Shane: Branston High Series

I'm sprinting down the hallway towards my classroom, late. I really hate being late. It's not unusual unfortunately, because my mother lives by her own schedule, a world in which timings don't matter. Except they do, rigidly, in my world. The only reason I'm not constantly in detention for it is because I get good grades and my teacher, Mr Whiting, once tried to explain the importance of being prompt to my mother and ended up on the wrong end of one of her tirades about living in the moment rather than to some man-made timescale. According to my mum, nature gives you all the timings you need and it's unhealthy to go against nature. I usually drive in, but my car's in the garage, so until it's fixed I have to pester my mother and resign myself to the fact that I'm going to have to sprint to my first class.   Turning the corridor, I slam into someone, ricocheting off of them and flying backwards onto the floor. Laughter erupts all around me as I ga

Sunday, I throw on jeans and a shirt, winding my hair up into a loose ponytail, I slide my feet into my comfy trainers and wait for Rae to pull up outside to take me out with them all. Shane's jacket is still on the chair in my bedroom and I have no idea how I'm going to give it back to him. The idea of seeing him, or more to the point, him seeing me and recognising me, turns my insides over. I can't think about it without worrying I'm going to puke.  "Aurora." My friends wave at me from the car excitedly and I hobble down the path to the car."What did you do?" Jenny asks in an amused voice, turning around to face me as Rae drives us to the cinema car park."Long story short, I was running and ended up getting tripped over and twisting my ankle.

I'm crazy, I must be.  I tell my reflection that night. I'd kept my head low when Shane walked in, hiding behind Rae and my books until he wasn't facing my direction anymore, but part of me had still wanted him to look straight at me, as though he knew it was me at the weekend.  As though I wasn't just a stupid drunken opportunity.  He didn't even look behind him, not once, I was sat there worrying myself stupid for absolutely nothing. I could hear Jenny stifling a giggle beside me the moment he saw his jacket and I was terrified he'd hear her and turn around, but he just tipped his chair up, kicked at his jacket and stared ahead of him.  So why do I feel so disappointed? 

I'm so excited it's Friday, I've managed to get through the week unscathed and tonight, to celebrate, we're going out to Andromeda's karaoke bar. I even drove in this morning, parking in the big car park up the road and walking the rest of the way in so I can drive us back to Jenny and Priya's after school. I'm stupidly early and I love it, Mr Whiting unlocks the door for me and I sit at my desk, opening my book on my phone and waiting for everyone else to arrive. "I'm just popping up to the staffroom, Aurora." Mr Whiting tells me, more out of courtesy than anything else.  "Ok sir, do you need me to do anything?" "No, no, you just enjoy the peace and quiet." He smiles at me, gathering up his paperwork and opening the door. "Mr Woodson, can I help you?"  I look up, my mouth wide open, as surprised as Mr Whiting that Shane is here so early. "No, sir." Shane replies, a big grin on his face. "Just couldn't sleep so thought I migh

"I can't believe he knows it was me." I tell my friends on the way out of school. "It's been a week, I thought I was safe." "The fact he's taken a week is quite concerning actually, he really isn't the brightest spark." Jenny giggles to herself. "He might have got it out of his system though?" Rae says optimistically, glaring at Jenny for being unhelpful. "It doesn't seem like he's told anyone else at least." "Miss Jewkes. Do you have a minute?" Mr Whiting calls to me from the main door of the school. "I'll meet you by my car." I hand Rae my keys and follow Mr Whiting back to his classroom. Waiting inside is Shane and my heart stops as soon as our eyes meet. What the hell? Has he told Mr Whiting!?  "Mr Woodson has asked for some assistance with his classes. I thought you'd be best to tutor him since I know you tutor some other students."  "Uh…" I look from one to the other, my brain in too much of a panic to think of a reason