New Paint, Same Walls

Conan and Lance arrived first. Positioned in their usual spot. The small kid park right next to the school. Conan had brought his speaker. The same they had on the beach. Together, they waited for Ali and Marco. 

It had rained early this morning, and the trees in the park were still a lush green. The sun was rising too, and the chimneys reached for the morning light. The blue of the sky was still somewhat asleep. 

It was deep, and made Conan want to hibernate. Sleep until next school year.

Ah. That was not possible anymore. Conan realised, again. Summer was over, and they were back in Lyon. This final year of high school was where it all ended. The trees above swayed. Water dripped on Conan's phone. He stared at the unread messages of girls that were piling up.

"Can you pass me your phone," asked Lance.

It was not fun anymore. The girl he wanted to talk to was gone.

But she was gone. 

So why couldn't he just move on?

"Dude. Why are you zoning out?"

"What?"

"Forget it. You've been depressed since you met that girl."

"Give me a break." Conan handed him the phone.

Lance was trying to find the right song to put. "Just don't think too hard about girls. Ok?"

He waited for Conan to respond before changing songs. "I won't. Anyway, with one year left, it doesn't make sense to start a relationship now."

"And who would you even start a relationship with? The girl is gone, Conan."

Before he had time to reply, Marco arrived with a happy spring in his feet. He first checked Lance. And then, he turned to Conan. Marco must have seen something weird in Conan's expression too. 

"Don't," said Conan with a smile. Marco checked him and grabbed his shoulder. 

"Cheer up, there's a new student in our grade."

Lance brought down the volume of the speaker. "What? How is that even possible?"

"Well Jacob is gone now, so I guess they had one free spot," Marco said.

"Oh yeah, I miss his gold tooth." They laughed. 

An anime theme song made everyone jump. Marco picked up his phone.

"Dammit with your ringtone," shouted Lance. Conan shushed him.

"Yeah. So do you know?" Silence. It was Ali. He spoke fast. Marco's smile got wider. "Really?" He laughed. "Ok we're coming. Don't move." He turned to the guys. "It's a girl."

"Are you sure about all this," asked Conan. "No one mentioned it at the last student council meeting." 

"Maybe," started Marco with panache. "It's because the student council is not the centre of the world. As you seem to think."

Conan could not help the chuckle."Oh yeah. I know people in high places."

"Now stop the crap." Marco said. "So does everyone in school. And the student council is definitely not in top tier." 

"Damn you have all been a pain you know,' Conan said with a grin. "But you shan't chuckle for much longer. I'll teach you again in the gym what you forgot over the summer."

Lance squared up to him. "Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah. Now let's go guys," said Conan. They left behind them the green and rusty fences of the park. Conan and Lance followed. There was a bin inside the park. Despite its efforts to hold on to trash, people had left many roaches and cigarette butts on the ground around it.

Under Ali's advice, they took a small detour. Just so the new Dean who was greeting everyone at the school's fence did not see them come from the park. Only trouble would come if you they were associated with that park. 

It was Conan's turn. He looked at the Dean. Thin, with small oval glasses and tired grey eyes.  He took her hand and shook it.  "Hello Mrs. Wilson. It's nice to finally meet you. I'm one of the Student Rep for Grade Twelves." 

"Ah Conan! I saw your file. I'm impressed. I know it's not easy finishing this race with a new Director in town. But if there's anything I can do to make things easier, let me know."

She wished him good luck for his final year, and he thanked her. He stepped on school grounds and Lance, Ali and Marco appeared at his sides. Conan checked Ali.

"What a weird woman," Lance said.

"Yeah. She's old. I don't feel it." Ali wore his large headphones around his neck. Drill rap still played at high volume. He takes out his pack of gum. "You guys want some?"

This brought their moods up. And the gum reminded them of the newcomer in town.

The school did not look like much from the outside. The building was old, but not in a vintage way. Just old. With white walls that had become grey over time. The inside was colourful though, so Conan did not mind. It was the inside that counted.

Conan and his friends entered the school building. They looked at the colourful painted walls which had turned a cold grey.

"The paint was maybe old but they didn't have to make it look like a damn hospital," Conan said.

But it was not just the hospital walls. A big vending machine stood right in the centre hall.

Lance shook his hand with a scoff. "If there's a vending machine, does it mean the food-stand is gone?"

"Honestly I have no words," Marco said.

"Wait." Ali panicked. "But if we can't handle the food-stand anymore, how are we going to pay for prom?"

This is getting ridiculous

"It's fine guys," Conan said. "I'll bring it up in the next student council meeting."

"Sure, treat yourself man," said Ali with thumbs up in defeat.

"Let's hurry guys," Marco said. "Or we won't find good seats in the music hall."

They headed to the assembly hall when Conan's phone rang. He straightened up at the ring tone. "Guys start going. I"ll be quick."

He does not wait for their answer. They watched him go with tired looks.

"What does he want this time," Lance mumbled as they headed to the hall. 

Biiip...Biiip...Biip...

Conan stared at his reflection. The bathroom was extra clean, but the residual smell it always had still lingered. How many times had he sat on this heater and stared at himself like this? Conan thought the line would finally drop but his father picked up. 

"Good morning Emilio."

"Good morning, Conan. Do you have a moment?" He does not wait for his answer. "I'm at the dentist you see?" He talks in a slow voice. "I'm still waiting for my money but I should receive it on Wednesday. Would it be fine if you lent me something now?"

"Why don't you ask Orla or Rian? They have jobs."

"Well that is very true, yes. But I was thinking we could go to work after you're done with school." He continued after a pause. "You see, I'm trying to create a new cylinder, I've asked the guys to see if we could twick our existing machinery. It's very interesting. You see-"

"I'm sorry Emilio. But I just got to school and it's our first day.  I will call you back this afternoon. Just don't come.  And don't call Fiona. I'll send you some money."

"Oh sure ye-"

Conan hung up.

Conan hated this. But he preffered it compared to Emilio calling his Mom. Afterwards, she would be mad all day. Or she would stop coming home and just stay at Dave's place. 

He walked out of the bathroom and started heading down the corridor. The school was silent aside form the squeaks of his shoes, and the incessant buzz of voices coming from the music hall. By now, everyone must be sitting down. They would keep him a seat, but was he going to make it on time? 

Dammit. 

He brushed his father's call away. On a dusty shelf in the back where he placed things to do with his Dad. As he got closer, he realised the noise was muffled. They must have closed the doors already. 

He arrived. There was a girl in front. She kept looking around her, took baby steps to the door, and watched through the small glass opening. Then she stepped back, went back, looked again. Her black hair kept on swaying. Wait.