We Are Of The Reckless Kind

4

My favorite children's book was always Peter Pan. I guess I just like the idea of running away and never growing up.

Growing up sucks.

It's not just the paying the bills and having kids part. It's also the fact that when you're a grown-up, you can never be yourself.

Take my mom, for example.

By the stories I've heard, she was a crazy kid. I can't wrap my head around that because I don't see my mom like a crazy adolescent.

Why, I hear you ask?

Because growing up takes a toll on you. These days the only time she gets crazy is when I don't take my anti-depressants. It's like I'm her charity case. I know that's rude to say to my mom, but she needs to have fun too every once in a while.

I haven't seen or heard from Luke in a whole week outside of English class. I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed. Not seeing Luke or any of his friends, means I am back to my normal, boring, monotone life.

I get up at 6, get ready for school, have breakfast, leave for school, be in school, come back from school and read. Oh, and I study on the weekends.

Although, in this past week I have gotten to know Grace a lot more. And I don't have to sit alone at lunch. Score.

"Yo, Winty. You're zoning out again." Grace said punching my arm.

"Oh, sorry. And stop calling me Winty."

It's this stupid nickname thing. I started calling her 'G-Bomb' so she had to give me a nickname.

"Oh, no I won't. Get used to it, Winty."

"I beg..."

She interrupted me. "Wait, why are the gang rape guys approaching this table?"

"Gang rape?" I turned around and saw Luke and his friends walking towards us.

"Really, Grace, gang rape? That's really low." I said rolling my eyes.

"I know they're trouble. Maybe not gang rape but something else."

"Maybe they're nice and you won't know that if you don't stop..."

"Who's nice?" Calum said while sitting down next to me. Luke sat on my other side.

"Why does everyone keep interrupting me? If anyone interupts me one more time I will..."

"Kill them?" Luke said smirking.

I grunted and punched him in the arm.

"So, who's nice?" Calum repeated.

I said "You." the same time Grace said "The new English substitute."

"Ugh, Grace thinks you're gonna gang rape her."

They all started laughing. "Are we really that scary?" Ashton asked.

"In her defense, you are kind of intimidating. And the new English substitute is nice. And hot." I said and high-fived Grace.

I felt Luke tense up next to me, for no apparent reason.

"So you guys wanna come to Ashton's place after school?"

I said "Okay." the same time Grace said "No."

"We have to stop doing that." I laughed.

Grace pulled me away from the table.

"Winty, who knows what 'Ashton's place' is. It's not safe to go home with them." she put air quotes around 'Ashton's place'.

"Grace, chill out. They're not rapists."

I pulled her back to the table and accepted the invitation. They all said cool and we agreed to meet in front of the gym when classes finished.

I had English 4th period. I wasn't really paying attention to what the teacher was saying, but when the words 'And Then There Were None' escaped his lips, I immediately started paying attention.

"Who read this book?" he asked and I instantly raised my hand. This is my favorite book.

I looked around the class and the only other hand raised besides mine was Luke's. This boy continues to surprise me every day.

"Oh, great. All you other folks, that haven't read it, are missing out. Can you tell us the plot of the book, Hazel?"

I smiled wide. "Eight people are en route to a remote island off the coast of Devon. Each person has an invitation, most in writing, in some cases from actual friends or acquaintances, tailored to his or her personal circumstances. The island had been the subject of some relatively recent news gossip, with mostly false reports about its purchase by a new owner. After arriving on the island, the guests are informed by the butler and the cook, that their hosts, Mr and Mrs Owen are not present but will arrive soon."

"Luke, do you want to continue?"

I don't mind him interrupting me. I want to see how much Luke knows about the book.

"Well, after they find out that the hosts aren't present they find a nursery rhyme in the living room. During dinner they also find figurines of 10 sailor boys, which represent every one of them. People start dying and a storm comes. Since there is no way to leave or come to the island it's pretty obvious that whoever is killing these people is one of them. And personally, the killer didn't surprise me as much as he intrigued me."

"Okay, okay, spoiler alert! Don't write the assignment for them." the teacher laughed.

I was impressed. No, I was stunned. I didn't know Luke was this smart.

"You didn't think I knew that much, did you? Well who looks stupid now?" Luke whispered, grinning.

"Touché." I said and smiled at him.

I was too stunned for my own good because I stopped listening to the teacher and started repeating one and only one sentence in my head.

I think I'm starting to like Luke.