3
Harry Raite
Aly walked down the hallway with her suede boots clicking on the floor. She came up towards her one-week abandoned locker and twisted her combination on the lock. As she was taking her Chemistry and French books, someone tapped her shoulder. Aly turned her head to find her friend, Keira. She looked superb even by only wearing a simple white tank top over a pair of brown cargo pants.
“Hey, Aly,” she said.
Aly slammed her locker, “Hey, what’s up?”
Violet and Lizzie had Canadian History and Alex just went for English. Thank god their lockers were only next to each other. Only Keira remained because she too had Chemistry with Aly, “Nothing,” Keira replied, “Wait! I just remembered something, a new guy entered our class yesterday,”
“Who is it?”
“Let me remember first…Harry or something like that from UK, I think and I also think he’s also in Chemistry today!”
Aly quickly made a shocked face but she actually didn’t care anymore about boys or school or anything else. She just wants to pass finals, go to Cambridge and live out her god-forsaken life.
Both of them entered the chemistry lab and settled down just as Prof. McGinnis came in the class.
“I would like all of you turn to our last chapter this year at page 137. Read it. Understand it. Memorise it. I would like to say these upcoming OACs would affect your final grades. Please be serious about that, Mr. Finch,” he said. Several people sniggered at Pete (Finch) who often failed in Chemistry, which is his weakest subject. He groaned theatrically. More people laughed.
“I also would like if all of you keep amusements to yourself.”
Aly opened her Advanced Chemistry book and started to read the (purple!) highlighted words she noted a few weeks ago but the words only drifted out of her mind towards the corner of her eye. She saw Keira trying to nudge her without being seen.
“What is it?” Aly whispered.
“That’s him, two seats across from you,”
Aly turned her head towards the direction Keira indicated. A guy with brown hair and wearing a brown t-shirt over baggy blue jeans sat there. He was reading the over-sized textbook intently, holding his pen and writing on its pages as if doing notes.
She peered at the book closer to read what’s he’s writing despite herself and actually saw a sketchbook inside it, filled with words and drawings. A picture of a girl wearing a plain white long dress that was almost the same colour with her skin was drawn on one of the pages. Around her neck was a long necklace, which its amulet was round and black with the writings ‘Snow White’ on it. The girl was staring into the open skies, the stars glittering above her and her eyes was a deep green, illuminating but hollow as if she was expressionless and alone. Her pale skin was drawn to shine in the moonlight and her reflection could be found in the sea below her as she sat on the pier. Her golden hair shone. There were many clouds in the skies, covering the moon. The sea was calm and magnificent looking in its vastness. It was a lovely drawing, she thought, sad but beautiful. She couldn’t help but to be interested in the picture that she forgot that she was even looking. She felt herself drawn into it.
Harry felt like he was being stared at. He could feel eyes on him as if someone was nudging him. He looked up from his work and glanced around. He immediately saw Aly. She quickly looked away from the drawing and made it looked as if she was reading the book perched in front of her. Harry looked back and forth from his picture to her and continued his drawings.
The bell rang, indicating that it was time for break.
“Ok, class. Remember, page 155 for the exercises. I would like all of you to hand them in tomorrow,” Professor McGinnis said. The class groaned.
The students started to pack their stuffs. They filed out of the classroom in groups of twos or threes, chattering and discussing of anything that came into their minds.
“Aly, sorry, I gotta go. Nate is waiting for me at the fountain. I’ll meet you later, ok?” Keira said, shouldering her brown sling bag. Nate was her boyfriend since 2 years ago where they met at England when Keira was on holiday. Nate was this guy from South Hampshire who was her age, working at the theatre there. Fortunately one year after they met, his father had to move the family to Canada because of work.
“Ok,” Aly said.
Aly took her notebook and small bag of stationery and shoved it into her blue jeans bag. She started to take her Science textbook when a piece of paper was put on it. She looked up to stare into the face of the guy who sat two seats away from her.
“You can keep it if you like it,” he said.
Aly turned it over to see the drawing that she had admired earlier. A poem was written in perfect cursive writing beside it.
Dark Clouds
Dark clouds are coming,
To darken my world,
The skies are booming,
Making my hair curl,
The rain may wash me away,
Come and try to keep me at bay,
When will you come?
To keep me calm,
I’m screaming with recognition and fear,
Wishing to throw myself off the pier,
When I found no one is there,
To protect me with care,
I felt so alone,
All by my own,
And that is why dark clouds are coming,
And my soul is also asking,
Where will be my silver lining?
“Thank you. I’m sorry if I was bothering… I mean, it’s…” Aly started to stutter. Stop it, Aly, you’re embarrassing yourself, she scolded herself. It was weird. She never stuttered or felt shy in front of a guy before. She was the one in her group that can speak to guys without being so…scared, silly or petrified. Whatever you call it. Maybe its because sometimes she acted so tomboyish.
“My name’s Harry. Harry Raite,” he said with a thick British accent. He extended his hand towards her.
Aly took his hand and shook it, “I’m Aly, Alyson Parker,”
