You Know You're Weird When You Agree To Help A Ghost!

Chapter Four

Updated and Edited 06/05/2012

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Chapter Four

To say I was pissed off would be an understatement. I was being treated like a child. I'll be the first to admit that at the age of 17, I still had a lot to learn, but none of this could be learnt here, at high school. Caleb asked for my help and then insists that I go to school. Does he not want to be normal? Did he suddenly change his mind about needing my help? I suppose he could look it up himself and just use me for conversation.

Jackass.

I walked into my English class and took my usual seat at the back. I could hear muttered comments about me and my little 'outburst' yesterday.

'Just what I need, more reasons for the torch wielding villagers to chase me down and kill me with their pitchforks,' I thought morosely.

I could see people shooting sly glances at me and muttering to friends. No doubt telling one another how crazy I was. I rummaged through my bag and found what I was looking for. Anna Karenina. I hadn't read it before and so far it was very interesting.

“That is a very interesting book. I am glad you took my advice and decided to read it.” I heard a voice say from my left, making me jump slightly. I didn't need to look to see who it belonged to.

“What are you doing here?” I said to Caleb coldly. He just looked at me, smiling from the empty desk from which he now occupied, although to others it still looked empty. I wonder what would happen if someone tried to sit there with him in the seat?

“Well, your aunt was looking through some more books and I was helping her, but of course I would venture that she did not quite notice. There is that, and the fact that she kept talking to me without actually talking to me, if you know what I mean. Your aunt is quite the character.” He chuckled.

I returned to my book, although I swear I had read the same line at least 6 times. I heard him sigh.

“And if I am honest, I missed your company. So I thought I would join you here.” I had kept my eyes on the book in my hands, even though I was no longer paying any attention to its content.

“I also wanted to apologise. I should not have sided with your aunt. You really are incredibly bright and engaging for a woman of your age. The truth is you could do a better a job of teaching these lacklustre students.”

I still refused to acknowledge him and his apology. I had to admit, it was quite an apology. I then remembered that he came from an earlier period of time, where men were still courteous towards women. It also explained how he could sound so eloquent, no matter what he spoke about.

I heard him sigh again. “Are not going to forgive me? Are you going to ignore me as though I'm not here?”

Before I got the chance to answer, not that I was going to anyway, Mrs. Towers walked into the class and began talking to us about the book we were studying, Jane Austen's Emma.

I began listening intently to the lecture but I had heard it all before. I already knew everything she was saying. In fact, most of what she was saying reminded me of my assignment I had handed into her. It seemed she was taking some of my notes and passing them off as her own. Typical. The woman lacked imagination, especially for someone whose job it was to decipher what the author's meant when they wrote their books.

“You know, I am pretty sure you wrote the same thing in your assignment last week,” Caleb said, commenting on how Emma was the only heroine of Austen's to be financially solvent. I just ignored him still. From the corner of my eye, I could see him looking at me, probably trying to guess my mood.

The entire class passed like this, Caleb making small remarks, trying to get me to talk to him whilst Mrs. Towers continued to talk about the book, once again, borrowing from my assignment. The bell finally rang and I grabbed my things and headed out of the door, straight to my locker, all the while ignoring everyone.

“Dylan please, I said I was sorry. What more do you want from me?” Caleb said whilst following me to my locker. I looked at his face, which was half angry and half pleading. I was going to talk to him; just not yet. My aunt wasn't kidding when she said I was the most stubborn person you'll ever meet.

Just as I was closing my locker door, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked around and immediately regretted it. There, standing before me was none other than the bane of my high school free time. Chris Tommlin.

“How do you manage to get even hotter every day?” No matter how many times I told him no, he still kept coming back. Like I said, guys at this school only wanted one thing. And as far as everyone knew I was pretty much one of the last few people who held on to my virtue as though it still had some value.

“What is wrong with this little boy? It's like he's masochistic. Honestly, anyone else with half a brain would have taken that dosage of humiliation you gave him last week as a sign to give up, but not him.” Caleb sounded mostly amused when he looked upon Chris. But there was something else in his voice I couldn't make out.

I looked at Chris, smiling slightly at what Caleb had said. Chris must have taken this as a good thing, as he looked at me, smirking like the arrogant letch he was.

Poor boy, he really didn't know me at all.

“Go away, Chris. Can't you take a hint?” I turned to walk away, but he began talking again. This was going to be a long day.

“I can't complement a girl on her attractive qualities?” He said this with a smirk on his face. I so wanted to wipe it off his face. Literally. And I knew the perfect spell for it. But, alas, I couldn't. I had to be 'normal'.

“Mmm, well they do say begging is such an attractive quality in a male,” I said sarcastically. I heard Caleb chuckle at Chris' face falling and I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing and then walked off towards history, leaving a very stunned Chris right where I had left him.

I sat down in my seat in history and Caleb sat next to me, in the exact seat he was in when I first saw him. When he caught me looking, he smiled at me.

“Why are you even here?” I whispered to him. I still hadn't forgiven him. Well, not entirely.

“I told you. I missed your company.” He smiled at me when he said this, pleased that I was talking to him again. “Besides, I could hardly miss the daily intellect war between you and Tanner, now could I?” I just chuckled at this. He said he was by my side for a year. He must have seen a fair few arguments between the two of us.

Half way through Mr. Tanner lecturing us on the aftermath of the French Revolution, he looked over to me and said, “Miss Staria, I hope you're feeling better from your little 'episode' yesterday.” He smirked at me and a few people chuckled at his little joke.

I smiled in return and said, “I'm fine sir. I just got too caught up in your detailed analysis.” Now I was the one smirking. Tanner just turned back to the board mumbling to himself and then continuing from where he left off.

“He is just as bad as that boy out in the corridor. All the guys here seem to be as masochistic as the next.” Caleb was leaning towards me. I just chuckled at what he said and a few people looked over at me. I had control myself in front of people.

Once I wasn't smiling any more, I caught Caleb looking at me and was laughing. I tried my hardest not to laugh out loud.

This was going to be a very long day.

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