If The Gravestone Could Speak #6

“I think you’re going crazy mate,” replied Peter, leaning over Alex to get a better look outside, “it’s just a bunch of old people gathered for a funeral”.
Most of the students on the bus, and even the red-haired maths teacher, were staring out of the window now, an eerie silence ensuing as nobody spoke.

“I didn’t realise anyone lived there,” said Alex, still crouched uncomfortably against his seat.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity for Alex, the bus inched forward and around the last car trying to park. A sense of relief overtook him then, the feeling of being watched disappearing as they travelled further down the road.

Trinity High came into view a short while later, as the bus entered a sprawling campus of buildings and sports facilities. Joyful voices could be heard from the front of the bus, both cheerleaders and athletes alike happy to return to school. Alex and Peter were less enthusiastic; school would not come so naturally to them as it would the cool kids. Throwing their bags across their shoulders, Peter led them down the aisle and towards the que of students waiting to leave.

Thankfully, Jessica had already left the bus, and could be seen prancing towards the main campus building with her friends. They did not want to fall foul to another one for her cruel pranks.
“So, have you got much planned for your birthday?” Peter asked as they stepped off the bus and into bright sunshine. It would be a hot day, a deep blue only aiding the sun’s scorching rays as they beat down.

“No, not really”. Alex’s neck ached from where he’d been lying on the bus seat so awkwardly, “my mother is working, so it’s just me and dad. We will probably go bowling again”.
After a pause in which it became evident Peter was waiting to be invited to, Alex continued, “would you like to come?”.

Peter stood with a finger pressed to his lips and feigned a look of concentration, “hm, let me think, dinner with the devil, or bowling”.
“You don’t have to come,” Alex quipped in.
“Well, it’s a tough choice,” Peter continued sarcastically, ignoring his friends remark, “but I’m going to have to choose bowling”.
Laughing, Alex patted Peter on the shoulder, “you know, sarcasm really doesn’t suit you”.

As they walked towards a large rotating door that was admitting students inside, a bell sounded signalling that school was to start in ten minutes. The school hadn’t changed at all during the summer holiday, and it was like they’d never been away. Big yellow lockers lined the walls when they entered the building, all identical apart from the numbered plaques at their top. Alex and Peter had used the same pair of lockers since starting at Trinity High, numbers 19 and 20.

They were two of the closest lockers to the front entrance and meant that they could beat the end of day rush for the school bus. Alex had opened his, thrown his bag inside, and was about to shut it, when he saw a girl walking through the hallway.

Heart stopping momentarily, he pulled his locker open again and hid his face inside, pretending to be busy. Peter had been too busy taking the books out of his bag to notice the new girl, only turning when he saw Alex thrust himself inside his locker.
“What are you do…” and then he saw her too, “wow”.