Violet Hill

It was a cold and dark night, but all I could do was look up at the shadowed depths of the sky which caressed the stars like dazzling crystals. My chilled breath was visible with every exhale while I froze atop the soft haven of snow. Once again Layla and I were taking refuge upon my roof.

The wind breezed lightly over us as our minds wandered elsewhere; per usual. 

My rooftop was that silly childhood ritual I had started up with my best friend Layla. She and I were only eight when we decided to come up here every night so we could just get away from the rest of the world. Now we were both seventeen and even on the bitter nights of December we still came up here.

My parents didn’t fancy me up here much, but they always told me if I fell off it would be my fault. At first when I first began coming up atop the roof my mom used to put up a fight but she eventually gave up because I would smirk and constantly rebel. Really shows her mothering ability. My father didn’t really give a damn at all for he had no time for my childish games because he is always oh so busy.

But Layla always gave me the time of day, which is one of the many reasons to why she is my best friend. Ever since kindergarten we have been closer than siblings. Maybe even closer because siblings tend to fight and we have only had one fight in our life and it was about the most infantile thing.

In first grade I stole her graham crackers and then the battle began.

The two of us seemed so far, but yet, so close as we lay down lazily upon my rooftop. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Layla moving her arms and legs and I knew that she was once again making a snow angel.

Instead of making a clever comment, I just grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at her with brute force. A girlish squeal erupted from her lips and I saw her giving me an ominous glare through the bundle of snow that was partially covering her face.

“Jason, don’t you remember what happened last time?” She seethed after her hands had wiped her face clean.

Actually, I very well remembered what happened the last time I sneakily threw snow at her and it didn’t turn out so well. Other than the fact of her dominating me with a snow ball war, many things happened, many that I’d rather not remember at the moment.

I sat up and raised one eyebrow at her while she stood in a stance that was very much like a cat’s. In fact, her lanky body and narrowed eyes truly did make her have a cat appearance while she glowered back at me.

“Yes, yes I do remember.” I said while her lips puckered into a straight line.

“Good, then let’s not go for a second time at that.” Her voice was as cold as the night but I could hear the playfulness in it.

She flashed me a childish grin that distinctively brought back memories of our past when we were first trying to figure out how to get up to the roof.

 

 

“Just a little higher,” Layla urged as I climbed up from my window.

 I was clinging onto a looser part of the roof for dear life and wished terribly that I was the one watching from my room and her being the one up here. I looked down at her and grimaced in pain. “Why can’t you do it?” I had asked and she rolled her eyes and gave me that devious smile.

“Because I am a lady.”

 

 

“So… are you still a lady?” I asked her once out of my flashback and she stared at me as if I was a madman.

“What?” She drawled out slowly and quizzically.

“Never mind,” I replied shoving the memory aside and she went back to her guarded expression.

“So is this war on or do you forfeit?”

It was a very tempting offer even though it was definitely way too immature for us, but nonetheless, we both thought it was somewhat fun. Whenever we are alone it seems as though the child within us comes out to play.

 School, however, is a completely different story.

Of course we hang out be we can never truly be ourselves because of the insecurity that practically every teenager has. In fact at school we rarely even see each other and it’s not just because we have no classes together except for lunch (only that isn’t really a class…) but because we just hang out with different people.

Layla is friends with almost everyone in our senior class (except for the plastics) and I am mostly only friends with beings like me (brain-box nerds). And she has a friend that is a girl that she does practically everything with now.

Isabelle was nice, of course, but in some ways I was jealous because in a way Isabelle was kind of taking my place. I do have guy friends also but none come anywhere near to Layla.

But there is one downfall of our friendship; everyone thinks that we are a couple. One year we were even named the cutest couple in that year’s yearbook. I mean I guess we do kind of flirt but I always thought it was more of a friend-to-friend kind of flirt, but other people must perceive it differently.

I mean it’s not that I don’t find Layla attractive, in fact just the opposite; she is quite stunning in my opinion. But I think of her as a friend and nothing more.

She watched me strangely and I realized that she was waiting for my response.

“I guess I forfeit.” I said with a shrug before going back to lying in the snow.

“Well you’re no fun, killjoy.” She replied and I felt a rush of snow hit the side of my head. “Ah… revenge.” She mused to herself and I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever.”

I looked over at her and saw her in the midst of a cartwheel. That was Layla for you, acts on impulse almost every time. But seriously, her action made me a bit nervous because of the fact that we were on a roof that probably had some ice spots on it beneath the snow and if she were to slip…

“Stop watching me like that.” Layla moaned and I furrowed my brow in confusion.

“Like what?”

“Like you’re about to stomp over to me and drag me by the hair into a cage so I am unable to go anywhere,” she said and I let out a half-hearted laugh.

“Nice mental image.”

“So you see my point?”

“Whatever.” I mumbled mostly to myself but her sigh confirmed that she too had heard me.

“Ah that must be the word of the day… on the bus you said it three times and out here you have said it twice.”

“Should I make it a sixth time?”

“Whatever.” Layla mocked before plopping down casually into the snow. I saw her white breath come out fast and hard as she tilted her head up to the sky and stared at the starry night.

“It is strangely beautiful, isn’t it?” I inquired with a small boyish grin that made her laugh.

“Oh yes, quite beautiful.” Then she shot an anxious glance over to her home which just happened to be next door.

“Don’t worry,” I assured, “the big bad wolf won’t get you.” If I had said it any other way it would’ve sounded as if I were teasing her, but it had come out so acidic that it made even myself flinch from the venom in it.

“Oh, I am not worried.” She replied nonchalantly but I knew that she was lying through her teeth.

“Let me see your arm.” I demanded flatly and she wound her arms around her body.

“Nothing happened, Jason, I am perfectly fine.”

“You may be a good liar but I know very well that you are far from fine. Now let me see your arms.”

“I am going home Jason.” Layla sighed and I knew she truly didn’t want to go home, but she desperately wanted to drop the situation, but I never backed down when something like this happened.

“I don’t understand why you cannot tell—”

“Just let it be!” She interrupted angrily and I flicked the snow. “Now I am going to go to bed Jason, because not only am I tired but I have some homework to do.”

“You know I could always help you with geometry…”

“Whatever calculus boy,” she sneered sarcastically while making her way down to my window. I followed her in and we crept through the house so that we wouldn’t wake my parents.

“I feel so bad.” Layla whispered and I shot her a naughty grin.

“So do, I.” We both tried to keep from laughing as I opened the front door for her and I and we walked down the side yard.

“You sure that you are going to be okay?”

“I think Dave is sleeping so yes, I will be.” Dave was Layla’s father—she refused to call him that because of what he is known for.

He is known for being an ornery bastard, drinking and violent.

“Good Night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.” I quoted Shakespeare which made her giggle and shake her head at the same time.

“See you at school... but not the bus… Isabelle’s… giving me a ride.” Something about the way she said it made me raise an eyebrow in suspicion. I had a feeling that she was lying but there was no use for prying at a time like this.

I nodded but my suspicion did not cease as I went back to my home and tiptoed into my room. My bed had never looked so comfortable.

 

 

 

(Author’s Note: Well this is only the beginning so it may not be the best chapter. Yes this is based on the song Violet Hill by Coldplay and if you really want to hear it I posted it on my page. I know it doesn’t seem that original but like I said it is only the beginning.)

(I would’ve posted two chapters but I am not sure of who wants to be posted so this is just easier. Let me know what you think or if I should continue.)

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