White Roses Fade to Black
A Wanderers Return, Study Dates and Nightmares
Lucie walked huffily through the front door. School had been the worst; she’d had not one person to talk to, seeing as Katherine had gone home at lunch time, due to ‘family issues’. in other words, her grandma had taken ill.
She threw her bag and coat in the cupboard and sauntered into the living room. Her mom stepped out from behind the dor, causing Lucie to cower where she stood.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, honey. You’ve got a treat,” her mother said sweetly.
Lucie followed her mom slowly, as confusion and befuddlement circled her brain. Why was her mom being nice? She hadn’t been nice to her since before she started school.
But all revealed as she entered the living room; one of the people she’s missed for the three years he’d been living in Germany with his mom and sister.
“PB!” Lucie yelled.
Her cousin stood up and beamed, and she threw her arms around him. Nathaniel returned the hug, giggling in a high-pitched and retarded way.
“Hey J! Been a while,” he grinned.
Lucie blinked and looked at her favorite cousin; my, he’d changed! His hair, which used to be short and spiky those three years ago, was rather long and combed back behind his ears; his mom must have given him miracle grow coz he was now a good half a foot taller than her; his style was just kind of thrown together, completed by black trainers and a long black coat. Though his blue eyes and slightly pale face were just as bright, smiley and happy as they’d always been.
“Holy shit you’ve changed!” Lucie exclaimed.
Her mom cleared her throat, and frowned disapprovingly as Lucie looked round. Lucie knew she had to behave and play it cool. Or she’d pay for it later with her blood and tears.
“So… so how was Germany? Three years! I mean, I knew it would change your accent but Hell, not this much,” Lucie smiled.
Nathaniel smiled back, re-taking his seat on the sofa and beckoning Lucie to sit next to him. She gladly sat, and Nathaniel told her everything he could remember about his three years in ‘Deutschland’.
*
Freddie walked into form and saw someone had stolen his seat. He sighed and looked round; the only seat left was next to her: Lucie…
‘Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!’ ran through Freddie’s head as he slowly walked over to the desk and sank down steadily on the chair.
“Hey,” a soft, sweet voice said behind him.
He jumped slightly and gradually turned round to see Lucie smiling slightly at him. His heart leapt as he saw her face: her beautiful, beautiful face…
“Hi,” he whispered, trying hard to look away.
But no matter how hard he tried, his eyes just wouldn’t change their fixated spot. The was her eyes twinkle; her smiling face.
“I was wondering… you wanna make a study date?” Lucie asked.
His heart was screaming yes but his head was saying no. he didn’t know which one to go with, until he finally decided to go with his heart.
“Sure. Uh, I’m free tonight,” he smiled.
Lucie smiled back, feeling butterflies flutter feverishly around her stomach. But her train of thought was broken by three figures coming over to the desk.
“Hey,” Katherine and Nathaniel said at once.
They looked at each other and blushed, fidgeting with their fingers. Lesley rolled her eyes and pushed them aside, before sitting in front of Lucie on the desk.
“I heard the words study date,” she grinned.
Lucie and Freddie blushed deeply, looking at the ground shyly; Lucie buried her face in the book she was reading, and Freddie busied himself with some homework he’d neglected the night before - thinking of her.
Lesley grinned smugly and looked round at Nathaniel nd Katherine, who were also blushing and avoiding each others gaze. Lesley grinned and rolled her eyes. Was everyone in love?
“Oh, I can introduce you to my brother and sister when you come round,” Freddie smiled coyly, breaking Lesley’s thoughts.
Lucie smiled round at him and, feeling heat creep up her neck to her face, buried her face back in her book. Lesley giggled and Lucie shot her a glare - that shut her up.
So Lesley turned her attention back to Nathaniel and Katherine. She rolled her eyes again and decided to play Cupid and help love on its way.
“Just ask her out; she so wants you,” Lesley whispered in Nathaniel’s ear.
He blushed deep red, and Lesley was s strongly reminded of Lucie (and a beetroot) that she had to cover her mouth so as not to laugh or snort.
“So, uh, Katherine, I was wondering… wanna catch a movie tonight?” he asked, his throat dry and his mind anticipating rejection.
“Sure,” Katherine smiled shyly.
Nathaniel couldn’t believe his luck! He’d only been back in England a day and he’d already got a date with the hottest girl he’d ever laid eyes on.
“Cool, so, uh, 7:30?” Nathaniel grinned.
Katherine nodded and, just as the bell rang, picked up her books and practically floated out the classroom. Nathaniel followed dreamily, his bag swung over one shoulder as it always had done.
Lesley sighed and smiled a smug smile to herself; she was proud of what she’d done. She’d fixed two of her friends up with each other: a guy she’d known for years, since primary school, and a girl she’d known since secondary school.
“My work here is done,” she smiled, as she led the way out the classroom, ahead of Lucie and Freddie, who were in deep conversation.
“I love it when things come together.”
*
David sat for the second day, pondering his dream - or more, nightmare - trying to let go of the worried that had haunted him for the past 48 hours.
Would it come true? Was he going to lose the love of his life to some stranger she’d just met? Lucie was the only girl he’d ever loved. Sure, there’d been other girlfriends, other crushes, but Lucie was different. Oh so different.
She made him feel things he never knew he could feel: she made him feel special, despite what everyone else said; she made him feel alive, like he could fight 1,000 chavs and still play a full sold-out concert straight after; but most of all, she made him feel loved - a feeling strange to him. It was a feeling he never wanted to ever have to let go of.
David smiled slightly, at thoughts of their very first kiss, their first summer holiday, their very first day together. Oh, he’d loved her form the start. She was different from the rest. She was beautiful, smart, funny… she was perfect.
His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of his older brother. David returned to the real world abruptly as Calum waltzed through the door and sat heavily on one of the hard, uncomfortable hospital chairs.
“Hey bro,” Calum grinned.
David grinned back and sat up further, being careful not to dislodge any necessary wiring or piping that would be rather uncomfortable to replace and unfortunate to lose.
“What, no grapes?” David pouted jokily.
Calum laughed and punched his arm playfully, before pulling him towards him and ruffling his hair in a way only a brother can. The way Mike used to. They realized this and let go of each other.
“It’s weird without him,” Calum sighed.
David looked at the floor and nodded. He missed Mike as much as he loved Lucie, and that’s a lot. But he knew that he shouldn’t dwell on the sadness. Mike wouldn’t have wanted that.
“Doctor says you can come out soon,” Calum muttered, breaking the awkward and uncomfortable silence.
David nodded. What a relief, he thought. He’d always hated hospitals. Suddenly, he was reminded of his dream; the tall, grey building looming over him sent shivers up his spine.
“That’s good…”
She threw her bag and coat in the cupboard and sauntered into the living room. Her mom stepped out from behind the dor, causing Lucie to cower where she stood.
“I’m not gonna hurt you, honey. You’ve got a treat,” her mother said sweetly.
Lucie followed her mom slowly, as confusion and befuddlement circled her brain. Why was her mom being nice? She hadn’t been nice to her since before she started school.
But all revealed as she entered the living room; one of the people she’s missed for the three years he’d been living in Germany with his mom and sister.
“PB!” Lucie yelled.
Her cousin stood up and beamed, and she threw her arms around him. Nathaniel returned the hug, giggling in a high-pitched and retarded way.
“Hey J! Been a while,” he grinned.
Lucie blinked and looked at her favorite cousin; my, he’d changed! His hair, which used to be short and spiky those three years ago, was rather long and combed back behind his ears; his mom must have given him miracle grow coz he was now a good half a foot taller than her; his style was just kind of thrown together, completed by black trainers and a long black coat. Though his blue eyes and slightly pale face were just as bright, smiley and happy as they’d always been.
“Holy shit you’ve changed!” Lucie exclaimed.
Her mom cleared her throat, and frowned disapprovingly as Lucie looked round. Lucie knew she had to behave and play it cool. Or she’d pay for it later with her blood and tears.
“So… so how was Germany? Three years! I mean, I knew it would change your accent but Hell, not this much,” Lucie smiled.
Nathaniel smiled back, re-taking his seat on the sofa and beckoning Lucie to sit next to him. She gladly sat, and Nathaniel told her everything he could remember about his three years in ‘Deutschland’.
*
Freddie walked into form and saw someone had stolen his seat. He sighed and looked round; the only seat left was next to her: Lucie…
‘Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!’ ran through Freddie’s head as he slowly walked over to the desk and sank down steadily on the chair.
“Hey,” a soft, sweet voice said behind him.
He jumped slightly and gradually turned round to see Lucie smiling slightly at him. His heart leapt as he saw her face: her beautiful, beautiful face…
“Hi,” he whispered, trying hard to look away.
But no matter how hard he tried, his eyes just wouldn’t change their fixated spot. The was her eyes twinkle; her smiling face.
“I was wondering… you wanna make a study date?” Lucie asked.
His heart was screaming yes but his head was saying no. he didn’t know which one to go with, until he finally decided to go with his heart.
“Sure. Uh, I’m free tonight,” he smiled.
Lucie smiled back, feeling butterflies flutter feverishly around her stomach. But her train of thought was broken by three figures coming over to the desk.
“Hey,” Katherine and Nathaniel said at once.
They looked at each other and blushed, fidgeting with their fingers. Lesley rolled her eyes and pushed them aside, before sitting in front of Lucie on the desk.
“I heard the words study date,” she grinned.
Lucie and Freddie blushed deeply, looking at the ground shyly; Lucie buried her face in the book she was reading, and Freddie busied himself with some homework he’d neglected the night before - thinking of her.
Lesley grinned smugly and looked round at Nathaniel nd Katherine, who were also blushing and avoiding each others gaze. Lesley grinned and rolled her eyes. Was everyone in love?
“Oh, I can introduce you to my brother and sister when you come round,” Freddie smiled coyly, breaking Lesley’s thoughts.
Lucie smiled round at him and, feeling heat creep up her neck to her face, buried her face back in her book. Lesley giggled and Lucie shot her a glare - that shut her up.
So Lesley turned her attention back to Nathaniel and Katherine. She rolled her eyes again and decided to play Cupid and help love on its way.
“Just ask her out; she so wants you,” Lesley whispered in Nathaniel’s ear.
He blushed deep red, and Lesley was s strongly reminded of Lucie (and a beetroot) that she had to cover her mouth so as not to laugh or snort.
“So, uh, Katherine, I was wondering… wanna catch a movie tonight?” he asked, his throat dry and his mind anticipating rejection.
“Sure,” Katherine smiled shyly.
Nathaniel couldn’t believe his luck! He’d only been back in England a day and he’d already got a date with the hottest girl he’d ever laid eyes on.
“Cool, so, uh, 7:30?” Nathaniel grinned.
Katherine nodded and, just as the bell rang, picked up her books and practically floated out the classroom. Nathaniel followed dreamily, his bag swung over one shoulder as it always had done.
Lesley sighed and smiled a smug smile to herself; she was proud of what she’d done. She’d fixed two of her friends up with each other: a guy she’d known for years, since primary school, and a girl she’d known since secondary school.
“My work here is done,” she smiled, as she led the way out the classroom, ahead of Lucie and Freddie, who were in deep conversation.
“I love it when things come together.”
*
David sat for the second day, pondering his dream - or more, nightmare - trying to let go of the worried that had haunted him for the past 48 hours.
Would it come true? Was he going to lose the love of his life to some stranger she’d just met? Lucie was the only girl he’d ever loved. Sure, there’d been other girlfriends, other crushes, but Lucie was different. Oh so different.
She made him feel things he never knew he could feel: she made him feel special, despite what everyone else said; she made him feel alive, like he could fight 1,000 chavs and still play a full sold-out concert straight after; but most of all, she made him feel loved - a feeling strange to him. It was a feeling he never wanted to ever have to let go of.
David smiled slightly, at thoughts of their very first kiss, their first summer holiday, their very first day together. Oh, he’d loved her form the start. She was different from the rest. She was beautiful, smart, funny… she was perfect.
His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of his older brother. David returned to the real world abruptly as Calum waltzed through the door and sat heavily on one of the hard, uncomfortable hospital chairs.
“Hey bro,” Calum grinned.
David grinned back and sat up further, being careful not to dislodge any necessary wiring or piping that would be rather uncomfortable to replace and unfortunate to lose.
“What, no grapes?” David pouted jokily.
Calum laughed and punched his arm playfully, before pulling him towards him and ruffling his hair in a way only a brother can. The way Mike used to. They realized this and let go of each other.
“It’s weird without him,” Calum sighed.
David looked at the floor and nodded. He missed Mike as much as he loved Lucie, and that’s a lot. But he knew that he shouldn’t dwell on the sadness. Mike wouldn’t have wanted that.
“Doctor says you can come out soon,” Calum muttered, breaking the awkward and uncomfortable silence.
David nodded. What a relief, he thought. He’d always hated hospitals. Suddenly, he was reminded of his dream; the tall, grey building looming over him sent shivers up his spine.
“That’s good…”