Parallel (Travelers Series Book 1)

Parallel (Chapter 3)

Chapter Three
Alexandria High

“What…?” For a second I misunderstand and think Jaime is saying she’s seen him around town. But that doesn’t make any sense. So, I’m pretty sure she means here at Dominion House.

“You heard me. He came by asking for you,” Jaime continues. “And somehow he manages to track you down over at Battle Grounds? That’s not good Etta. One minute he’s here snooping around, asking if I know you, and the next thing I know, you’re all cozied up with him at the coffee shop.”

“Did he say why?” Granted, our interaction was brief, but he probably would have gotten around to telling me why he was looking for me, if Jaime hadn’t intervened. There has to be a reasonable explanation. “And for your information, I wasn’t all cozied up. We were just talking. He was nice enough to get me a cup of coffee. I got tired of waiting for you.”

“No, he didn’t say. That’s why I got you out of there.” She says this with a serious tone in her voice. “What if he’s some kind of a stalker?” Her face softens a bit. “Look, I’m sorry I left you there alone. I didn’t think I’d be chatting that long.”

What Jaime said makes sense, but I’m still not willing to buy the fact that Cooper could be dangerous. I want to give Jaime the benefit of the doubt, but she’s seriously overreacting about the whole thing and paranoia isn’t my idea of a good character trait in a friend—or a roommate. I hope I’m not expected to live my last year at Dominion House with a total control freak. She’s my friend, sure, but in the end, I have to look out for myself.

Jaime must sense how ridiculous she sounds and relaxes on the bed. “It’s just freaky, that’s all. Sorry if I went a little overboard back there. You can’t be too safe nowadays.”

“You’re probably right. It is kinda weird,” I say as a way of calling a truce. But in the back of my mind, I didn’t think it was weird at all and I can’t get the image of his perfect smile out of my head.

Then again, if Cooper is going around asking about me, why didn’t he just tell me what he wanted back at Battle Grounds? And how did he know to ask for me here at Dominion House? It just doesn’t add up. I can’t think of a possible reason for him to come looking for me.

Unless… “Hey, do you think…” I know I’m letting my imagination get the better of me, but my thoughts come stumbling out, “…do you think maybe he’s some sort of relative or something?”

Jaime springs up from bed with a wide-eyed expression. I can tell she looks sorry for me. “Oh, Etta. I don’t think so. If that was the reason, don’t you think he would have said so from the start?” She then turns away from me and faces the wall. “You know, I have thoughts like that too. That some long lost family member will realize I’m in this hell-hole and take me home.”

I can hear her sniffle under the sheets and I realize I’m not the only one who daydreams about being reunited with a family that simply doesn’t exist. I know it’s a long shot, but why can’t it be possible? “Yeah, you’re probably right,” I finally agree and turned over in my bed, staring back at my own barren side of the wall.

Tonight, I dream about going to a fancy ball. I’m wearing a knee-length silver formal and I feel like a princess. I can’t tell who my date is, but I’m positive he’s cute.

*****

At school, I try to keep my thoughts of Cooper and his mysterious entrance into my life out of my head. A small part of me still holds on to the belief that he’s here to tell me I have family out there, waiting for me to come home. But I know Jaime’s right. If that’s the case, he would have gone straight to the administration office to discuss the matter.

“Miss Fleming, are you still with us the morning?”

“Sorry, Mr. Duncan.” I’m a bit embarrassed at being caught daydreaming in English class. Mr. Duncan is one of my favorite teachers and the last thing I want is for him to think I don’t care about his class.

Jaime is in the same class and she leans over her desk to poke me when Mr. Duncan isn’t looking. “Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I whisper back. I don’t want to tell her I’m thinking about Cooper. She’ll give me another lecture for sure. I settle back into my chair and listen attentively to Mr. Duncan’s lecture on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the remainder of class.

As soon as the bell rings, Jaime and I hightail it to the cafeteria, which is the only time we get to hang out during the day—as if sharing a room back at Dominion isn’t enough face time. But since English is the only class we share together, we take advantage of the lunch hour and spend it catching up on idle gossip.

“So, did you hear, Amy Pierce is preggers,” Jaime says in a hushed voice. I don’t know why she bothers to whisper. There’s no one else at our table to overhear our conversation. Because we’re orphans and live over at Dominion House, it pretty much seals our fate as social pariahs at school.

“Really? I thought she was all religious and stuff.” Then again, isn’t it always the pious ones? Amy is president of the Bible Fellowship Youth Ministry and spent the latter part of last year trying to convert all of us heathens. By the time she got to me, I told her I was Catholic and didn’t need to be saved. I don’t actually know what I am, but I figured that would shut her up. It didn’t though. After that, she and her ministry pledged to save my soul. The finally gave up last semester, after their group was nominated to head up the high school’s beautification project.

“Pretty sure. Bridgette all but confirmed it the other night at Battle Grounds.”

“Well, it could be worse, it could be us,” I laugh. People always think the worst about us.

“Speaking of, do you think Alex would notice us if we weren’t orphans?” Jaime slides her lunch tray across the table, eyes focusing on the table situated at the other end of the cafeteria.

I guess even girls like Jaime have confidence issues. I follow the direction of her gaze and immediately understand the reason behind her question. The back corner table is where all popular kids sit, including Alex Stewart. Not only is he captain of the football team, he also dates the most popular girl at Alexandria High, Jenny Prado. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out, she’s captain of the cheerleading team—but do I really have to say it?

“How are those two things even related? And to answer your question, no.” I go back to munching on a french fry. Hamburger Day at school is my favorite day of the week. They actually use real meat for their burgers, not the crap ones filled with fillers, like the ones they serve us over at Dominion House. “We’d have to be cheerleaders too. It’s in the teenage handbook. Even then, I’m not sure we’d have a shot.”

Jaime sighs. “I know. Just wondering out loud.”

“Uh, huh.” I lose interest in my soggy fry and look up at Jaime. “You know, we’re almost outta here. We’ll be eighteen soon and you’ll probably be going off to college. I don’t know what I’ll be doing, but my point is, it’s a chance for us to start over. You know, be whoever we want to be.”

She stops staring at the table across the cafeteria and immediately brightens up. “A new beginning. I like that.”

The bell rings, signaling the end of lunch. Jaime and I pick up our empty trays to deposit on the conveyor on our way out, when I feel a shove on my right side. It’s too hard for it to be an accident, so I immediately seize up. “Hey.”

“Sooo sorry.” A hollow laugh follows Jenny’s snide apology. “Didn’t see you there.”

“Sure you didn’t.” I glance over Jenny’s head just in time to see Alex’s apologetic expression. I raise my eyes in response, as if to say, “nice girlfriend you got there.” It never ceases to amaze me when guys overlook bitchiness in favor of looks.

“Come on Etta, we don’t want to be late for class.” Jaime pulls me away from a scene I’m not entirely sure I want to avoid. Ever since I enrolled at Alexandria High, Jenny has had it in for me and I can’t understand why. Okay, I can. I’m a nobody in her eyes, so in her world, it’s okay to pick on the poor orphan girl. And she’s the one with the rich parents, fancy car, and most importantly, Alex. Just once, I’d like to show her a piece of my mind.