Stuck With the – Captivating – New Boy
Cap still lingered on both of our minds as Bonnie and I drove home. So far she couldn’t remember much because she blacked-out half way through the horrific event but agreed with me that the rail did open. How it got fixed and how Cap had managed to keep it intact was the real question.
“Maybe we’re imagining things?” I said, questioning not only mine, but Bonnie’s sanity too. Come to think of it, maybe Cap hadn’t been there at all? How else would he have disappeared so quickly? I didn’t even feel him move.
“We can’t just be imagining things. I mean, two people making one thing up is just too outlandish, even for me.” Bonnie said, staring blankly at the road.
Bonnie had a reputation for over-overreacting, but even she didn’t have that vivid of an imagination. She had fainted, yes, but if I wasn’t so close to Cap I would’ve done the same thing. The whole situation was sketchy to say the least, but what reason did I have to lie – and to myself?
I pulled up to the driveway of Bonnie’s seaside mansion about two miles away from my own and helped her get out. When I was sure she was okay, I gave her one quick hug and got back into the car.
Bonnie waved goodbye as I drove off and went into her house. It was raining now, but luckily not overly heavy rain like Marketa was famous for. As I turned off the bend of the road, a figure appeared out of nowhere and my car swerved lightly to the right, skidding haphazardly. Luckily, the car didn’t drive into any solid objects. But even though I was relieved to not have died, I was surprised that as I swerved the figure vanished, and into thin air!
The car stopped in the middle of the two-way road and I began to pant. I looked into the rearview mirror, gripping the steering wheel tightly, and gulped when I saw the figure reappear and begin walking towards me. I immediately I restarted the car and drove off, not even looking back to see if the figure was still there.
When I reached my house, I took of my pumps, got out of the car and ran panting in the house. As usual my mother was lying on her four-poster bed heavily sedated, probably just getting out of her newest ‘I-know-you’re-cheating-on-me’ fight with my father. I locked the front door and made sure every window and exit was closed before I ran into my room and leaned against the now closed door panting heavily.
I gulped, and wiped the slick wet hair out of my face before dialing Bonnie. She picked up on the first ring.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“You okay?” I asked, breathing heavily.
“Yeah, why?” she asked, curiosity lacing her words.
I began telling her about the man – leaving out the part of his vanishing because I didn’t want to sound any more ludicrous than I already did. “Are all the door and windows locked?” I asked, not risking my friend’s safety.
“Yip, it’s weird that some guy came after you though. I mean, right after what happened with Cap.”
“It wasn’t Cap!” I insisted, shocked by the sharpness of my own voice. Why was I standing up for him, anyway?
“Cool, Chlo. I was just saying… but I think you shouldn’t fret about it. I'm sure the man meant no harm. And besides, I doubt he knows where you stay.” She said, strategically disguising her Cap-judgments.
“Yeah, you're right. Just another coincidence,” I heard my voice say in a calm you’re-right tone, even though paranoia surged through me like adrenaline.
The next day went on eventless as Bonnie and I decided it would be safer if we stayed indoors finishing our Hamlet reading comprehension. I tried hard not to let thoughts of Cap and guilty thoughts of Damian invade my mind, but to no avail. Every minute my mind was caught off guard they bombarded my conscience. Mostly when my thoughts eventually trailed to Cap it was either a ‘what’s he hiding?’ thought or lustful thoughts I didn’t wanna go through. Occasionally last night’s events ran through my brain as I tried to make sense of it all – but no matter how much I tried, I always got the same you must be insane answer. It just wasn’t possible for one man to do that, but then why was I alive? It just wasn’t possible for people to disappear and reappear in front of your eyes, then why had the man done it?
My mind kept being attacked by theories. Either Cap wasn’t all human, or I was imagining almost dying. It just didn’t make sense. I could tell my wondering mind was bothering Bonnie. Every time she tried to spark nonchalant conversation I gave her brief nod, not-there stares at the wall or one word answers.
“Look, I know last night was beyond weird,” to say the least, “and maybe it was kinda my fault you were in those situations, but you don’t have to shut me out.” She said. I was surprised she thought I shut her out, which was completely untrue. In fact, I was trying my darnest to keep her in. It’s not my fault I was failing miserably.
“Bon, I'm not tryna shut you out,” I insisted.
“Then what? You cannot still be obsessing over Cap. I told you, the best thing’s to let him go.”
I knew my friend was right, I had to let Cap go, so why couldn’t I?
Monday came; I knew it would come eventually. My mind still drifted to Saturday night’s events, I’d even dreamt of it. I was half terrified, half excited to see Cap again so when I walked through the school’s door – sans Damian – my heart rate fluttered faster than usual. Another new week of school wasn’t at the top off my bucket list, but at least I’d see Cap again. Maybe even get answers from him.
Heading to first hour PE, I had the unnerving feeling that Cap would be there and my stomach clenched. And for once I’d been right. Cap stood there leaning casually over the gym’s wall, a look that would’ve look calm and socially cool had he not been as far away from human contact as the spacious gym would allow.
When I entered the gymnasium Cap turned his head to look at me, our eyes meeting once again for the briefest of moments before one of us looked away. But before either of us had the chance I waved at him, my mind refusing to let me just walk away. I thought I saw a ghost of a smile arise from the sides of his mouth, but I must have mistaken it for the scowl.
Angered by yet another rejection by Cap, I was glad when I saw Bonnie chatting to a group.
“You know Bon, if he’s gonna ignore me then that’s cool! But next time he tries to save me he shouldn’t bother, rather he should just leave me to die if I bother him so much!” I said to Bonnie fuming.
“Cap?” bonnie said looking toward Cap, who was once again looking everywhere but here.
“Who else?” I said sitting on the bench with my arms crossed, “The next time I see him I'm not even gonna bother being humane!”
PE went worse than I thought. During a game of girls-all Netball I’d not only managed to slip and fall but I’d also taken a ball straight to my face while Cap sat on the bench with the rest of the boys. I swore I heard him snicker and I my fury rose. I cursed myself for my bad coordination but it was not my fault I sucked at most sports that involved balls.
Not long after my treacherous collision with a ball the school bell rang and I stormed out of the gym after changing back into my uniform.
“Better luck next time, slut.” Meghan – who had been my arch nemesis since third grade after she’d insisted I’d stolen her boyfriend – said in her bitchy tone, her airhead tossing that thick raven mess she called hair.
“Yeah, maybe it’ll get your face next? Let’s hope the collision makes an improvement. You’re doing the world a great injustice by leaving it like that.” I countered before flipping my own locks, and walked out arm-in-arm with Bonnie with my head held high, disguising my own insecurities.
I was in no mood for biology so when I entered the class and saw Cap I almost stopped dead in my tracks. He was still seated right next to me – I noticed he hasn’t yet convinced Ms. Kay that it was crucial for his own health for him to move.
His pale skin captured the light of the sun flawlessly, somehow elevating his magnetic beauty. I tried my best not to be bothered by Cap; I didn’t want him to know what he did to me. I was too proud to break down in almost perfect view of the class.
Turning my head to face Bonnie, I didn’t dare steal a look at Cap in fear of being rejected yet again. I could feel Meghan’s eyes plastered on me and there was no way in hell I was gonna let her see me hurt – again.
Ms. Kay greeted the class and wrote SEXUAL REPRODUCTION on the board. I sighed deeply. I knew this day was about to come eventually, I didn’t know I’d have to hear Ms. Kay talk about sex when I was with Cap. I could feel my cheeks flush.
“What’s wrong, Chlo? Scared you’re gonna have to talk about something you suck at more than netball?” That was a low blow. Just because I wasn’t a whore who fucked every guy I met, did not mean I didn’t know my fair share about sex. Choosing to ignore her petty comments, I looked directly at Ms. Kay, my peripheral vision seeing Cap looking directly at me. What was his issue?
“No, she’s just scared she’d puke when she hears the disgusting shit that comes out of your mouth.” Bonnie retaliated for me, we both made Ls with our fingers.
“Quiet now, girls!” Ms. Kay she said, her large voice contradicting her petite frame. “Now, which of you can tell me what the word on the board means?” she asked the class. A few boys in the back giggled softly at their crude remarks.
Meghan’s hand shot up. “It’s when two people, i.e. Bonnie and Chloe, get together and reenact steamy scenes from 90210.” Meghan said in her sweetest fake bitch voice. Bonnie and I made gagging noises at her.
“No, I'm afraid that’s not it.” Ms. Kay said with a slight role of her eyes. Ms. Kay wasn’t much older than us, maybe in her late twenties at most, so she probably wasn’t old to the whole school bitching system. “Sexual reproduction is when two people who are attracted to each other meet, have sex and have a baby. Now, who can tell me what unprotected sex can lead to?”
“Satan spawn like Meghan,” Bonnie said, both of us throwing shameful looks towards her.
“Serious answers only, please.” Ms. Kay said in a calm voice that disguised her growing irritation.
“STDs, unplanned children,” some girl said from the back of the room, her voice was soft as if to prevent from involving herself too much.
“Like Chloe,” Meghan said, kinda repeating Bonnie’s throwback.
“That is it! Meghan, Bonnie, Chloe, to the principal’s office immediately!”
Dr. O’Conner’s office was a collection of paneled mahogany wood, a collection of bookshelves that stood to the far left of the room and a large window that was located behind his large desk which held a framed picture of his wife and a Microsoft laptop.
“I can’t say I'm proud of you girls.” Mr. O'Conner said, taking off the black-rimmed Tom Ford glasses off of his face. His dark skin looked aged from the stress and his dark black hair sprouted grey hairs every here and there. Mr. O'Conner wasn’t much older than forty so I promised myself I would never take up a job that would prematurely age me, bye-bye dreams of becoming a CEO.
“It was her fault!” Bonnie insisted, her arms folding across her chest in defiance.
“Urgh,” Meghan muttered, rolling her eyes and mimicked Bonnie’s defiance. I thought sitting still and not denying involvement was probably my best defense of getting out of this clean.
“I don’t care whose fault it is or who started it. The fact is your bickering disrupted a lesson, an act that I don’t expect from you girls – especially not you, Chloe.” I began to open my mouth to protest that I didn’t really do anything but closed it again against my own stubbornness.
Instead I said that I was sorry for acting out like I did, and would do anything to get back into his good graces – I ignored Bonnie’s gaping mouth and Meghan’s bitchy snide.
“I intend for you to pay for your unladylike behavior, Ms. Van Cleef, and as for you two,” Mr. O'Conner directed his attention to Bonnie and Meghan, Bonnie giving Meghan a brief you’re-dead-if-I-get-into-shit stare.
Mr. O'Conner sent me out the room but not before telling me my punishment. And boy was it a punishment.
“Ooh, so what did he give you?” I asked Bonnie as she trotted-slash-fumed out of the office.
“Anger management classes and therapy with Meghan! Can you believe him? I mean, since when was standing up to Satan an anger issue?” Bonnie said, emphasizing on Satan as Meghan walked passed us, bumping into Bonnie purposely. I had to hold Bonnie back to keep her from jumping Meghan. Bonnie was originally from the Bronx, New York so I had no doubt that she’d kill Meghan when she got the chance. Maybe anger classes and therapy wasn’t such a bad idea.
“Well, at least you didn’t get stuck with the one boy that saves you one day and hates you the next.” I said as we walked down the hallway on our way to our AP Spanish classes. Mr. O'Conner had told me that I needed to tutor Cap in chemistry – something I didn’t understand because I was doomed when it came to that – and due to his newness, I was the ‘chosen one’ to give him the lay of the land.
“Sigh, stuck the new boy! I’ll pray to God that he doesn’t eat you.” Bonnie said, playfully bumping me with her elbow. Something in me turned. I didn’t know why, but I prayed that didn’t happen too.