Unfathomable Depths

Chapter Two

Unfathomable Depths

Chapter Two

"Sometimes in the waves of change, we find our true direction."

-unknown

After partially sorting out the error in her schedule, Kallysta made her way to her first block class, AP Chemistry, with the not-so-helpful guidance of Ms. Birdie. Admittedly, Kallysta had a small scale freak-out after that mix-up, due to her perfectionist ways. She needed this day to go perfectly. She needed to fall into a rhythm here in Gulf Shores. She needed to find a purpose, a reason to not go back to Waverly Bay, and she was determined to overturn every single rock in this town if that's what it took. She could not go back to Waverly.

Kallysta was thankful that she had thought far enough ahead to arrive half an hour early, as her considerateness had saved her from being late to her first class. She made it to Chemistry with a couple of minutes to spare, so she pulled out her red, leather-bound journal. Recording a summary of the morning's events, she started from when she had parked her white Jeep in the student parking lot to the current moment. She wrote quickly, only providing a bulleted list with hardly any details.

When the bell rang for the start of class, she tucked the journal back into her backpack. Students slowly started to pour into the class room. Kallysta could tell that the atmosphere of this AP class was mostly socially-awkward, university bound students. She received an innumerable amount of funny looks from her curious class mates. The old, rickety wooden desks around her slowly filled. The students didn't really socialize with each other, instead, they individually read or worked quietly. Suddenly, she heard the door slam, causing her to jump. She whipped her head around, staring as a man she assumed was Mr. Rowland stalked into the classroom. He was an older man, probably in his early 50s, and he wore the most flaming, fashionable outfit she had ever seen an old man wear. It consisted of chestnut brown brogue boots, paired with dark, acid wash, cuffed skinny jeans. He also wore a cream turtleneck, despite the southern Alabama humidity.

Throwing a camel-colored, leather satchel atop his desk, he ran a hand through his gelled, gray hair, and drawled, "Alright y'all. Today is a screw-all day. Do whatever the hell y'all want. I'll be in the lounge, drowning myself in the piss poor coffee this piss poor school provides. Holler if you need me."

There was a murmur of yes-sirs, and none of the students seemed at all shocked by Mr. Rowland's outburst. But Kallysta, for one, was absolutely astonished. Never before had she seen such behavior from a grown person!

As the teacher made his way out the door, Kallysta called out, "Excuse me? Mr. Rowland? I'm Kallysta... I'm new here?"

Turning on his heel to face Kallysta, he replied, "Are you asking me if you are new here or are you telling me?"

"I-I-I'm telling you..." she replied, her face burning with embarrassment. No weakness, she chided herself, clenching her teeth against the heat that bloomed across her cheeks.

"Well, hello. Miss Kallysta Mae Herring! I do believe I read a paper your previous teacher sent me. The one about the history of Technetium? Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! And must I say," he added, giving her the up-down, "your style is impeccable! I love bohemian chic on young women these days. It is so refreshing to see a young lady with a sense of style around here! I terribly despise the, ah, 'Nike shorts and Chacos' fad that seems to be engulfing today's youth."

Mr. Rowland grinned at her, but Kallysta's mouth hung open in shock. She had no idea what to make of this character of a man.

Just then, saving Kallysta from fumbling over a reply, a large figure moved into the doorway, distracting the intriguing man's attention from the befuddled girl.