Fifteen Feet Ahead

Chapter VIII

Hey there! Well, I'm noting going to talk for long, so let's get to the good stuff!

Here's chapter 8.

XxAudrey
• • •

Chapter VIII
💇

Duncan got a haircut, and he should be getting off his crutches in a week or so.

The hair was a huge improvement, I was so proud of him without that shaggy sweaty mop in front of face 24/7. He got the sides buzzed and styled the top. It's kinda hilarious though because he's got a pretty bad tan line where his bangs used to be.

"Nice forehead, " I laughed, watching him step onto the bus and fall into a seat.

"Ah, shut up." He groaned, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Trust me, I know it's awful."

"Maybe everyone will be too astonished by your new haircut to notice."

"Yeah, right" He sighed. "I'm laying out in the sun for a few hours after school. I don't think I can live with this for much longer."

I giggled, "So did your mom make you get it cut finally?"

"Nah, I wanted to--well Sanders and Brandon actually told me that it was a good idea."

"Really? And you agreed with them? I thought you were proud of that greasy mop on your head," I snorted.

"Yeah-- well not at first, but they eventually convinced me."

We were entering the second month of the school year, and Duncan was already shaping up. He looked several years older with his new hairdo. Part of me was really happy because I absolutely hated his old 'Justin Bieber' style ,and he would be way less embarrassing to be seen in public with, but another part of me didn't like it all so much. I knew I'd get used to it in a couple of days, but he was hard to recognize. For a moment, I feared that the boy who was staring back at me wasn't Duncan Arnolds. I feared that maybe he wasn't the one I used to throw flowers at, the one who'd eat through my entire refrigerator, or the one I had saved in the middle of the pouring rain. But with the reassurance of his same sarcastic voice, I knew nothing had changed.

"Hey Randy!" He waved in front of my blank stare. I did that a lot, getting sent so deep off into my own thoughts, forgetting where I was and where my eyes were even looking. "You there?"

"Sorry," I shook my head, breaking myself from my daze. "Just thinking."

" 'Bout what?" He asked, as the bus came to a stop in front the school. We rose and began to head our way inside. The crowded side walks were damp with the morning dew, and the air was heavy with humidity.

"Oh, nothing much." I said. Duncan rolled his eyes, as I held the door for him, and he crutched through the entrance.

"Seriously what?" He could always tell when something was bothering me. I guess that's what fourteen years of knowing a person does to you.

"Nothing important," I stuttered. "Just uh, your hair looks really nice."

Duncan raised his eyebrows, scrunching his tan-lined forehead. It was obvious that he had absolutely no satisfaction with my response, but he let it slide, accepting the fact that there was no possible way I would tell him what was bothering me.

"Okay, I uh, I got to go to first period." I choked.

"Yeah, see you in gym." I walked to Bio, and my best friend headed in the opposite direction.

Had anything changed? Or was there something happening that I didn't notice?

When I reached biology, I plopped myself down in my seat, deciding that I was just thinking things over too much. Jesus, it was only a haircut. Shaving off a couple inches of hair from one's head didn't change anything at all. Besides, minus the definite tan-line, he looked really good, sophisticated even.