Tomorrow's Blues

27. Emerald Green

The last few days of summer passed, and back to school we went. Alice was beyond excited – after all, this was our last year, and we were at the top of the school now. Just one more year of school... it was around this time that we would have to choose what universities we wanted to go to. Alice was set on Bath, but I was still unsure. I was thinking about taking a gap year like Joseph was doing. I liked the idea of finding myself, or whatever. Because at the moment, I wasn't really sure who I was.

My classmates, despite having already seen me at Dylan's party, still stared and gave me awkward half smiles, as if they didn't quite know how to act around me. I did understand – it is hard to know what to say to a person who's lost their parents. A couple of friends I had in my classes struck up conversations with me, which I tried my best to reciprocate. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. It was probably good for me to see people other than the Moore's and my close circle of friends. It felt refreshing, and my classes kept me busy. And because I was so distracted with all the work, time passed relatively quickly. Joseph had been spending some nights in my room, and I sometimes slept in his. Those were the nights that I often got a good night's sleep. Despite this, he became a little less flirty, and he was holding back from touching me – I was starting to miss his usual caresses and the way he brushed hair back from my face. I knew he was doing this because of what I'd said about needing to focus on myself. I appreciated it, but I also found it incredibly annoying. Joseph had been so close to kissing me many times, and then he stopped himself. It was extremely frustrating.

On a Saturday a couple of weeks before the wedding, Alice woke us all up earlier than we would usually get up on a Saturday. Luckily, Joseph had not chosen the night before to come and sleep in my bed, because if he had, we would have been screwed. Alice was not in the habit of knocking.

"Up, up, up!" she exclaimed, drawing my curtains with a flourish. "We have a very important task today!"
I groaned and squeezed my eyes shut. "Alice. It's Saturday."

"I know, but we need to go shopping. We've already left it too late as it is." She pulled my duvet off me.

"No! Why would you do that?" I complained, curling up in a ball. "That was so cruel."

"It's the only way to get you up. I've already woken Joseph, who was extremely grumpy, but he's coming too." Alice jumped on me and wrapped her legs around me like a koala. "Come on, Ana. This is exciting! We love dress shopping."

I did enjoy shopping. But it was still too early. "Get off me. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll be up."

"But Ana, I just don't believe you." She detached herself from me and darted to my wardrobe. "Here, I'll pick your outfit. That's one less thing for you to do."

"Why do you have so much energy?" I grumbled, slowly sitting up. I hadn't got to sleep until late last night, hence why I was so tired and grumpy.

"I always have energy. I'm like a..." Alice frowned in thought. "What's an energetic animal?"

"I don't know," I muttered. "You're more energetic than any animal there is."

"Maybe like a monkey," she said thoughtfully, ignoring my comment. "Anyway. Here you go." She threw some of my baggy jeans and a white top at me. "Get dressed. We're leaving at nine-thirty pronto."

I glanced at the clock on my bedside table. It was eight-thirty. "I do not need an hour to get ready."

"Great, then we can leave earlier." She bounded out of my room, calling behind her, "Get ready!"

I sighed and got myself out of bed, pulling on the clothes Alice got out for me. I put on a little makeup and headed downstairs.

We all had breakfast together, and even Joseph joined. He had a very irritable look on his face, but he was still here.