ways she might have spent some money. And the boys...couldn't Mum have dealt with that? May had never asked for much.

They were useless thoughts. She could have all the rebellious thoughts she wanted but she always caved.

She left the tiny lot in front of the building and stepped out onto the main footpath, joining the calm stream of students heading in the opposite direction from town. She was about to cross the road when she caught sight of Chestnut Boy some ways behind her, weaving through the students. People protested as he ended up pushing a few out of his way. He was being chased by a gang of students. May stopped to stare. He looked murderous.

He ducked into an alley at the side of one of the buildings. The ones chasing followed him in and she was horrified at how many there actually were. Seven boys chasing one! That was awful! She should go and tell a teacher or something.

Mind made up, she changed course to head back towards one of the college buildings. She approached the alley, goose bumps rising along her skin and heart pumping twice as fast with fear. She could hear shouts of pain but strangely, they were all different voices instead of Chestnut Boy's. Did she dare peek? Was he all right?

She put her head down and raced back to thebuilding she'd come from. If she was lucky, her psychology teacher would stillbe there.