Head Over Heels Ch2: The Girl on the Wall

School ended, but my time there did not. Whilst the other students pushed and shoved to get out the school gate, I headed to the hall for my detention. The headmaster sat me down, and had me write lines. It was obvious he had better things to do with his time than sit through a detention, so I hastily wrote I will not abuse other students one hundred times. I managed to finish in twenty minutes, so I was allowed to leave.

Outside, it began to rain, and since I hadn’t bothered to bring an umbrella, and the bus had left ages before, it was a soggy trip home. I shoved my hands into my blazer pockets, trying to hold back tears. I felt miserable. I kicked a discarded can into the gutter moodily, wishing things to be different. It was then that I spotted the girl on the wall on the other side of the road. She sat, her legs dangling, water dripping from the tip of her spike heeled boots. I heard her curse to herself, as she tried unsuccessfully to light a cigarette, and accidentally setting fire to her short blonde hair. Fortunately the rain quenched the fire straight away, and she laughed to herself.

I recognized that laugh. It was Ray. Though I will never know why, I felt my feet change course, and I crossed the street, drawn in by the strange girl that I had met. She looked up and, having finally managed to light her cigarette, inhaled the smoke deeply.
“Hey, it’s you. Izzy Izzy Isabelle,” she said, her voice slightly slurred. I noted that beside her was a bottle of vodka. Not much had been drunk, but she was definitely tipsy.
“Yeah, it’s me,” I mumbled. I was beginning to regret going over to her. “I have to go…”
Ray took a drag on her cigarette and raised her eyebrow, as though she knew I wasn’t going anywhere. “Yeah? Well, you’re not going anywhere yet. Sit,” she said, patting the wall beside her. I hesitated, before perching right on the edge. She drew a cigarette from her packet, and offered me it. I was about to say I didn’t smoke, but I thought it would be pointless. She’s the sort girl whose words cut like knives, and if I said I didn’t smoke, she would have trampled all over me in her spike heeled shoes. So I took one, lighting it carefully and putting it between my lips like I’d seen my mum do so many times. Then I took a drag, trying not to choke.

“You’re very quiet. Let me guess. The strong, silent type?” she said. I tittered nervously.
“Something like that.”
I stared forward, not wanting to meet Ray’s piercing gaze, though I knew she was watching me, analysing me, wondering if I was worth her time. Feeling brave, I asked if I could have some of her drink. She told me to go ahead, and I sipped the drink, managing not to spit it out as the liquor burned my throat.

“You haven’t asked me why I’m at your school,” Ray told me pointedly.
“Why are you at the school?” I asked obediently.
“Didn’t like my last school. Neither did my parents. Said I made friends with the wrong sort.”
I wondered what their idea of “wrong sort” was when they had a child like Ray. It made me smile though, and I took a drag on the cigarette.
“So you moved to my school.”
“Looks like. Head teacher doesn’t like me though. Thinks I’m trouble.”
“Aren’t you?” I asked, my confidence growing.
Ray laughed “Maybe. But good trouble. Or so I like to think.” She turned her wrist to check her watch. “I have half an hour to kill. Come shopping with me? I’m having a party this weekend, and I need some booze.”

Involuntarily, I felt my head nod. Ray seemed to have that effect on me. I wasn’t in control of myself any more. Stubbing out her cigarette, she leapt of the wall, wobbling precariously on her heels, before grabbing my hand and dragging me after her. She began running, swigging her drink as she went. A ripple of laughter escaped my lips, and I heard her laugh too. The rain danced around us, but it didn’t bother me at the time. Ray was new and exciting, and I didn’t want to let go of her hand. But soon enough, we arrived at the off-license, and my hand dropped to my side once more.

Confidently, Ray strolled up to the counter, where a man with dreadlocks and a leering smile looked Ray up and down. She smiled at him, and whispered something in his ear. His grin widened and he nodded, before fetching Ray five bottles of vodka. She drew money out of her short’s pockets, and then left with a wave. I was completely astounded by how easily she’d purchased the alcohol, but said nothing as Ray led me back outside. The rain had faded to a slight drizzle, and Ray checked her watch again.

“Time to scram, I’m afraid. Come to my party on Saturday. 56, Grimshaw Road. Be there, yeah? I wouldn’t want you to miss it,” she purred. Then, in a flash, her lips brushed my cheek and she was gone. I touched my cheek where she had just kissed me and wondered if the whole day had been a dream. I walked home in a complete daze, knowing in the back of my mind that my life would never be the same again.