• [ t i m e h e a l s e v e r y t h i n g ] •

♥ louisa ♥

IT'S FUNNY how people say that time heals everything. The belief that the ticking of a mere clock can magically relieve wounds, renew the mind and dissipate moments of pain into nothingness. An idealistic view that throws a halo over the man-made creation, shoving it into the limelight and giving it a crown.

But what people fail to comprehend is that sometimes the ominous ticking of the clock can stop. Events can cause it to freeze, trapping a person in their past and forcing them to relive the bad memories again and again. Slowly, the burden of past events transform a person, impacting their character and true self. So how can it be possible for people to say that time heals everything when time itself can stop?

Exactly a year ago, the ticking of my clock came to a halt and two people were to blame.

One that I stared at every day in the mirror and one that I hoped to never see again.

My eyes bore into the back of Mr Holland's head as he droned on and on about the context of Othello, the book we would be studying this academic year. With tired skin that seemed to sag from his bones and a good seventy percent of his once blonde hair now grey, one would probably feel sympathetic towards him for looking as if he had the weight of the world on top of him. But if one had the persistence to dig a little deeper, there would always be something else hidden beneath the seemingly flat surface.

Tapping my long manicured nails against the desk, I glanced at the pile of classical literature lying on his desk that he always had his head tucked into.

Moby Dick. Wuthering Heights. To Kill a Mockingbird. The Great Gatsby. One that I didn't recognise with some nude female on the cover.

My lips twitched into a smirk.

Aside from all those books, I'm sure that wasn't the only promiscuous thing going on in his mind. Aside from all those books, I was sure Mr Holland was already preoccupied with that fucked up affair he was having with that 15 year old girl.

I turned my head to the marble tiles on the classroom floor that had been hand-painted with liquid gold designs. When would be the best time for me to let that slip? Perhaps some blackmail alone would give him the push to teach lessons that didn't make me want to choke to death on a bloody diamond. A dainty laugh slipped out of my mouth at my lack of creativity and soon enough I found myself brainstorming more extravagant ways to expose him.

At least it was a good way to pass the time. Time was precious and there was certainly no point in me sitting here passively breathing air.

My eyes glazed over my English Literature class towards the back corner where a petite yet curvy girl sat sprawled over a boy, her skin tight Prada dress inching up her thighs. I held back an eye roll, watching as Lexi momentarily parted lips with the male only to let out a heavy and loud breath to ensure the entire world knew what she was doing.

Attention seeking at its finest.

Alcohol overdose, numerous one night stands, abortions, Lexi Walton done it all - throwing around her dignity as if it were a worthless cloth. Catching even a ray of the same spotlight I and the elites had meant everything to her and she didn't give a care about what she needed to do to get it. The bitch had even begun hanging around with us lately in a bid to claw her way up the social hierarchy.

I pursed my scarlet lips together as I thought about the real reason why us elites were temporarily allowing her to spend time with us.

It was simple.

Amusement.

Lexi along with the other students at Forteaux was utterly stupid to not notice that all the previous people who had the same thing in mind had ended in the same way. Mentally broken, destroyed into smithereens and spending every evening wishing they'd never bothered trying. That was what the desire for social status could do to you.

I knew far too well how it was a double-edged sword.

When she let out another moan, I stopped rotating my Cartier bracelet around my wrist.

If she didn't shut up within the next ten seconds, I was going to end up with a fucking headache.

Tapping my Louboutins against each under beneath the table, I put my hand up. Everyone held their breath in anticipation of my words as if I were some goddess who had descended from the clouds.

"Sir? Mr Holland?" He turned his head towards me, a look of admiration fleeting on his face as he gazed at the soft olive skin of my long neck, the ebony hair that trailed down my back and my round lips. If I wasn't as observant as I was, I'd have missed it. "What did you say the- oh."

I broke off, deliberately turned my attention to the back of the classroom. Another smile teased at my lips as I allowed the scene to unfold itself.

"Miss Lexi Walton. I will certainly not tolerate this type of behaviour in my classroom," Mr Holland boomed, finally deciding to pay attention to the class.

How disgustingly hypocritical considering you'd been doing the same thing last evening after 3 pm?

The class exploded into a chorus of sniggers as I shot a piercing look at the embarrassed couple, crossing my legs and folding my palms. Lexi's huge blue eyes glinted as she revelled in the fact that all eyes were on her. I held back a scoff.

I had a personal interest in Lexi Walton, specifically for what she had done in the past. By the end of this academic year, I'd make sure she was in total ruins. "Somebody tell him to send Lexi out before I do something worse," I murmured lowly, sweeping my hair off the shoulders of my Dior dress.

In every class there were individuals who ridiculously abandoned any sense of self-worth to grovel at our feet, snatching the opportunity to worship the richest and most influential heir or heiresses that Forteaux Academy had to offer. I wasn't stupid. The only goal they had in mind was to join us.

Poor things didn't realise it wasn't all fun and games up here.

The puppet beside me overheard, her brown eyes blinking with admiration and a sickening hope to impressing me. One of my dark eyebrows lifted as she exclaimed in a loud voice, "What else can you expect from the Academy whore? She'll carry on if you don't send her out, Mr Holland. A phone call home would put an end to it all."

Lexi's blue eyes that seemed too large for her small head landed on me, well aware of what I'd done. "I'd like a word with the pair of you outside. Everybody else, please discuss what you already knew about the play."

I smiled at Lexi mockingly, listening to the chatter whilst Mr Holland took the bait and sent Lexi alongside the boy out of the classroom.

Doesn't she have any dignity?

I heard that Lexi slept with three people within an hour. People like that don't know what pride is.

Shh. We have to be nice to her, remember? The elite has started letting her hang around with them. If they like Lexi and Lexi likes us, maybe they'll invite us to their parties.

As if they'd ever ask you to come.

At least Louisa knows what my name is. She doesn't even know who you are.

A soft laugh escaped me. I didn't know who either of them were, let alone one. The door of the classroom swung open again and Mr. Holland walked back in with a tall built person who certainly wasn't Lexi or the boy.

The entertaining atmosphere that Lexi bought, however much I hated her, vanished and was instead replaced by a heavy, more focused aura. Random streaks of the stranger's dark brown hair caught the sunlight from the open window, making them look a tawny shade hazel, a contrast to his grey eyes.

Nausea rushed through me as the blood pumping through my veins ran cold. I felt as if the air was being knocked out of my chest repeatedly whilst an icy hand dug into my chest, wrenching my heart out.

I was imagining things.

It was somebody else.

I forced myself to not jump to conclusions yet a second stare at his face brought back all the hurt that I'd tried so hard to forget. Like clockwork, he fit perfectly into the picture that I'd shattered mercilessly time and time again.

Some faces just couldn't be forgotten, no matter how much one tried.

The sounds of unflattering giggling bought me back to the present and I noticed how most girls exploded in a cluster of whispers, influenced by the sex appeal radiating around the man.

His face was definitely worthy of praise with all the features that men would die for sculpted on his visage. An arrogant smile framed his attractive face as he savoured the attention that he stole courtesy to his structured cheekbones and killer looks. Pure arrogance. He looked like a fucking God and knew it. He adjusted the sharp lapels of his blazer.

The same million dollar smile that had tripped up the smartest of girls, allowing him to get away with things that somebody shouldn't be allowed to do, weaved its way onto his face.

He wasn't oblivious. Certainly not.

The grin on his face said everything, especially how aware he was of the reason for their batted eyelashes.

"Everyone... We've uh, had a sudden visitor, well, I mean unexpected transfer to Forteaux Academy," Mr Holland said, peering at the new student through the tops of his glasses. "I'm sure the head teacher will speak to you all later but for now we have a new member joining us. This is-"

He paused, looking at the dark haired boy for assistance as I waited to see his response. The words slipped out of him mouth slowly as if they should be grateful that he was giving them a taste of his golden voice, "Oh, I'm Gabriel Reid."

The beating of my heart further sped up even though I had hardly deemed that possible.

Maybe, it was him.

I shook my head slightly, pressing my shaking palms together before anybody could notice.

The need for fresh air flooded me as I glanced at my golden crested watch to find there were only five minutes left.

Staring intently at the intricate wooden designs on the mahogany table, I focused on keeping my breath steady and not doing anything that may draw attention to myself. It was close to impossible considering who I was.

"Louisa!" the same brown-eyed girl beside me whispered after plucking up the nerve to talk to me. At first, I ignored her, hoping that she would take the hint yet she continued.

Eventually, I enthusiastically turned to her feeling irritated that she was close to blowing my temporary plan of keeping a low profile. "What do you want?"

"Don't you think he's super attractive? Isn't it time you dropped Logan, you know?" she blabbed, referring to my boyfriend, the most renowned male at Forteaux. "Or maybe gave him some healthy competition?"

My face stayed neutral as I glared at her. She cowered under my gaze, shrinking backwards.

"My personal life has nothing to do with you so I suggest close your barely visible lips and stop bothering me." Understanding the message, she leaned back towards her seat mumbling apologies and comments of her ludicrousness.

Placing my pen on the table, I chanced a look at the devilish man standing at the door. Immediately, my coffee eyes locked with his cloudy ones and I felt them consume me as I forced myself to hold my ground and keep my guard up.

Similar to a time portal, I felt myself being sucked back in time to a year ago. His face merged back and forth from the time I had seen him completely knocked out and his current presence in the room.

A faint smirk weaved its way onto his mouth as he eyed the empty seat beside me, whilst my throat involuntarily began closing up.

Did he know?

Before he could make his way towards me, the sound of the bell echoed through the room signalling the end of the lesson. Keeping my head high, I stood up gracefully to place my folder into my Hermes bag before rapidly stalking out of the room.

The careful composure on my face starkly contrasted the messy array of questions in my mind, floating on the ceaseless river of panic.

Within me, the beating of my heart further sped up even though I had hardly deemed that possible.

If he dared return, so would everything else.

First thoughts of Louisa? Haha, don't worry - they'll be a tonne of character development and you'll end up loving Lou by the end.

Just a word of warning, this book is going to have mystery tones and a hell of a lot of foreshadowing so hopefully you'll pick up on the hints as you go along (or kick yourself at the end, as I always do, haha.)

KiwiAndKolas x