Until We're Gone

My first full day at boarding school was not a good one. Believe it or not, I tried to keep an open mind, but I quickly gave up when my complete moron of a roommate had a go at me for singing in the shower. I took criticism personally, so I instantly felt embarrassed and made some nasty comment back to hide it. By second lesson, I had already gotten into a spat with a spoiled brat whose name I believed was Marlene. She walked into the classroom with a scowl on her face, looking down on everyone and I didn’t like the way she disregarded everyone else as though they were below her. Throughout the lesson she was rolling her eyes and making sarcastic comments. It was as though she thought she had this power over everyone. I took a disliking to her instantly, and the second she made a sarcastic comment aimed at me, I lost it. I didn’t hit her or anything, although a part of me wishes I had. Instead, I simply muttered a few words that I hoped would put her in her place. It turned out we shared the same quick temper and inability to bite our tongues, therefore things did not end well. In fact, they ended in a lunchtime detention.

Words could not describe my relief when it finally came to the end of the school day. I rushed to my room, hoping that it would be empty. Much to my disappointment, both my roommates were present. Scowling, I swapped my unflattering school blazer for the jacket that I had stolen from my boyfriend before I left and headed back into the hallway. Several groups of people were hanging around in the corridor so I made my way outside to the school grounds; I’d rather brave the chilling September breeze than have people listening in on my phone calls. For someone who appeared so confident, I had a strange disliking for people listening to me speak on the phone. When I was certain I was a suitable distance away from everybody else, I dialled my boyfriend Fletcher’s number and waited. He picked up on the third ring.
“Hey baby, how are you?” he asked, causing my stomach to instantly fill with butterflies. My dad always said I was too young to be in love, but the way Fletcher could brighten my whole day with just a few simple words could only mean love, right? We had been together just under six months and it was the happiest I’d been in a long time. Fletcher was crazy. He was one of the most popular guys in school and I couldn’t help but be hypnotised by his sparkling blue eyes and his charm and his awful jokes. He was impulsive and slightly reckless but that didn’t bother me because he had taught me that being reckless was fun. Sure, I’d always had a talent for getting myself into trouble, but that was more due to the fact I wasn’t afraid to share my opinion on anything or anyone. With Fletcher, it was a whole new kind of trouble, but I was happy so it was okay, right? Since being with him, I’d found the sense of freedom I’d been missing.
“This place sucks,” I told him.
“Why?”
“The people are weird and the teachers are weird and the rules are weird and it’s just really fucking weird.”
“No guys you’re thinking of ditching me for?” I found his comment slightly odd. I’d made it perfectly clear I was in love with him and only him and that I’d never leave him for anyone, but there was a serious tone to his voice that told me it wasn’t just a joke.
“Of course not,” I assured, figuring he was just being paranoid, “No one here is even the slightest bit attractive.”
“I didn’t think you’d like it,” he smirked.
“I don’t know how I can spend the next two years here.”
“Well, if you’d have been more careful not to get caught drunk then you’d still be here with me.”
“Fletch, don’t blame this on me,” I teased. No matter how much trouble he got me in, I could never be angry with him. “You gave me the alcohol. You told me to drink it.”
“It’s not my fault you’re such a lightweight.” A part of me wanted to tell my dad that it was Fletcher who got me drunk because then there was slightly more of a chance he wouldn’t ship me off to boarding school. I decided against it though because my dad despised Fletcher enough as it was and I didn’t want to make it any worse.
“I really wish I wasn’t.”
“I think it’s funny.”
“Funny that I’m miles away from you and all my friends?”
“It’s not so bad,” he said, his tone suddenly becoming more positive, “I know what will cheer you up.”
“What?” I asked excitedly.
“I’ve got the weekend off work so I was thinking I could come and see you.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re the best. Thank you so much.”
“It’s okay. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay. I love you.”
“Love you too,” he said before hanging up the phone. I pulled his jacket tighter around me, the smell of his cologne flooding my nose. I took a second to pull myself together before heading back inside. My two roommates whose names I couldn’t quite remember were lounging around, barely speaking to each other. I couldn’t help but wonder why this school was completely full of people who barely even spoke. By the looks of things, the next two years were going to be the most boring two years of my entire life. I was not sure I had the patience to tolerate this bullshit.