Turns out that Casey loves art just as much as I do. She grew up with 2 brothers and 2 sisters from different sets of parents, has a dog named Purple and a bird named Yellow, loves dirt bike riding and thinks the color of vomit should be pink. She also seemed to be the most eccentric person I would ever meet.
As we walked down the hall towards the cafeteria, I realised that I had just made a friend. I had a brief moment of joy at that before a bad feeling completely eclipsed it. She wouldn't be my friend for long once she learnt the whole gory and gruesome truth about me. It always happened and I was almost always cool with it but for some reason, this time felt different.
I still noticed the stares. If possible, they had increased since morning. Some of them seemed to be a bit more malicious than I would expect and there were also a lot more curious ones.
I turned to Casey to see if she had noticed. I didn't even get to open my mouth when she had already started talking.
"Don't worry about them. The girls are looking at you like that because... well... You're gorgeous and because Tristan spoke to you."
"Who?” She laughed at my obvious confusion.
"The guy that showed you to class", she said. "He rarely, if ever, speaks to anyone and he never speaks to girls. He rarely even acknowledges people, especially people outside his group".
"He did not really speak to me. All he said was 'You're welcome'. That was it ".
"That's more than he has said to any other girl I think", she laughed.
Oh. And she kept laughing, even after we had gotten our food and found a table to seat at.
Casey introduced me round the table of 5.
"Hey everyone. This is Jade. Jade, these are Michael, Annabeth, Sharone, Tyler and Angie", gesturing to each person around the table.
Michael had long, blonde hair that was slightly shaggy and brown eyes. Annabeth's a cherry blonde and has dark green eyes and a petite build. Sharone has dark brown hair, brown eyes and an olive complexion. Tyler is blonde haired and blue-eyed, with a very charismatic smile. And Angie is a brunette haired beauty with hazel eyes.
There was a chorus of Hello's and Hi's from all of them. I mumbled a hello back and took a seat between Sharone and Casey and picked at the breakfast bar I brought from home. I would normally eat a lot but I was so nervous that I knew a breakfast bar would be my best bet if I didn't want to lose all the contents of my stomach. They started asking me questions about myself and why I moved to their little town. I didn't see any reason why I should lie when they would eventually find out everything so I told them exactly what brought me here. For a minute, there was silence. Then Casey (I knew there was a reason why I like that girl) broke it by asking who I was staying with. No pity just the way I like it. When I told them I was staying with Anna Reid, they were all very surprised.
"Why are you all so surprised?” I asked curiously.
Casey immediately went ahead to explain. "It's nothing really. It’s just that... Well Anna isn't particularly well known or particularly friendly for that matter. It wouldn't be such a big deal normally but in a small town where everybody knows everybody, it’s just odd".
Ohhhhh. Well I guess that may be odd to them but to someone like me, the need for privacy is easily understandable.
“Jade?” I looked up from staring at the table to look into the comically widened eyes of Angelica. She was mostly looking behind me and the others at the table were also looking behind me with the exact same expression on their faces. It was like a mixture of confusion, shock and curiosity. I turned slowly wondering what had caught their attention so much. The first thing I saw was a trio of chains attached to someone’s very masculine jean clad thighs. I looked up slowly, taking in the metal studded black belt, black singlet and black leather jacket. As I registered all this, my eyes continued their r ascent but I already knew who was standing before me. What I didn’t know was why. I finally met his eyes. The piercing grey almost silver color was…well…piercing into me, almost into my soul. And I didn’t like it one bit. I felt an involuntary scowl cover my face.
“Jade”, he murmured, almost like he was talking to himself but I heard him loud and clear and it appeared that I wasn’t the only one. I heard a collective gasp followed by nosy whispering from not only my table but apparently the entire cafeteria had nothing better to do. Dimly, at the back of my mind, I wondered why it was such a big deal. Then I remembered what Cassie had told me earlier about him not talking to many if any of the girls at school.
“I’m to show you to your next class if you’re ready to proceed”, he said to me quietly.
I stood up. I couldn’t eat anyway. My body isn’t used to having enough to eat. Sad really. I’ve had to go days without eating or sleeping in the past. It would be hard to adjust to what is normal for other people; having food to eat, not being beaten within an inch of my life every day, being allowed to sleep. Things I consider to be luxuries but are actually a given in most people’s lives.
I silently followed him out of the cafeteria, ignoring the gawks and whispers just as effectively as he did. Part of me was grateful to him. I would have had to endure many more questions from the table, questions I wasn’t yet prepared to deal with. We walked silently down the hallway and up a flight of stairs and towards a classroom at the very end of the hall. The biology lab was completely empty when we pushed through. Obviously, everyone, including the teacher, was still at lunch. Only the Goth boy and scarred girl were in class. Not that anybody would ever actually see the scars. The only visible scars I actually had were covered with several tattoos. If the people at this school ever saw my body properly, not something that’s likely to happen mind you, they’d think I was in a gang or something.
He led me to a lab table at the very back. I followed hesitantly, not sure if he wanted me to sit with him.
“Come take this seat”, he said in his quiet timbre without looking at me.
“Are you sure?” I asked, not wanting to intrude anymore than I already had.
He looked up at me. Piercing me through and through and I saw the answer in his eyes. Cliché I know.
I sat beside him, pulling my iPod out of my bag and I saw him lay his head on the tabletop.
We remained that way until the bell for the end of lunch and the start of this period rang. People who were chatting as they entered the room quickly fell silent as they saw us sitting there. The same expressions that were targeted at us during lunch were once again on their faces. I have a problem with being given attention. It had never been a good thing in the life I’d lived all these years. I quickly ducked me head, letting my hair cover my face completely. The laboratory slowly filled up. The chatter was lower than I knew it would normally be as people were still preoccupied with staring at Jasper and I. finally, the teacher walked into class and the students all turned to face him. The only problem was that he too was momentarily stunned at the sight of Tristan willingly sitting beside me. He composed himself and started the class. Tristan remained in his position throughout the lesson. I wondered if he was asleep or not. As if he sensed my gaze and the direction of my thoughts, he turned his head towards me with his eyes open and aware. We stared at each other for a couple of seconds then he put his head back on the table moments before the bell rang. I packed my books up and made to walk out of the class when I heard him call my name and gesture for me to wait for him, which I did. Obviously. It’s not like I can find my way around the school. Yet. It was time for the final class of the day which was Gym. He pointed to the girls’ changing room and I smiled to acknowledge him direction. He cocked his head to the side for a moment before he turned, shoved his hands into his pockets and walked away swiftly. The school still hadn’t given me my gym clothes so the coach asked me to sit the class out. They were running laps for the lesson. I was so envious of them, I’ve always loved running which is weird because most people hate running. Tristan was one of the first to finish running. Not that I was watching him or anything. I felt, rather than saw, movement beside me as someone sat beside me on the bleacher. I didn’t bother moving my head completely; I turned my eyes to the side and met a pair of bright blue eyes that belonged to Ethan. He smiled at me with his clinically whitened teeth. I refused to believe anyone could naturally have teeth that were so white but I guess it’s possible. Maybe.
“How has your day been darling?”
“Don’t call me darling. Thank you”, I said stiffly. Him calling me darling brought back too many memories that are meant to remain locked up. Forever.
