Tied Together

Chapter 6: Waterfall

I deal with my problems by avoidance. Maybe it's not the best way to deal with shit, but it is working. It was working...

That is until the person I am desperately trying to avoid is forced to be in the same space as me. On the same class trip, on the same bus, and with the same group of people. That's a whole lot of shared space. It also doesn't help when that person is not trying to avoid you- but trying to do the exact opposite... Avoidance becomes difficult under those circumstances.

To say Ray was mad about Greg is an understatement. Furious  or livid is a better adjective. 

Eventually got him to calm down. After some convincing, he reluctantly left and I thought that would be the end of it.

New page flipped.

Forgotten.

Over it.

But I was wrong... Because now he has started paying even more attention to me.

He has been extra observant. Extra caring. Extra kind. And I am scared if he looks too hard he will see right through me and I can't have that.

Every time he asks if I am alright or opens a door for me; my porcelain heart cracks a little more. Getting closer and closer to the inevitable, it's unavoidable destiny. It is not a matter of who will break my heart, but when. That is why I am trying to prevent that- I am wrapping lots of bubble wrap around my heart. Storing it deep in the basement- for safekeeping.

I am pretty good at keeping my emotions in check, at numbing them down a bit. But it becomes a bit of a struggle when Ray does certain things. Like last week I scored pretty shit in my English essay- which was expected, I didn't put too much effort into it. I was dozing off during the test, pretty sure one of my neighbours kept me up that night. He was having a screaming contest with his wife or something (was not pretty).

Anyway, a kid next to me saw my score and started cracking up about it. Found it totally hilarious. Starting saying some words that would have been considered offensive- if I gave a fuck. But my mind was on more important matters at that time, like do I have enough money to buy lunch? Because I was starving and really craving something sweet.

Ray, has taken it upon himself to sit in the seat behind me in class recently so he must have overheard the kid calling me dumb. 

He was not happy about it. Shut the kid up with a few words. If I can recall correctly it was some like, 'Shut the fuck up Luke.' 

It was is very out of character for the kind-hearted friendly Ray Preston. To say Luke was shocked was an understatement, his eyes widened to the size of saucers, jaw slack. Was quite funny actually. Long story short- Luke didn't utter another word to the whole class.

Ray sticking up my for like that made my heart flutter. Which is bad. Very bad. It disrupted my hearts safely stored placement in the basement. So for our school trip I knew I needed to pick wisely where I sit on the bus. A three-hour bus ride for a school trip is a long time to be near someone. 

So, when I get on the bus my eyes scan the bus strategically, looking for a seat that has no room. Mal will sit with Kyle probably near Lily as they are now besties (Totally not sour about that).

Near the back of the bus's left row, I spot Jeremy Hill and the empty seat next to him. Perfect.

Jeremy is the school's loner. He smokes during his breaks, doesn't have many friends, and I think he is failing nearly if not all, classes. No one goes near the kid. That is why he is perfect. Surely, Lily won't want to sit here. She has her popular image to keep up and sitting next to two total social outcasts wouldn't be so good for her rep. So ultimately my thinking is Ray won't sit here since she won't.