It All Started With A Note

Chapter One

Chapter One - Ivy

When I found a note taped to the outside of my bedroom window I was, at first, afraid to open it. I was on the second floor of my house, so how did that note get there? I stared at it for some time and then stared at the window directly across from mine, on the house next door. It had to have come from there. Figuring out where it had come from did not lessen my nerves. Eric Porter and his family lived there. Eric and I were both seniors at Wringer High School, but we'd never spoken. He was the captain of everything and I was basically invisible. I had a handful of people I would consider acquaintances more than friends, but mostly I kept to myself. I wondered, for the first time, whose bedroom window was across from mine. Eric had two younger brothers.

The houses in our neighborhood were practically touching, they were so close. After retrieving the note from my window, I reached out to touch the window of the house across from me, just to see if I could. When man hand was flat against the neighboring window pane, I found myself staring at that window, long and hard. So long that I was surprised nobody had come to see who the crazy girl staring holes into it was. I shook my head and went to lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, too chicken to open the note at first. When I finally got up enough courage to open the note, I was floored with what I read:

Ivy, I know we've never really talked, but I saw you in the cafeteria today, eating alone. I wanted to make sure that you were ok. If you're depressed, you can talk to me about it. I'd hate for you to do something that you can't take back later. Eric.

What in the world did that mean? Did he think, because I was sitting alone, that I was suicidal? Seriously? Just because I didn't surround myself with a bunch of fake people, like his friends, didn't mean that I wanted to end my life. I liked my life. I'd gotten engrossed in a good book last night and I'd wanted to continue reading it during my lunch time today. My friends/acquaintances understood how I was. They knew to leave me be when I was obsessed with a book. They were fine with it and so was I. I did find it interesting that Eric even noticed me at all. I didn't think I was even on his radar. Before I could let my mind run away from me, I decided to write back:

Eric, I'm not suicidal and I feel a little offended that you think I am. I like my peace and quiet sometimes. I'm sure you have better things to worry about than whether I'm eating alone, like which cheerleader you'll take out Friday night. Ivy.

It was sassier than I'd intended, but he'd gotten under my skin. Before I could talk myself out of it. I folded the note, got some tape, and leaned across to tape it to Eric's window. How had I not known this was his bedroom? We'd lived side-by-side since we were in diapers. Shaking my head at the strange turn of events, I went downstairs. I knew nobody would be home. Dad was a defense attorney, so he worked long hours, and my mom was a flight attendant, so she wasn't even in town very much.

Opening the refrigerator, I groaned. We were out of food again. I went to the cookie jar on the counter and found the money dad had left me for groceries. At least he did that much for me. Honestly, I rarely talked to my parents. The only person who called to check up on me was my big brother. Ian was two years older than me and in his sophomore year of college, six hours away. So while I didn't get to see him much, he called several times a week. So when the phone rang, just then, I knew it would be Ian.

Sure enough, he was calling to ask me how my Psychology test went. I filled him in on the ridiculous riddle-like questions and was going to tell him about Eric's note, but stopped. Ian sensed my hesitation though and, of course, prodded me until I caved. I told him everything. I didn't have any secrets from Ian. I just didn't want him to make fun of me. Surprisingly he didn't. He issued me a warning instead.