Short Story

Wrote this years ago, back in A levels, I think.

They had worked together as lab partners for the longest time and yet she felt like she didn't know him at all. He kept to himself most of the times, quiet and observant. He didn't talk much but she liked to believe that she was infact one of those people he did talk to, when he wanted to.
As Shelly buttoned her crisp white shirt, she thought over how once he'd told her about Rebecca.

"Who is that?" she had asked pointing at a picture of a girl with red hair that she saw in his wallet.
"Rebecca" he had smiled, "she's my sister"
"She's pretty"
"People often think it's a picture of a girlfriend. I love the look on their faces when I correct them"
He laughed.
She had wanted to ask him something but he had gone rigid, had picked up the next assignment they were supposed to be doing and started reading silently. He didn't say anything to her the rest of the day.

A week later, she saw him sitting alone in a coffee shop on a rainy day. She decided to walk over to say hello.
"How's the coffee?"
"Alright" he said and after a pause added, "would you like to join me?"
She sat down in the chair opposite his, surprised at the invitation to say the least.
"Do you come here often?"
"Yes. I've never seen you here before"
"Oh, I'm usually out with friends after classes"
"Too many friends?"
"You say that like it's a bad thing"
"You tell me"
"It can get demanding at times and there can be a lot of arguments"
She fell silent for a few minutes and then spoke.
"Is that why you don't have many friends?"
"You're quick on the uptake"

She had almost laughed when he had said that. He did make her laugh - whether or not he realized it or not. She walked up to her dresser and started to make her hair into a tight ponytail, her face an expressionless blank. Her room was dark and the shadows danced on the ceiling, meshed and restless like ghosts. She recalled the last conversation she had with him which had been two days ago.

"Shelly"
"Partner"
He laughed.
"How's Rebbeca?"
"She's getting engaged this weekend"
"Oh! Congratulations"
"Thanks"
"You don't sound too thrilled"
"Not like she's going away now but I'll miss her when she does"
"I undesrstand"

She clipped the stary strands off her face and sat down on the edge of her bed. She hadn't cried when she had heard. She didn't know how she felt. She had overheard some other students saying how he had lost control of his car, how it had swerved like a leaf over the thin ice before it finally crashed into the concrete wall folding the front. He had loved his little car but now it was probably ruined. Her thoughts were interrupted as her room mate, Alyssa, walked into the room.
"You alright?"
"I've been better"
"It'll be okay"
"I suppose"
"I've seen the car. He must have hit pretty bad. The mechanic says there's no way it can be fixed"
"You're quick on the uptake"
She burst into tears.

There was a downpour by the time they reached the funeral. She could see his family and realtives huddled together under umbrellas sobbing softly into their handkerchiefs. She recognized Rebecca; slightly pink in the face with tears in her eyes. She wasn't letting them slide off her face perhaps for the benefit of her family. The sky was a grim grey casting dark shadows down on the ground making the entire service eerie and almost frightening.

After the service, everyone headed towards his house. She stayed behind, the only one left standing next to him. The rain was falling down soaking her from head to toe but she didn't care. She just had to be here. To say goodbye. She didn't know just how long she stood there unable to think. It was then she realized how she had lost an important part of her life. A tear made its way down her cheek and into the mud below.
"Partner" she said.