Disclaimer: I do not own TLM, nor do I own Enya lyrics.
Chapter 6
As I walk into class, heads turn. I slide into my seat uneasily. Christine walks in after me.
"Chris…" I whisper. "What's wrong with everyone?"
She rolls her eyes and looks at me.
"Don't you get it?" She asks. I shake my head. "Everyone's saying you're going out with Jeremy. They're either jealous or intrigued."
"Right." I mutter. "A brilliant combination, no?"
Christine shrugs.
"Jeremy is hot. Remember?"
I look at her innocently.
"No."
So maybe being with Jeremy wasn't the best of ideas. I have suddenly become the favourite target of his fanclub. Christine has taken it upon herself to accompany me to classes so that they do not do anything worse than fling insults at me.
"Why are they doing this?" I agonise to Christine over lunch. "I'm not special. Jeremy and I aren't even together!"
"Who says you're not special?" A deep voice sounds above my head. I look up straight into Jeremy's eyes. I can feel my face flaming red.
"Hello Jeremy." Christine smirks across the table at me. He nods and smiles at her, but his eyes remain on me. Sliding into the seat next to me, he speaks.
"So everyone is spreading rumours. Why not give them rumours to spread?"
He leans towards me and kisses me. I close my eyes, relishing his closeness. When we pull apart, I realise that most girls are staring daggers at me, except for Christine, who merely looks amused.
"Hello to you too, Jeremy." I say, fiercely willing my blush to subside. He smiles.
"Hey. Look, I don't mean to interrupt or anything, but if you're done, can we go walk outside?"
Christine smirks at me over the table. I roll my eyes, but smile.
"Sure."
We walk outside together, far away from the busy, chattering crowds and sit in the far corner of the oval.
"You wanted to talk? I ask quietly, because Jeremy's body language tells me that something is up. He hesitates for a moment, then nods. I lean back against the tree. "Go ahead." I rest my head on his shoulder with an easy familiarity that surprises even me. Jeremy is tense for a moment, then relaxes.
"I've been thinking..." He begins.
"Not a good thing to do - rather dangerous, actually." I joke. Jeremy laughs, then continues.
"And...well, I don't think I'm being fair to you." The words come out in a rush, as though he is dying to say them. I lift my head from his shoulder, frowning.
"What?"
Jeremy looks away, embarrassed.
"Well... put it this way. You're obviously not used to this sort of peer aggression that seems to come with being 'with' me. And... well... I don't think I should encourage it... you're so innocent, Abby... you're not ready for this."
I stand up.
"So, basically I'm not mature enough to be 'with' you?" I snap, face red.
"No!" Jeremy takes my hand. "I like you very much, Abby... but... well, you don't tell me anything about you, and you don't seem to want people to know much about you, and trust me, the masses will do as much as they can to dig up the dirt on you."
I bow my head. Jeremy comes up to me and takes my hand.
"Look, I do want to be friends... and maybe more than friends. But you're not ready for it yet. And until you can be..."
"Whatever." I say slowly. I turn away and begin to walk back to the building.
"Friends?" Jeremy calls after me.
"I don't want to ruin your perfect record, so yes."
"You did what?" Christine hisses, astonished. I make no attempt to raise my head from my desk and look at her. "Abby, please don't tell me you broke up with him!"
I make a huge effort to lift my head and look at her.
"I didn't." I say shortly, then drop my head back on the desk. Christine relaxes.
"Good."
"He broke up with me."
Christine grabs my shoulders, sits me up and forces me to look at her.
"How are you?" She asks anxiously.
"Surprisingly not heartbroken." I smile reassuringly back at her. She peers into my eyes.
"Why? Did Jeremy give any reason?"
"He said he didn't know a thing about me, and I didn't want him to." I reply dully. The private study teacher looks at us reprovingly. Christine lowers her voice another notch.
"It's true, actually." She says thoughtfully. "I don't know anything about you. Are your parents still married? What do they do?"
"My mother's dead." I say brusquely, turning away. The bell rings. Fantastic - time to go home. "Bye, see you later!" I exclaim, rushing out of the room. Fortunately, Christine makes no attempt to follow me. She's in the cross-country team; she'd have no problem catching up with me.
"Luce, I'm going down to the park, alright?" I call to my sister.
"It's raining!" She protests, incredulously. Lucy emerges from the kitchen, wiping her hands on a tea towel: a familiar maternal action... that I haven't seen for a while.
"I know." I reply, rolling my eyes. "That's the point."
She looks at me, uncomprehending for a moment, before understanding lights up in her eyes.
"Oh..." Lucy whispers. "Mother loved the rain."
We stand, staring at each other for a long time, before I realise I am crying and Lucy is too.
"I'm going." I tell her abruptly, pulling on my sneakers and running out of the house.
Splash. Splash. I jump in puddles, wetting the legs of my jeans. I don't really care. Why should I? Mother never did. I dance up and down the road, like a wild, mad being. The rain falls down all around me.
I start singing a song no one has sung in ages - a song Mother used to love.
"Every time...the rain comes down..
Close my eyes...and listen..
I can hear the lonesome sound
Of the sky... as it cries...
Listen to the rain.
Here it comes again.
Hear it in the rain...
Feel the touch, of tears that fall...
They won't fall...forever.
In the way, the day must flow..
All things come...all things go..."
I sit on the curb.
"Listen to the rain.
Here it comes again.
Hear it in the rain...
Late at night, I drift away,
I can hear you calling...
And my name is in the rain...
Leaves on trees, whispering...
Deep, blue seas... mysteries...
Even when this moment ends..
Can't let go... this feeling.
Every day will come again
In the sound... falling down..
Of the sky...as it cries...
Hear my name...
In the rain..."
As my voice fades away, I can almost swear I can hear a voice calling me.
"Abby.."
It is a voice!
Calling me!
A/N: Yes, so I've finally updated. I'm so sorry for the loooooooooong wait, I was kind of stuck for a bit. :S Anyway, thanks for all the encouraging reviews. Hopefully this will go somewhere now. )
