Suicide, Skittles and Skates [✓]

Chapter 04

CHAPTER FOUR

A few days had passed since they'd gone cranberry picking, and Alex hadn't had time to talk to Kalila about their project at all. There was way too much other work piling up, particularly a History essay on some dead guy he didn't care about, that he had stayed up all night to finish.

It was lunchtime and he was being dragged to the canteen by Lacey. That girl may have been as skinny as a noodle but there was no denying she ate more than an elephant, and annoying her when she was hungry amused Alex far too much. As they were passing through the hallway, his eyes landed on Kalila shoving books in her locker while in an animated discussion with her friend Emma. Being in the mood to irritate Lacey further by making her later for her beloved food, he called out her name.

"Hey Kalila!"

She looked around in mild confusion – after all she was not known by that many people – until she saw him and smiled.

He laughed. "I took a look at the pictures from the weekend, there's a really good one of you with red stuff on your face and leaves in your hair that we just have to use. When do you wanna work on it?"

Lacey let go of his shirt collars that she had been pulling him by, her lunch momentarily forgotten. She hadn't heard Alex laugh or actually talk to anyone other than her and Tyler since the accident. And now he was voluntarily having a conversation and actually enjoying it?

She loved Alex like an older brother, albeit a slightly insane one. He had played princesses with her and Alice when they'd been kids just to make them smile, and he had been the one to threaten any guy that had looked at them funny. It hurt her that he had lost all of his family and was constantly on the edge of breaking down, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. He deserved to be happy more than anyone else she knew.

And perhaps this girl could help.

"Uhm, I'm free today if you want to come over? I have enough paints and stuff; we can get started on one picture at least. Though it better not be that one!" Kalila threatened while poking him, trying to look intimidating but failing.

Lacey giggled. Any girl that could stand up to Alex, even if it was a joke – and not drool over him like most did – was most definitely in her good books. "Hi, I'm Lacey! Alex will get his lazy butt there, I'll make sure of it, don't you worry," she said, smiling widely.

Kalila introduced herself shyly although she obviously knew who Lacey was, everyone did. Along with Alex, his sister Alice and Tyler, the four of them were the most well-known group. Although they had become much quieter after Alice's death, all evidently suffering, they were still looked up to throughout school.

"Well okay then Bates," she said, closing her locker shut, "I'll meet you outside the gates when the last bell rings, see ya!"

Lacey waited until she was out of view before pouncing on the poor unsuspecting boy next to her. "Who was that? She's nice. Oh my God, where did you go with her on the weekend? Like a date? Why didn't you tell me? Why do you have pictures of her on your camera? What on earth is going on and since when were you close enough for her to call you by your surname?!"

Alex groaned internally. It had been a long time since he'd talked to a new girl that Lacey didn't know and he'd almost forgotten how crazy she could be when it came to match-making – something he had no interest in whatsoever. Lacey had been so obsessed with knowing every detail, she'd even forgotten about her stomach – which was certainly saying something.

He started walking towards the canteen, filling her in on everything about their project. Well, everything other than the reason why they were doing this project in the first place – namely his suicidal urges.