-Prologue-
Albert Einstein, one of the most famous people in the world - part and present - once said that there are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
Like a philosophical scientist.
My father told me that. He was pretty big on the whole philosophy thing; spent pretty much his whole life procrastinating and contemplating.
Said it livened the soul, or something.
I can almost remember him, actually - almost. How he used to smile every morning over his latest novel; or even how he always found spare change to give to people on the street. He said they needed it more than we did, which was totally true, I guess.
Yeah, my dad was a decent man. A good man.
Shame it never did him much good. He went to prison anyway.
Albert Einstein, one of the most famous people in the world - part and present - once said that there are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
Like a philosophical scientist.
My father told me that. He was pretty big on the whole philosophy thing; spent pretty much his whole life procrastinating and contemplating.
Said it livened the soul, or something.
I can almost remember him, actually - almost. How he used to smile every morning over his latest novel; or even how he always found spare change to give to people on the street. He said they needed it more than we did, which was totally true, I guess.
Yeah, my dad was a decent man. A good man.
Shame it never did him much good. He went to prison anyway.
***
-Chapter One; Ice-
She usually sat alone in the more subdued corners of the cafeteria, her dark hair shielding her face from prying eyes.
She didn't eat much; actually, I'm having trouble recalling a time when I've ever seen her eat. At least, at lunchtime.
Maybe she was just not hungry. I don't know.
Like I said, she was always alone. The funny thing was that she didn't seem to mind it; she never looked up, never gave a glance to the rest of us.
I thought she was different; in a weird way.
"Yo, man."
I glanced up to see a short black kid with dreadlocks. My lips formed a smile. "Hey, Paul."
"What you starin' at?" he asked curiously, his eyes trained on my tray of food. I pushed it over to him without a fight, not hungry.
"Nothing," I mumbled.
She usually sat alone in the more subdued corners of the cafeteria, her dark hair shielding her face from prying eyes.
She didn't eat much; actually, I'm having trouble recalling a time when I've ever seen her eat. At least, at lunchtime.
Maybe she was just not hungry. I don't know.
Like I said, she was always alone. The funny thing was that she didn't seem to mind it; she never looked up, never gave a glance to the rest of us.
I thought she was different; in a weird way.
"Yo, man."
I glanced up to see a short black kid with dreadlocks. My lips formed a smile. "Hey, Paul."
"What you starin' at?" he asked curiously, his eyes trained on my tray of food. I pushed it over to him without a fight, not hungry.
"Nothing," I mumbled.
"Cool sht," Paul mumbled
around a mouthful of chips, and I could feel my nose wrinkle in disgust.
He caught sight of the expression; "Shut up, Alistair."
"I didn't say anything."
He rolled his eyes. "I'll eat how I want to eat."
"Try put the food IN your mouth though, yeah?"
"Shu'up!"
"Dude, say it, don't spray it."
He caught sight of the expression; "Shut up, Alistair."
"I didn't say anything."
He rolled his eyes. "I'll eat how I want to eat."
"Try put the food IN your mouth though, yeah?"
"Shu'up!"
"Dude, say it, don't spray it."
He proceeded to give me an affectionate
middle finger. "What's got you in PMSing so bad anyway?"
My eyes narrowed. "You little sh-"
"Aren't you rainbows and sunshine today? Look, if you're gonna be a btch, I'm just gonna go sit 'side someone else."
I snorted. "Right, fine. See you, Paul."
We stared at each other for a moment, before both our faces widened to a smile.
"What's up with you anyway?" he pushed further; weird as he can be, Paul's a good guy, and I guess you could say I'm lucky to call him my best friend.
'Lucky'.
My eyes narrowed. "You little sh-"
"Aren't you rainbows and sunshine today? Look, if you're gonna be a btch, I'm just gonna go sit 'side someone else."
I snorted. "Right, fine. See you, Paul."
We stared at each other for a moment, before both our faces widened to a smile.
"What's up with you anyway?" he pushed further; weird as he can be, Paul's a good guy, and I guess you could say I'm lucky to call him my best friend.
'Lucky'.
"Nothing," I mumbled, tapping
the table half-heartedly.
He stared at me with an eyebrow raised. "Y'sure you don't wanna talk about it?"
My gaze snapped to his. "Do I look like I want a heart-to-heart?"
"You always do. Little camp boy."
"Lighting a campfire right now," I replied sardonically. "I'm not camp. Jacey, rememb-"
He cut me off with a loud groan. "How could I forget the face-scker!?"
I winked. "That's not all she can do."
He stared at me with an eyebrow raised. "Y'sure you don't wanna talk about it?"
My gaze snapped to his. "Do I look like I want a heart-to-heart?"
"You always do. Little camp boy."
"Lighting a campfire right now," I replied sardonically. "I'm not camp. Jacey, rememb-"
He cut me off with a loud groan. "How could I forget the face-scker!?"
I winked. "That's not all she can do."
A voice cleared behind me. "What
exactly can I do, Alistair? Hmm?"
My eyes widened as Paul hurried to hide the huge smirk on his face behind his hand.
"Uhhh..." I replied like the genius I am, turning to see my girlfriend standing behind me, one hand holding a can of coke and the other on her hip expectantly.
Her plucked eyebrows rose.
"Hi, sweetheart."
I gave her a sweet smile, trying to soften her. "Hey, babe... I was just saying how you can totally light up my day with your presence?"
Paul fake-gagged.
My eyes widened as Paul hurried to hide the huge smirk on his face behind his hand.
"Uhhh..." I replied like the genius I am, turning to see my girlfriend standing behind me, one hand holding a can of coke and the other on her hip expectantly.
Her plucked eyebrows rose.
"Hi, sweetheart."
I gave her a sweet smile, trying to soften her. "Hey, babe... I was just saying how you can totally light up my day with your presence?"
Paul fake-gagged.
"Aww," she cooed
sarcastically. "Aren't you sweet?"
Her tan face then smoothed into an amiable smile. "I'm just kidding, Leelee. Here, budge, let me sit."
Paul tried to hide his laugh. "Leelee," he coughed, winking at me.
"Fck you."
"Jaceypoo'd get jealous."
She rolled her dark eyes at our banter. "You both are idiots."
"Then leave?" Paul asked hopefully. I'd zoned out by this time; this sort of stuff isn't new or anything. I have to listen to it every day.
Every single lunchtime.
Without fail.
And don't ask me why they hate eachother; I don't have a goddamn clue. I mean, I can see why Paul doesn't get along with Jacey. He thinks she's a btch, which is fair enough considering she really is, to him.
She hates him because... I don't know, his dreadlocks? Dunno.
Nevertheless, I know they don't get along. It's not ideal.
Her tan face then smoothed into an amiable smile. "I'm just kidding, Leelee. Here, budge, let me sit."
Paul tried to hide his laugh. "Leelee," he coughed, winking at me.
"Fck you."
"Jaceypoo'd get jealous."
She rolled her dark eyes at our banter. "You both are idiots."
"Then leave?" Paul asked hopefully. I'd zoned out by this time; this sort of stuff isn't new or anything. I have to listen to it every day.
Every single lunchtime.
Without fail.
And don't ask me why they hate eachother; I don't have a goddamn clue. I mean, I can see why Paul doesn't get along with Jacey. He thinks she's a btch, which is fair enough considering she really is, to him.
She hates him because... I don't know, his dreadlocks? Dunno.
Nevertheless, I know they don't get along. It's not ideal.
