9 Nine lives

I woke up to a gloomy morning with my alarm clock ringing in my ears... This was the seventh time it went off... "Someone hit the snooze button please." I groaned to myself as I stretched my arms out with a lazy yawn. Sometimes I forget that I live alone, no friendly neighbours or room mates, just a curious black cat, which I am grateful for.

I had to set the alarm clock to go off seven times otherwise I would never have woken up and the clock was placed on my dresser that was quite a distance away from my bed. Trust me, if I had to put the clock on my bedside table, I probably would have thrown it. Today, however, was another day of the one thing I dreaded going to... "School!.."

It's been exactly a week since the power outage at my school, the one that made all the computers crash and exactly a week since I met that "boy" and yes, as you can see school was back on. I received an email from the principal last week saying that school is back on and classes will remain the same, meaning no leaving early or shorter periods. I swear, it's like the main reason school was invented was to suck all the happiness and joy out of life.

But this time unlike the last time I wasn't going to be late for school because I set all the clocks in my apartment an hour early. So basically, I will think I am late when I am actually early. Clever I know... I didn't want to do it but it was either that or humiliation and detention for the rest of my last year in high school.

Dragging myself out of bed with my eyes still closed, I headed towards my dresser where I, without a moment of hesitation, put my alarm clock on snooze. To tell you the truth, I was actually contemplating on whether I should go back to bed or not.

But I didn't go back to bed, instead I made my way to the bathroom where I did my daily routine of showering and brushing my teeth. Then I headed to my room where I brushed my hair and got dressed. I was too lazy to think of an outfit to wear today so I grabbed the first thing I saw in my closet which was a pair of black tights, a black skirt, a pair of black ankle boots and an enlarged black jersey with a silvery golden necklace.

I was completely covered in black from head to toe but I was okay with it because I knew that if I had to look in my closet for something to wear I would have probably been on a witch hunt for it. My closet is almost like a maze, once you enter it you won't be able to find your way out again. Either that, the Author really likes the colour black or the Author of this story was too lazy to give me a proper outfit but anywho.... Let me continue...

After I finished changing me I made my way to the kitchen where I fixed myself a quick breakfast, grabbed my school bag and headed out of the front door making extra sure to lock it before leaving. As I turned around, there sitting on the staircase and looking at me with big eyes was the... black cat.

"How did you get out here?.." I said to the cat as if I was expecting an answer from it. I know pathetic, right?.. But it's not like I have anyone here to talk to anyway. Then as I looked to the cat I began to wonder how he had gotten out here when I didn't leave any of the doors or windows open last night. So how could the cat have gotten out of the house and be on the stairs before I even opened the door, I thought to myself. Heading down the steps I made my way down to the pavement and was about to walk in the direction of my school when my cat started to trail after me. "No, you don't..." I said pushing the cat gently away with my foot.

While I stood there I checked my watch and saw that it was 8 o'clock, meaning it was actually 7 o'clock since I did set it an hour before the time. So I decided to put the cat back in my apartment. I picked up the cat gently not wanting to hurt him but firmly enough so that he wouldn't run away. But other than that, I couldn't have the little guy following me to school, now could I.

As I looked around with the little guy still in my hands, I had this odd feeling, almost like I was being watched. "I got a feeling somebody's watching me... and I have no privacy." Sorry, I got caught up in the moment there. It felt strange and kind of gave me the creeps but I just brushed it off... My mind must be playing tricks on me again, I thought.

Heading back up the steps I got to my apartment door, unlocked it and placed the cat inside. This time I left an open container of food for him on the kitchen floor so he won't be starved when I get home later on. Which also reminded me that I had to buy cat food at the pet store today, possibly after my shift which isn't of any relevance to this story but hey, I can't have him eating all of my tuna.

Making sure he was in the house and did not slip out I locked the door again, made my way back down the steps and checked my watch as I walked in the direction of my school once again. It read 8:10... it took me exactly 10 minutes to get the cat inside my apartment. Although I was still early... the real time was only 7:10.

But besides the stuff that were completely irrelevant, I'm probably boring you to tears, today it was not raining even though the sky was grey and the sun seemed to be hidden.

A light mist covered the city streets making everything hazy as I lost my train of thought when I remembered seeing those glowing green eyes and as I remembered that "boy" I could not stop thinking about him. Who was he?.. I thought. What was his name?..

I remembered everything that happened since the day I first met him, our conversation, how he offered to give me a lift and how sweet he was to look out for me when I was alone at school that day but the one thing that seemed to have slipped my mind was the fact that he had asked me out on.. a date! I completely forgot about that, I knew something slipped my mind and he said he would see me at school.

But it's not like he would find me amongst the crowd anyway, so I guess I have nothing to worry about, that day he only saw me cause no one else was here and today school is bound to be packed with thousands of students and not to mention the fact that he doesn't know my surname.

So if he were to try and find me and he asked anyone if they know an "Alice" he wouldn't be able to cause there are tons of Alice's at my school but I am the only one with the surname "Primrose." Although he does know where I work.

"He already knows where I work?!.."

"Holy Cheeseballs!.." It was either me saying that or a lot of other curse words instead. He knows where I work, I thought. What, am I supposed to do, now?!.. If he can't find me at school he can just show up there... I'm screwed and to make matters worse, I still don't know his name. How can I go out on a "date" with someone when I don't even know the first thing about them... their name?!..

I was still stuck in my thoughts as I headed up the steps of the school building. When I finally reached the doors, I opened them and they made a loud squeaky sound. Luckily, because of all the noise, the sound of footsteps and chitter chatter the students made, no one stopped to look at me. However, that feeling of being watched earlier this morning seemed to have came back but once again, I ignored it thinking it was just my nerves acting up on me this time.

School was just as I expected... It was packed with thousands of students. It was crowded to say the least and not to mention chaotic... So, I guess I don't really have to worry about that "guy" trying to find me anymore because as I predicted this place was beyond crowded.

And by the looks of things I don't even think he was here today, he is quite noticeable and easy to spot, if he was here I would have seen him by now. He was most probably absent but then again this is me assuming things. Phew, what a relief... I thought, one less problem to deal with today. I don't know what I'm going to do if he shows up at my work though?.. I thought.

Snapping out of my thoughts I saw that there were tons of students walking everywhere, some chit chatting, some just standing around or waiting for their friends and some rushing to get to their lockers before they head to class.

I walked through the main entrance and waited for the crowd to subside before I went to my locker. As I waited, I watched all the students as they past me by... But out of the lot, I could tell who the 8th graders were... Because they seemed to be the only ones who were running around like headless chickens, most probably trying to figure out which classes they get.

Standing in the middle of nowhere, I was still waiting for the crowd to die down and I checked my watch which read 9 o'clock meaning it was only 8 o'clock... Yes, for once I'm actually on time, I thought to myself. Lost in my thoughts again while I waited, I thought about what I was going to do about this "date thing" and that "guy."

Should I tell him that I don't know what his name is because I never bothered to ask?!.. I thought. Should I tell him that I haven't dated before?.. Or should I tell him that I am not very good at relationships?.. As I was contemplating on what I should say to him I felt someone nudge me on my shoulder.

"Oh, my fudge!.." I hope it's not him, I thought to myself as I turned around to see a pair of large golden brown eyes staring back at me in wonder through big black framed glasses that was tinged with a bit of purple... It was Eva. What a relief... I thought to myself with a sigh.

"Eva, what are you doing??.." I asked her in a confused tone.

"I'm waiting for you to stop staring into space, of course..." She said as she moved back a little from the close proximity of how near she was to my face.

I looked at her oddly... Eva can be a little weird at times but that's one of the reasons why we were friends.

"So what you thinking about?.." She asked me. "You only space out when you deep in your thoughts about something or Someone?" I'll give her credit for that, when it comes to people knowing me, Eva knows me better than anyone, also another reason why we were best friends.

"Are you thinking about that guy?" She asked me, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and the appearance of a gentle grin evident on her face.

"I'm good, thanks for asking..." I stated sarcastically.

Her eyes widened in shock... "Oh, sorry..." she said smiling with a little giggle, "how are you?"

"I'm okay, I'm just thinking about that maths quiz." I said, obviously I was lying.

"Oh, you are?.." She said in a confused tone.

"Yeah," I said, "I sat up whole night studying for it..." Obviously I was still lying, why would I waste what little precious time I had on maths.

I wonder if she bought it? I thought.

"Really?!.." Eva said furrowing her eyebrows.

I don't think she bought it... I thought to myself again.

"Yes, really..." I replied, still trying to convince her.

"Alice, I know you better than anyone..." Eva said, "and if anything, I know for a fact that you hate maths and wouldn't even consider studying for it."

Oh, no... here we go, I thought. But I can't deny the fact the she was right... I wouldn't even for one second consider sitting with a maths sum or any sum for that matter.

"What are you covering up??.." She asked me with her eyebrows furrowed and curiosity written all over her face.

"Nothing," I said hoping she would buy into it but by the looks of things she clearly wasn't.

"You thinking about that "Boy" aren't you?.." Eva said looking at me and grinning from ear to ear.

How could I deny it, I thought. "Yeah, Eva I am." I said reluctantly but I had to tell her otherwise she would have followed me around whole day in order to get me to spill and she was also my closest friend so I couldn't not say.

"So what you going to do about the "date thing" today?.." She asked in a concerned tone.

"I don't know..." I said shrugging with a smile, "I guess I just have to figure something out."

"Don't worry." Eva said with concern still evident in her voice, "I'm here for you."

"Thanks!.." I said to Eva with a smile before I looked at my watch and checked the time.

To be continued...