Lighting a Match in the Rain

Chapter Three

"It was weird seeing him," I admitted to her, sipping from my can of soda. "Even weirder seeing him in that state again...At least now I know he hasn't changed at all." My words came out strong and clear, but my heart still ached from the sight that was still colored clearly in my mind.

Mrs. Lane stared at me as she picked at her salad with her fork, stabbing a small oval tomato harshly without even realizing it. "Did seeing him like that bring up any past feelings?" she questioned, her tone calm and even.

"Nothing but disgust..." I shook my head. "I just can't believe he's still treating people like that."

The old woman hummed. "At least it wasn't toward you, though...right?" The way she replied and worded her responses always reminded me of my old therapist, but I didn't mind much since it was her. If anything, she really did help me when I needed it.

I just shrugged in return. The fact of it not being me was a good thing I guess. But that boy...what did he do to deserve a beating? I could bet that he didn't do a single thing wrong. A part of me felt bad that it was him and not me at the end of Sebastian's fist.

"What about Owen?" the English teacher pried further. "Any word from him?"

I scoffed at the mention of his name. "No, and it better stay that way. I'm finally over him so I hope he just leaves me alone. I'd be content if I never see him again."

A satisfied smile stretched her cheeks, and it held a hint of proudness. "This past summer has really made you see clearly." When my words could not form, my shoulder just moved. "It was about time...Any new guys catching your attention?"

I couldn't fight back a smile at her interrogation. She was the cutest being in this building and was always ready for any type of gossip I had to share. Her favorite of course was all about the boys. My head shook. "I'm staying away from the male species for the time being. I finally feel like myself and know my worth...I refuse to deal with any crappy guys right now."

"Good," she mumbled, taking a big mouthful of lettuce. "Glad to hear it."

A long minute of silence passed between us, giving the TV in the top corner of her classroom a chance to fill the space with its news reporting. "Another break-in occurred this morning in downtown Watford, only twenty minutes from the heart of Hollow Hills, leaving two injured, one of which is getting treated in Hollow's General Hospital for at least one gunshot wound. The break-in took place at a small, privately-owned gas station on the corner of Wells and Pine Street. More information will be given as soon as it can be released."

"Another break-in?" Mrs. Lane exclaimed. "That's the third just this week!"

They seemed to be lingering around the edges of Hollow Hills, too. The first two that were reported on Sunday and Tuesday, were just a couple of towns over, but Watford was hardly thirty minutes from our high school. "Do you think it's the same people or just a coincidence?"

She huffed. "It's got to be the same people," she insisted. "That's the third time this week. I know our area doesn't have the best crime rates in the country, but this is getting a little ridiculous...I wonder if it's just money they are after."
I shrugged, not recalling if the past two crimes were money robberies. "Kinsley would know," I assured her. My best friend was going to be an investigator one day. She insisted that she wanted to be a reporter, but she was way too good at figuring things out than to just gather the information and tell the public. Last year, I made a bet with Macey on how long it would take Kinsley to figure out she wanted to be a criminal investigator. I had fifty bucks for within three years from now.

#

As soon as I pushed open the glass door, a golden bell let the whole room know we were there. I had barely taken two steps inside when Kinsley squealed from behind me and pushed me aside, running toward my dad like she hadn't seen him in a decade. She saw him two days ago.