Chapter 17: Chapter 17

2012

Pearl’s POV

Tired and mentally exhausted, I dropped onto the lunch desk in the cafeteria during lunch. I’d managed to flop the test as usual and I’m now begging the universe to do something about my GPA or else I will end up in a local university in town.

My dad has promised to get me a job in Mcdonald's because that’s where people like me end up in. They actually think I purposely fail my test to spite them but in total reality, I find it difficult to study.

“Let me guess, you flopped the test again,” Jerry stated as he sat opposite me while Lyla took the seat beside me. They both dropped their lunch box on the table and Lyla placed her head on my back, trying to make me feel better.

“Fuck off, Jerry,” I spat.

I raised my head and glared at him, thinking about how happy he was at my miserable life right now.

“You know there’s something called studying, right? You should try it sometimes,” He continued his spiteful words.

“I swear that you have no idea how much I want to cut your head off right now,” I threatened.

“Put that same energy into your study, Augustus Pearl, maybe you’ll pass”

“You’re not my daddy so mind your own fucking business,” I spat angrily.

He stuck his tongue out at me and concentrated on his lunch. I wish I could grab that box and hit it on his head or throw the lunch in the waste bin and watch him starve for the rest of the day.

“Where’s Aurora?” Lyla asked.

“She’s not here today as well,” Jerry added. I shook my head, letting them know she wasn’t at school. She told me the doctor has placed her on a house arrest for three days and so, I’ll be all by myself in school for three straight days.

I know it’s not as scary as I’m making it look like but it was new to me and new things scare me.

“How did you get home yesterday, I didn’t see you at the bus station,” Jerry asked. I turned to see Lyla staring at me as if waiting for my answer. She had this mischievous smile on her face; the look that tells you she knows everything but just wants me to lie about it.

“Do you live with him?” I asked her and she shrugged.

“Who are you talking about?” Jerry asked.

I was about to answer when someone suddenly called out to him.

“JERRY” Jerry waved back at the mysterious guy.

“I’ll see you, girls, later,” he announced as he picked up his stuff from the table.

“Where are you going to and who’s that guy?” Lyla queried.

“He’s my new friend and he invited me to play soccer with the team,” I scrunched my face as I tried to imagine him playing soccer.

“Be careful,” I told him. He groaned before walking away, happy to meet the guy.

“THAT’S WEIRD” Lyla and I chorused. We’ve been Jeremy’s only friend for years and I don’t even understand how this new guy came into the picture.

“Guess he needs some boy’s time,” Lyla added and I raised my eyebrow.

“That’s a weird mentality,” I informed her.

“It’s not. He only has us as friends and he probably wants to mingle with his gender, I’ll do the same if I was in his shoes,”

I blinked, not believing her words. I don’t see anything wrong with being friends with only the opposite gender. Moreover, gender doesn’t matter, it’s all about staying friends with someone who genuinely cares about you.

“So, did you and Luke go anywhere else yesterday,” Lyla asked.

“I thought he told you everything,”

“Nope, we don’t talk that much,”

“Then how did you know he drove me home,”

She rolled her eyes, “Because he asked me for your home address,”

Come to think of it, I didn’t give my address, and neither did he ask me and it didn’t occur to me till he dropped me off that he didn’t ask for my home address.

“I think it’s about time you stop telling him things about me,” I beseeched. I opened my lunch box and brought out the sandwich my mom had managed to prepare this morning. The sandwich looked like it had gone through hell. I tossed it back into the box and closed it angrily.

“He’s the one who’s always asking about you, I never bring you up around him. As I said, we’re not that close,”

“Uh? Not close but you’ve known each other for ten years,”

“For real, he’s my brother’s close friend and that left me no choice but to talk to him sometimes and we only started talking when he asked about you,”

I rolled my eyes not believing what she had said, it’s not possible that Lucas would ask about me, that was totally insane.

She pushed her lunch toward me and I shook my head, I wasn’t in the mood for food. I failed my test and my food turned out bad, I’m hundred percent pathetic, it’s like the universe doesn’t like me today of all days but no matter what, the universe still has that wish of mine to grant.

“I’ll see you later, Lyla,” I stood up, ready to leave.

“Why are you leaving?” She asked with a mouthful of food.

“I can’t keep looking at everyone eating without eating anything. I’ll see you in English class,” I waved at her as I walked away, not bothering to look back and see if she was saying anything.

I stopped by at my locker to pick up some textbooks before walking to the next class. As I rummaged through my locker, I felt a presence behind me but I didn’t bother to turn because I thought it was either Lyla or Jeremy.

“Augustus,” A voice suddenly called silently and I turned. It was the devil child but before the thoughts could settle in my head, I noticed the bruises on his face, they were fresh like they had happened this morning.

His eyes were darker and his jaws clenched. In his hands were a bottle of milk and a sandwich. His eyes pierced my soul as the sorrow in them was too visible to be ignored. I raised my hand unconsciously to try and touch his face but he moved his face.

“Did you get into a fight?” I asked. He chuckled sadly.

“Funny that’s the first thing that came into your head, Augustus,” I swallowed hard, trying to comprehend what he meant.

He forced the milk and sandwich into my hand and winced as his hand touched mine.

“Eat that before you faint from hunger, failing a test is not the end of the world,” He whispered before he walked away.