The Art of Dying

“Zane! What are you doing here?” Blake questioned him, looking confused, mildly surprised but mostly apprehensive.

“I think that’s what we would all like to know.” C.C. said crossing her arms facing him.

Zane rolled his eyes. “Can’t I come back home to get a good education and spend some time with my dear little brother?” He questioned with mischief hiding behind his steely blue eyes. Oliver joined C.C., holding her from behind, giving her his support and trying to calm her.

Blake looked at him for a long while then said with suspicion: “Well, if you’re not angry anymore… Then, I guess, welcome back.” Zane stood in a flash and enveloped his brother in a big bear hug, stunning Blake a little at first but then after a beat, he returned the hug with a warm laugh.

“I’ve missed you Z.” He sounded relieved.

“Likewise bro.” Zane said but I could hear the dishonesty in his voice.

“Zane, I’m here. What can I do for you? Do you need anything?” Said the peppy voice of a short, cute thirteen year old boy that seemed to appear out of thin air. C.C. let out a shocked gasp, as did Oliver and the unknown brunette girl. Blake immediately let go of Zane, extremely fast as if he just got shocked, and looked beside them at the newcomer. He looked between the boy and Zane looking almost as white as a sheet. What’s wrong? Why are they acting like they’re seeing a ghost? Except for Zane, who seemed to find this situation funny for some reason. I mean sure the little dude’s milk chocolate colored skin seemed pale and all but he looks pretty normal to me, if maybe a little sick (but he still appears more normal than Oliver anyway). He was wearing a black tank top under a black leather jacket, a red and black basketball cap over deep black hair, dark blue jeans and red and black ‘Nike air’ shoes.

“Ah, Chris!” Zane approached him and with a clap on the shoulder, told him: “Chris, I would like to introduce you to everyone.” With a big sweeping gesture of his free hand he said: “So, Chris this is everyone and everyone this is Chris, my little, you could say, protégé.” He said, smiling, like at some inside joke or something.

“Hi, everyone.” Chris said with a bright smile. No one said a word, they still looked between him and Zane with eyes as big as saucers as if they didn’t understand what was happening. What the fuck? Why are they all acting so weird? Zane looked at all of them with a satisfied smirk on his face. Well, they are kinda rude, I gave Chris a small wave and got rewarded by an even brighter smile from him.

“Well, Chris. I think we should probably get going. You know set in, in our room and let everyone process this.”

Chris turned his head and looked at him. “Alright.” He then turned to address all of us. “Well it was nice to meet you all.” He gave us a small wave and disappeared. Such a sweet kid.

“Zane, how could you?” Blake questioned dismayed. I don’t get it. How could he what? C.C. elbowed him lightly. He turned to her and she looked pointedly my way. Eh? Something seemed to click in his head but I was still pretty confused. What’s wrong with helping a freshman? I think it’s sweet; I don’t get their big drama. “She’s not…?” He whispered to C.C.

“I don’t think so.” She replied perplexed. Am I what? I looked at Zane; maybe he could shed some light on the situation. He seemed to be deep in thought, looking at the still-unknown brunette. The brunette was looking up at Blake but she was stealing quick glances Zane’s way from time to time. Snapping out of his musings a big smile appeared on Zane’s face.

“Well everyone, I’m going to go help Chris settle in alright.” Smiling fondly at the unknown brunette, he said: “Abbigail.” She returned his smile slightly, while twirling a strand of her caramel hair around her fingers. Then Zane turned to me and with burning intensity in his blue orbs he took my hand and he, again, kissed it saying: “Milady.” My eyebrows shot up at that. What?! Er, o-k. He gave a big theatrical bow, then left. He’s really got a hot back ─and cute butt, though I couldn’t help but wonder what Blake’s back and butt would look like. As soon as he was out of my sight, I turned to look at Blake and he appeared to be slightly mad and deep in thought as he looked at the retrieving form of his brother.

Oliver, who’s been quiet all this time, said: “Well that was entertaining.” C.C. huffed, rolled her eyes and disentangled herself from him. She stomped away angrily, then abruptly stopped, came back and grabbing my hand, she dragged me all the way back to our room in silence ─fuming inside, from the looks of it.

When the door closed, she sat on her bed; I did the same on mine. “I can’t believe him! ‘That was entertaining’” She said imitating Oliver. “Who says that? It was not entertaining it was horrible, abhorrent. Wouldn’t you say it was abhorrent?” I just shrugged; I didn’t want her angry at me by saying that I didn’t see what was abhorrent about Zane helping a kid. “Of course you wouldn’t know. You don’t know Zane like I do. But let me tell you, he’s a bad person. You really should stay away from him, he’s nothing but trouble.” She laid down on her bed letting out a big sigh. “I’m sorry, that’s so not how I wanted you to meet my friends.”

“It was fine. Don’t sweat it.” I replied as I took off my shoes and laid down on my bed, staring at the plain white ceiling. I soon got lost in thoughts as I remembered a pair of mesmerizing ocean blue eyes lined with black liner, a lush mouth with a sexy snake bites piercing, soft-looking deep brown locks almost black ─Blake. “So, um. C.C. are you and um, Blake, like, close?” I inquired trying to appear casual.

She sat up and looked at me amused. “Yeah, why?” She said quirking an eyebrow.

“Just to know.” Yeah, why am-I asking that? It’s not like I can get close to him or anything, or he’ll die. Gosh, why couldn’t mom send me to a school where everyone is hideous?

“Uh, huh.” She said disbelievingly. “His family has always been close to mine and when his parents died five years ago, he moved in with my uncle and his, um, fiancé.” She seemed to be having difficulty saying the word fiancé ─almost choking on it. “And he’s always been like a brother to me. Also now he’s dating Abbigail, ugh, my step-cousin ─sorta.” She finished by rolling her eyes.

“Oh.” I should’ve known he would be dating someone. A gorgeous guy like that couldn’t possibly be single ─well Zane seem single but he’s obviously a player, so he doesn’t count.

And it’s not like I could go out with Blake anyway, since I’m toxic or something, so maybe it’s fate that he’s unavailable. She looked at me with sympathy in her eyes, as if she knew I had a crush on him. I hate that look, it reminds me of when I got back to school after the death of Guillaume and Antoine, I can’t stand it.

To stop her from looking at me that way, I asked: “So, why do you hate Zane ─Oh, and what was wrong with Chris? Why was everyone looking at him like he was the victim of an accident or something?”

She quickly looked at her clock. “Well, would you look at the time.” I looked and it was only 18:27. “I think I’m going to go grab a shower and then go to bed early since tomorrow I’m spending the day with Olly. You’re going to be alright tomorrow by yourself, right?” She said standing up and gathering some of her clothes.

“I ─”

“Great. Ciao.” She then ran in the bathroom. Um, that was a little weird. So people here are both beautiful and strange ─well nobody’s perfect. Grabbing my MP3 from my jeans, I plugged the earbuds in my ears and listened to ’Marianas Trench’, getting lost in thoughts of how life is an unfair bitch.

◊ ◊ ◊

My alarm woke me at 7:30. Ugh, it’s so early. Monday morning came faster than I expected, what with C.C. being gone the whole day Sunday, I caught up with some much needed sleep ─well not really needed but I do love to sleep. Shutting off my alarm, I noticed that C.C. was still sleeping peacefully in her bed, despite the fact that my alarm blared extremely loud. I stood and looked at my schedule for the day. Math, ugh, followed by science, then dinner and I finish my day with dance. A poopy morning but an awesome afternoon ─I think.

I grabbed some clothes and went to the bathroom. I changed into a pair of dark blue jeans and a red, checkered shirt with my reliable pair of black and white ‘Converse’ shoes. I straightened my hair, applied my usual makeup of smokey eye with mascara and blush, brushed my teeth then came out of the bathroom. I dumped my dirty clothes on the ‘dirty pile’ of clothes on the ground and found C.C. still asleep ─well; she did come back really late last night. I grabbed my MP3 and cafeteria pass deciding that I’ll bring back breakfast, like she did the first day I got here.

Putting an earbud in my right ear and my pass in my jeans, I made my way out the door listening to some ‘Sleeping with Sirens’. I walked up to the elevator and pressed the button then waited. The doors opened with a ding and I went in then I pressed the button for the 3rd floor. The elevator stopped on the second floor and two brunette girls stepped in, chatting animatedly about a boy named Jordan that was apparently super freakishly hot.

Am-I the only one who’s ‘dead’, in the morning? Apparently.

The elevator resumed its ascent and we all got off on the 3rd floor. I crossed paths with loads of people on my way to the cafeteria, some sitting on the few benches scattered all around school, others standing by locker talking or some just walking with friends.

Entering the huge wooden double doors, I made my way through the round tables to the food court. A couple of the people C.C. introduced me to, waved my way, ─among them were Nina and Alexis─ I waved back with a small smile.

I selected two bagels and green teas. The cafeteria lady asked for my pass, scanned it, then giving it back to me, she asked if I wanted to eat here or back in my dorm. “In my dorm, please.” She put a cap over the disposable cups and put the bagels in a brown paper bag. “Thanks.” She gave me a warm smile and I departed. Going back the way I came, I waved back to Nina and Alexis and the others whom I don’t remember the names and went back to my dorm.

The elevator doors opened as I was about to press the down button and five boys came out of the elevator. I stepped in and pushed the down button. I exited on the 1st floor and went back to my dorm #17. C.C. was nowhere to be seen but the bathroom door was closed and I could hear her singing softly through it. I set the bag down on my bedside table, turning off my MP3; I put it in my jeans pocket.

I grabbed one of the bagels from the bag and started to nibble on it. C.C. exited the bathroom wearing a white T-shirt and a turquoise high-waist skirt. Stopping her singing she said: “Hey! I was wondering where you were.”

“I brought breakfast. I hope you like bagels.” I said motioning in the bag’s direction. “And green tea.” She smiled and came to grab a bagel and a cup.

“Thanks, I love bagels, though tea not so much.” She said with a small grimace.

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s nothing. Here.” She put her bagel on her bedside table, then went back in the bathroom but with her tea. I heard the water running then stop and she came back without the cap on her cup of tea. “Now, it’s a glass of water.” I gave a small laugh. She sat on her bed and ate her bagel. “So, what’s your first class?” She asked after a sip of water.

“Math, with Mr. Meyer.”

“Oh, you’ll see, he’s a little boring but pretty laid back.” She said.

“What about you?” I asked her.

She gave an exasperated sigh as she answered: “Ugh, French. With Mrs. Douglas.”

“What’s up with the discouraged attitude?” I asked.

She gave me a small crooked smile. “Nothing. It’s just, she’s really strict and not fun, at all.”

“Well, if you ever need any help in French, it’s my first language, so…” I left the sentence hanging.

“Thanks.” She said. “You can be sure; I’ll need your help on some assignments.” We finished our bagels and C.C. looked at her alarm clock. “We should probably head out. First class is about to start.”

We grabbed our stuff and rushed out the door. She locked the door and we hurried to the elevator. She pressed the up button and the doors opened. We stepped in and I pressed the 3rd floor button. “So, C.C.. You never did tell me why you disliked Zane so much.”

“Ah, uh…” The door opened and at the same time we heard in the distance the first bell ring; signaling that class would start in five minutes. “Sorry, gotta go. See you later. Bye.” She said hurrying away. The saying ‘saved by the bell’ never was more true to me than at that very moment. I stopped by my locker, next to C.C.’s, on the first floor and dumped my backpack. I then hurried to the second floor where my math class was being held.

Mr. Meyer was, indeed boring, not just a little but very boring. He was a man in his late forties with balding brown hair and glasses. He was dressed in a blue, checkered shirt, faded blue jeans a little too short for him that showed his white socks and ugly brown shoes. He didn’t give us any homework for tomorrow though, which makes him pretty cool ─despite his sense of style, or more like lack of... When the bell rang, I quickly went back to my locker and changed my books for the next class.

Just as I was about to close my locker, I saw Blake at the end of the hall. He was with Abbigail and they appeared to be having a big dispute. C.C. joined me and changed her books too. “So, how was your first class?” She asked me playfully.

“It was okay, he didn’t give us any homework, so...” I left the sentence hanging, distracted as I continued to watch Blake and Abbigail.

“That’s great.” She said enthusiastically.

“Hey, do you know why they’re fighting?” I asked distractedly.

“Who?” C.C. asked.

“Blake and Abbigail.” I said motioning towards them.

“Who knows? They’re always fighting. They really suck at being a couple.” I whipped my head back to her at that.

“Then why are they together?” I asked.

“It’s… complicated…”

“Ah, there you are.” Oliver said as he joined us. He gave a big kiss to C.C. “Good morning.” He told her against her lips. AKWARD. I tried to look anywhere but at them.

“Good morning to you too.” I really felt like a third wheel.

Closing my locker, I went to leave the loving couple to their mushy-mushy-couple-stuff but Oliver stopped me, saying: “Good morning, Delphine.” Plastering a big, fake smile on my face, I turned around.

“Hi, Oliver.”

“So, how did you like your first class?” He asked.

“It was fine. Boring, but it’s math, so, yeah…” He smiled. “Yours?”

“Boring as well.” I turned to C.C.

“Same here.” She said. After a few agonizing seconds of odd staring, the bell finally rang. Thank god.

“Got to go, bye.” I said hastily as I quickly left.

“Bye.” I heard C.C. say as I left and made my way to Mrs. McInnes’s science & technology class.

After an hour of science, where we broach the subject of Earth’s history, the bell finally rang and I left class. Dropping my things in my locker I made my way to the cafeteria. I opened the doors and went to wait my turn in the long line to get food ─it was moving pretty slowly but steadily. Once I was almost at the front I saw C.C. skipping over to me. “Hey roomie. How’s it going?” She said stepping beside me in the line.

“Hey, no cutting.” Said a young boy from behind us. C.C. turned around and stuck her tongue at him. It shut him up and made me laugh.

“Great.” I said. “Hey, you didn’t tell me Nina was mute.”

“Oh. Well, Nina is mute.” She said, like it was nothing. “Why?”

“She’s my lab partner in Mrs. McInnes’s class.”

“Oh.”

“She’s great though.” I said. “Maybe a little hard to understand but very nice.”

“I know. Right?” C.C. said. It was finally our turn to get served. I chose some pomodoro pasta with a bottle of water and a fruit salad. C.C. took the same dish as me with a bottle of apple juice and a piece of chocolate cake. We gave our pass to the lady at the register, she scanned them, gave them back to us and we left, tray in hands. I followed C.C. to the garden/terrace where Oliver was sitting with Blake and Abbigail in front of him, at a picnic table. “Hi guys.” C.C. said sitting next to Oliver. They saluted her back while I gave them all a tight lipped smile. I sat next to her which made me sit right in front of Blake. Great ─not.

“Hey.” Blake said with a small nod my way.

“Hey.” I replied looking in his bottomless ocean eyes, feeling that damn spark again. He furrowed his brows and I quickly averted my gaze back to my food. They were all talking about their classes and other stuff while I was playing the ‘don’t look at Blake’ game with myself, only pretending to be listening to the conversations going on. It was pretty easy, everytime I felt I was about to slip, I looked at Abbigail and she shot me daggers with her piercing, icy blue, cat eyes. I don’t know what I ever did to her, but she does not like me. Not at all.

When there was about fifteen minutes left before class resumed I said: “Hey, guys I’m gonna go. Bye.”

“Hey, where you going?” C.C. and Blake said at the same time.

I looked at Blake, losing my little game and replied in a daze: “I’ve got to go change. I have dance this afternoon.” Blake was about to say something but Abbigail quickly gripped his arm making him look at her. She kissed him; I quickly averted my eyes back to C.C.

“Oh. Have fun, I’ll see you later.” C.C. said.

“Bye.” Oliver said. I waved and quickly took my leave. I dumped what was left of my food in the push swing door of the trash can, leaving my tray on top where other trays were already piled up, then exited the garden. I went down the corridor and took the glass bridge leading to the dormitories. I stopped halfway on the bridge, feeling like I was being watched. I looked towards the garden/terrace through the glass of the bridge and saw C.C.’s and Oliver’s back to me with Abbigail’s and Blake’s face.

Blake was looking straight at me with a burning intensity. Fuck! I quickly turned and almost ran the rest of the way to my room. What is it about him? He’s freakishly hot but I’m sure there’s more than that. No, no Del, it’s just lust at first sight ─get over it. Speaking of lust (well, more like thinking of lust), I wonder where Zane is. I haven’t seen him all day.

Taking off my clothes I changed in a pair of black leggings and a long, green T-shirt. I then grabbed a hair tie and put my hair up, in a messy bun. Grabbing my dance shoes, I filled a plastic bottle with water, grabbed a towel and rushed out the door.

The corridors were mostly deserted─ great, class is about to start and I’m still far away from the dance studio. I ran to the stairs and in my rush I didn’t see the girl on the other side of the door till it was too late. “Oh, my god! I’m so sorry.” I said kneeling next to the girl that I accidentally hit with the door. She was rubbing her head wincing.

“It’s alright.” She said. She was wearing grey sweat pants with a pale pink T-shirt. Her long black hair was also up in a messy bun with a pink bandana securing a few wayward strands and she had the most beautiful shade of milk chocolate skin I’ve ever seen.

“Are you ok?” I asked helping her stand up.

“I’m fine.” She said with a small laugh. “Nothing broken, I think.”

“Okay.” I said not knowing what else to say.

“Hey, are you in dance?” She asked, looking me up and down with assessing, dark eyes. “With Shawn?”

“Uh, you mean Mr. Fitzpatrick?” I asked.

“Yeah, but everyone calls him Shawn. I’m Dixie by the way.” She said holding her hand. “Dixie Tallion.”

I shook it and replied: “Delphine Valiquette. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too.” The final bell rang. Damn, we’re late. “I think we better hurry, don’t want to miss Shawn’s demonstration.” She said.

“What demonstration?” I asked as we walked towards the studio in the basement of the school.

“Every year, on the first day of class, Shawn shows his skills by doing a little choreography. Usually it’s one of the two choreographies we do at the end of the year, at the dance show.” She said and then we arrived at the studio.

It was really big. There was a platform at the end of the studio occupying half the floor with floor to ceiling mirrors on the three walls encasing it. Sitting in front of the platform, were only nine girls and two boys. Maybe we’re not the only ones late after all.

“You’re both late.” Maybe not. Wow, Shawn is really hot. He was maybe twenty-five with brown hair, blue eyes and abs to die for. He was wearing dark grey sweat pants and nothing else which was quite distracting, especially with such a hot bod.

“Relax Shawn, we’re here alright.” Dixie said with a sigh and a roll of her eyes. Shawn gave a small huff, before grabbing his notepad next to a big sound system.

“You’re Delphine Valiquette?” Shawn asked, looking questioningly me. I nodded and he checked out my name on his list. “Ok, let’s begin. Delphine, Dixie take a seat.” We both sat Indian style next to the other girls as Shawn popped a disk in the sound system and hopped on the ‘stage’. The music started playing and Shawn started dancing. It was a mix of hip-hop and lyrical or contemporary dancing. It was beautiful. The way he moved was almost magical ─really impressive. Once he was done, all of us applauded. It was just… wow! “Thank you, thank you.” He said, catching his breath as he went to stop the music. “So, this year’s theme is, drum roll…” He did a mini drum roll on his thighs. “‘The Obscure Circus’. Now guys, lets do some stretching and start this choreography, alright? Let’s go.”

Dixie and I changed our shoes, leaving my black and white ‘Converse’ as well as her grey, blue and pink ‘low Nike air force 1’ by the door we put on our black, split-sole, jazz shoes while Shawn changed the CD in the stereo and went back on the platform. We then joined the other girls and Shawn on the platform and followed Shawn’s movements, up front.