Prologue
When you're a kid, sailing through high school like a boat through rough waters, you don't give the slightest thought to what the 'future' has for you.
Of course not.
Teenagers.
When you're that age, it's almost as if you only see things in black and white. That's just the way it is.
When you find people you can truly trust, they help you through those tough times. And hopefully, if you're lucky, high school isn't nearly as bad as people think.
For me?
It was 3 people.
Mornings started just like any other. We moaned, smacked down on the snooze button and turned over hastily, blocking out the harsh light that the new day brings in it's wake. But, at the familiar sound of our parents screeching up the stairs, asking if we are awake, every child in the province swung their legs out of bed, and threw on a rumpled set of school uniform, all the way down to the scabby tie. Everyone was the same at heart, though it was perfectly clear that some spent more time on their appearance than other. Myself, I scraped my auburn, mid-length hair into a loose bun, or, if I was feeling reckless, a ponytail. Slicking on some mascara, it completed my normal, early morning look.
A mess.
Sighing as normal, I slung my bag over one shoulder and mumbled a goodbye as I shut the door behind me. Today, I was met by a brisk, crisp wind, slapping at my cheeks till they became flushed, and raw. The sky was still indigo, as Scotland was a sitting duck in the middle of it's coldest winter in years. It hadn't rained for weeks, and that made the air even drier. Stuffing my arms up my sleeves and crossing them over my chest, I bent my head low, and marched on, my eyes on the ground. The street lights flickered above me reflected on the frosty pavement of our small street. In the distance, I could hear the faint starting of an engine, and the deep grumbling of a bus. Sniffing, I wiped at my nose as I turned away from the small suburban area, following a winding bike path into the more developed part of town. The bare trees rustled around me, and when the wind grew stronger, I could feel the branches tug gently at my jacket. Moving quickly, I was met by an arch, ending the dirt path, and leading on the richest housing estate around. Approaching number 11, I rubbed my hands together, before ringing the doorbell. I could hear it echo throughout the house, and I silently prayed that she was ready. Looking up to the small circular window above the front porch, I could see the light was on, and I noticed someone move behind the curtains on the balcony overlooking the front yard. Craning my head around, I heard the steady sliding of the french doors, and Julie calling my name. Every morning she did just that. And every morning I laughed. Julliet on the balcony. I knelt on the icy grass, and acted my usual routine.
"Ah! Julliet is the sun-" But she cut me off.
"Shut up." She rolled her eyes dramatically. "I'll be right down."
I chuckled and swiped at a stray hair, just as she opened the door.
She exclaimed as soon as she stepped outside, rubbing her arms, obviously braced by the bitterness of the morning.
"And to think you left me out in this." I looked at my watch. "For ten minutes." I cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Sorry." She smiled a toothy grin, with, to my dismay, perfectly straight teeth. Flicking her long, wavy blonde hair over on shoulder, she hung her bag over the free one, and started off with me on our walk. Being a mid-sized 5 ft 4'', Julie towered over me like a skyscraper. And that's when she wasn't wearing her heels. Her slim figure had me tied in knots, yet, she couldn't have cared less. Our conversations varied, from David Tennant, to Barrack Obama. But yet, I could never really talk to her. We bickered. A lot. Everyday. I'd quote a scientist, and she quotes Shakespeare right back at me. We were famed for our hourly duels.
The walk to school took roughly fifteen minutes. We were lucky, we lived considerably close, but some had to take the buses, and we waved. Every morning.
It took me a long time to realise how these insignificant details made my daily routine. And how simply monotonous it really was.
But then, we reached school.
If you talk to anybody, they will say that high school was the most fun years of their lives. Until you leave, you cannot fully, embrace that opinion. Sure, parties, friends, dating. Sounds fun.
Right?