NOTE: This Chapter is actually unfinished, but I wanted to give you guys something more to read so that I can post the rest of it later! Remember to review (: x
Chapter 2
Leaving that car was one of the hardest things Freddie ever had to do.
He made his way up the stone steps of the academy without looking back, and entered the place he'd been sent to spend the next two years of his life.
Back in the car, Charlotte leant forward on the steering wheel and sobbed.
It'd been almost three years; they'd met when they were fourteen. She'd been that drunk, silly girl who landed on his lap and apologised profusely for a solid hour – he hadn't minded at all. He'd even walked her home. They were soul mates, she knew that. Freddie and Charlie, together forever. That's what was carved on the bench in the park, that's what he'd carved all over her heart before everything had been ruined. Thinking on it, she couldn't even pinpoint what the problem was anymore. It'd all just gone downhill, yet she still clung on. Why couldn't she let go? Freddie was her whole life, and the prospect of him being gone for two years terrified her yet he seemed perfectly fine, he was fine. The sobbing turned to little choked sobs as the grief-stricken blonde raised her face to look at herself in the rear-view mirror. Her large green eyes were red and shiny with tears, black make-up smeared on her cheeks.
With a sigh, she began to sort her face out then started up the engine. She'd find him again; they just needed space that was all. Just space.
"Urgh!" The sobs returned, but she swallowed them down – hitting the steering wheel forcefully, her wrists numbing with the impact. How could it be over? Sure, they fought daily now and said hateful things. But in the end she always woke up in his arms, they always found one another again, right? A recent night came to her mind, they'd had their worst fight yet – she'd gone to bed with an ache in her stomach she'd never experienced before. It'd been over then, she'd known it. She'd been sure.
But then, at 4.30am she'd heard the front gate rattle, and her heart leapt to her throat as she threw herself down the stairs, threw open the front door. He'd seized her, so tight she couldn't breathe and kissed her until she was dizzy.
"I love you, I love you." He'd murmured against her hair, rubbing her back as she cried. God, she hated it when they fought. But it was worth it, for the good times. Unfortunately the good times had become more and more scarce, and it'd been almost a month since they'd even smiled at one another. He said they needed closure, he said what they'd shared had been beautiful but they needed to end it now before they ruined it. Charlotte let herself breathe for a few seconds, then gave herself a sad, but assuring smile in the mirror before pulling out of the car park, and driving slowly away. "I'll be back for you Freddie." She whispered to herself. And then she was gone.
"Make you way to the canteen, the headmistress is about to make a formal introduction to the sixth form." Said a tall, white-blonde girl in smart attire. Freddie stared at her for a second, still in a deadened haze from what'd just happened.
"Err, sorry who're you?" he said. The girl smiled coldly.
"My name is Bella Ford, you must be Freddie."
"Err.. How did you-.."
"Oh I read all the new files when they arrive, better that I get to know all your faces before you turn up right? You'll be seeing a lot of me, I'm head of the sixth form, head girl and I've been nominated for Achiever of the Year!" gushed Bella as she ushered Freddie down a labyrinth of corridors. He simply nodded, not noticing the added emphasis on the word 'lot' in her last sentence.
As they reached a set of purple painted double-doors, Bella pushed him forwards and he entered a large room with many tables inside. Many faces stared at him from these tables, and he felt himself instantly freeze.
"Kind of you to join us young fellow! Do take a seat now, there's a good lad!" boomed a very tall, very scary looking man with a ginger moustache. He was stood in a row of teachers near the doors Freddie had just entered through, and promptly proceeded in pushing Freddie down onto a chair. He was being pushed quite a lot today.
"Hey." Whispered a voice next to him. He glanced to the left and was greeted by the sight of a black-haired boy with soft grey eyes.
"I'm Cay." He added, holding out his hand. Finally, a fucking friend.
"Freddie." Muttered Freddie, shaking the hand.
"Head'll be in soon, she's just gonna rant to us about the year and that."
"Sounds fun." Said Freddie insincerely.
"Not really." Laughed Cay quietly.
The canteen buzzed with chatter, the teachers begun speaking amongst themselves. Clearly the head was late, and the impact of his break-up was beginning to make Freddie irritable.
"Any chance we can fuck this off?" he said to Cay quietly. Cay looked up at the row of teachers, then back at Freddie and nudged his head to the left at the doors behind them.
"Come on."
The two of them slipped behind a group of gossiping brunettes and exited through the side doors Cay had indicated.
The silence of the corridors was glorious. They walked in silence for a few minutes, Freddie following Cay up an ornate staircase.
"Where you from?"
"Bristol," answered Freddie. "You?"
"Dublin."
"Shit! That's miles away, what're you doing here?"
"Rents, got sick of me didn't they. Whatever, better here than in the gutter s'pose."
Freddie surveyed Cay again, properly. He was a tall boy, about 6ft. His hair was cut in layers, and almost reached his shoulders – it was jet black and his skin was an olive colour.
"You seem a bit out of it." Observed Cay, kicking open a door causing Freddie to jump, then nodding at him to go inside. Once they were in Cay's dorm, he fumbled about in a drawer by his bed then tossed Freddie a box of cigarettes.
"Smoke?"
"Usually roll-ups, but sure."
They sat on Cay's bed, backs against the wall and filled the room with a gentle mist of smoke.
"Go on then, what's fucked you over? What's the story?" asked Cay, the Irish accent adding a higher pitch to his curiosity.
Freddie inhaled deeply, then breathed out a long plume of smoke.
"I fell in love three years ago, Charlie's her name." His eyes cast downward at his battered converse and he sighed.
"But it just, fuck I don't know." He spat angrily, looking upwards now at the ceiling.
"It's just not the same now. We're almost eighteen, it was great. Now it's not, I'm restless. I don't think I love her anymore."
Cay was silent, taking a deep drag from his cigarette.
"S'deep." He said finally.
"Yeah." Said Freddie, feeling the impact of his own words.
"Sentimental bastard, there's plenty of rebound fucks for you here." Said Cay with a shrug and a cheeky tone to his voice. He was smiling, but when Freddie met his eyes he knew that there was more depth to his new companion.
"Hey, chin up man. You just need time."
He gestured around him, seemingly referring to the academy.
"And in this shithole? We got heaps of fucking time." He laughed. Freddie was still for a second, and then he laughed too.
"Should be interesting." He said, with a small smile – flicking ash into the china cup they'd placed between them.
