Girl in the Red Cape

Chapter 2

Her.

The next day I got to school rather late. It wasn't because my alarm didn't go off, or that my mom didn't wake me up, I just moved a bit slower to go to school. It's just I spent my whole summer doing absolute nothing, now I'm just expected to go to school, and do what I'm told. Ugh.

I walked in the class right as the bell rang, and my teacher, Mr. McFarland was taking role and I briskly moved to my seat in the back. A red hooded figure sat next to the once empty chair. It had been raining this morning, so I couldn't blame him.

When I sat down I noticed Hobson had long hair hanging down onto his chest then I took a second look, taking a minute to register that Hobbson, wasn't a boy... she was a girl.

When Mr. McFarland got to Hobbson, she looked up quickly, and Mr. McFarland asked, "Hobbson, would you mind sharing a bit about yourself?" His dark toned skin gleamed in the lights of the school lights.

"Sure." A high, but not obnoxious, voice rang out. She stood up and put her hood down. She was average height for a girl. 5'5 maybe. Long pastel pink hair with black roots that was obviously her natural hair color. Her eyes were a dark blue. Her skin was a tan carmel color but was slowly fading to a cream. She seemed sad, which I wouldn't blame her. As she stood she looked around and her voice rang through the quiet room.

"My name is Hobson Dominique Radmark. Hobbson Spelt H-O-B-S-O-N. A lot of people put an extra 'b' in there for not apparent reason."
    "I'm from Ohio... My family moved here for my father's job, and for a few-" She looked down and coughed a bit. It made my heart hurt for her. "-other reasons that are a bit complicated."

"What's up with the cape?" Asked Jared Zander, a jock who sat a few rows away. He literally is the typical jerk.

"I have anxiety.... and this helps calm me down... I know it's weird... But I am too... So it fits." She took a few deep breaths. I honestly didn't care that she had a different type of fashion. She had a black shirt on with a dragon on the front of it, and pin stripe skinny jeans that were white and black, with combat boots. She had a little to no make up on, and wore a scarf that was red and white with polkadots. Very weird.... more unique to me anyway.

"What are some of your intrests?" Mr. McFarland asked.

"Oh, you know. Art, writing, and a few other artistic activities... Music- oh I love playing the guitar, the uke, oh and- Pacaso is my favorite." She glowed so much when she talked about her passions. Her eyes were amazing as they widened. She seemed anxious. She stopped after she said. "I also love painting- did I mention I like-" she looked around, looked straight at me and then quickly moved to sit down. Mr. McFarland watches as she sat down and his face was almost serious until he grinned and said.

"Thank you, Hobson."

"Call me Hobs." She said then started writing a few things down in her notebook. I looked at her and then looked down at her note book. It had a list of names of actors. It was odd to me, so I just looked forward and tried to pay attention to Mr. McFarland.

"Our first assignment is to write two paragraphs on what you did this summer." A bunch of groans and moans filled the room. "It's just a paragraph. Calm down. Now this will be due at the end of class. Everyone will share." Hobs looked up  quickly and looked scared to death.

I said quietly. "Don't worry, it's not that bad." I grinned a friendly grin. She gave me a smirk but worry coated her eyes.

"How do you know?" She asked. "I don't know anyone here." She said looking around, gesturing slightly with her hand.

"Well my name is Charles, Charles Logan Smith." I said and she didn't make eye contact with me until I put my hand out to shake it.

She had her shoulders up close to her ears and then took my hand with the creamy tan hand of hers and lightly held it as I did the moving motion. She seemed to relax as we ended the hand shake.

"It's nice to meet you Charles." She said. I noticed her ear lobes had three earings in them, and her wrist was filled with bracelets. My heart yearned for her.

My assignment was boring.

Everyone else had things they did. Three girls went to Disney World- together. Several mentioned dates they went on, then the person in front of me said they traveled the states. Then I was next. I walked up to the front and when I looked up I just saw the red cape and her small face. I grinned and she grinned back.

"I'm Charles Smith. My summer was quiet and boring. I mostly just played video games. I guess the only cool thing that happened this summer was a family camp out where my cousin got sick and puked all over me.

         Other then undigested pork rind chunks spewing everywhere I really didn't do anything. It was pretty chill and laid back, I guess."

That was the end of my paper. When it was my turn to share my legs were shaking a bit, but at least I could talk.

After sitting down it was Hobson's turn. She stood up and went to the front, her cape flowing behind her.

"Hello," she said. Her hair fell in front of her face and she moved it behind her ear and then her blue eyes looked up.

"I'm Hobson Radmark. Hobs for short, if you don't mind... plus you already knew that." She looked down at her paper and started to speak such beautiful words.

"My summer? Well, it was full of packing, boxing things up, and, well, a long car ride across the country. It was amazing, honestly. I loved seeing Mount Rushmore, Yellow Stone, and the amazing mountains of Colorado and the Wasatch mountains of Utah. I even saw a bit of the Grand Canyon as we made our way up the coast to end up here in Seattle.

It's a real privilege to be with new people. I know I might seem a bit weird, a little unordinary, but when I was young I was told to never conform to what people want you to be.

I'll quote Eleanor Roosevelt to finish this up. "Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent." It's one of my life mottos... Anyway, that's me."