The Guardian Children (book 1) [SAMPLE]

Chapter 8

After getting a taste of friendship, I became aware of just how lonely it felt to not to have anyone to talk to. Being with both Carter and Leo was incredible. Spending time with just one was just as great, but there was always a feeling of something missing in the air. However, spending time alone was unbearable. That was the only way to describe fourth period.

Don’t get me wrong, the course was interesting enough; history of Egypt, which was cool in its own way. But sitting all alone reminded me of my old days. Back then, I used to prefer going solo, because whenever I tried making contact with anyone, it didn’t turn out nicely. I used to sit by myself in the back room of my classes, pretending to take notes when I'm actually reading my new favorite novel.

However, now that I had Leo and Carter, the solitude had lost its appeal, and I treasured our social moments, which was a first for me. I hated it. Lunch couldn’t come fast enough, although I was dreading having to tell Leo and Carter what was proabably one of my biggest secrets.

When fourth period was finally over, I hurried to put my books in my locker so that I could get to the cafeteria faster, only to find a new letter slipping from it the moment I opened it. Cursing under my breath, I ignored it on the floor and kept walking. I wasn’t going to let whoever this girl was ruin my time with my friends, so I had to go to the bathroom to calm myself down first.

Standing in front of the mirror, I leaned against the sink with my eyes closed. I took a few deep breaths and tried spreading calming thoughts in my mind. To an outsider, it probably seemed like I was overeacting over one simple letter. However, I had anger management issues which could be triggered by the smallest of provocations, at least that was what several therapists had said to me.

The last I had been sent to had told me that if I let my anger take over me, it would control me. He’d been appointed by my last school, because I started misbehaving again after I left the Foresters, and he had advised me to take deep breaths and ‘think happy thoughts’. Seriously, that’s what he’d said.

Well, I’m doing it right now Howell, and it’s not helping one fu-

“Are you okay?”

The voice not only startled me out of my thoughts, but out of my wits, too, and I whirled around. “Jeez, don’t sneak up on a person like that!”

Looking up, I found Nettie standing there, trying and failing to hide her amusement.

“Sorry,” she apologized with a grin.

Luckily, being startled had been enough to completely take away my anger, and I strangely found myself smiling at her.

“Thanks,” I told her. “You don’t realize it, but you just helped me calm down.”

She blinked, taken aback. “Oh. You’re welcome, I guess...?” She made it sound like a question because she wasn’t sure why I was thanking her.

I was dangerously close to making myself look like a freak, and I felt a strange compulsion to tell her everything, just to have someone to vent my frustration to, someone who would be impartial.

“Look, I don’t want you to think I’m crazy. It’s just that I was in a really bad mood, and you helped me calm down,” I explained.

She frowned, confused. “Why were you in a bad mood?”

I didn’t think twice about acting on impulse. “Well, there’s a girl here who is getting the wrong impression about me and Leo,” I told her. “She thinks we’re dating when we’re actually just friends, and she has a crush on him, so I guess she thinks of me as competition or something, so she hates my guts.”