Here I Come

S1

I didn’t have time to spend mourning Karter’s change, because I was already late for science class, and even if it was my first day, only so much leeway would be given.

The rest of the school day passed uneventfully. I met Jenna after school, and we got into her car.

“How’d your day go?” She asked, as the car jerked to life.

“I met Karter,” I said. “He’s really different, isn’t he.”

“Yeah. He became kinda distant after you left, but about two years ago he changed into a typical ‘dangerous’ guy. No-one really knows why.”

“Um, have you heard of anyone named Lettersworth before?”

“Lettersworth? What kind of name is that?”

“I’m not really sure, but Karter mentioned him. He said he was dangerous.

“If Karter says a guy is dangerous, then you really have to stay clear of him.”

“You might have met Lett though?”

“Never heard of him. Who is he?

“A guy who also started school today. He and Karter talked like they had some kind of history, but I’m not really sure what their relationship is. They were both kinda vague.”

“Do you think this Lett guy is the reason Karter changed?”

“Um, I’m not really sure. Didn’t really sound that way though. More like Lett was also trying to make him go back to normal, but maybe that was just me hearing things weirdly.”

“Also? Don’t tell me you’re going to keep getting involved with him.”

“I feel like I have to. I mean, Karter is Karter, right? I’d be an awful friend if I just let him fall to the dark side.”

“The dark side? What is this, Star Wars?”

“Something like that,” I laughed.

“So, what did this Lett guy look like?”

“Wh-what do you mean?” I stammered.

“We all know you can’t like Karter like that, but you sound pretty enamored by the newcomer.”

“What does ‘enamored’ mean?”

“Infatuated.”

“I just talked to him once! That’s hardly enough time for anything like that!”

“Not in movies.”

“This isn’t a movie though, this is real life.”

“Just describe him already.”

“Well, I guess he was pretty handsome. He had reddish hair.” I said with a shrug. “Didn’t really pay much attention.”

“Alright, I believe that you didn’t think of him that way.”

“That was frighteningly easy?”

“You’re really bad at hiding your emotions. It doesn’t take much to figure you out.”

“How could you tell stuff like that?”

“It’s how you describe people! When you aren’t attracted to someone, you explain their appearance really vaguely, but when you are, you go on for ages! It’s one of your many quirks!”

“I... never noticed that I was doing anything like that.”

“Of course you didn’t. If you did, it wouldn’t be a tell, now would it?”

“Um, didn’t you just give it away?”

“Oh. Too bad.” She shrugged, “It worked well while it lasted.”

“Do you have any idea why Karter changed so much?” I inquired.

“Me? Nah, I was never close to him like you were. We didn’t hang out or anything after you left, so I don’t know any more than I’ve already told you.”

“Do you now who does know?”

“Can’t really think of anyone.” She was quiet for a moment as she thought. “But if anyone knew it’d be Spell.”

“Spell? Who’s that?”

“More like ‘what’s it’. Spell is an program.”

“A... program? Like on the computer?”

“Yeah. It’s a robo chat thingy. You type something in, and it's pre-programmed with responses, and then it recycles old conversations to respond to new ones.”

“Kinda like Cleverbot?”

“Yeah! But this one was made by students at our school for students at our school. So it’s almost like a giant database or something.”

“There are people at that school who are talented enough to make something like that?”

“I guess.”

“Do you have a computer at your house we could use?”

“You want to check right now?”

“Yep. As soon as possible, if it’s okay with you.”

“We can go on it right now.”

“Really? Thanks! I don’t know what I’d do without you!”

Jenna smiled, “No prob.”

 Go to chapter S2.