School Story - 008

After recovering from the shock that Tayla was inside my house, and that my girlfriend can pick locks, the two of us continued our conversation.

"So, why are you here?"

"Do I need a reason? It's just that there aren't many times when your free, so I thought I'd make the most of it."

That's true. Today, and Saturday are the only times that I'm free. And Tayla really is trying to make the most of the time. Judging from her attire, still in her school uniform, she probably came straight here from school. Her school's much closer to here than mine. It wouldn't surprise me if she got here an hour ago.

"You look good in your uniform."

"You too. You look good with a tie."

Whether I look good in a tie or not, I can't say, but Tayla's uniform really does suit her. The light blue colour of her shirt is a similar shade to her eyes. The navy tie and chequered skirt, both complement it well, too.

"What is it? You look mesmerised."

"Hmm? I don't know if I'd go as far as mesmerised. Perhaps fascinated, is the correct term."

"Fascinated huh? Speaking of school, how have your first two days back been?"

"It's been okay, just there's something that's been bothering me."

"What is it?"

And so, I told her about Arthur Davies, and what I'd seen happen to him, and the conversations that I'd had with him up to that point. I repeated it all, to get her opinion on it.

Whether I was just imagining things.

Whether it was really okay for me to continue imposing on Arthur, despite his insistence that I should just leave him alone.

When I finished my story, Tayla just laughed. Not loudly, but she giggled to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing, just… I just thought to myself, how it only seems natural that you'd come across something like this, the day you return to school. It's just like how you came to my rescue. Now your wanting to help someone again, the same way that you already saved me."

"It's not really the same. You wanted me to save you, I didn't have a choice. Arthur told me not to save him, so isn't it wrong not to respect his wishes?"

"You had a choice when it came to saving me. You almost didn't, remember?"

That's right. I'm ashamed to remember it, but I almost walked past, pretending I didn't see anything, when I first met Tayla. When she was in that horrible situation. A situation you would hope that no person ever has to experience. And yet, I still was so close to doing nothing about it.

"But you chose to save me regardless. Because you would've regretted it if you didn't. And you'll regret it if you don't help this guy now, right?"

She's right. I find it very difficult to argue with her reasoning. It's almost like she has me all figured out.

Written out like the pages of a story.

Though, I can't say that doesn't work both ways. There's something I can sense, from the slight waywardness in the tone of her voice as she speaks. There's something else that she isn't quite telling me.

"Tayla."

"What?"

"Tell me what you really think, not just what sounds good, or what I want to hear."

"Huh? It's nothing like-"

…

"Okay, I guess… I do still really think what I already said, it's just… it makes me feel a little disappointed that I'm not the only one, you know? That I'm not the only one that you want to save. I know that it's selfish to think that way, but I can't help it. I just want it all to myself, I guess."

I don't really get what Tayla's saying to me. It's not that there's anything wrong with me trying to help Arthur, but she feels a bit disappointed that I'm not the only person that I'd try to save.

What does that mean?

It doesn't make sense to me.

"I don't really get what your trying to say, but… I wouldn't be the same person who saved you, if I didn't try to help Arthur now."

"That's true… you wouldn't be the same person. But still, I can't help but feel like I want to keep it all to myself."

…

I still don't really get it, but I guess that means she's jealous?

I'm really not sure. It's not like there's anything or anyone for her to be jealous of.

"Hey, Alexander."

"Hmm?"

"I was talking with a few of my friends today, and they want to meet you."

"I see. Well, that's fine, isn't it?"

It surprised me a little, but I guess it's only natural that Tayla would tell her friends about me. I suppose just since I hadn't met any friend of hers, the thought hadn't really crossed my mind.

It was the same with seeing her high school uniform just now. Of course, I already knew she was a high schooler, but I just hadn't really thought about it.

"You're not busy Saturday, right?"

"No," I replied, "it's not like I really know anyone around, so I'm never busy on my days off."

"Then could you meet me and my friends sometime then? I'll see when they're free."

"Sure."

Tayla flicked on her phone, and began typing away, presumably in some group chat with her friends.

Phones, huh?

I left my phone behind when I ran away, so I don't have one anymore. It'd be good to get a new one. But, thanks to losing my Tuesday shift, I don't exactly have the money for it.

Maybe I can save up for it over the holidays. But still, even to get a cheap second-hand one, it'd still cost a couple of hundred dollars nowadays. I'd be lucky to get one before Christmas.

"I thought you might not like the idea of meeting my friends," Tayla spoke up again, whilst she was still looking at her phone.

"Why's that?"

"Well… isn't it another way that you could be found?"

Oh, that's right.

I'd told Tayla all about my past. Who my parents are, who I'd been living with the past seven years, why I'd ran away from Wellington.

All of it.

It felt only right to tell her, since we'd now committed to being in a serious relationship.

"I'm sure that if they, any of them, wanted to find me, they would've already," I replied, "they can't be looking too hard if they haven't found me yet."

"Yeah, your probably right."

Tayla's phone vibrates as she gets a reply from one of her friends.

Now that I think about it, meeting her friends is kind of a big deal.

I guess it's important that I make the right impression on them.

Then again, it can't be as big a deal as meeting the parents, and I kind of already did that. When everything happened with the Mother's Order.