Suicide, Skittles and Skates [✓]

Chapter 02

CHAPTER TWO

When he awoke the next day all Alex could think about were the events of the previous evening. He had stayed and watched Kalila ice-skate for a while, and with every spin and twirl she had looked more and more at peace.

He just couldn't find it in himself to interrupt but had resolved to try to get to know her somehow. There was something about her he couldn't put his finger on, and since this was the first time he had felt something in the past two months, he knew it meant something important. If only he could figure out what it meant.

The school day passed quickly. The classes in the morning were the ones Alex struggled with the most – Chemistry and History – which he was grateful for. The more he had to concentrate and use his mind, the less he would be able to dwell on the empty seat beside him, which was practically screaming out Alice's name, and the sympathetic looks he would get if he looked in its direction.

Instead he found his eyes scanning the biology class he had just walked into, looking out for the intriguing ice skater. Nobody else from school could have known about his suicidal urges so he had no idea how his friends would react, but he was pretty certain they wouldn't have thrown food at him. His eyes settled on a familiar mop of dark waves at the back of the classroom, making the corners of his mouth turn up slightly.

Kalila's head was down in concentration as she focused on doodling something in a notebook. The Asian girl he usually saw with her was nowhere in sight today and he couldn't help thinking how alone she looked. Although Alex may have felt lonely all the time now, he was constantly surrounded by his best friends Tyler and Lacey, as well as a whole bunch of other people who pretended they cared about him.

Without thinking about it, he walked away from his friends and headed in her direction. Her eyes widened when she caught sight of him coming her way and she smiled shyly.

"It's nice to see you're alive," she whispered when he plonked himself down next to her.

He laughed, albeit quietly, but it was a real laugh nonetheless and his friends gaped at him from the other side of the room. It had been a long time since he had laughed but before anyone could comment on it, their teacher walked in.

Mrs Duffy was like a hurricane. With a fiery temper that matched her mane of red curls, she seemed to do everything ten times faster than anyone else. Although she was short – barely five foot – nobody dared to anger her in any way, and so everyone took their seats hastily. Once they had started their work on the cardiac cycle, Alex looked back up at Kalila and decided to ask the burning question on his mind.

"Why the skittles?"

She looked up and grinned. Although they had never spoken a day in their lives before, she didn't feel uncomfortable around him like she usually did when surrounded by others. Strange, how train tracks and sweets could unite people from completely different social standings. Alex may have been upset lately after Alice's death but he was still immensely popular and liked all across the school. Kalila was much more reserved, she stuck to her best friend Emma Chen and didn't bother with anyone else. After all, the only thing she truly cared about was painting and her ice-skating.

"Maybe I was hoping you'd get distracted – wondering why I'd given you Skittles – and forget about jumping?" she whispered, her nose twitching slightly. That meant she was lying, he was sure of it. There had to be another reason.

"What if I don't believe you? What's the truth?" he asked, one eyebrow raised.

She hesitated slightly before speaking.

"I broke my arm when I was four and I remember my mum giving me skittles in the hospital. She said they were magical skittles that can heal anything, especially something as simple as a broken bone. You looked like you needed some healing in your heart."