MAKE A NEW FRIEND

BLADE

The bell rang signaling the end of today's classes. I rarely go to my classes it was only an exception last year that I attend my classes because of Arden's stupid request. Now I got more freedom to do a lot of things. Though there was a possibility I might get expelled that is, if I cause trouble to other people. I won't get expelled because I don't attend my classes. Academics wasn't always the issue it was always my impulsive and reckless behavior. But who cares, my Dad won't give a damn if I get expelled even though he is the principal and owner of this darn school.

I yawned loudly as I walked the hallway as usual people avoided me, stepping aside to give way for me. But as I was walking I notice a girl who was approaching my way. I froze when I saw the girl who was walking towards me totally distracted by a Shakespeare book she was reading. She had her light blonde hair in a single ponytail and the blue uniform really matches her white skin. She had this amused smile on her pink and soft lips that instantly melted my heart.

"Eunice," I muttered.

She instantly stopped walking when she heard me. Eunice was only two meters away from me. She looked up at me from her book with wide eyes. She went pale like she just saw a ghost.

"B-Blade," she stuttered.

I want to be angry because for the whole summer I was coping up with our break up but then as I look at her right now it seems like she wasn't affected. . .at all. It was like our two year relationship was just nothing to her. I went to so so much pain while she looked so happy. I want to vent out my anger but then when I look at her blue eyes intently the anger suddenly melted it's replace by the sadness, the longing to hold her in my arms again like we always did before.

"Eunice, can we talk?" I said calmly.

She held on her book tightly in her arms her fingers fidgeting the cover of the book. She didn't meet my eyes. "I-I'm sorry, Blade but I'm kinda busy right now."

"Oh." I muttered. "I can wait after you're done—"

"No!" she snapped. "I mean I'm just busy right now. Let's talk some other time. I'm sorry. G-Goodbye Blade."

But before I could say a word she already ran pass me and didn't looked back until she was already meters away from me. I sighed and scratch my head. I guess I'll talk to her next time.

***

AURORA

"WHERE IS it?" She looked up the sky and continued searching in a flower bush. "I could have sworn it fell in this area."

"Umm, are you looking for something?" I asked the girl. But I think she didn't heard me because she didn't acknowledge my question neither my presence.

"Where is it?"

"Umm, hey," I said hesitantly but she still didn't hear a word. I patted her shoulder and she instantly turn her head my way. She had dirt smeared on her face. Her long hair was in a frizzy disheveled mess with twigs and leaves stuck into hair. Her white dress was also covered with dirt. She was dirty like she was on this bush searching for quite some time now.

"Uhh, hi," she looked at me like she was racking her brain if she knows me or not. Well, I am a stranger to her since we just met this morning and that time we didn't get the time to introduce ourselves with the trouble I caused.

I offered my hand to her and she accepted it and stood up. We shook hands. "My name is Aurora Jane. I'm the girl that you met this morning on the hallway."

"Oh," she muttered. "So that's the reason why you look so familiar to me."

"Yeah. Maybe the reason you didn't realize that we met because my face was covered with chocolate frosting."

She scratch her forehead. "Kinda. But are you okay now? You're not hurt anywhere, right?"

I shook my head. "No it's all because you came and save me. And I want to properly thanked you for that." I let go of her hand and bowed. "Thank you so much for saving me!"

"Oh no, I didn't do anything that big for you to thank me like this." She held my shoulders propping me to stand up straight. She smiled. "I'm just happy to help someone in need."

Her smile was contagious I didn't realize was already smiling which was something I didn't usually do. "I didn't get your name," I told her.

"Oh, my name is Forever."

"Cute name," I commented.

"Yeah. I get that a lot."

"What were you doing in the bush? Were you looking for something?" I asked.

"Oh, I was looking for my umbrella that I lost. I was quite sure that it fell around this area," she said looking around scratching her head. I picked a piece of leaf stocked to her head. "Mind if I help you?" I asked.

"Oh no, I don't want to trouble you with my problems," she declined.

"It's fine, I'm not busy anyway. And it's getting dark it would be faster if we look for it together."

"Are you sure it's okay?" she said making sure that I was really in to this.

"I'm sure. I want to help you, consider it as my thanks for helping me earlier."

"Thank you so much!" she squealed and she suddenly gave me a bear hug. I was never hugged by someone like ever. She might have notice me flinching because she suddenly let go. "Oops, sorry. It's kind of a habit of mine."

I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I'm just not use to it," I said looking away, rubbing at my arm. "Ever since childhood I've never been a social person and the fact that my looks didn't helped me at all now that I'm in high school. People constantly pick on me, bully me and make fun of me that's why hugging and talking normally with you is something out of the ordinary with me," I said feeling all gloomy about it.

It was weird.

I've only known Forever for only moments but here I am telling my tale to her when it's something I shouldn't share to anyone. Even though my eyes are downward I could feel that she is looking at me with pity and that she doesn't want to be friends with a nerd like me. Birds of the same feather flocks together, right? If she hangs out with me she will be bullied too. No. I don't want her to cross that path. Should I just go away? I was astonished for she encircled me with another hug this time it was reassuring and comforting.

"Then you need to get use to it."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You need to get to use to me hugging you because from here on out I'll be hugging you a lot," she said with a giggle.

I almost burst into tears but decided to hold it in. We hugged each other tightly before we started searching for her umbrella. She describe the umbrella to me and moments later we had our heads on the bushes. Looking every nook and cranny for the umbrella she lost. She said it was an authentic and sentimental item.

When I asked how she lost it she said, "Some jerk throw it off the rooftop."

We search high and low amongst the bushes and looking above the trees but there was no cyan umbrella with sunflower prints anywhere. "Are you sure this is the area where it fell down?" I said as I was scoping the tree branches for any signs of that umbrella.

She nodded, "Yes, I'm sure it was around here." She rummaged further under the bushes. I continued searching on my bush when she suddenly got close to me and hold me on the shoulder. "Get down," she said.

She made me hunch down and hide under the bush. I craned my neck and look around searching for anything that might be suspicious but all I see was students walking probably getting home or going into their respected clubs since class has ended.

"What? Why are we hiding?" I said.

She pulled my arm down. She gestured her hand and mouth to shush. "The jerk has finally showed up," she whispered, her intense gaze were affixed somewhere else. I followed her gaze and saw a the guy she was looking at. My eyes instantly widen and my mouth fell open. I hid under the bush trying to keep myself hidden as much as possible.

I jerk my head towards Forever who was shooting daggers at Blade. It's like she is trying a lot of plots on how to kill Blade. "Are you kidding me? He was the one who threw your umbrella?"

She nodded her head vigorously. "He promise to help me look for it but he broke his promise to me. That jerk!"

She looked like she was about to punch someone's lights out. I hope she is not planning to confront Blade for the third time, won't she? Because if she do she might get herself into serious trouble. Like what happen to both us earlier this morning.

"Uhh, I think it won't be a good idea to mess with Blade?" I suggested.

"Why?" she asked not taking her eyes off away Blade who was casually walking the hallway as everyone was giving way for him.

"You know how Blade is. He doesn't make an exception, either it be a boy or a girl as long as he see people annoying he would hurt you. You see him in action, right? Blade is bad news." I paused, feeling my cheeks warming up. "But then even though he is like that deep inside there is still goodness in his heart."

Forever looked at me skeptically for a moment before her lips curved into a smile. "Yeah, me too. I believe that too."

I guess we both encountered his good side that's the reason even if he is labeled a total troublemaker, he is still my knight and shining armor. But I wonder how she encountered him.

Forever repeatedly pull on my blue vest and said, "Who is that he is talking to?"

When I look at Blade again he stopped walking and was looking at the girl who has her blond hair in a ponytail. I gasped. "That's Eunice Johnston, Blade's ex-girlfriend."

She turn to me wide eyes. "Really? I didn't expect he would ever had a girlfriend considering his bad temper."

"Yeah, all of us thought that too but before she was his girlfriend. She was also her childhood friend."

"So what cause them to break up?" she asked as we both watch how the two talk. Clearly Eunice is avoiding Blade after a small talk she hurriedly ran away from him.

"Rumors said it was because of Blade's impulsive and reckless behavior. He got into a fight with a group of people that he almost killed them just because he got jealous when he saw Eunice talking to them. Eunice got mad and she decided to end their relationship even their friendship. But even though they broke up Blade obviously still loves her and tries everything to get her back."

We watched as Blade continue walking looking a little down and annoyed. Our gaze followed him until he turn up into a corner and was gone from our sight.

"That's kinda. . .sad," she commented. She paused for a while before she abruptly stood up that made me jolt. "Light bulb! I have an idea!"

"What is it?"

She rub her palms together and her smile curved up into a sinister smile. "You'll see." She laugh mischievously. I frowned. Ugh, this idea of hers doesn't look good. Before I could ask again what it was her phone rang and she immediately answered it replying with a 'hello'. She listened to what the caller said but then her broad smile immediately faded into a frown.

"But I—"

She sighed. "I understand," she said sounding dejected. "Yeah, I'm going straight home now."

And when the call ended she looked at me feeling all gloomy. "Hey, what's wrong?" I asked standing up to my feet.

She sighed loudly. "My parents want me to go home already but I didn't find my umbrella yet."

"Your parents are right, we need to get home since it will be dark soon. Even if we stay here we will have a hard time looking for the umbrella in the dark and also the guard doesn't take lightly with students staying in the school grounds after school already ended."

"Yeah, you're right," she said her voice low.

I wrap one arm on her shoulder. "Don't worry, early in the morning tomorrow and after classes let's look for it again. I'll help you."

Her expression instantly lit up. "Really?" She hugged me tight. "Thank you so much, Aurora!"

I wrapped my arms around her too. "No biggie, that's what friends are for. They help each other."

"I'm so glad you're my friend."

I smiled, happily melting in her arms. "I'm glad you're my friend too.