Time Stood Still

Chapter 2: You Keep Me On The Edge Of My Seat.

Josh’s POV

It’s been a week since I started my new college and Vic has been kind enough to drive me every morning. Vic seemed like a great guy and I know it’s only been a week but we’ve seemed to becoming really good friends already, which I guess is one good thing about this place.
We've hung out after college a few times and he’s shown me around some of the area (which I’m still getting used to by the way)

At lunch time we sat in the usual group of Vic’s friends in the canteen, I’ve opened up a lot more to them over the past week and they seemed like a fun genuine group.
It was raining so the canteen was cramped full of students more than usual; my eyes fluttered over to the table in the corner hoping to find a certain someone but it were empty.
Despite how crowded the lunch hall was, nobody seemed to dare sit at that table…
I secretly looked around the lunch hall hoping to find his beautiful pale face in the crowd somewhere but he was nowhere.
I hadn’t seen him in the last few days… not since that awkward English lesson we had, it was as if he just disappeared.
I’ve been so worked up over that last English lesson, going over and over about it in my mind; I was demanding to know what his problem was? Because in my books, I did nothing wrong.

“So what do you think Josh?” Vic asked, breaking me out of my thoughts.
“Sorry what?”
“Surfing, this weekend?”
“You guys surf?” I asked surprised.
“Hell yeah, we go all the time.”
“Cool… erm sure, I’ll come along but I don’t know how to surf though…”
“You don’t know how to surf?!” Kellin blurted out.
Everyone on the table had there eyes on me, staring in disbelief, like I had three heads or something.
All I said was that I didn’t know how to surf, jeez.
“There’s more buildings in London than beaches… so no, I haven’t been able to pick that up as a hobby…”
“Don’t worry dude, just leave it to the master, I’ll teach you.” Mike said with a smug smile on his face.
I looked back at Vic to explain Mike’s cheeky expression.
“Mike is a pro at surfing and a mermaid in the water.”
We all laughed.
"I life guard a couple days a week, at some beaches, so you'll be pretty safe with me around."
"Cool, I guess i'll leave my arm bands at home then if I have you by my side Mike." I joked, making Mike throw a crisp at me in a friendly jokingly response.
I don’t see why not, it actually sounds like fun and I would get to know the guys a lot more too and most importantly, stay out of mums way too.
“Okay, I’m up for learning how to surf.”
“Awesome!” Vic grinned.

I sat at my seat minutes before English started and I swore I could have cried at the grade written at the top of my essay.
“Fuck.” I mumbled.
I heard the chair beside me move out but my eyes refuse to leave the paper, I wasn’t in the mood to be death stared at by Oliver Sykes today.
“Hello.” His voice startled me, making me look straight at him, he’s decided to talk to me today?
“Hi.” I managed to choke out.
“I’m Oliver Sykes, I just want to apologies for last lesson… I wasn’t feeling too good.”
I just nodded and stared into those big beautiful eyes of his, I noticed that they were completely black, I’ve never seen such eye colour before, they stood out remarkably dominate against his pale white face…
I suddenly realised I was staring a little longer than I should have, I broke eye contact quickly feeling my cheeks burn red as I just continued to stare down at the big fat red D which was marked at the top of my essay.
Shit, mum is gonna hit the roof when she finds out about this, so much for learning how to surf this weekend.

I glanced over at Oliver’s essay and of course he had an A*, he practically knew the story by heart.
I let out a frustrated sigh and hung my head.
“Would you like some help with your essay?”
He was offering to help me? I felt abit uncomfortable.
The last thing I needed was to be laughed at by some Mr know it all.
He sat far away from me on the desk as possible but his chair was facing me, seeming to be utterly interested in me today, there were even a hint of a smile on his lips.
What the fuck?
I was so confused, Monday it was as if he wanted to kill me and today he’s all friendly and polite?
What’s his game? I questioned to myself before answering him.
“Erm it doesn’t matter, I’m going to fail this class anyway.”
“You sound pretty convinced, it’s only your first week, don’t give up just yet.”
I felt stupid compare to Oliver, its okay for him to say don’t give up with A*’s shining out his backside; I would never get a grade like that in my life!
But I felt like he wasn’t going to take no for an answer, so I let out a little sigh and hesitated a few seconds before handing him my essay.
“Promise you won’t laugh okay?” I said anxiously.
“Course not.”
I sat nervously beside him for a minute or two before I saw him raise an eyebrow and look up to me.
“What?” I asked annoyed, waiting for him to judge me.
“Did you even read the book?” he asked flatly.
“Like you said, it’s only my first week.”
“But you know the story of Romeo and Juliet right?”
“Something about two people being in love and then they somehow both die in the end…”
Oliver smirked at my answer, which only pissed me off.
“Well I’m sorry I’m not an A* student like you, who knows all this deep junk!” I snatched my essay out of his hand and turned away from him in a strop.
“Josh I wasn’t laughing at you; I just think you don’t have the full understanding of the story that’s all.”
“Whatever.” I pouted.
“Josh, I’m offering to go through it with you.”
I didn’t reply back.
I sat with my head in my hands, feeling frustrated and annoyed.
The only reason why I’m here is because mum made me retake this stupid subject and now I’m sitting here looking like a complete idiot in front of Oliver Sykes.
I sighed; he probably thinks I’m stupid… but he’s just, ugh.
So perfect.
After about ten minutes of sulking and going out of my mind I finally gave in and pushed my essay back to Oliver.
“I’m sorry; I just hate this lesson…” I whispered.
“It’s okay.”
He smiled lightly, looking back down at my essay.
He helped me with writing new notes and explaining where I went wrong and where I could improve, he was actually really helpful and I didn’t hate the subject so much anymore… well for now anyway.
He even gave me his text book with his own notes, which I thought was extremely generous of him, seeing as he hardly knows me.
He was actually a nice decent guy; I don’t know why everyone was so against him. I guess no one gave him the chance to get to know him, they've obviously just judge on first impression.

English was over and Oliver offered to walk me to my next class, I had to make a quick stop to my locker first though. We hadn’t really said anything to each other since we left class, we just continued in silence, which was soon broken as I pulled up the collar of my denim jacket as I felt abit chilly.
"Your cold?"
"Er, a little bit."
He frowned and moved away from me slightly which I thought was abit weird but didn't bother questioning it.
We were finally at my locker and as I pulled my sketch book out he spoke again to me.
“Why did you move here?”
I wasn’t expecting that, what a thing to ask for someone not knowing me that well... not even Vic had asked me that. But I guess his dad most probably told him himself.
“Erm… well, my parents got a divorce and mum decided to drag me along with her here.” I felt uncomfortable; I bit my lip and turned to close my locker.
“You don’t like it here?” He asked.
He lent against the locker close to mine, I felt a sudden cold breeze, making me shiver a little before answering him.
"I'm not used to the cold."
He frowned again and moved away, as if my answer wasn't good enough.
“Its okay I guess, it’s not the same when you’ve lived somewhere your whole life and then suddenly everything changes and your living a complete new life you never thought you would.”
I saw a hint of a smile appear on Oliver’s lips, like he understood how I felt with the sudden life change. But he kept his thoughts to himself.
“So now it looks like I have to take up surfing as a new hobby instead of going football with my dad…”
“Surfing?” he sounded curious.
“Yeah, me and a few others are going surfing this weekend… do you wanna come along?”
Shit, I just invited him to come along surfing without even asking the others… but i'm sure it'll be alright, they can see he's not as bad as he thinks he is.
“What beach?”
“Err… good question, I don’t exactly know.”
I laughed but Oliver’s expression seemed serious, which made me question him.
“Why, does it matter what beach we go to?”
“Thanks for the offer but surfing’s abit lame, I think I’ll sit this one out.”
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t offended by his answer, I thought we were slowly getting somewhere and away from this awkward getting to know someone phase.
“Suit yourself.” I shrugged.

He totally froze and his black eyes glared down the corridor at something.
I followed his gaze, to find him staring at that Hannah girl from the other end of the corridor.
She was stood smiling at him foolishly… I think she has a thing at smiling at guys randomly. First me and now at Oliver, and god knows who else. But the smile at Oliver seemed different to when she smile at me, maybe she liked him.
“I think she might have a crush on you.” I teased.
“She’s my twin sister.” He admitted bluntly, his eyes not leaving her.
“What, no way!”
I was completely in shock, I darted another look over at the weird pixie like girl, and that’s when I saw the resemblance.
“Oh err, sorry, I just assumed because of the way she was smiling at you…” I ducked my head feeling incredibly stupid.
He didn’t seem impressed.
“She’s just being annoying.” He frowned, before storming off rudely in the opposite direction, leaving me at my locker.
“Oliver?”
I called after him but he was gone within seconds.
“I’ll find my own way to my next class then, shall I?” I muttered to myself.
I looked back at Hannah but she was gone too, what the fuck is going on?
I stood awkwardly by my locker.
I can’t believe I didn’t see it before; of course she’s his sister they look exactly like each other! The big black eyes, skin as white as snow, heavily tattooed arms, the sort of elegance they’re bodies both held… wow, some genes, imagine what they’re parents look like.

I hurried to my next lesson which was art, it took me longer to find the class on my own but luckily the teacher was running late also.
I took a seat at the back of the class and huffed out, glad to be able avoid the awkward new boy lateness.
I felt a sudden cold breeze against my neck.

“Hello Joshua.”
I jumped at the soft velvet voice which whispered in my ear. It was Oliver’s sister Hannah Sykes, there was no way she was sitting there a second ago, I would have definitely noticed her.
“Oh…um hello.” I stuttered.
“I’m Hannah Sykes, it’s nice to finally meet you.” She smile at me with those big black eyes similar to her brothers, but followed by amazingly long eye lashes.
Finally? What did she mean by finally? I’ve only been here a week and I doubt she even knew who I was… Vic was right, she’s abit strange.
Our teacher finally arrived and placed photographs of flowers on each table, which we had to draw from in our own style. Its been awhile since I drew something, I thought taking art as one of my subjects would be easy way to get a good grade to impress mum at least.
I glanced over at Hannah’s sketched book and she had drew the most detailed but beautiful drawing ever, she drew the flowers with tiny little dots which turned into a beautiful master piece!
My rough scribbles were put to shame by her astounding drawing, she was really talented, which only made me feel bad thinking I was good enough and believe this subject would be easy.
“Wow Hannah, that’s truly amazing!”
“Thank you.” she smiled.
I should have known she’d be amazing, just like her brother, I bet they’re amazing at everything.
“What do you think of my brother Oliver? You have a couple of classes together don’t you Joshua?”
“Uh... erm, yeah, we have English together.” I got nervous when she question me about her brother.
“Oliver takes art too, infact he wont be please when he finds out your in my art class and not his.” She giggled.
“What do you mean?”
“You know what brothers can be like.”

Oh no.
I hope Oliver doesn’t think I fancy his sister! Man that’s the last thing I need, getting threaten by some guy for being in the same class as his sister, assuming I like her and it’s not just any guy... it’s Oliver Sykes!
I don’t fancy her, I mean, don’t get me wrong she’s beautiful but I’ve only just met the girl and she’s not really my type to be honest.
Fuck, how did I manage to get myself into this one?
“Don’t worry your pretty little mind Joshua.”
It was as if she knew I was panicking about the whole situation and was worried about Oliver’s reaction.
“Oh erm… its Josh.” I corrected her.
“Of course.” She smiled.
College was finally over and Hannah more or less danced her way out of class whilst smiling at me. I waved goodbye at her, but couldn't help but feel a little stupid.

I was at my locker, putting all my books in my bag ready for the shit load of coursework I had to do before surfing tomorrow.
“You’re in my sister’s art class.”
Oliver’s soft whispered crept up behind me, making me jump with fear, and shiver from the cold. Oh shit, here we go. I tried to just act normal.
“Err yeah…she’s very talented.”
“She is.”
I felt nervous; I was waiting for the big brother threat but his next words were the opposite.
“Don’t take too much of what Hannah says too seriously.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nevermind.” He sighed, seeming annoyed.
“No, I want to know what you mean.” I pressed, demanding to know what he meant.
“Just take what I said into consideration okay, it might help you out in the future.” He gritted through his teeth nastily before disappearing again.
I slammed my locker door shut, what the fuck is wrong with him?! I thought my mood swings were bad, but man, he has a serious problem, no wonder no one at college talks to him.
I didn't really know what I had done to be honest, all I asked was for him to explain himself about his sister, not like I was asking for his blood! Gosh, I don't get why he gets so annoyed at me all the time, the guy needs to get over himself.