Chapter 6: Gifts

Three weeks later, Tuesday night at Rocksyn’s place.

I had just told her about what happened and about Sebastian’s disappearance. Every time she asked before I told her I didn’t wanna talk about it, but I guess it was time to accept reality.

"Oh, Jane. I’m so sorry." She said sympathetically.

"No man, at least now I won’t have a stalker hanging around my apartment." I laughed, hiding the hurt I actually felt.

"Well forget about Sebastian. What’s tomorrow?"

"Umm Wednesday."

"Duh hey silly. But no, what’s happening tomorrow?"

"I have a mathematics test. Wait no that was moved to Friday."

"You really are a hopeless romantic, you know that? Tomorrow is Valentine’s day!"

"Oh, the day where everyone is dressed in pink, red or white. They're either walking around all googly-eyed or crying their hearts out because they never received anything yeah, I'm so excited." I sarcastically replied throwing my arms in the air.

"Oh, Jane don’t be like that! It’s a great way to forget about... What's his name again?" She laughed.

"I don’t know Rocksyn."

"Pretty please dress up for tomorrow for me." She pouted, flickering her eyes.

"Fine. I can't wait to receive nothing on Valentine’s day." I stated. We stared at each other for a while then burst out laughing.

So that night I slept over at Rocksyn’s place and since I didn't own a single pink, red or white item I didn't even bother to go fetch clothes from my apartment.

The next day

Rocksyn and I had to wake up at 4am because it took us two whole hours to just choose an outfit.

Rocksyn wore a just-above-the-knee pastel pink dress with white heels. She arranged fake white flowers around her bun and wore a diamond necklace as well.

I wore a mid-thigh blood-red V-shaped dress that had a lace flower on the right-hand side with black wedges. Rocksyn had platted a side plat for me that twisted up into my bun and stuck in a few red bobby pins.

The night before we had painted our nails white with red and pink hearts on them. We stood in front of the mirror making sure everything was perfect before we left.

"Remember now neither of us will have a school bag, it will ruin our look! Luckily, we aren’t working today." Rocksyn laughed as she put on the last touches of her make-up.

I don’t wear make-up but Rocksyn had forced me to wear lipstick. So now my lips were also red!

"You girls set to go?" Rocksyn’s mom asked as she walked into the room, wow you both look beautiful!

"Of course, we do mom." Rocksyn laughed.

"Thank you, Mrs Macintosh." I smiled.

On the way to school, I couldn’t stop smiling; this would so not be what people will be expecting of me. All the previous years I literally wore black to school on Valentines.

Rocksyn and I stood outside the entrance as we waved bye to her mom.

"Anything out of place?" Rocksyn asked turning towards me.

"No, you look gorgeous!"

"Same goes for you." She smiled back.

As we walked down the passageway this guy walked into the wall staring at us! Rocksyn and I burst out laughing.

It is a tradition at Encore High that every Valentine’s day the grades 8s have to walk across the stage during assembly for the school to see what they are wearing.

Now imagine me walking across the stage dressed in all black. The whole hall was shocked silent. Afterwards, the head girl had even come to me to ask why I was dressed as I was

My attention returned back when Rocksyn’s friends walked over. Love the outfits! this one girl think her names Leena exclaimed as she and Rocksyn broke into those little jumps they do.

"Jane, wow, what happened to the Goth look?" This other girl asked me.

"Rocksyn can be very persuasive at times," I replied and the whole group started laughing.

The bell rang so we had to be seated for the assembly to begin. The grade 8s started walking across the stage (guys and girls that is). We were stuck in that hall for two and a half hours.

"Those are the future Encores." The principle announced as the hall erupted into cheers, "Settle down."

She continued, "I have a few announcements: First of all: all extra murals have been cancelled and as you all know school will finish at 11 today, second: we will be staying in our register classes until the first break so that all Valentine's gifts between pupils can be handed out, third: everyone will receive a cupcake, hamburger with chips, can of cool drink and ice-cream at the cafeteria today. Please try to behave today. Thank you that is all."

The hall erupted into cheers once again. "We never get such good food at the cafeteria! What a treat!" Rocksyn cheered as we walked out of the hall.

Rocksyn, Frey, Gale and these other kids were all in the same register class as me.

"Good morning 12J." Mrs Jackson greeted as she walked in. "Morning Mrs Jack." We greeted back.

"Write down only the name of both the girl and guy who is best dressed and fold it in half you all know how this goes." She remarked passing around a small piece of pink paper to everyone.

That's another tradition we have, in every class the pupil's vote for the best-dressed guy and girl in the class. Those who win have to take a picture with all the other winners. The picture is then placed into the end of the year magazine and into The Revival (the weekly newspaper).

I wrote down, Rocksyn and Cameron.

Cameron is this really popular Rugby player, but he always dresses the best and has this huge crush on Rocksyn. But she keeps rejecting him and saying she's waiting for Mr Right.

We passed our votes to the front of the row and Mrs Jack collected them. The class then broke into groups.

"How was your girls’ weekend?" I asked as Frey, Gale, Rocksyn and these two other girls stood around my desk. The conversations began.

"Okay class your attention please", Mrs Jack stated, "Our 12 J king of 2016 is Cameron Dias." The class applauded as Mrs Jack placed a crown onto Cameron’s head and pinned on a badge.

"Now for the 12 J queen we have a tie! Rocksyn Macintosh, Gale Breeze and Jane Randall. We'll have to vote once again between these three ladies." Mrs Jack continued.

So once again the class had to vote and once again, I wrote down Rocksyn. A few mutters went around but no one actually spoke.

"Okay let's try this again." Mrs Jack laughed, "Our 12 J queen for 2016 is Jane Randall!"

"But but I don’t wanna go!" I began.

"Well, you are going, congrats Jane!" Rocksyn cheered as she pushed me forward.

"I'm so happy it's you." Mrs Jack whispered as she placed on my crown and pinned on my badge.

I nervously smiled as I stood next to Cameron. The class cheered, and some took pictures.

Next Mrs Jack led the two of us towards the front of the school to take a picture with all the other kings and queens.

Cameron and I were in the third row on the left end. He was standing on the side while I was facing forward, and he held my hand.

"Say cream and sprinkles." The photographer shouted.

"Cream and sprinkles." I smiled as the flash went off.

"Okay, that's a wrap." The photographer shouted. I didn't even have time to look who the other kids were.

"So, Jane Who did you vote for?" Cameron asked as we walked back to class.

"You," I responded.

"Oh, me too." He added as the silence returned.

I took off my crown and badge as we entered the door. "No, no you can keep them just return them after school." Mrs Jack smiled.

"It's fine ma'am, keep them," I remarked as I walked over to Rocksyn and the others.

"How was it?" Frey asked.

"Okay, I guess," I replied.

"Who else was there?" Gale asked.

"I didn't have time to see."

"Here are the gifts." Mrs Jack called as she took two boxes from the prefects.

Everyone returned to their own seats and Mrs Jack started calling out names for those people to come and fetch.

This is how the list went:

Rocksyn, Gale, Rocksyn, Gale, Nicki, Dylan, Jarrod, Lucy, Banie, Banie, Rocksyn, Lucy, Jane, Frey, Mike, Jane, Garry, Jane, Gale, Henry, Jane, Jane, Jane, Kendall and so on.

I got +- 25 roses, 5 chocolates, a miniature teddy bear, 3 bracelets, a locket necklace and someone gave me and lock and key strange.

These are a few of the cards I got:

From Goth to queen. What happened? You so dam hot that I keep walking into stuff because I’m staring at you.

Baby, you do things to me! Let me have that body.

Wow, Jane. I always knew there was beauty inside of you but look at you now! I’m a matric scraping his knees from falling for you.

You gorgeous sexy thing! Hope that the other guy isn’t still around cause baby you’ll be mine soon. Etc.

The one that struck out to me was the card I found the necklace in:

See you in geography baby.

But the one message that struck out to me the most was engraved onto the lock, it said:

Jane always keep your heart locked even though I have the spare keys.

Mrs Jack gave me a gift bag to carry my gifts in since I didn't have my bag. I had Geography for 30 minutes today after break and before home time

I couldn't stop thinking about those last two messages.

"Jane, can I see what you got?" Rocksyn squealed, "Was that one of them?" she inquired indicating my necklace.

"Uh yeah," I stated as I started fiddling with it. I don't even remember putting it on.

"What the fuck?" Rocksyn remarked as she held up the lock and key.

"Did you read what’s engraved on it?"

She read the lock and her mouth flew open, "Oh my word this is like the sweetest gift ever! He must have the spare keys, like literally."

I laughed at her as she dug through the gifts. Next, she showed me all her gifts, which were like a lot

The bell rang indicating it was break. Rocksyn and I headed off to the cafeteria with our gift bags.

This group of guys were smearing icing onto each other’s faces. Talk about being childish.

While we sat down with our usual cafeteria group, this grade 8 girl walked over to the table with two of her friends.

"I was wondering could we take a selfie with you girls." She asked

"Of course, you may honey," Rocksyn replied.

I like hid away because I hate taking pictures but unfortunately, they caught me in one.

After an extremely long time the bell rang for the next period, you know what that means

Geography.