What We Used To Know

I hurried through the halls, trying to get to my maths class on time. If I was late again, Mr. Jenks would write me a referral - so he threatened. I didn’t know if he would actually do it or not, but I wasn’t about to find out.

The bell was going to ring in just a minute more, and no one was moving in the hallways. It seemed there was some sort of hold up, like there always was on my way to maths. And of course, it was always my fault I was late, even though it clearly wasn’t. Mr. Jenks was just sour and old, and didn’t believe anything that came out of a student’s mouth, unless it was a correct answer. This time, I was going to be incorrect, yet again, with my excuse as to why I was late.

Then, I saw him. He was standing there, leaning against the wall like he didn’t have anywhere to go. By now, I knew that he had to make his way to the opposite side of the building by the time the bell rang, which was now going to ring in about twenty seconds.

He saw me looking at him, and gazed right back at me lazily. A sloppy smile was plastered across my face as I tried to move past him, but there still was a hold up.

“Addie,” he sang, laughing as his friends surrounded him, taking part in my embarrassment.

I didn’t even acknowledge him now; I averted my gaze to the floor hoping he would think I hadn’t heard him.

“Aye, Addie, I’m talkin’ to you!” he called. We were now nearly standing right next to each other. I could hear his friends calling my name as well, mocking tones filling my ears.

My face started going red. It was embarrassing enough having Oliver trying to make a fool out of me, but then having his mates join in only made it worse. Why did they suddenly have all eyes on me now? They hadn’t even known I existed just a few weeks ago, until Oliver had decided to point me out in the hallway one day when he called after me.

Oliver had been stalking me as well as trying to get some sort of reaction out of me for two weeks now. I hated school. This place wasn’t even my own anymore, now that Oliver had figured out my name and decided to play some sort of game with his mates; a game that involved me. And I didn’t even want to know the objective.

The bell rang. I let my head drop, knowing what was coming to me the minute I stepped into Mr. Jenks’s classroom. The little blue slip that only harmed my record would be handed to me, marking me as a “bad kid.” God knows how many times Jordan had gotten referrals, how many times mum or dad had been called to school to meet with the principal. I hoped to God that that wouldn’t happen to me. Dad would be furious if he had to meet with the principal because of my referral.

Oliver didn’t seem to have to get to class though, he only stood against the wall, still watching me. Even though I wasn’t facing him or his crew, I knew that their eyes were on my - I could feel it. And I hated how I could still hear remnants of their conversation, my name sprinkled in there a few times.

I pushed past everyone now, eager to get out of the crowded hallway - away from Oliver - and into the classroom. Getting in trouble was worse than having to deal with those boys harassing me.

Ten school days had passed slower than ever when I had someone following me all the time, trying to get my attention for reasons I still don’t know. It’s like he just wanted to see how bad he could anger me, like it was a game. To him, I’m sure it was a game. Because from what I had picked up, Oliver couldn’t take anything seriously. The times he had come into my classrooms, he didn’t do a thing. He was a slacker who joked around with everyone, and had arrogance that shot through the roof. He had been making fun of me for the past two weeks, and I couldn’t stand it.

Our walks to and from school consisted of nothing more than him trying to talk to me; all failed attempts, of course. I never responded. The only thing I could do was pick up my pace and try to get ahead of him. That didn’t mean his chicken legs couldn’t keep up with my short, stubby ones. He seemed to rocket up next to me if I tried to out-walk him. This happened twice a day, for ten days now. All he did was stay glued to my side, no matter how hard I tried to shake him.

Did he get some sort of pleasure out of chasing someone who didn’t even react to him?

Over the past weeks of him tormenting me, I had grown to really hate Oliver. He was annoying, cocky, arrogant, and just weird. He wouldn’t leave me alone. He constantly mocked me and poked fun at me. I’d had enough of him, and now it came to the point where if I could just sense his presence, I would keep my eyes glued to the floor.

***

I was leaving campus now, hurtling off the grounds as fast as I could, trying to get away. If I got enough of a head start, maybe Oliver wouldn’t come torment me, like he had been lately. It was hell trying to walk home when he kept pestering me with silly things, trying to get me to talk to him.

So far, I was walking by myself, no one around. I was thankful for the first quiet walk home I’d had in two weeks. It was nice to finally be alone with my thoughts once again, like I had been so used to just weeks ago. But once Oliver butted himself into my life, things had been different. It seems like that one day he just looked at me, it all went downhill.

Now though, I was just trying to cope with everything.

I started thinking about how much I missed Jordan. It was strange to have the house so empty now, even though he was hardly around anymore to begin with, so it wasn’t much different having him completely gone. But I hated how different things had been. Too many changes had occurred this year, let alone the past few months. And it really, really sucked. I missed how things used to be more than ever. I missed my brother. And it hurt not having him anymore. It was like he was dead now, the way Mum and Dad never even spoke of him. We just shipped him away and forgot about him.

I’ll never forget about you, Jordan. Even though you hate me, I’ll never forget about you.

Sometimes I liked to think that if I could someday show Jordan how much I missed him, and how much I loved him, he’d still want to be my brother. Maybe if he knew what he was doing, he’d stop. Did he ever remember how things used to be? When we were best friends?

I hoped he remembered, otherwise I’d just feel like a sap for holding onto memories I’d never get back. But that’s what I always did. I was too busy holding onto the past to ever really see the present around me.

My thoughts were ripped from my head when I heard the pounding of footsteps coming up behind me. I whipped my head around to see what - or who - was hurtling towards me. Good Lord I must have the worst timing in the world.

Of course, here comes mighty Oliver, coming to taunt me again I’m sure.

“Addie,” he breathed, out of breath from running up to me.

“What do you want?!” I nearly screamed at him, my voice running dangerously high. I could see he was shocked by the way his eyes widened and how his eyebrows shot up to nearly meet his hairline.

“I-I…” he trailed off, not even forming a sentence.

“Why do you keep trying to talk to me, Oliver? Is it not obvious enough that I don’ want much of anythin’ to do with you?!”

He just stood there, as did I. He was out of breath from running, and I was out of breath from heaving my words out, shooting them at him like bullets. It felt good to tell him off in a way, making him squirm a bit. For once, Oliver was awkward and embarrassed, - not me.

“I just wanted to talk to you,” he stammered out finally, glancing around to every piece of scenery in front of him, except for me.

“What could you possibly want to discuss with me?”

The look that flashed across his face told me he wanted to say “anything,” but that’s not what came out of his mouth.

“Nothin’ really. I… I don’t know. I just-”

“Shut it, Oliver. I do not wanna talk to you, so leave me alone, aye?”

All he did was nod in response, sucking on his bottom lip. I turned away from him and started walking away, towards home.

I was really hating how the general direction of home was the exact same place for the two of us; there really was no escaping this bothersome bloke. At least things hadn’t been so bad when neither of us talked on our walks to and from school. It was almost nice having a silent companion. But after two weeks of tormenting and taunting and failed conversations, it really started to get old.

He was walking right beside me though, returning to his old state of stoic silence. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking right now. Was he upset that I told him off? Was he embarrassed? Did he finally get what he wanted?

I had spoken to him, right? Just maybe not in the way he had intended, although I still wasn’t sure what his intents were, exactly.

We made our way to our neighborhood, entering our street in silence, like the majority of our journey home had been. Oliver peeled away from me and up the walkway of his house. I didn’t hear him open his door until I had made it up my drive and to my door. Once I had my own door open though, I heard Oliver open his, and then slam it shut. Had he been waiting for me to get inside?

He had been doing that now, ever since we started walking together. I wouldn’t hear him enter his house until I had my own door open. Then I would hear Oliver slam his door, making it well-known that he had made his way inside.

Maybe one day I’ll get an explanation for all of this strange behavior. Part of me wasn’t so sure I wanted to know, though. Maybe it’s best that all of this remains a mystery, for my own sake.