Keeping Secrets

Chapter 3

The car ride to school was quiet for the most part, the only noise being the radio playing quietly in the background. I could barely make out what was playing but eventually I realized it was If It Means A Lot to You by A Day to Remember. I hummed along to it quietly and within five minutes more of driving we arrived at Ashland High School. I felt knots in the pit of my stomach starting to form but I can't allow my nerves to take over today. Anybody who doesn't get nervous on their first day, I'm jealous of you.

We park the car and I get out before grabbing my bag and throwing it over my shoulder. We walk side by side towards the wide double door entrance to the school. When we walk in, Jesse and my brother branch away from me after making sure I am good to go on my own. I walk down the main hallway past the front doorway toward my homeroom. They only ever tell us who will be are homeroom teacher, nothing more, the homeroom teacher takes it from there. The minute I walk into the room I see him, none other than Kyle Broden. God he sickens me. If only Parker knew what happened, then there would be no Kyle Broden anymore. He looks up and smiles at me as if we're the best of friends as he always does. I look at the floor the seconds his eyes meet mine and I feel the nausea kick in again. I hold it together the best I can as I make my way to my homeroom teacher to get my schedule.

"Hello I'm Mr. Halverson. Name please?" Mr. Halverson smiles up at me.

"Um, I'm Opal Palmer." I say trying to avoid eye contact. I feel if anyone looks me in the eyes right now they will see the turmoil raging through me that is my anxiety.

"Ah, Opal, yes. Here is your schedule. You can take a seat right over there between Mr. Fraizer and Mr. Broden. " He smiles at me once again without a clue of what he has just done.

I walk over and take a seat. I try avoiding looking at Kyle but of course I glance and his eyes lock with mine immediately. For some reason I can't will myself to look away. He smirks at me, he has this awful hold over me and he knows it. However, our gaze breaks the second Mr. Halverson starts speaking.

"Hello students! Welcome to the first day of your senior year here at A.H.S. I want you to take a look around and see who your surrounded by. I want you to pair up into groups of two and I expect it to be a boy and a girl. We will do the same thing tomorrow only the boys will be with boys and girls with girls. Throughout this first week I want us to get to know each other so we can build community. But for right now, find a partner." Mr. H. says and I can feel Kyle's eye's on me but it is NOT happening.

I turn to my left and see who I am assuming Mr. H. was talking about earlier, Mr. Fraizer.

"Hi." I say as I tap him on the shoulder and he turns to look at me.

"Hi." He smiles back and right away I hear his accent. He must be one of our exchange students or something. I must say, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think he was attractive. I've never seen him around school before.

"You still partner-less?" I ask praying to God he is because if not, I'm screwed.

"Uh.." He trails off and he looks over my shoulder and I realize that Kyle must be telling him to back off with his eyes.

"Please?" I whisper just loud enough for him to hear.

He looks back at me, then back to Kyle and then to me again. "Of course." He smiles.

"Thank you." I say sighing in relief. I look up past him when I see Kyles form. He's walking towards some girl and I see her instantly says yes to being his partner. He looks back and we lock eye's again and his are practically screaming 'jealous?' at me. As if..

"Uh who is that guy? And why did he look like he wanted to kill me?" Whatever his first name is Fraizer says snapping me out of my thoughts. "I'm Danny by the way." He half smiles at me.