Dad's standing in the kitchen with his hands crossed in front of his chest when I enter, palm covering my mouth as I stifle a yawn.
"Morning." I mumble, grabbing the milk bottle from inside the refrigerator.
In a swift moment Dad hits my wrist with the edge of his hand making my fingers detach from the bottle, and he effortlessly catches it before it hits the floor.
"Oww!" I frown at him as I rotate my wrist, the sleep knocked out of my system completely.
"Good morning Ariya." He acknowledges me with a crooked grin before placing the milk bottle on the counter.
I open my mouth to give Dad a piece of my mind when Nathaniel strides into the kitchen cum dining area and nods respectfully at my father and me before drawing a seat for himself at the dining table.
He's dressed in a white formal shirt and pants of the darkest shade of blue with a small silver brooch pinned over his heart, that matches the three rings he wears on his fingers.
I'm about to comment about his attire- it seems rather abnormal for one's first day at the public high school but Dad begins his first-day-so-try-not-to-die pep talk.
"So it's your first day at the new school, Nathaniel. How do you feel?" he raises his brow.
"I've been home schooled before so I'm not quite certain what I must expect, sir." Nathaniel answers with a solemn expression.
"Fair enough." Dad hums in response, "Ariya will help you get your class schedule and find your homeroom. Stick together and blend in as best as you can. Disguised federal agents will be guarding the perimeter. Everything will be fine, ok."
"Yep." I quip, setting my glass if milk on the dining table, "By the way who's driving us to school?"
"Who said anything about driving?" Dad shakes his head, "The school is barely a ten minute walk from here. Both of you shall be going on foot."
I glance ruefully at my nude heeled pumps before stating, "Yeah, because no one's going to find it odd that a car follows us as we walk to school everyday. Especially, those who are hunting for our magnificent prince here. I agree, we should walk."
Dad ignores my whining as usual and continues, "Nathaniel, you're clearly the smarter one here. I trust you to consciously not attract unwanted attention. It's imperative that you lay low for your own safety."
I bite back a scoff at my father's underhanded insult, choosing instead to pour honey loops into a bowl for my breakfast.
"I am heading to work now. Both of you eat your breakfast and lock the front door before leaving. Act normal." Dad says, handing me the house key.
After hearing the front door shut, I turn m attention to the cereal in my bowl.
Nathaniel sits silently, fiddling with the old touch screen phone he's been given.
"Aren't you going to get breakfast?" I ask, drinking half the milk in my glass before taking a spoonful of my cereal.
Nathaniel eyes my cereal passively, raising his brow, "That?"
"Oh no. I have a habit of eating my cereal and drinking milk separately. I hate it when it gets soggy you know. Wait..." I wave my hand before realization hits me, "You've never eaten, cereal have you?"
He shakes his head, picking up the box of cereal and reading the nutritional content printed on its back. He pushes it away, "And I'd rather not eat it. It's loaded with artificial sugar."
I pause between spoons of cereal, staring at it for a few seconds before resuming. I needed the sugar to get through the day. Besides, I'd been eating cereal most mornings for years so it didn't matter. The damage was, if any, was already done.
"Well, you better eat something though." I shrug.
"Make an egg or something." I say pointing towards the fridge.
Nathaniel walk over to the fridge and takes out an apple and the milk bottle.
"Where can I find the glasses?" he asks.
"Second cabinet on the top," I reply, glancing at my watch, "Be fast. It's eight ten and the first class starts at eight thirty. We'll take ten to fifteen minutes to walk and we have to collect our schedules from the admissions office, and you need to change your fucking clothes."
Nathaniel looks annoyed as he bites into the bright crimson apple in his hand.
"I do not wish to wear frivolous attire and the school rules do not state anything in the dress code except decently appropriate attire." He argues stubbornly.
Pulling my mouth in a thin line, I state wryly, "No one cares what you wish for or you don't. Italian suits and leather shoes might be in at Volatis High but definitely not at Wolfrock Secondary. So get your stuck up ass upstairs and find something more normal to suit your current circumstances."
Nathaniel goes still for a moment, his Adam's apple bobbing conspicuously as he gulps slowly and opens his mouth to say something. But he stops himself and walks out wordlessly as I watch.
A deep frown pushes down the corners of my mouth. I'll probably start developing age lines soon at this rate.
He seems to be acting rather odd. Given, that I'd known Nathaniel for barely a day but he didn't come like the ill tempered type. I wonder what's bothering him.
I find him leaning against the porch railing outside my front door, skimming through the newspaper, when I step out. He seems to be ignoring me deliberately, but I notice that he's untucked his shirt and rolled up the sleeves to make his outfit look more informal.
The faint wrinkles in the fabric of his shirt, where it was tucked before, look out of place and I can make out that it bothers him by the way his hand instinctively wipes over them. But at least it looks more befitting for a high schooler now.
The brisk walk to school is accompanied with absolute silence. I'm so occupied with my own train of thoughts that I don't even notice the car tailing us a few hundred yards behind or the exact moment when we walk into the school.
Not many students are outside the school building since it's almost time for the first bell to ring. They don't pay much attention to us, they're either making out shamelessly against their cars or jogging frantically towards their classrooms with the hope of making it in time.
The familiar smell of cheap floor cleaner with its strong flowery fragrance tickles my nose a we make our way towards the admissions office.
I can't believe that it's just been six days since I left my previous school. It feels like at least a month and I feel like I'm going to voluntarily hand over my freedom in exchange for my class schedule.
I glance sideways at Nathaniel- he's stalking purposefully as he takes in the otherwise mundane appearance of the school hallways somewhat curiously. His gaze lingers on the poster with a picture of the last prom king and queen.
"Wait here." I tell Nathaniel when we reach the admissions office at the end of the corridor.
He gives me his usual curt nod in response before moving to one side so as not to block the hallway, tucking one hand into his pant pocket.
"Good morning, I'd like to have my class schedule please." I say, peeking into the closet sized office.
A large, pudge faced woman raises her beady eyes from her computer screen and looks me up and down.
"New students?" she drawls through the words, her deep unhappiness about her work sleeping through.
"Yes." I nod, flashing a quick smile that she doesn't bother returning, "Ariya Davis and Nathaniel Ross."
The woman grunts in response and types our names into the system, printing them out. She pushes her roller chair to the printer and pulls out our timetables before rolling back and handing them to me along with a pair of temporary ID cards.
"There's two days worth of lunch money loaded into the cards. Your permanent IDs will be made by then and can be used as your lunch pass. Any unused money in it will be refunded at the end of the year." She states with a bored expression.
I roll my eyes and pick them up, turning to leave. I doubt she's interested in my gratitude.
The moment I hand him his timetable Nathaniel turns on his heel without waiting for me, almost like he's trying to run away from me.
"I desperately need to use the restroom. I'll see you in class, Ariya." He mumbles quickly before disappearing around the turn.
With an aggravated sigh, I study the small map printed behind my timetable, follow the signs in the doorways and strut to my first class- Advanced Physics. I'm fifteen minutes late but I have the new girl card in my pocket for the next couple of days.
"Come in." The teacher calls out from near the blackboard when I knock on the closed classroom door with a transparent glass window.
"Thank you..." I glance at the timetable to check her name before pasting an apologetic smile on my face, "err...Mrs. Margolis. It's my first day here and I had trouble finding the classroom."
She smiles with understanding and motions for me to take a seat.
I'm surprised to see Nathaniel already sitting in the first row. He avoids my gaze as I walk past him and sit down on an empty desk in the third row, next to a drowsy girl and buff boy who's been stuffing his body with steroids for far too long.
I turn away with disgust when he smirks toothily and leans towards me across the aisle separating us.
The class isn't interesting, I've studied the coursework already. So I use the time to scrutinize each and every student present as subtly as I can.
There is generous diversity in the student body, an attribute I reckon is credited to being very close to one of the more cosmopolitan cities in the country.
In the span of the next forty minutes, I receive a total of seven chits with ridiculously sleazy pickup lines and phone numbers signed with names. They're mostly from boys who are looking for a quick hook-up, but I'm surprised to also get one from the girl sitting beside me who now seems to be wide awake. I look around the class to find the writer each and every time a chit drops on my desk and flash them charming smiles before neatly straightening the piece of paper and tucking into my purse. Unlike other bitches who throw out phone numbers, I know that they come in handy when you need insane favours or free gourmet food on lazy days. I mean casual dates.
When the class ends Nathaniel waits for me near the door, standing stoic with one hand clutching a couple of chits and the other holding his backpack.
His shoulders seem tense, eyes darting between the exiting students.
"Got pickup lines too?" I chuckle.
He shrugs.
"Although I didn't understand half of it, I'm quite certain there was nothing positive about the notes." He states simply, "I think we should head to our next class. Being late to the first one was embarrassing enough, everyone stared. Are all the children here so hostile, though?"
I frown.
"Why, what did your chits say?" I snatch them out of his backpack side pocket and open them curiously.
Welcome to Wolfrock Not-Anal.
Why the fuck do you look like Shakespeare fucked your bitch of a mom, FREAK?
With a disgusted sigh, I tear the crass chits and drop them into the dustbin on the way. Nathaniel either has great self control or he just didn't understand what the chits meant. I really hope it's the latter.
The rest of the day passes quickly, the two of us grabbing our fair share of attentionas.
A few boys try to bully Nathaniel but I choose to stay out of it since Nathaniel seems to be holding them off just fine. I feel the tension he radiates growing towards the end of the day, but I push it aside as first day blues.
We're walking towards the English classroom, the last period of the day when suddenly Nathaniel snaps his eyelids close. A pained expression flashes across his face.
"Fuck!" I mutter, "Nathaniel are you..."
Before I can finish my sentence, he sprints to the boy's restroom. A wave of concern washes over me and I jog after him, pushing my way into the restroom.
There are just two younger boys inside other than Nathaniel, washing their hands. They stare at me in wonder, moony grins covering their faces as they approach me with wet hands.
"Get the fuck out of here!" I snap, as one opens his mouth to speak.
He chuckles in response.
"Damn she's feisty, isn't she?" they share a mischievous grin, "What's your name babe?"
I groan inwardly. One thing I hate more than stupid airheads is when those very airheads think it's ok to objectify me like that.
I grab the boy with the larger frame by his t-shirt and shove him out rather ungracefully before turning to the other and smile wickedly, "Out now."
He scrambles out after his friend. Good riddance!
I quickly check the remaining stalls to make sure we're alone before locking the door from inside.
"Are you all right?" I ask Nathaniel softly.
His jaw tightens as he slowly shakes his head, taking laboured breaths as he opens his mouth to speak before sealing his lips again.
I patiently wait for him to talk, pulling out my sanitizer in the mean time to clean my hands.
"Do you know morse code, Ariya?" he asks in a quiet whisper.
"Yes." I nod, "What does that have to do with this?"
With a sharp exhale, Nathaniel pulls my palm into his hand and presses a series of dots and dashes onto it's back with practised precision.
"Et non abscondam a nobis." I translate slowly, wearing a confused expression, "Wait, is that Latin?"
"It means, you cannot hide from me." He explains, "And it's been ringing inside my ears all day."
•><•
What do you think that means?
Please do vote, comment, share and don't forget to spread the love!
Which is the one thing that everyone loves but you think is overrated?
I think it's the Friends sitcom. Don't kill me please >_<