October Academy

Chapter 38

Darcy: Meet me at the train.

It's late Thursday night. Tomorrow is the last day of school before mid year holidays. For three weeks, I won't be at October Academy. I probably won't see Darcy all. Most kids take a train or plane back to their families. Not many of them live locally. Some of them have a local holiday home.

I pick up my phone.

Me: Why?

Darcy: Celebrate?

I hesitate.

Me: Ok.

I walk over to my desk, where my mirror leans on the desk against the wall. I put tinted lip gloss on, double up on mascara. There's no point trying to look prettier for Darcy. But I do it anyways.

I walk through the forest behind the school to the train. The sky is a soft shade of purple, navy around the edges.

Light glows from the train and I can tell that Darcy has already lit all the candles.

I step onto the platform, levelling myself with the train. "Darcy?" I call out.

"Hey," he says, appearing from behind me.

I turn around, "so... what are we celebrating?"

"Finishing exams, of course." A cheeky smile spreads across his features.

I smile now, too. Now that I have insurance covering my ass.

"I brought snacks," he says, pulling out a box of chocolate pocky sticks.

"Oh my God, pocky sticks!" I can't contain my enthusiasm.

We take a seat together. He opens the box and we reach at the same time for the first biscuit. He pauses and lets me take one first.

I take a small bite. "These are my favourites, how did you know?"

"I asked Xander," he says.

I do a double take. "You what?"

"I wanted to surprise you so I asked Xander what your favourite snack is."

"Why would you do that for me?"

"I don't think you realise how miserable it made me thinking you might leave."

My face goes hot. "So you felt bad for me?"

"It was more selfish than that."

I look his features up and down, searching for a lie, searching for a trick. My heart flutters.

"Xander almost punched me for asking about you," he changes the topic, grin sneaking back onto his face.

I laugh, "maybe you deserve a little roughing up."

"Oh?" he raises an eyebrow, daringly. "You think you could take me?"

Heat rushes through my body. "I think I could."

"Try me."

I push him playfully.

He laughs, "is that all you got?"

I put on a mock face of determination – though it's not completely fake. "I'm a lot tougher than I seem."

Holding the box of pocky sticks away from me, he says, "Try to take them from me."

I lean over him, reaching for them and failing, then sit back upright. It's going to take a scheme to trick him into losing focus.

I try to surprise him by reaching again, but he swaps hands, holding the box on the other side of me. I turn around quickly, trying to grab the box and almost succeeding.