by Ivy Ruthven
“Hello, Olivia,” he said, reaching towards me with a fang-toothed smile.
“Hi.”
“You look well. I’m glad.”
The sincerity in his voice made me look at him closely. Was he being serious?
“Don’t look like I’ve grown two heads. I didn’t mean to hurt you…last time. It just happened so suddenly. I was trying to warn but…”
“I didn’t trust you,” I finished the sentence. “I wasn’t hurt but my friend took the hit.”
“I heard,” he said.
“I’m done, deary!” Dorene’s voice called from behind.
Going to the shop’s counter, I paid her and picked up the parcel. “Thank you.”
“Are you alone?” asked Michael, looking around.
“No. My friend is in the next store,” I said, gesturing towards Stacie who was still looking through bangles and earrings.
“Good. It gives us a little time together,” he said, stepping close to me.
“We have nothing to talk about. Good bye.” I was about to turn around, but he grabbed my upper arm and pulled me back.
“Come now. I’m trying to be friendly,” he whispered in my ear. His warm breath fanned the side of my neck.
“There’s no need,” I said, trying to struggle free. Keeping his grip on me, he kissed me on the cheek and then loosened his hold.
“You!” I cried, wiping my cheek. “Why do you always have to behave this way?”
Michael grinned, displaying his fanged tooth. “Merry Christmas, Olivia,” he said, turning away.
As I watched, he walked towards his friends. They came to him as soon as he called for them. Within a minute, they’d disappeared in the crowd.
My anger was short lived. Stacie came away from the jewellery shop and suggested we had something more to eat. Deciding to forget all about Michael Hawthorne, I joined her to go to the Italian sweetshop where we both bought large chunks of almond studded pink nougats.
Chapter 7
The weekend passed by too quickly for my liking. Both Saturdays and Sundays were spent in studying and practicing with Jenny. It was difficult for me to admit but the girl’s dedication to winning was impressive. She herself worked very hard and expected the same level of commitment in others. There were a few more boys on the second floor of the Franklin Building who’d been bullied into coming for practicing that weekend.
“We’re getting the privilege to use the whole second floor of the school,” she’d said fiercely. “Why not put it to good use for the whole team?!”
Her tenacity had one good effect. By Sunday afternoon, I was back to playing without mistakes and my fingers glided over the keys effortlessly. Jenny spared me a beaming smile and it felt like the highest compliment I ever received.
Even with all the work, the weekend allowed to me to rest more than a regular school day.
When Monday arrived, it felt good to start a new week with energy. I was able to wake up on time and took care to dress up well.
At the breakfast table, James was reading his favorite sports section with a bowl of cereal in front of him. That morning, even Sarah was hidden behind the newspaper.
“Anything interesting?” I asked, stepping into the kitchen.
“No. But it’s bad news,” said Sarah from behind the newspaper.
Taking my seat at the table, I poured myself some apple juice. “What does it say?”
Sarah folded the paper and kept it aside. “There have been incidents around Knightswood. A masked man is targeting young women and slashing their clothes and taking their valuables. Some have been badly injured but no one’s died yet. The public is warned to be careful at nights.”
“That’s sick,” I said. Every time I heard news like this, it angered me.
“I know. Is Ryan well enough to drive now?”
“I don’t think so but he would soon be. Why?”
“I feel more at peace knowing he’ll drive you home in the evenings,” said Sarah, drinking from her mug. “The town gets awfully quiet after dark.”
“It’s strange though,” said James, setting aside his part of the newspaper. “The streets are well lit in most places and neighborhoods now. Only a crazy person would take the risk to attack people at this time of the year.”
“They shouldn’t be doing this any time of the year,” I replied.
He shrugged. “Get pepper spray or something.” He let the spoon make a clattering noise against his empty bowl and stood up. “I’m done. Bye, Mother.”
“Bye, honey,” called Sarah after him. Then she turned her attention back to me. “It’s not a bad idea though. I’ll buy you a can and you can keep it in your bag at all times.”
“Is that really necessary, Mother?” I asked, starting on my cereal.
“I’d rather you sprayed attackers than get hurt.” She looked exceedingly worried. “Perhaps, you should pool some money to get a car. That way you won’t have to walk all the way home.”
“Mother, I’ll be fine! The report said it was happening around Knightswood. Not exactly this town.”
After breakfast, I washed both mine and James’s bowls. Giving Sarah a big hug and a kiss, I left for school, eager to see Ryan and Stacie.
All thoughts of shady men with knives vanished as soon as I stepped out into the cold but clear morning. It was lovely to walk through the streets and admire the Christmas decorations that most of the residents of Willow Lane had put up.
Reaching the school gate, I waited for Ryan. Jenny and her friends were chatting by the nearby benches but they didn’t shoot me glares as they used to. One of them even waved to me when I caught their eye. It got Jenny’s attention and she gave me a small smile before turning back to her friends.
“Hello, darling,” said a familiar voice.
Turning around, I saw Ryan.
“Hi,” I said, moving forward to hug him. A second passed before I felt his hands closing around my back. My sudden enthusiasm must have surprised him. As for me, the weekend had seemed too long without seeing him. Even speaking on the phone at night didn’t feel enough. I had to see him and feel him.
“Good morning to you too,” he said, his voice full of laughter.
As we proceeded towards Washington Building for our first class, Jenny’s voice hailed me from behind. Stopping, I turned behind.
“I don’t have a free period until two PM today,” said Jenny. “What about you?”
“Same here.”
“Then meet me at two in Franklin’s and we practice until four PM.”
“Two hours?” I gaped at Jenny. It would be cutting it extremely close to the start of my shift at the teashop.
“We have less than two weeks left to practice. Time to step it up!”
Leaving me groaning at the prospect of extra work, she smiled at Ryan and walked away.
“Come on,” said Ryan, pulling me along gently.
“Jenny is going to kill me,” I said with a moan. “And it’s just Monday.”
“The school will kill you if don’t beat St. Paul’s Academy,” said Ryan. “She’s just saving you from that.”
“Really?”
“The Principal is letting you use the facilities on the weekends. Just imagine the commitment there.”
For the first time, I felt nervous about the competition.
The rest of the day went by in a flurry of classes and a hurried lunch. All through the day, people discussed the delinquent attacking women at night. Some of the boys found it funny to run behind girls in the school corridor with a fake knife and a mask. Every time a scream tore through the place, I jumped a little.
“Do they have to take everything as a joke?” I said, fuming. A guy, his face covered with a black balaclava chased a seventh grader through the hall. The girl was clumsy and ended up falling on the ground after a few feet. I suspected someone had tripped the poor thing.
“They all lack brains,” said Stacie, looking at the particular boy with distaste.
“Have
your parents asked you to carry pepper sprays?”
“Not yet. I’m afraid I’d spray some idiot like that boy.”
I chuckled. “Yeah. What are the chances something like that would happen here? I mean this town is so quiet and people are generally friendly.”
“It’s the quiet towns you need to watch out,” said Stacie, her voice lowered for dramatic effect.
We walked into History, the class of the day.
When the hour came to an end, I bade Stacie goodbye and headed towards the Franklin Building. While she got to go home and relax, I was going to spend a grueling time with Jenny. As I walked through the campus, the last rays of the sun shone on the tops of the school’s beige buildings.
The building was quiet as I walked up the stairs to reach the second floor. My footsteps were loud against the stone steps. The sound of singing caught my ears. As I got closer, the voice was familiar. Jenny had already begun.
Taking a breath, I steeled myself to give my best to my partner. We both had the same goal in my mind and even if I didn’t care about the competition before, I was determined to win it now. It was the only way to wipe that smug grin off Michael Hawthorne’s face. Fury ran through my veins just thinking of him.
“Hi, Jenny,” I said, stepping into the classroom.
“Hey,” she said, turning towards me. “Ready to start?”
“Yeah!”
The sky darkened outside while we played and sang. Fluorescent lights flickered overhead, throwing dark shadows in the corners. Without proper lighting, it was becoming harder to read the music sheets.
“Can we do this tomorrow?” I said, squinting at the sheet in front of me, barely seeing it.
“How’d you ever learn to play with so little practice?” asked Jenny.
“It’s getting late and I feel exhausted. School’s officially over and I have to get to work. I need a break before that.”
“Quit your whining,” said Jenny, but she sat down on a nearby bench. “I’m tired too. How do you manage to work after the day is over?”
“It’s not like I have a choice. My shift starts in another forty minutes. I am supposed to be there within ten minutes from now.”
“Is your family that poor?” she asked, her voice not as abrasive as before.
“Yeah. I have a brother too. My mother’s not used to taking care of a house and us. I’m doing all I can to support her,” I said, putting the music sheets in my bag.
“You’re something,” said Jenny. “Your parents should be supporting you. Not the other way around. Still, it’s cool what you’re doing.” She slung her bag around her shoulder. “I’ll leave you to clean up the place then. Put the benches and desks back in their place, clean the board and make sure there’s no rubbish outside the bin. The janitor hates that.” With a smirk, she was gone.
An exasperated sigh escaped me. Just when I thought she was coming around to actually like me, she left me in the dimly lit classroom to clean up. Grumbling, I stood up.
As I did, it dawned on me. The place was so unnaturally quiet that I could hear my own breathing. Distant ticks of a clock could be heard. The darkness outside suddenly seemed to press against my senses, reminding me of an evening like this a long time ago.
Suddenly, I remembered being eight and left forgotten in an unused classroom. My heart hammered as I began cleaning the classroom. Each time I shifted the benches, they grated along the floor with ear-splitting noise.
“Jenny,” I groaned under my breath. “Why’d you have to leave me alone?”
Unable to bear being in the empty classroom, I picked up my bag and stepped outside. Only a small bulb in the middle of the corridor gave off some light. I hurried to close the latch on the door.
I began walking towards the staircase when something stopped me. Footsteps were coming towards me. Who could it be? No one was supposed to be there.
My heart thundered against my chest. Sweat broke out on my forehead as I strained my ears to hear the footsteps. They were definitely coming nearer. Fear paralyzed me as thoughts of murderous ghosts clogged my mind.
A heavy hand fell on my shoulder.
A scream tore out of me, the sound making me jump violently. Without turning back, I broke into a run. However, someone grabbed my grabbed my arm. Struggling with all my strength, I tried to break free.
“Stop, Olivia. It’s me.”
“Ryan?”
Slowing down, I turned around. As my eyes adjusted to the dimness of the hallway, I saw Ryan looking down at me. His expression was scared too.
“Yeah. What scared you like that?”
“I think you did.”
His chest rose and fell rapidly. So did mine. Now that he was there, my fear evaporated. Stepping close to him, I threw my arms around him.
“I was so scared,” My voice was muffled against his coat.
He leaned towards me and kissed me on top of my head. “I’m sorry. I really wasn’t trying to scare you.”
“I know. It’s just this empty school and the dark. They brought back some bad memories.”
“Will you tell me what happened back then?”
I almost nodded but stopped. Telling him would mean revealing about my days in Strathmoore Academy. “Someday I will.”
He didn’t press me further. “Are you on your way to the teashop?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll drive you there,” he said.
“Has your hand healed?” I asked, staring at his arm.
“Not completely but the cast came off. So, I can drive short distances without trouble. Come on.”
I followed him down the stairs and we walked to the school gates. Two men in security uniforms watched us with beady eyes but did not stop us. His car was parked a few feet away on the road’s side.
“I’m so glad you can drive now,” I said, getting into the car.
“Yeah?”
“You can come to Bramble’s every day now.”
He chuckled. “I missed that place too. And you, of course.” He leaned to kiss me briefly and then started the car.
Chapter 8
Ryan gravitated to the empty seat by one of the windows as soon as we entered the teashop. Letting him capture his favorite spot, I headed towards the locker room. Bramble came out of the kitchen at the same time as I was walking by.
“Olivia,” called Bramble.
“Hey! What’s up?”
She took my arm and pulled me to the side so that Dorothy could leave the kitchen with a giant tray, heavily loaded with teapot, teacups and plates of sandwiches.
“I was wondering if you could help me,” she said in a low voice.
“Of course. If I can, I will.” From a closer look, she looked quite pale and anxious.
“My mother’s in the emergency unit. I just got the call,” said Bramble, looking at the phone in her hand. “I have to get there now but we’re supposed to have an important delivery of chestnuts and special handmade chocolate truffles this evening. They need to be stored properly. Nicole will tell you. No one will be available to stay back today.” Her eyes widened as she stepped closer to me. “Will you be able to stay behind? I promise to come back and drive you home myself. It’ll be a huge favor.”
Even if she didn’t promise to drive me home, I’d have stayed back to help her. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I nodded. “I’ll take care of it. Go and look after your mother.”
Bramble jumped and gave me a quick hug. “Thank you, Olivia!” She rushed into her office and within seconds left the place with her handbag swaying wildly at her side.
I poked my head into the kitchen. “Call me when you have a minute to spare, Nicole. I’ll be taking the deliveries.”
“Sure,” said Nicole, keeping her eyes on the frosting she was piping on a batch of cupcakes.
I got changed into my uniform and started on my shift. Every time I was in the dining hall, my gaze wandered to where Ryan sat. A pot of his favorite Earl Grey tea stood on the table while he studied f
rom his book. The crowd and noise never seemed to bother him. He looked cool and collected, focusing solely on his textbook.
At some point, a group of young women broke into a Christmas carol. Within minutes it was picked up by the other customers. I glanced at Ryan. He was looking at me too. Slowly, he gestured towards the bunch of plastic mistletoe hanging from the ceiling over his table.
The memory of our kiss under it came rushing. I smiled as my cheeks warmed. Ryan grinned and blew a kiss towards me. Singing along with the crowd, I grabbed the imaginary flying kiss and pretended to put in my apron’s pocket.
When the song ended, I went into the kitchen to check up on a recent order.
“Get in here for a minute, Olivia,” said Nicole when she saw me. Her apple-like cheeks were glowing red from working hard and the heat of the ovens. Wiping her hands on a cloth, she showed me a paper that looked like delivery receipt. “You must sign the papers they give you and make sure to keep a copy for yourself. Understand?”
I nodded.
“Next thing. Store the chestnut in the pantry. The chocolates go in the refrigerator. Please, don’t forget that. The kitchen’s heat and moisture can spoil them.”
“Right. I’ll remember.”
“Good. That’s pretty much it. Jeanne and Dorothy will clean up and lock everything right before they leave. So you just have to wait for the deliveries. They’ll come through the back entrance from Judith’s side of the kitchen. Make sure to lock up after they go and not before.”
“Sounds simple enough,” I said.
“Yes.”
I went back to my shift. The next few hours seemed to pass away in the blink of an eye as I rushed to and fro with the orders. The crowd remained close to seven that evening. Before the cleaning could start, I spoke to Ryan.
“I’ll be here a while today. Bramble will drive me home when she gets back,” I said.
“Where has she gone?” he asked.
“Her mother had an emergency. Everyone’s occupied today, so I agreed to stay back to receive a few deliveries.”
His glance drifted away from me. Following his gaze, I looked around too. With a sudden movement, Ryan pulled me close and kissed me. For the first few seconds, I froze. When the surprise began wearing off, my lips began moving against his. It was a sweet kiss, bringing in warmth and a longing for more.