Once again Patrick and I decided to get a quick cup of coffee before school just like we did almost every Monday. However we didn't expect to be met with the large amount of traffic on the way back. Why we risked being late to school every Monday for a cup of coffee when I could just make some at home? I don't know but we enjoyed getting our morning coffee together.
We jogged into the school. Coffee in our hands, we rushed in, hoping we weren't too late. Running late because you wanted to get coffee probably wasn't the best excuse to use at school. Luckily I made it to first period only slightly after the bell, disposing of my coffee cup before the teacher noticed.
The lesson finished and I felt more revived since I spent most of it with my eyes closed. The teacher, being too tired to care just told us to read from the books and answer some questions, which we could also do at home. As usual, Patrick met me outside class to go to chemistry together.
"Made it in time?" He smiled.
"Just. It amazes me how that teacher never really cares that I'm late almost every week."
"If only I was so lucky. I've got a detention after school, half an hour. This is only because that guy hates me ever since I did an expression of him last year. No humour in old miserable people I tell you. " He sighed and ran a hand through his hair with frustration. I laughed slightly at his misfortune.
"Why did you take the class again then, if you didn't like the teacher?"
"I just like annoying the old man." He flashed his cheeky grin.
"Can we stop by my locker?" I asked as we began to slowly venture through the crowds which now filled the halls.
"Sure."
Slowly we pushed through the crowds of people, finally reaching the small corridor where my locker was placed. Patrick decided to wait for me by the door to the hall which led to our next class as I ran up to my plain, blue locker.
I put in my combination and the locker door moved open just as a small white envelope fell out. I picked it up and placed it in the pocket of my jacket, not know what it was or who it could be from. Quickly taking out the books I needed for the day, I joined Patrick as we walked into class. Everyone was already sat down so we took our designated seats which unfortunately were not very near each other.
I sat in my chair, in the left corner at the back of the classroom next to a geeky looking guy named Nick, whom I'd been partners with since the beginning of the year. He turned to me and smiled, too happily, as I sat down.
"Hi, Jo." He mumbled.
"Hey, Nick." I replied not really in a cheerful, conversational tone. Nick was an alright guy. Aside from the fact that he liked school and I didn't we had quite a lot in common. Occasionally, when we weren't getting on with work, we would talk about music or books. He was quite charming really. He had lovely blue eyes and sandy blonde hair which, if he chose to show it, any girl would fall for.
"How have you been?" He carried on, not noticing the fact that I was trying to actually pay attention to whatever the teacher was saying in the slightest hope of not failing chemistry.
"I've been good."
The teacher then told us to gather the equipment we needed for some kind of experiment. This gave me some time alone as Nick left to get everything.
I slid my hand into my pocket taking out the envelope. It was a plain, white envelope with no significance. I opened it to find a white piece of card. I took the card out of the envelope.
'Hi Beautiful'
The black ink on the white paper made me laugh. This was obviously one of Brad's little jokes. I shoved the piece of card back into my pocket and focused on getting the experiment done with Nick.
"So, do you umm… maybe have... any… plans this weekend?" Nick blurted out.
Before I was able to say anything the bell rang and I mumbled something about not hearing him properly and having to leave quickly. On my way out I grabbed Patrick's sleeve dragging him out of the classroom before anyone else got a chance to leave.
"Has Nicholas been laying his moves on you again?" Patrick always laughed at how Nick tried to ask me to go out with him some time and how I managed to avoid it every time. The guy just didn't understand I wasn't interested and every time I couldn't even begin to tell him no because of how awkward I felt.
It wasn't that he wasn't good looking or anything, he was. The only reason he probably wasn't one of the 'cool' kids was because he chose to hide himself behind his nerdy glasses and his love for learning and books.
"Leave poor Nick alone."
"Gotta give the guy some cookie points for trying… for the sixth time." Patrick burst out laughing. He really got too much entertainment from this.
After third and fourth period I made my way to lunch, anxious to ask Brad about the note he left in my locker. I entered the cafeteria and made my way towards our table.
"Hey, Brad, I got your lovely note." I said with a smile as well as some sarcasm. Taking out the note from my pocket I gently threw it on the table in front of him.
"I didn't leave a note in your locker." He said opening it. I took a seat between Sam and Patrick.
"Sure and I'm the queen of England."
"I'm serious Jo. If I were to leave a note in your locket it would be a lot more creative than 'Hi Beautiful'. It's too boring for me." He said putting a forkful of food in his mouth.
Charlie grabbed the note from the table and examined it. "If Brad didn't, then who did?" he asked.
"Maybe it's Nicholas. I mean you never know." He nudged me in the side with his elbow with an amused expression.
"Please, Nick's writing is more of a scribble than actual words." I said taking the note back and examining it. There was nothing on it except for the two words. Maybe this was Nick. I mean, who knew what that guy got up to in his spare time?
Changing the subject I ate my lunch and joined various conversations at the table. And the matter of the note was once again not important. At the end of lunch I agreed with Patrick to meet him at his car after his detention and then left to go to my lesson.
"Please open your textbooks on page 221." The short woman at the front instructed. I took the textbook out of my bag and began to flip through the pages trying to find page 221 just as a white envelope, the same as the previous one, fell out. I opened it slowly and pulled out the white card from the inside.
'I'm sorry'
At this point I was both annoyed and confused. Either Nick was being a stalker or someone decided to break into my locker and place both of these notes just to play a joke and freak me out. And 'I'm sorry'? Why sorry?
I tore through both of the pieces of card multiple times and threw them into the bin. Ignoring the constant thought of worry in my head I tried to forget about the stupid joke someone had played on me. That's what it was: stupid. So why did I have this nagging feeling that there was more to it?
Trying to forget about the whole thing I turned my attention to the textbook which made no sense to me as words and letters jumped around the pages making it impossible to focus. Who would leave these notes for me?
I copied the information the teacher wrote on the board into my notepad. I answered the questions from the board and discussed the subjects with the people on my table. What if it wasn't actually meant for me? What if someone got the locker wrong?
My last lesson was fairly similar. I tried to focus and my mind went elsewhere. Eventually I managed to convince myself that the notes weren't meant for me and were also a stupid prank from some asshole at the school.
After lessons finished I moved outside the mass of people which were leaving to go home and sat on a bench in front of the school.
"Jo! There you are I've been meaning to ask you something."
The voice coming from the school entrance caused me to take a sharp breath and roll my eyes before I turned to face him.
"Hi Nick." I said reluctantly.
"Would you like to go out to dinner with me some time?" He said almost too quickly for me to understand. I sighed. This has dragged on for too long now.
"Listen Nick I… don't take this the wrong way but I'm just not looking for anything right now and I don't really want to lead you on any more than I already have" I said slowly making sure he understood.
"I know. I get it. You've just moved here and everything but come on. Give a guy a chance, one date wouldn't hurt, what do you say?"
"Fine. Alright. But if I don't want to carry this date thing on then we can still be friends right?"
"Of course, it's just a date, nothing serious. Is this weekend good for you?" The smile he had on caused me to smile too.
"Saturday would be great."
"I'll pick you up at 5 then. I gotta go but see you tomorrow."
"See you. Just tell me what we're doing in advance so I know how to dress." I shouted at him as he walked away, thinking about how stupid I sounded asking him about what clothes to wear. He turned around and showed me thumbs up before waving and getting into his car.
I smiled at the thought of final getting this situation under control. And then I thought of how much of a laugh Patrick is going to have once he finds out about this. Seeing as I had about 20minutes before Patrick showed up I decided to get some work done. I shuffled through my bag trying to find my notebook which I realised I had unfortunately left in my locker.
I got up, gathered my stuff from the bench and started to walk back into the school. Walking through the halls without passing many people felt weird for me. Occasionally I passed an odd student or two who I assumed had detention or had to stay behind. Silently, I cursed whoever placed my locker on the other end of the school, furthest away from the entrance.
Once reaching my locker I fumbled with the lock as the combination wouldn't click into place. After wasting about 5 minutes of my time I yanked on the locker and opened the door. My book was there. But so was something else. Another one.
I tore through the flap of the envelope pulling the piece of card once again as a feeling of déjà vu filled me for the second time today. Another stupid note. Another prank.
'I've missed you'
My eyes widened. This note startled me the most. Next to me someone cleared their throat and I shut my locker with a loud push to see who it was. As my eyes took in the image of the person who stood in front of me, I dropped my bag as the contents of it emptied out onto the floor. For a second I couldn't breathe; couldn't find my voice.
"Will?"