Week 4 - pt 1
23rd September
Autumn met Connor and Daniel by the bridge she still seemed vexed. ‘You okay babe?’
‘Yeah.’
‘You’re early.’
‘Me and mom has a run in.’
‘What about?’
‘Personal.’
‘Oh okay.’
They all walked to school.
‘So Con get you out of bed!’ James cracked.
Connor cut his hand over his throat to say quit it.
She starred daggers at him, his smile faded.
The bell rang and they all walked in for registration. Autumn caught up with her science teacher trying to explain to him that she couldn’t help Stenton and explained that he needed more help than she could ever give him. He told her that he’d talk to her and Jonah Stenton once he’d had chance to talk to the head.
She walked into the class.
Stenton grabbed her arm. ‘Please red don’t stop helping me.’
‘Who told you?’
‘Grumpy balls. Please red I need your help.’
‘I can’t help you Stenton you need a miracle not me.’
‘I’ll listen I swear. I’ll keep trying.’
‘You need more help than I can give you.’
‘Mr. Stenton, Miss. Cleveland the bell went five minutes ago.’
‘Sir.’
They both walked in going into their lesson, Connor looked at Autumn, her face said it all. ‘Take it daint go well?’
‘No it daint.’
‘What he do beg?’
‘He tried.’
‘Gee he must be desperate.’
They lit their cigarettes smoking before the bell went for their final lesson before lunch.
After lunch they went to their final two lessons . Autumn sat next to Stenton. ‘You okay red?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Sorry about earlier. I just need to get through these last two years.’
‘I know.’
At the end of the lesson their teacher called them back to see him. ‘I’ve thought about what you talked to me about this morning Miss. Cleveland. I agree that Mr. Stenton needs extra help so I’ve requested it. When I get an answer I’ll let the both of you know, but until then I would like you to keep helping him.’
‘Bu..’
‘He needs help Miss. Cleveland.’
‘I know but.’
‘Will you listen to Miss. Cleveland Mr. Stenton?’
‘Yes sir.’
‘No messing about.’
‘I won’t I promise sir.’
‘Well that’s all settled you’re to help Mr. Stenton till we find him a tutor.’
‘Okay.’ She sighed.
Connor stood by the gates waiting for Autumn. Daniel walked up to him. ‘Con you’re here late.’
‘Dan. Have you seen Autumn?’
‘No she had lesson with Stenton. I heard they’d been kept back you may as well go Con she’ll be ages.’
‘I don’t know.’
‘Come on Con you know what he’s like when he keeps you back.’
‘Fine.’ He huffed.
They walked away from the school. Autumn and Stenton walked out of the class room heading down the corridor. ‘Thanks red.’
‘Daint have much say in it.’
‘You won’t regret this.’
‘I best not.’
‘So how’s about I take you for that shake?’
‘I can’t I’m meeting Con.’ She replied as they walked out into the derelict meeting ground.
It was so quiet had everyone gone home?
‘Guess he’s gone.’
‘Guess he has.’
‘So can I take you for that shake?’
‘I guess.’
He smiled. ‘Come on then.’
They both walked away heading into town having a shake.
Autumn sat by the lake after Stenton had walked her back and she had thanked him for the shake, burger and fries telling him he shouldn’t’ve . He told her it was nonsense she was helping him and he’d always be in her debt for it.
She sat smoking. ‘So you and Stenton get in shit?’
She looked up. ‘Con.’
‘Well?’
‘No.’
He sat besides her. ‘So what was it then? Dan said you both had to stay behind.’
‘I told our teacher like you said I should.’
‘What did he say?’
‘I have to keep helping Stenton till he gets him a tutor.’
‘Guess that’s something.’
‘Why didn’t you wait Con?’
‘Reckoned you were in detention.’
‘I wasn’t out that late Con.’
‘I waited ten minutes babe. I gathered you’d be at least another ten. You had Stenton to walk you back.’
‘Yeah I did.’
‘He didn’t touch you did he?’
‘No he was a gentleman.’
He laughed. ‘Who Stenton? I find that hard to believe.’
‘Well he was.’
‘So do you have to help him all of the time?’
‘In class and with his his home work.’
‘Oh.’
‘It’s okay Con I’ll still find time for you.’
He smiled kissing her softly placing his arm round her.
24th September
Connor met Autumn by the bridge. ‘So are you okay today?’
‘Yeah fine.’
‘The first few sessions are hard.’
‘How long did it take you to open up?’
‘A while Grayson slowly talked me through everything step by step. He’s top dog, I don’t understand why he let an amateur loose on you.’
‘He thought it would be good practice I guess. I like him.’
Dan strode briskly up to them ‘Hey guys.’
‘Dan.’
They hi fived crashing fists.
‘Hay red.’
‘Dan.’
‘So are we meeting the guys there?’
‘Yeah we’re already running late. Autumn’s alarm is still bust.’
‘Just use your mom.’
They crashed their fists again.
‘I did.’ She said sarcastically adding. ‘She almost gave me a shower. She said if I didn’t wake up in the morning it’ll be more than a cup.’
They laughed.
‘It’s not funny.’
‘Yes it is. We’ve all had it babe, it’s usually a jug.’
‘Or two.’
‘Mom says the alarm better hurry up and get here or she’ll be running out of water.’
They laughed.
‘She hopes it’s louder than my snoring or it won’t wake me.’
They laughed again. ‘You snore babe?’
‘So mom says.’
‘My bro takes the fucking house down.’
Dan laughed.
‘What you laughing at bro? You stunk the fucking house out last time you stayed over.’
She tried to laugh but found it hard to.
‘Come on or we’ll be late.’
They all walked away from the bridge heading for the high school.
‘What time do you call this?’ James asked tapping his watch.
‘Time Autumn got a new alarm clock.’
‘I’ll be her alarm clock.’
They elbowed him.
The bell rang.
‘Hell calls.’
‘So do you have Harding first thing?
‘Yeah.’
‘I’ll see you at break.’
‘Okay.’
He kissed her cheek. ‘Later babe.’
‘Later Con.’
Daniel looked at Autumn. ‘Later red.’
‘Dan.’
Mathew opened the door. ‘Are we ready?’
‘I guess.’
‘Come through Autumn.’
She soothed in, he closed the door behind her. ‘Take a seat.’
She sat down on the sofa he sat in the arm chair opposite. ‘I’d like to continue where we left off in our last session. Is that okay with you?’
‘I guess.’
‘So, you talked briefly about your brother.’
‘Yeah.’
‘So was he at college when you left?
‘Yeah last year. My dad sure knew how to pick his time to do what he done.’
‘I’m surprised he didn’t drop out?”
‘My brother, you kidding. he wanted to prove to everyone that his head weren’t in the clouds like they thought it was.’
‘What was he studying?’
‘He wanted to become a surgeon, he wanted to go to med school.’
‘I’m sure he would’ve.’
‘I hope so, he was really set on it.’
‘So, What really happened between your parents?’
‘I’m not sure. All I know is she found out about that whore, all he saw was a pair of tits and a pulse. She worked for him, she was his apprentice. Mom found out he was fooling around with her. Me and Winter just hid in our rooms until the arguing stopped.’
‘Is that when you mover here?’
‘Yeah.’
‘I’m sorry Autumn.’
‘Don’t be you never lost the one person that meant anything to you because your parents thought that it was for the best just cause some whore ruined everything.’
‘I’m sure you’ll see him again.’
‘I hope so.’
The bell rang.
‘We’ll talk more Thursday.’
‘Okay.’
They pulled themselves up and he opened their door. ‘I’ll see Tuesday.’
‘Okay.’
He closed the door behind her and she walked down the hall to her next lesson.
Connor slipped his arm around her. ‘So did it go okay?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Good.’
They went into their next lesson meeting their friends for break having a cigarette before their last lesson before lunch.
‘We’ll see you guys at lunch.’
‘You will.’
They all parted company going into their lessons. They all met up for lunch having a cigarette before registration and their final two lessons. Connor kissed Autumn on the cheek before she went into her lesson. Daniel called her over. She dropped onto the seat next to him getting her stuff out of her bag.
‘You okay with us sitting together.’
‘Yeah.’
‘Cool.’ He smiled.
‘So can we do something this weekend red?’
‘I don’t think th..’
‘Right class settle down.’
Daniel smiled.
They all walked out of the class Connor slipped his arm over her shoulder pecking her cheek. They all walked out of school meeting their friends walking home saying their goodbyes.
26th September
Connor and Daniel met Autumn by the bridge he kissed her cheek dropping his arm over her shoulder. ‘Let’s split.’
They walked away heading for school. They all walked in to school going to registration then to their first lesson. ‘So what have you got first babe?’
‘Geo.’
‘So who’ve you got?’
‘Welsh.’
‘Cool so have I.’
‘I’ll meet you for English okay babe.’
‘Okay.’
‘Later Dan.’
‘Later.’
Connor walked away. ‘So red fancy sitting next to me?’
‘Sure. And call me Autumn.’
‘Sure. Come on.’
They both walked into lesson sitting down.
The bell rang. They pulled themselves up going out of the room. ‘So I guess I’ll see you at break?’
‘Guess you will.’
‘Later red.’
‘Dan.’
Connor slipped his arm round her. ‘Come on let’s get to lesson.’
‘Okay.’
‘So did Dan behave himself?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Good.’ He said opening the door his arm falling from round her.
They met their friends at break having a cigarette. ‘Cool lets go to lesson.’
Connor and Autumn walked down the corridor to their next lesson. They walked over the meeting ground to the cigarette corner lighting their cigarettes. ‘Autumn, Con.’ They all chimed walking up to them lighting a cigarette. ‘No Dan?’
‘I’m here.’ He answered joining them lighting a cigarette.
‘Where have yo been?’
‘Handing in home work.’
‘You mean to say you actually done it?’
Daniel stared sarcastically at James blowing the smoke out of his mouth, onto James’s face who coughed.
The bell rang and they doubted their nubs out going inside for the final lesson before lunch.
‘So how’s it going with Stenton?’
‘It ain’t.’
‘See we told you.’
‘He’s so Un conventional. I tired, I guess I’m gonna have to keep trying until he gets the help he needs.’
‘He’s only interested in one thing Autumn and it ain’t learning.’
‘Yeah he’ll jump on you every chance he gets Autumn.’
‘Just watch yourself he’s the biggest male whore around here.’
‘I will.’
Thy ate their lunch going to have a cigarette before the bell rang for the end of lunch and registration. ‘Don’t worry babe I’ll talk to Stenton to make sure he knows that you’re only there to help him and nothing else.’
Autumn sat by Ashby in her next lesson. He smiled. She just looked at him. ‘You still ain’t still threating about Stenton are you?’
‘No I’m fine.’
‘Good cause he’s cool Autumn he’s just like any of us. A fourteen year old kid with a high sex drive.’
She looked at him.
‘It’ll be okay Autumn. I’m sure Con will drill it in to him.’
They walked out of class Connor slipped his arm around her kissing her cheek. ‘You okay babe?’
‘Yeah I’m fine.’
‘It’s cool Autumn it’s all sorted.
‘See I told you it would be.’
‘Well we’ll met you for lunch.’
‘You will.’
They all went to their final lesson before lunch. They all met up for lunch.
‘So have you got used to the shit hole yet?’
‘Almost.’
‘It won’t take long babe what have you got next?’
‘Ancient history.’
‘Me too.’
‘What have you got last lesson?’
‘Science.’
‘I’ll meet you there babe.’
‘Okay.’
They all went into their tour groups for registration then they went off to their final two lessons.
Connor left Autumn outside her ancient history class ‘I hope you didn’t make Autumn feel uncomfortable.’
‘Who Moi?’
‘I know you Jae.’
‘I was a gentleman.’
‘Autumn?’
‘He was, we’re doing a paper together.’
‘Dumb dumb pair you?’
‘He did, boy girl.’
‘No surprise there.’
‘He said seen as we knew one another it would be easier.’
‘I’ll meet you here okay.’
‘Okay.’
The friends parted company going into different classes. Stenton smiled at Autumn calling her over. She walked cautiously over to him. ‘Sit down red.’
‘My name’s Autumn.’
‘I know.’ He said tapping the sat next to him.
She pulled herself up on to it.
He looked at her. ‘You are okay with us working together aren’t you?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Cool.’
‘So did you get in shit last night?’
‘No.’
‘I bet Con weren’t too pleased he had to leave school without you.’
‘He was fine. Dan told him.’
‘So he knows about us having to spend time together.’
‘He does.’
‘I bet that narked him.’
‘He’s okay with it.’
‘That’s a first.’
‘He is.’
‘I enjoyed yesterday red, maybe we can do it again.’
‘I don’t..’
‘Right class settle down.’
Stenton smiled as they listened to their science teacher.
The bell rang and they all soothed out of class. ‘So are you meeting Con?’
‘Yeah.’
‘I guess I’ll see you later then red.’
‘I guess you will.’
They walked their separate ways.
‘So was that Stenton.’
‘It was.’
‘He bothering you babe.’
‘Not really no.’
After their final lesson they all walked out of school walking home.
‘We’ll see you guys tomorrow.’
‘Sure later.’
Connor and Daniel walked Autumn to the bridge. ‘We’ll see you tomorrow babe.’ He said kissing her cheek.
‘Night Con.’
‘Night babe.’
‘Night red.’
‘Night Dan.’
They all walked their separate ways heading home
Connor stood by the bridge with Autumn after they’d said their goodbyes to their friends. ‘We’ll meet here tomorrow I’ll call you just in case your alarm’s still bust let’s hope it’s not.’
‘Okay.’
He pecked her on he cheek. ‘Night babe.’
‘Night Con.’
He walked away as she looked over the lake wondering if she’d ever get used to it here. She walked away heading home.