Kevin arrived to class late.
He was told off by the teacher who lectured him about his attendance. Kevin had never really been good at school, a lot of the time he didn’t even turn up at all, he barely listened in class and he had flunked most of his exams. His heart just wasn’t in it, or at least that’s what he had told people when questioned.
His parents had told him numerous times that school and exams were important, but after a time, they have given up telling him.
He didn’t know what he wanted from life, once upon a time he had everything planned out. But things were not meant to be
*
Kevin returned to class, and the rest of that day went normal as it normally did, in a very repetitive and normal way.
Christina passed him briefly between classes as he made his way.
‘Oh, hey Kevin.’
‘Hey’ he said with a smile, slowing to a stop.
‘How are you?’
‘I can’t really talk…’ Kevin replied.
‘I know you're going to your next class. I just wanted to ask how your first night in your new place was.’
‘It was really nice’ Kevin smiled. ‘So nice in fact I overslept. I must have been more tired than I realised.’
She smiled warmly at him, eyes shining bright.
‘I’ll see you around’ she said, waving at him.
‘Yeah’ Kevin replied, standing there with his hands in his pockets. ‘Bye.’
He went to class, and then in break hung out with his male friends, Pete and Jonathan and Garry. They talked and joked as they usually did, making arrangements to meet up in a few days after school when they were all free.
Break ended, he went back to class for a few more hours, then freedom.
Kevin was just wandering out of the school gates, walking alone, when a figure jogged up to him.
‘Hey Kevin.’
Kevin turned to see who it was.
‘Oh Anastasia, hey.’
Anastasia smiled widely.
‘Do you mind if I walk home with you?’
‘No problem.’
Kevin suddenly realised, that not everyone knew he had moved. He didn’t want to make a big deal of it, and he thought that taking her to the block of apartments in the fancy part of town he now lived at would raise some questions.
‘Actually, on second thought’ he mentioned trying to sound casual. ‘How about I walk you home? It’s that what a gentleman should do?’
Anastasia suddenly gasped with excitement, bringing her hand together.
‘Ooh I'm so happy’ she squealed, moving to stand beside him and smiling. ‘Do you mind if I hold onto your arm?’
‘Go ahead’ Kevin smiled offering his arm to her in a gentlemanly fashion. ‘If it makes you happy.’
They walked together.
Anastasia was a girl of seventeen, three years younger than Kevin. She was slender, a little skinny some might say, but she was beautiful. With thick dark hair in pigtails, makeup tastefully done, she didn’t wear too much. Her eyes were large and her lips were full. She did everything she could every day to make herself look her best, she painted her nails, wore jewellery, but always within the limits of what the school would allow, but only just.
‘This is really nice’ she said after a time as they walked through the streets.
‘Yeah’ Kevin smiled. ‘The weather is gorgeous isn’t it?’
‘Hmm.’
Anastasia frowned a little.
‘Which way to your house?’ Kevin asked as they reached a junction.
‘This way’ Anastasia smiled. ‘It’s just down here.’
They crossed the road, walking for a few minutes in comfortable silence. Kevin was utterly relaxed, and Anastasia, though she couldn’t help herself, kept stealing glances towards him when she thought he wouldn’t notice.
‘Nice neighbourhood this’ Kevin noted.
‘You think so?’ Anastasia said excitedly.
‘Sure’ Kevin replied glancing around. ‘It’s pretty.’
Anastasia gigged then, letting go of his arm suddenly and twirling playfully.
‘Well…this is my house…’
‘Oh cool.’
‘If you don’t mind…maybe you can walk me home again tomorrow.’
‘Sure.’
Anastasia’s expression lit up suddenly, and she balled her fists to her chest with excitement.
‘Ok, well I look forward to it’ she said backing away and smiling as she moved towards her door. ‘Bye Kevin!’
‘Bye.’
She opened her front door, Kevin waiting before her house as he watched her.
She grinned at him widely one last time, hesitating on the threshold only for a moment, before closing the door.
Kevin turned away.
‘You shouldn’t do that’ came a voice.
Kevin glanced around.
‘Oh, Christina. What are you doing here?’
‘It’s ok I won’t let her see me’ Christina replied, lingering on the other side of the wall, hidden from view of the house Anastasia had just entered.
‘You want me to walk you home too?’
‘Don’t be silly’ Christina waved away at him, moving to keep pace with Kevin as he walked by, heading home, the apartment he shared with the stranger Justin. ‘I'm just thinking that you're giving that girl the wrong impression…I mean if you're really interested in her.’
‘I’m not…...’
‘You mean you don’t like her?’
‘Well not like that.’
‘Do you like me?’ Christina teased.
‘Not like that…’
She giggled.
‘You’ll always be a great friend to me Christina’ Kevin told her. ‘It’s just I can’t feel anything for anyone anymore, not in a romantic way. Not since that day.’
Christina continued talking in a casual manner, as if Kevin hadn’t just spoken.
‘So, what is it about Anastasia that you don’t like…. like that…’ she added with a grin.
‘Weeeell…’ Kevin thought. ‘She’s a lovely girl…I bet she cooks really nice and all but…’
‘But…?’
‘She wants to form roots’ Kevin said. ‘She wants a house and kids and stuff…and…I just don’t want to get tied down.’
‘Oh I see’ Christina smiled, facing ahead.
‘I want to see the world, and travel like my parents do.’
‘They're travel agents, aren’t they?’
‘Yeah…’ Kevin said turning to her as they walked. ‘They go all sorts of places and see all sorts of amazing things. My father can speak five languages’ he added. ‘Isn't that impressive?’
‘Oh yes, that’s very impressive’ Christina grinned at him. ‘It’s all very nice’ she added briskly, beginning to kick her feet playfully, holding her hands behind her back. ‘Do you want to come over mine?’ she asked him suddenly.
‘Not today’ he smiled. ‘I just want to get home and relax.’
‘I could help you relax…’ Christina prompted.
‘Maybe another time.’
She huffed moodily.
‘Fine. I'm leaving. See you later!’ she called running away.
She was gone before Kevin had a chance to respond.
He didn’t slow in his footsteps, but continued walking, heading the considerable distance back to his new home, having forgotten money for the bus in his rush to get to school that morning, having woken late.
He walked home, enjoying the sunlight, enjoying every step of the way.
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