Judges

Chapter Five

1994

I walk briskly with my backpack lugging me down, walking to Greene High School.

November 3rd, 1994.

I approach the school, a large, looming building with brick and large inset windows. I enter and walk through crowded hallways full of teenagers blasting music and chattering among themselves. Jared is unfazed by the crowds. I stop briefly at my locker, the combination of which I don't even think about as I use the lock. I walk slowly to my homeroom, Mrs. Grove, room 214. I head in just as the bell rings, with Jared arriving ten seconds too late. I sit at a desk in the back, drawing pictures of records as Mrs. Grove drones on.

Most of the class passes by in a haze; I know what to do from decades of watching kids stare blankly at blackboards from rigid seats. Even watching it wasn't really a lot of fun.

"Class, I know you think this is a joke of a class, counting for nothing... they give you this class for a reason, students," says Mrs. Grove, and some kids snicker. "Study in this time they give you in the mornings! I know a biology quiz is coming up for the students in that class. Study over the notes packet you have, please, and I hope you do well."

A girl a few seats over pulls out a neat binder and shuffles through stacks of colored paper.

Jared sits next to a tall blonde boy named Paul, who looks like he plays football with Jared. Jared reads a book and Paul looks at it from over his shoulder, points to something, and they both laugh.

Suddenly, Jared glances up from his book, looking directly into my eyes, his widening in confusion and then fear. He gasps, looking back down at his book quickly and avoiding my gaze. I turn around and I know he looks at me. He recognized me from something, something that scared him. But what?

The day passes uneventfully, with Jared ignoring me and reading his book quietly in every class. He never looks at me when I can see him, but I know he looks at me when I'm distracted. As the bell rings for lunch, I give up trying to get him to look at me and run to my locker. Right now all I know about Jared is that he likes books, he is friends with Paul, is a good student, and a football player. I sigh.

This isn't nearly enough information to decide someone's fate, why am I judging a fifteen year old boy?

I walk slowly to the lunch room, and decide I do not want to sit there. The dark space painted an awful teal color is too crowded, and I'm not even in the mood for talking. I just need to think. I decide to go outside on the patio to eat, where there are only a few people.

The sun is shining and the heat warms my back as I find a ham sandwich packed in my lunch bag, with a water bottle and some fruit. I don't notice someone approaching until it's too late.

"Who are you?" asks Jared cautiously, his shadow blocking out the sunshine. His deep voice rings in my ears.

"Augusta Hayes. I've been in your English class since August." I look away and take another bite out of my sandwich.

"No, who are you really? You're not Augusta, you're different. You look different, sound different, and nobody seems to notice except me. I saw you, at my mother's funeral, in 1987. You were there, I remember." He sighs. "I've been thinking about this all day. I know you were there."

"Why would you have seen me there?"

"I don't know, Augusta, but you were there. I remember. And whoever you are, I want to know why you're here. You're not Augusta."