Dark Intentions

Chapter 2

POV – Alex:

 Senior year

The nasally voice of Ms. Jackson, a thin, ancient looking office lady, filled the hallways of Blackwell Falls Private School through speakers that had been placed above burgundy lockers and dark oak doorways.

"Seniors, if you haven't done so already pick up your graduation caps and gowns during lunchtime today. This will be the last day to pick them up."

I slowly push my way through the crowded halls full of students in matching white shirts, with either a burgundy plaid skirt or black slacks and made my way to my locker in the math and science wing of the school. The lunch bell had just rung which means Sammi, Dakota and I get to go outside to eat at one of the picnic tables in the quad that sits in the front of the school. I put my books and binder into my small, overly full locker the school had assigned me and grab the paper bag lunch I had packed the night before from my backpack. Shutting my locker door with a loud metal clank and pulling the handle a few times to make sure it was closed all the way I head to the front doors of the school to meet with my friends.

The quad was a grassy circular area in the front of the school off to the right of the main entrance. A brick pathway lined with short hedges branched from the main sidewalk and led into the area that was surrounded by white rose bushes and had an old oak tree in the middle. Five hexagon shaped picnic tables made of cedar formed a circle around the tree. I saw Sammi sitting at one of the tables and walked over to her. She had straightened her auburn colored hair and had it pushed back with a black headband. Looking at her you'd think she'd be the typical poster child for the school that gets good grades and follows all the rules. But you'd be wrong. I set my bag down on the table as I went to sit down on the bench.

"Where's Dakota", I asked Sammi just before she took a giant bite of her sandwich.

"He should be here in a few he was getting his cap and gown" Sammi tried to say with half of her sandwich hanging from her mouth.

"Okay. You need to stop talking with your mouth full."

Sammi narrowed her eyes at me and scrunched her nose a little while chewing after I had said that.

"Hey, I asked you BEFORE you even put the sandwich in your mouth."

She swallowed the food in her mouth and was about to say something when Dakota plopped down beside her as he dropped the white plastic lunch tray down on the table. He had his white dress shirt untucked, standard school color tied messily put on, and his sandy hair was a ruffled mess like he had just got out of bed.

"What did I miss?"

"Hello, stranger. You didn't miss much, just the normal antics of Miss Samantha Bardell during lunchtime."

"Ah, was it chewing with her mouth full or going up to random people again pretending she knows them just to steal their food?"

I touched my nose and held up one finger to indicate he got it right the first time.

At this point Sammi chimes in with a serious look, "Hey, that happened TWO times and you three had dared me to do it each time!"

Dakota gave a light chuckle while Sammi and I had a small, but a sad smile on our face as we remember who else was in on those dares. Things haven't been completely the same since Sarah had disappeared at the end of last school year. When they had finally found her, a month had passed and what they find. It wasn't pretty.

I got lost in my own thoughts as my two friends continued talking, I remember back to the day when the news reported it. My mom had the tv on that was in the kitchen while she was making breakfast for me and my little sister one weekend afternoon during the summer. Rhonda McDonnell, a petite woman with beauty pageant styled red hair and ivory colored skin had appeared on the screen with "BREAKING NEWS" in big red letters scrolling on the screen underneath her in big bright red letters. She had the look of shock and sadness on her face while she stated that the body of a teenage girl had been found not far from a hiking trail near an abandoned house that had been mauled by wild dogs.

I'm pulled from the dark memory by the sound of a group walking over as they are laughing and talking together.

A snobby, high pitch voice penetrates my eardrums as the group comes closer to us. "Oh, look who we have here. Leader of the loser squad!"

I let out a sigh as I roll my eyes and put on a fake smile while I turned around to face the she-demon herself. Victoria Blackwell. She's tall with blonde hair that goes to shoulders and always looks like she was about ready to step onto the runway even in the dorky uniforms the school makes us wear. The schools most popular girl mainly because her father donates enough money to the school to basically run it. She is also, sadly, the sister of my boyfriend Zack Blackwell.

"Now that's no way to talk to your brother's girlfriend Victoria. What do you want today", I asked her with a bitter voice.

"Should I tell her the news? I think I will anyways out of the kindness in my heart", Victoria told her group of friends with a sickly-sweet voice as she stepped closer to me and bent down so she was eye level with me. "Well, Alex dear seems my brother is keeping the most unsettling news from you. He's breaking up with you by the end of the school day. Something about you not being the right girl for his. Status. Or something like that."

I could feel my face slowly go pale as she said told me the big 'news' that she just had to tell me. Given the smirk that played on her pink lip glossed lips as she stood back up and took a step back, I showed the reaction she was hoping for.

"Well now I hope you have a nice day, Alex. Don't be too upset with what I had to tell you", Victoria said as her and her group of followers walked back toward the school's front doors.

"Don't listen to that oversized Barbie doll Alex. She's probably just messing with you", Sammi said to me in hopes to make me feel better.

"I don't know. Zack hasn't been acting right all week. Maybe what she said is the truth."

~~~~~~~~~~~

POV – Alex, present

My heart had sunken when I heard that name leave Sammi's lips. A concerned look had found its way onto her face when I hadn't spoken for a few seconds too long.

Zack.

I haven't seen him since before graduation last year. Zack was part of the two original families that had founded our town, Blackwell Falls. He lived in a big mansion for a house. It was past the older, historic part of town. The private driveway that was gated and had guards that patrolled around the property in the middle of the woods. To say the least, his family was VERY rich. They owned a good portion of the businesses in town and in the surrounding ones. Quite frankly he had been way out of my league when we dated back in high school.

"Hello, earth to Alex. You there", Sammi asked me when I still hadn't said anything in response to what she said earlier.

"Where else would I be, dork? Great, he's there, who honestly cares", I retorted back to her. A slight smile played back on her lips.

"Well with how hot you're looking tonight I bet you'll have him regretting his mistake and within the hour he'll be crawling on his knees begging to get you back."

"As if. He made it clear he didn't want anything to do with me last year. But if it did happen it would be nice to turn him down."

Sammi and I busted out laughing while Dakota looked back into the rear-view mirror to look at me. He had a half smile on his face and winked at me to show me his support.

"Alright, ladies we're just about there. Make sure your seat belts are on and you hang tight to your designated "oh shit" handle" Dakota announced as we bumped along the dirt road that led to the clearing where the party was at.

"Dakota what do you think you're doing", Sammi and I asked at the same time.

"Well if you must ask. As soon as we get to the clearing, I'm going to the side no one ever parks at that has the most mud and dirt and making a grand entrance for us! Now get your ass ready!"