I had only a few seconds left. These were the final moments in which it was determined whether I would live or die.
I found myself wondering how I had got here. What I had gained and what I had lost. How I felt before, and how I felt now.
I remembered…
It was a beautiful day, and here we were trapped in a cold classroom that seemed to have the ability to make time slow down considerably. This annoyed me and Tara to no end. Tara is one of my best friends, along with Tasha, and a total genius, although she would never admit it, because she hates school. Or really just work in general.
Mr. Alkin was still droning on about how decimals were a big leap for mathematicians everywhere. Honestly. We SO did not care.
I scrawled rapidly on the piece of paper Tasha had flicked my way, and sent it back over to her. Unfortunately Mr. Alkin had turned around and saw her with it. She didn’t care. This was a daily occurrence. Or more like a half-an-hour-ly occurrence.
“Natasha Redding? Would you like to share something with the class?” he asked voice as cold as a crocodiles stare.
“Yeh, sure why not,” Tasha agreed. And with that she ambled up (No, really. Ambled) to Mr. Alkin’s desk and spun around on her heel. (Prada none the less. She bought them to go with her Gucci handbag.)
“AHEM. COUGH COUGH. AHEM. “
Then she broke out in song.
You see, Tasha has the most amazing voice EVER. I mean, like a fricking ANGEL.
The performance lasted a good 4 minutes. At the end everyone cheered. (Especially the boys. Whoop whoop.)
And she returned to her seat.
“Er, thank you, Nata-” Mr. Alkin began, unsure of what else to say.
“NO…NO! Thank YOU!” Tasha cried with as much passion as a fiery Latino woman when her husband dies in a crappy made-for-TV movie.
Just then the bell rang, and Mr. Alkin pretty much collapsed with joy.
Out in the hall, Tasha and I met up with Tara, and I asked them if they were free tomorrow.
“Why? Are we actually going out someplace or staying at yours? I don’t wanna waste a Friday night…” Tasha questioned.
I rolled my eyes. She could be such a bitch sometimes, ya know?
Tara stepped in, ever the sensible one, knowing how to handle things.
“Tasha. You’ve got your bitchface on again.”
“Oh, right. Sorry.”
Like I said. Sensible and responsible.
It was lunch, and I and the girls pretty much just did what we do every day at lunch. Here’s a little script of how it goes:
Me: So, what are you guys having?
Girls: *stare at me blankly like they haven’t even considered eating in the lunch hall appropriate behaviour.* Actually, I have no idea.
Me: *sigh* How bout a mango tropical smoothie and a ham and turkey Bucko Sambo with flavoured mayo fresh lettuce and a hint of surprise on only the finest Italian bread?
Girls: Sure. Ok.
*we walk to Pauli’s Mad Mayhem Sambo Shop and order that. Except you don’t say all that, you say, “Three order number 5’s, please.”*
So we do all that and then we sit outside the wall for about 20 mins, munching companionably, and rating guys who walked past. I wasn’t really interested in boys. I had plenty of time for that later.
Then I got a buzz in my pocket. A text.
The text that changed my life forever.
It was from Yuki. My stepsister.
She never texted me. What was going on?
It just said: Come home now. Urgent.
Not even an “xxx” at the end. Yuki ALWAYS sent me an “xxx” the end. Even when she was really pissed at me. Like we were sisters. That’s what it felt like between us. DON’T YOU SEND YOUR SISTER A FRICKING “XXX” AT THE END?!?!?
“I have to go now.” I whispered quietly.
The girls knew something was up.
“Let me call Ashton,” (her brother) Tara said. “He’s in town. He’ll give you a lift.”
Minutes later Ashton drove up on his Harley, pulled me up in front of him as I think he knew I wouldn’t be able to hold onto him properly if I was on the back in my current state of mind and we roared off, leaving a trail of dust and two concerned friends behind us.
We arrived in minutes, breaking a few laws but no ribs. Good. I needed to get in there fast.
“YUKI! YUKI WHAT’S WRONG?????” I screamed as I bust in the front door.
I didn’t hear her, but I knew she was here somewhere. I don’t know how, I just knew.
I closed my eyes and calmed myself. Breathe Aria. Breathe.
Suddenly, there was this shock that travelled all over my skin. My eye shot open, and I knew where Yuki was. (This had been happening quite a lot lately. But I couldn’t wonder about that now; I had to go to Yuki and ask what the hell was going on.)
My legs seem to work themselves, like a robot who has been instructed where to go. I let them for the most part, but I was still really freaked out and partly wanted to sink to the floor and start to cry.
Then I was in the laundry closet with Yuki. She was crying, her kohl running down her face. (BTW, Yuki is quite a “scene” girl. Not emo, she is too sweet for that. She just likes the appearance.)
I sat with her, and let her cry on my shoulder. She would tell me when she was ready. Also, I suspected that asking her would just provoke more tears, and nobody needed that right now.
Eventually she stopped. She lay there shivering, although it was definitely not from the cold. The oil tank was in here, and it was lovely and toasty. Yuki had obviously been shaken to the core.
“Yuki.” I asked softly into her hair.
“They’re gone. They left, Aria.”
I lifted her head to look her in the eye.
“Who?”
“Our parents.”
This statement was followed by a deadly silence. What? Where could they have gone? Pauli’s to pick up lunch for us? Spar down the street to get milk? I needed more info.
“Where Yuki?”
“Spain.”
…
….
…..
WHAT?
SPAIN?
“Yuki?? Are you sure about this or are you just having a mental breakdown????”
“I wish. They left this morning, while I was sleeping. They left a note.”
“Whe-”
“Here.” She handed me the note.
Dear girls.
We have decided to go to Spain-without you.
We thought it was for the best. We intend to find out things on this trip you’d be lucky not to know.
Love,
Irena & Taaiski.
P.S. Get milk. There is only half a litre left.
Holy shit.
My. Mum. Just. Left. To. Go. To. Spain. Without. Me.
Leaving me and my stepsister to cope.
Yuki obviously knew something I hadn’t figured out yet. Her dad used to let her stay on her own for weeks at a time.
I stared at Yuki. Breathe, Aria, breathe.
Spain. What was in spain? What could be so important?
Holy shit.
My mum was going to rob a bank.
No.
She was going to steal all the dolphins!!!!!!
*sigh*
I needed out of this closet. The lack of air was slowly but surely disabling my brain.
So I tumbled out into the hallway. I say tumbled because my knees had turned to jelly and there was no way in hell I could depend on them at this moment in time.
Spain. Spain. Spain…
*note to self. Get milk.*