End of Time

Nieve fixed the straps of her school bag that rested on her shoulders, she kicked at the stones on the ground under her feet as she made her way to school. She ran a hand through her damaged hair, she missed her long hair that stopped just at her waist. Her class mates thought it would be funny to cut chunks of her hair off when they were leaving gym-class, her hair was now short with sloppy layers. Nieve didn’t tell her mother, she couldn’t see it anyway and Nieve wanted her to remember her long hair from when she was a child.
Nieve’s sister exploded when she saw. But that’s what Melanie was like, she was dramatic about every little thing. Melanie was popular and everyone loved her, but Nieve was the weird girl. People would whisper rumours about her and how she’s ’crazy’. She didn’t have any friends. She wanted A.
She cursed at herself as she felt tears escape her eyes and slide down her pale cheeks. She didn’t even bother to wipe them away, she just simply carried on walking to her school. Nieve passed house after house like she did everyday but something was different. She was just about to pass a tree when she felt something like a pebble hit her shoulder. She looked up at the tree
“no one should be crying on their birthday,” A smiled down at her, he was sat in the branches of the trees. The sun shone through the leaves around him making him remind Nieve of an angel, even though he was dressed in his usual attire. He jumped down and landed softly of his feet, he pulled Nieve into a hug “I’ve missed you Snow”
Nieve slowly wrapped her arms around him, she was happy to see him but it had been almost 2 years since she last saw him “I thought you left me” she whispered in hailing his scent, he smelt like winter.
He pulled back and looked at her, his blue eyes were filled with sadness. Nieve looked at her feet letting her hair hide her face from him. A tilted her face up to look at him, he brushed her hair away from her face “I would never do that” he whispered softly behind kissing her on the forehead.
Nieve smiled but it disappeared when she remember she had to go to school “I have to go” she removed herself from A’s grasp and started walking towards the school. “let me walk you there and we can catch up. I haven’t even given you your birthday present yet!” he chuckled before walking by her side.
She titled her head to look at him, she bit her lip “you got me a present?” Nieve couldn’t hide the smile on her face. She had been so alone lately as her brother Shane was away travelling, her younger brother Tyler was always hanging out with his friends and her sister was always with her friends. Nieve would sit with her mother sometimes and would read to her, but the night always ended the same. She would curl up into a ball on her bed and cry herself to sleep because she was beginning to realize everyone was leaving her and she was slowly turning crazy, her dreams were slowly taking over.
“of course I did!” A chuckled before taking a charm bracelet out of his pocket “hold out your wrist” she did as she was told and he wrapped the bracelet around her wrist, she inspected it and her smile grew wider. There was three charms on it, one was a small snow-globe, the second one was a snowflake and the last was simply the letter A.
“something to remember me by” A said quietly as he watched her turn the bracelet around her wrist.
“you’re leaving again?” Nieve felt her eyes begin to sting.
“you know I can’t be around all the time Snow” they were still walking towards the school, A wrapped an arm around her shoulders pulling her to his side as she nodded “I just hate being alone” she whispered before burying her face in the crook of his neck.
A sighed and rubbed her arm softly, “you’re not alone, not really”
Nieve scoffed “tell that to my class-mates”
A stroked her head before turning his head slightly to look at it “what happened to your hair?” Nieve felt tears slid down her face “you didn’t save me” she said before telling him what happened.
He listen patiently, he held her hand in his as they came near the school. He traced circles on the back of her hand, calming her. “you should have seen me when I was your age, I was 200lb!” he laughed making a smile form on Nieve’s face, everything about A made her smile.
She could feel the stares of people from her school as her and A stopped outside the school, “I miss hanging out with you” she laughed as she playfully shoved him with her shoulder.
“things are going to get better, I promise” he said before kissing the side of her head. The school bell rang “you better get going” he said sadly pulling her into a hug
Nieve nodded “promise me I’ll see you again”
A smiled “I promise”
Before Nieve knew it, he pressed his lips to hers in a quick peck. “happy 16th birthday Snow” he whispered before they both parted ways for what seemed like the last time.

People whispered in the hall-ways about her and the mystery man. People would stop her and ask about him but she just quickly walk away from them. She knew they were taunting her. At lunch that day, a tall red-head named Tilly sat at Nieve’s table. She didn’t ask her about A but about music and classes. Nieve made a friend that day. But she also lost one.