And I couldn’t help the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
Chapter 3
Oliver Eleven Years Old
After Grace’s sleepover, we were all waiting for the summer to end. We didn’t want it to happen. It was like a rain cloud in our blue sky. We all hoped it wouldn’t hit us and ruin our fun, but deep down, we knew we should go inside and wait for it to pass. Despite the promise we’d given each other, we couldn’t ignore the uncertainty that came with the start of a new term. Especially me.
It was stupid–we’d see each other all the time anyway. Although every time I convinced myself that it would be fine, my stomach rolled as if I’d just taken a ride on the death slide that Maddison shoved me down when we were younger.
I didn’t want to start a new school. I wanted to stay exactly where I was and be with Grace and Maddison. Mainly Grace. Maddison only wanted to show off to her, although he was always nicer when she was around. He might be my younger brother, but he didn’t act like it. All he’d done was gloat about all the time he’d be spending with her now that I couldn’t.
Tightness squeezed my chest and made it hard for me to breathe. It always happened when I thought about leaving them. I’d do anything to keep things between us the same, and it was more than just nerves about starting a new school. Grace had fixed the gap between Maddison and me, and I wasn’t ready for another one to form.
The first day was the hardest. Everything was different, and instead of knowing everyone in the school, I only knew a handful of people in a sea of other students. Of course, this shouldn’t have been a shock, but for the first time since meeting Grace, I felt lonely again. There were so many new faces, new teachers, new everything. And all I wanted was to be able to find my two best friends and sit with them and swap lunch items. Grace always took my fruit. Her favourite was strawberries, so I asked Mum to buy them for me.
My school finished later than Maddison and Grace’s, and with the bus ride home, I didn’t see them for the whole day. I couldn’t escape the feeling of missing out, and I hated it.
“Hey! How was your first day?” Mum greeted as I swung the door open.
“Fine. Is Maddison home? Is Grace here?”
“He’s upstairs, and no, Grace isn’t here. You can go over and see her after tea.”
I didn’t want to wait but knew better than to test Mum, so I thudded up the stairs and into Maddison’s room. “Hey,” I greeted and crashed down on his bed.
“Hey, yourself,” he grumbled, barely looking up from his computer.
“How was school?” I asked although I wished it were Maddison asking me. It was me that had started a new school, after all.
“Fine.”
“Grace?”
“What about her?”
“Did she have a good day? Does she like the new teacher? Who have you got this year again?”
“Mrs Lindam. And yeah, she’s fine. She’s got me to look out for her.” His sure-of-himself tone annoyed me, and a part of me wished I could be the one to keep looking out for her at school. I’d have to wait another two years until she was at school with me again. And then she’d have Maddison with her as well.
“I’ll go and see her after tea.”
“Well, I’ll come with you, too.”
“No. You’ve seen her all day. I want to tell her about my new teachers.”
“Still gonna come with you,” he argued, still not looking up from his screen.
“Whatever.” I got up to leave. I always had to when he was like this. Grace was the only one we managed to forget about fighting for. And then half the time we’d argue over her.
Suddenly, I didn’t care what Mum would say. The urge to see Grace, even for a few minutes, was greater than the risk. I bolted from the house and sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me, down the lane and over the green to her house. They didn’t have a doorbell, so you had to knock on the door, and my knuckles burned from banging so hard.
The door opened, and I saw a sad girl. Her blue eyes were usually bright and shone like crystals, but they were darker today, and it broke something inside of me. I never wanted Grace to be sad.
“Oh, hey!” Her voice picked up as she looked at me, her smile returning. “How was school?”
“All right. You?”
She shrugged and opened the door, allowing me to step inside. She stomped up to her bedroom, and I followed. “Is Maddison coming over?”
“No.” My response was blunt because right now, it was my time with Grace. Maddison had seen her all day, and I didn’t want to share her.
“Okay. So —” She jumped onto her bed, and I took my usual seat at her desk. “What happened? Any nice teachers?”
“It was fine. Big. So many kids. Too many.”
“It’s the first day.”
“Yeah.” I turned to her desk and the windowsill where there were a few of the dragons we’d made from modelling clay or other craft bits and pieces. They weren’t the same figurines that I collected, but in a way, these were better. We’d made these together, coming up with names and stories for each of them, together. And she got to look at them every day.
Now I was here, things felt awkward.
“I need to get going. Mum’s going to be mad I left before dinner.”
“Don’t get into trouble,” she warned.
“I won’t. Shall I come over after school tomorrow?” I asked, hopeful of getting some part of our life back.
“Erm, I can’t tomorrow. Mum wants me to do netball after school this year.”
I nodded. “Okay. Have a good time.”
Those first few weeks were the hardest. We were all trying to find our way—our new place, and it didn’t come easily. Whereas before we’d spend as much time together as possible, now we had to take the time and find the opportunities. Everything was harder.
Maddison grew more popular, and his other friends invaded our home on more and more occasions. Grace was encouraged to do more things, although I knew she didn’t want to. And being at a different school forced me to make new friends, even if I didn’t feel I wanted them. I was happy with the friends—friend—I already had.
By Christmas, things were more settled, and a new routine had emerged. In some ways, it was better because I got to spend time on Sunday with Grace without Maddison. He’d started playing rugby for a new team, and Mum left me home alone. It was the only time in the week I looked forward to. All the other time, I had to share Grace’s attention, and as I grew older, I knew I didn’t want to share her with anyone. Not even Maddison.
Spring was my favourite time of year because I knew summer would be here soon. The outside beckoned. The winter chill had gone, and the nights were stretching longer, meaning more time to play in the evenings.
“Hey, Oliver. Grace is going to come and watch me in the game at the weekend. Are you coming as well?”
“What?” I shrieked. Sunday was always the time we could do what we want, and that meant I’d see Grace. We were writing a new story about a fantasy world where elves and dragons were at war.