Shapes in the Clouds

First period went by without a hitch. Kaelyn, Jerrick, and Nikolai sat together and chatted about nothing in particular as they worked on an assignment given by the teacher. When the bell rung the handed their papers in as they walked out the door towards their History Class.

She had to say that, despite having had nothing but drama in the same classes the previous day, her morning agenda was perfect. Study Hall, History, English, and then Art; how could she complain? She had always had a fondness for all three subjects.

Entering the room she remembered how tense the air had been and suddenly got nervous. When Nikolai and Jerrick went off in different directions it increased tenfold. She was left standing by the door, looking between the two with uncertainty evident in her face. She decided to compromise by sitting with Jerrick as she could sit with Nikolai and Faye in her next class. Her only concern; Hedley.

“Sorry,” he whispered in her ear as she sat in front of him again.

“No worries,” she shrugged it off, smiling over at Faye and Nikolai with a wave.

When she glanced behind them, she saw Hedley gazing at her with a small smile. His black hair was slightly less messy than the day before, but still looked like he had just risen from bed. His eyes pierced through her, but not with hate like before. She tried to read the emotions in his eyes, but it was harder than it used to be. A year ago she would have been able to tell nearly everything he was thinking, if not all. Now, it was like trying to decode an extensive math equation. There was one thing shining bright and clear in and amongst the maze of other emotions, and what she saw shocked her. Longing.

She spent the entire class period avoiding his gaze, but couldn’t help looking over every once in a while to see if he was still staring at her. She wasn’t the only one that had noticed, though. Jerrick had noticed her shifting uncomfortably every time she had glanced over and he looked over himself to see Auto staring her down like a dog. He reached forward and gently rubbed her shoulders to calm her down and he could see them visibly relax. Auto saw this too and a sense of satisfaction washed over Jerrick as he realized he was angering the usually stoic Auto.

Faye had noticed as well when she turned to check on her friend. He usually used his desk as a pillow and rarely paid attention, nor did he get the work done. He didn’t seem to be paying any mind to anything other than the pretty new brunette, but she was just happy he wasn’t sprawled across his desk. Now her only concern was his unusual obsession with Kaelyn. He had told her in the past about his love for his best friend and how he had ruined it, but that had been the extent of it. It made her curious, especially when he had said he didn’t love her anymore. She could tell that he was lying by the look of desire in his eyes when he looked at her.

She wasn’t jealous of Kaelyn. What she and Auto had was purely platonic. She invested about as much emotion into their heated make-out sessions as he did, which wasn’t much. She was concerned for her best friend though. What she saw in his eyes just then was strong and burned so brightly she wouldn’t be shocked if the whole class could see it.

“Auto, chill out,” she whispered. “You’re just going to scare her!”

His eyes whipped to meet hers and his jaw dropped slightly in a way that let her know he had a sharp remark for her ready on his tongue. Before he could spout it out, however, the bell signaling the end of class had rung.

“Maybe that’s my intentions,” he sneered at her before storming out into the hall.

Faye had never quite been able to wrap her head around the complexity that was Auto. Now she couldn’t even fathom it. It was as if two parts of him were fighting for dominance. No matter which side won, it would be a nasty battle up until the finish. She followed him out silently, contemplating how to approach him. She needed to talk to him about his behavior, she just didn’t know how.

She slowed her pace as she neared the door, waiting for Jerrick and Kaelyn. Nikolai had run ahead to catch up with Auto, so she had no need to worry about him. If anything, she didn’t even want to think about him right now. The two stragglers spoke in hushed tones as they approached her.

“I’ll be fine,” she whispered harshly. Jerrick nodded dejectedly and turned on his heel, walking off.

“What’s wrong, love?” Faye asked her newfound friend, linking their arms together before walking in the direction of their history class.

“Did you see the way Hed-Auto was staring at me in class?” Faye responded with a nod. “So did Jer… He’s stressing about it too much. He forgets we used to be best friends, I can handle him. I just need to figure out how.”

“He still loves you,” Faye said quietly before they entered the class. “He may even love you more. He can’t handle you breaking his heart again, there’s not much of it left anymore.”

Faye entered the classroom, leaving a dazed Kaelyn in the hallway. Had she caused this? Had she turned her Hedley into this angry, hurtful Auto that she was seeing now? Could she get her Heddy back? All of these thoughts raced through her mind as she walked in, taking a seat next to Faye, which consequently meant that she was seated in front of him.

Faye smiled slightly at her, which only reminded her of what she had been told. She chanced a glance back at him. His eyes locked on to hers immediately. He didn’t smile at her, but he didn’t glare either. They just sat there staring into each others’ eyes. Hedley’s hands fidgeted slightly on the desk in front of him and she cautiously reached out, slowly slipping her hand in between his. His eyes closed as he gently squeezed her hand.

“I missed you, Hedley,” she whispered. She knew she told him already, but it was something she felt was worthy of repetition. His lips curved slightly upward and she knew it had been more than worth the risk of yet another rejection.

“I missed you too,” he murmured deeply as his eyes reopened to gaze into hers. “More than you could imagine.”

“Can we be friends again?” she asked anxiously. He nodded and her face broke out into the largest smile he had ever seen grace her perfect lips. “Promise?” She held her pinky out. He glanced at it for a second before looking back into her eyes,

“I never stopped loving you, nor did I stop being your friend, Kiz. I just wasn’t a very good one, and I’m sorry for that.”

She tightened her grip on his fingers that were now intertwined with hers and smiled. “Neither of us were all that great to each other. But that’s all in the past now, right?”

“Of course,” he affirmed with a lopsided grin. Kaelyn wanted to jump over the desk at that moment and wrap him in the tightest hug she was capable of. She wanted to hold him close and never let go for fear of losing him again. Most of all, she wanted to kiss him all over that perfect face of his.

She heard the teacher begin speaking at the front of the classroom and turned around. She felt Hedley’s hands rest on her shoulders and she covered them with her own, lightly brushing her thumbs over his cool flesh. She would have to settle for this until class was over.

When the bell signaling the end of class had rung, Kaelyn practically jumped from her seat, pulling Hedley up with her and racing out of the room with her friend in tow. She had no idea what she planned on doing, or where they would go. All she knew was that she had her best friend back and she intended on celebrating that fact.

“Where are you taking me, Kizzy?”

“I have no idea,” she laughed. “I’m new here, remember?”

He chuckled at this, taking the lead as he dragged her along behind him out towards the courtyard. It wasn’t completely enclosed by the building and they slipped out and into the slightly wooded area beside the school. It wasn’t quite a forest, but it was dense enough to provide some privacy.

“They were going to clear this area for another learning facility,” he informed her as they headed in a bit deeper. “The science department petitioned against it though for learning purposes. And to ‘protect the environment from devastation,’ of course. Mr. Sanderford is one of the biggest hippies I’ve ever met.”

“More than Ms. Miller?” Kaelyn joked about their batty old lit teacher from North Hanley. He responded with a nod, a large grin spreading across his face.

They finally stopped when they reached a few large rocks that sat beside a small pond. There were a few logs spread out nearby and the ground was worn from numerous classes that she was sure had studied out there. He sat down on one of the logs and she lowered herself down beside him.

“Why’d you leave?” she asked softly, placing her hand delicately on his shoulder.

“Dad got a promotion to the new building they put out here,” he explained, but they both new it wasn’t the full truth.

“You could have stayed at North Hanley.”

He scoffed at this and she drew back. The emotion in that one action stung her more than either of them had thought it could. His eyes shut as he breathed in a deep shaky breath. She ached to know everything, for things to go back as they once had been. Even more so, she longed for more physical contact. It let her know that things would be alright.

“You know I couldn’t,” he finally mumbled. “Why did you leave anyway? It obviously wasn’t to be reunited with me. You reaction said it all; you were just as shocked as I was when you saw me.”

She nodded as this was true. She was more than shocked when she had seen him. She certainly hadn’t been expecting to see him there, if she was ever to see him again. What had been most flabbergasting though, was how much he had changed in such a short period of time. She knew that she wasn’t the same girl anymore either, but his transformation had been much more drastic than hers.

“It’s… complicated,” is all she would respond with though. As desperately as she wished to know why he had been so eager as to leave, she wasn’t about to tell him why she hadn’t returned to their old school.

“That’s life, sweetheart,” he replied cynically.

“Heddy,” she pleaded, scooting nearer to him. “I’ll tell you, I swear it. Don’t make me tell you now, please.”

“Well then when the hell will you tell me?” he rounded on her angrily.

She jumped up, staring down at him in awe. He had the audacity to yell at her when he himself refused to open up to her. The nerve of him! Her jaw dropped in an attempt to defend herself, but nothing was coming to her. Finally she stormed off when she realized an argument would get them no where. Just when she had thought that their friendship was renewed, that she finally had her Heddy back, it all blew up in her face. She was starting to wonder if he was intending on giving her a chance or if his only goal was to jerk her around. Either way, she was done trying.

She stomped back into the school and towards Artistic Studies. She stood outside the door, steadying her breathing and relaxing her face. She would have to remain calm if she were to keep herself out of trouble for her severe tardiness. When she felt ready, she stepped in quietly. Everyone was bent over their desks, working on some form of drawing. Most didn’t notice her entrance, others glanced briefly before returning to their pieces. Faye stared wide-eyed at her though, curiosity glowing in her bright green orbs. Kaelyn knew she would have much more explaining to do with Faye than their instructor.

“Miss Lafayette, may I speak with you in the hallway?” an airy voice spoke from beside her. She glanced to her right and sure enough her teacher was standing not a foot away. She nodded meekly, thankful that this exchange would happen away from the prying eyes of her classmates.

“Class started half an hour ago, Miss Lafayette. I really do hope that you can supply me with a passable excuse for your showing so late in the period.”

“I do apologize and I promise you it won’t happen again. I had a… feminine emergency and forgot my… stuff in the car,” she lied smoothly. This was a lie she had told many a time at North Hanley and she had practiced the pauses perfectly to show discomfort in sharing the topic. It always resulted in the dropping of the subject, which was exactly what she wanted. “I also kind of got lost,” she admitted sheepishly for good measure. It would have been true, had she not been lucky enough to re-enter the school at the end of the humanities hallway.

“I will let you off today due to your circumstance, but I expect you to come to school better prepared in the future so that we do not end up in this conversation again.” Kaelyn nodded in understanding, plastering an abashed look upon her face that was well practiced. “Now get in there and get to work. Your classmates will fill you in on the assignment.”

Kaelyn thanked her and walked briskly to the table where she found Faye and Jerrick sitting together, talking quietly. When she reached the table the conversation ended and they glanced up at her anxiously. She sat down beside Faye, who was across the table from Jerrick.

“What happened?” Faye asked so quietly that even Jerrick was unable to hear.

Kaelyn shook her head to show that she didn’t want to talk about it. “Can you tell me what we’re supposed to be doing?” she asked instead.

“A depiction of your favorite childhood past time,” she answered quickly as she continued on her sketch. “Where’s Auto?”

Jerrick visibly tensed on the other side of the table and the tip of his pencil snapped over his paper leaving a dark blemish on his drawing. Kaelyn winced, wishing that Faye would stop with the questions.

“I don’t know,” she mumbled in response.

“You saw him last,” Faye pointed out.

“Faye! Stop it!” Kaelyn’s tone was harsh, but quiet enough to not be heard by others. Faye and Jerrick both were shocked by the malice used by the small girl.

She hunkered down over the slowly forming sketch, knowing that she would be finishing it with pastels. The chalk-like quality of them irritated her, but she knew it was just the medium she needed to show that it was now nothing more than a memory- a dream.

Jerrick watched as the outlines slowly formed into recognizable shapes and soon realized that depicted on the sheet of paper were two people laying on the ground staring up at the clouds, their hands clasped tightly together. He knew exactly who the two forms were and it infuriated him to know that even through all she had dealt with from this guy within the past twenty-four hours, he still held a place of high importance to her. He violently cut at the tip of his charcoal pencil with a blade, widdling it down to another sharp point and glaring angrily at the metallic edge in his hand.

“Easy there, tiger.” He looked up to meet Faye’s brilliant emerald eyes. She cast a nervous look at him before glancing down at his hands. He sheepishly placed the exact-o blade back on the table and smiled up at her, which she reciprocated. Jerrick felt the tension ease and got back to his sketch. With Faye involved, he knew that everything would turn out alright. She had a way about her that said so, and he knew it was true. She would find a way to put everything as it should be.