News
“So what did you need to tell me so urgently?” Erin asked me as we sat in the little coffee shop we always went to. Nearly every teenager in Beethoven would go to Mo’s Coffee Shop after school or at the weekend to shoot pool and just hang out. The staff at Mo’s were really friendly and always greeted Erin and me with smiles and prepared our regular drinks. It wasn’t like other coffee shops in town where it felt more like a diner. Mo’s had various dark green sofas and tables with different styles of chairs around them. The walls were wooden and the lighting was low so the shop always felt intimate and cosy. Plus, most of the staff were students at our school whose boss was the original owner Mo’s, grandson who mustn’t have been more than five or six years older than us.
As I told Erin the whole story about mine and Roberto’s meeting in the woods and earlier today, I explained how I get a strange feeling when he’s around me like he’s dangerous. And I didn’t know the kid, but I definitely didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. Erin was obviously concerned about what had happened, her face said it all as it usually did. Erin was strikingly beautiful with blonde curls that fell to the lower of her back, her eyes the colour of blue sapphires, and her rather short body was always covered in long cardigans on a daily basis matched with her chunky boots she adored. Erin Hastings, the mayor’s daughter and my best friend.
We weren’t very popular in our school because nobody really liked us, partly because they felt strange around us because we were the girls whose friend died last summer. We were still trying to get other the loss of our best friend. It seemed like only yesterday when Paige was hit by that car. Every time I closed my eyes I replayed that night over and over again. It haunted me like an unwelcomed spirit with a cruel revenge scheme.
The car came out of nowhere, it all happened so fast, Paige was standing on the outer side of the pavement as we all walked home from a late night party at the lake and that’s when the car hit her. After it all Erin and I went to get help but when we got back with a stranger who had been driving along a street close to where it happened, she was gone. The police were still searching for her. In a small town like Beethoven it was highly unlikely for us to have any major crimes. Other than a drunken citizen causing a disturbance or a missing animal, the police as far as we knew had nothing to worry about. But the driver was never found, we just know it must have been a hit and run. I knew with all my heart she was dead, I just hated the thought of her body still out there rotting in ditch somewhere or some crazy guy’s basement that flooded my mind.
Erin was talking about what I should do when I snapped back into reality and out of my daydream of that awful night. Her advice was to avoid Roberto as much as I could which sounded easier than it actually was. The boy just kept turning up out of the blue with that smile, that gorgeous little smirk that played on his faint lips. The times I thought about Roberto he would miraculously turn up. Some girls wouldn’t mind a heart-stopping, handsome European guy following them around but it just made me feel a mixture of panic and excitement. Yet, that’s was what worried me the most about Roberto. The excitement shouldn’t have been something I felt when I saw him, I knew it wasn’t healthy for me to feel that way but I did even though I really didn’t want to.
It was half-four in the afternoon when we had finished our second round of coffees and I knew I had to be home soon before Martin would go mad and ground me for another week or whatever he felt was a fitting punishment. I reluctantly said goodbye to Erin as we frantically got into our cars, desperate not to get soaked from the cold rain that had just started to fall, waving as we pulled out of the almost full car park at the back of the shop.
I played my favourite album by an indie band I doubted anyone else my age listened to and put my foot down on the gas pedal as my Jeep roared its self awake, barging its way along the road through the heavy rain that shot down from the grey clouds above and seemed to be getting stronger with every second that passed. I loved the band that was playing and struggled not to get too caught up in the lyrics as I drove with squinted eyes as I was tried my best to see through the ruthless rain.
My drive back to the House of Hell, or as Mum and Martin like to call it “home” seemed to take a lot longer than it usually did. Our house was rather big with four spacious bedrooms and three bathrooms. I used to love it when I was little, playing hide and seek with mini versions of my friends in the backyard. We also owned a townhouse in England which my Dad had brought as our holiday home. We went back to London occasionally to see my Dad’s side of the family. Even though they all hate my mother they always wanted us to visit them every couple of months, I guess it was just because they wanted to see me.
I was the only one who stayed in my grandparents home when we visited, whilst my mother and her new husband would hide out in the townhouse I used to love. They would always make excuses of sightseeing or being at some event so they had to miss dinner or couldn’t go around that day but I would be at my grandmother’s side all the time. Our little trips across the pond were the main reason for the slight twang of a British accent I had and the fact for me saying in Mum instead of Mom like most kids I knew did. However, the thing I found most unsettling when I stayed with my grandparents in England was the fact they too had no idea where there son was. It was as if he went off the map, nobody could track him down. Not even the detectives and the other crooked men my grandfather had employed over the years. I still hadn’t come to terms with the fact I probably would never see my father again, even the thought of that made me feel ill because if I had one and only one wish it would be for him to come back and rescue me.
I pulled up our drive and jumped out of my car and then walked up the steps of the porch with my keys jingling between my fingers. As I opened the door, unlike any other day I didn’t hear mum and Martin talking at the kitchen table or sitting on the sofa. The house was completely silent. Where were they? I asked myself grinning. I wasn’t a bad thing, it was just unusual.
“Mum?” I called as I walked towards the kitchen and through to the dining room. “Martin?” I laughed to myself. No answer, I looked all over the house and there was no sign of them. I was acting like a little girl on Christmas morning as I skipped back into the kitchen and found a note on the island counter with my name scrawled on the top of it in my mother’s untidy handwriting, it read;
‘Gone to visit your step-father’s mother, be back tomorrow night. Mum x’
I was so thrilled I actually did a rather embarrassing happy dance as I read the note for the tenth time, loving the words more and more every time I looked at them. I could actually hang out downstairs that night. I usually always stayed in my room when they were home. I didn’t like making small talk with people I didn’t like so I avoided the idle chitchat and retreated to my bed after school on a daily basis. But that night I was going to enjoy myself and actually act like the house was my home again. So I got as many unhealthy snacks I could carry in my arms out of the cupboard and fetched a film from the shelf above the television after changing into my pyjamas and curled up into a blanket in a heap on the sofa.
I was so happy texting Erin and eating more chocolate than I probably should have in my pyjamas. As a really intense seen played on the screen in front of me there was a knock at the door. I got up mumbling under my breath about who it could be knocking and headed to the hallway and swung open the heavy oak door. There stood the mystery which was Roberto Paolini in my doorway, so much for the avoiding him plan I’d been advised to put into action.
“What do you want? You interrupted me finding out who killed the girl…” I mumbled, sighing as I raised my palm to my forehead, it was irritating. Roberto’s eyebrows rose as I said this but I couldn’t be bothered to explain to him what I meant. I’d been having such a good night and then he just turned up once again out of the blue. And I swear I never once thought about him during my time in what was my cocoon of a blanket.
“Nice to see you too Carmen, I’m sorry but I think we got off to a bad start, I came to apologize for my behaviour the other night. I haven’t really given you a chance to get to know me.” He genuinely seemed to mean it because I could see the sincerity in his eyes. I felt kind of bad for my behaviour too and the way I’d pathetically avoided him on his first day at a new school. Plus his eyes were so mesmerizing I could help but fall for it.
“I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t be so rude. But you just keep turning up, and it’s getting kind of weird.” I admitted giggling slightly. I didn’t know what made me feel so weak around him. It was probably because of the fact he was so good looking, but I was pretty sure there was something else too. Something I doubted I’d never find out.
“Okay well goodnight Carmen, and by the way please call me Robert. I’m trying to fit in s bit more.” He smiled a crooked smile with a slight laugh before he nodded goodbye and made his way back down our drive.
“Carmen,” He shouted towards me before he turned up the path to his own house. “I love the pyjamas!” Robert chuckled loudly. At first I stared after him when he walked through his door a little confused but then I looked down at what I was wearing and realized how bad it actually was.
I was wearing the pyjamas Erin brought me as a joke for my birthday. They had written across the chest “Horny Horsey” on them with a picture of a teal unicorn winking. She got them for me because horses were my favourite animals but the pure shame I felt made me bury my head in my hands. God, Robert had seen me in them. How embarrassing! I cried to myself. He thinks I’m a horny horse. Brilliant! I doubted I’d be able to live that moment down and I could feel the warmth of my cheeks as I blushed like a tomato. Shortly after wanting to die from embarrassment I returned to my place on the sofa and continued watching the film, trying to forget what just happened. Not that I thought I ever could.
****
Weeks began to pass and I was quickly becoming accustomed to being a senior however lately I’d been making more of an effort to get ready in the mornings. I was not vain or anything but I have to say I didn’t think I was ugly. My hair was a dark brunette colour, with loose curls that fell to my waist. My eyes were a greyish-green, and I had a slim figure which lacked curves where they should have been. Not that I was freakishly skinny, but the fact I was quite tall didn’t help. I dressed in a pair of dark jeans and a red top with a long chunky necklace I’d brought when I had been shopping with Erin a few weeks ago, my brown shoulder bag was ready for my day ahead, and my leather jacket lay on top it. I wiggled my feet into my grey sneakers on my bedroom floor and looked in the floor length mirror at the end of my four-poster bed.
Happy with my appearance I went downstairs to get a cup of coffee before the day that lay ahead of me. Whilst drinking my coffee I watched the Channel Five news out of pure boredom, it felt as if my heart stopped when the smart dressed local news reporter, Edward Howard stood on a street I recognised from my nightmares. Edward Howard stood only ten feet away from where I’d seen my best friend laying limp on the ground. He was talking about Paige and her devastating disappearance.
“With no sign of Paige Michelson the local police force are calling off the search. The victim of the hit and run has not been seen since her friends; Carmen Shaw and Erin Hastings, two local high school students, one of which of mayor’s daughter reported the accident last summer.” Edward Howard announced clearly as his eyes seemed to be staring straight at me from the small television on our kitchen counter. How could they give up so easily? It was only a year ago when it happened. It seemed like they were playing some kind of sick joke. Almost automatically I pulled my phone out of my pocket and rang Erin’s cell phone, desperate to hear her voice.
“I take it you’re watching the news.” She muttered. I could hear it in her voice that she was holding back the tears that were choking her as she spoke.
“I can’t believe it! They’re just giving up!” I cried anger thick in my voice.
“It’s been more than a year Carmen. They can’t look for her forever, I’m as angry as you, but we have to move on. Paige is gone.” He voice trembled as she spoke and I could imagine her trying to stay strong for me but all I wanted to do was hug her. “Look I’ll see you at school we have English first period again. I’ll save you a seat and we’ll talk then. Bye.” After she said that Erin hung up. She was so upset. Me and Erin were completely different like that, when I got upset I quickly got angry or just began to cry without realising. However, Erin keeps it bottled up and tries her best to carry on but I knew she’d be crying at that exact moment as I stood trembling with the coffee cup shaking between my palms.
As if a switch had been flicked in my mind I remembered James. He’d been seeing Paige at the time of her death, and were close to becoming official when it happened. Instantly all my thoughts were with him. I knew he would be taking it the worst. James took his anger out in football and had been one of my closest friends since we were babies, we all grew up together. Me, Erin, Paige and James, I felt like I had to see if he was okay and tell him everything was going to be alright. I really just needed to get to school.
As soon as I arrived in the school parking lot I swerved my car into a space near the main building and headed straight over to where James and his friends were standing. He saw me as I made my way over and opened his arms to me as I ran into them. We stood hugging each other whilst people whispered about what had happened and nodded sympathetically until the bell went. We walked into the English block together not really saying much and went into our separate classes after agreeing to see each-other soon.
I took my seat next Erin and we sat there looking at each other knowingly. We didn’t have to talk, we knew what we would say anyway, things like “we can’t do anything,” “we know the truth” and so on. It was halfway through the lesson when a group of boys walked into the room. Amongst them was Robert and a boy I recognized as Luke. Luke and James played on the school’s football team together and were the two star players as far as our coach could tell.
“Why are you all so late?” Mrs Gerritson asked not looking at them as she wrote on one of the boards at the front of the class.
“We were at football practise this morning and yesterday. That’s why we’ve missed both lessons.” Someone in the group replied quietly. She nodded to them sternly and told them to take their seats quickly. I wondered why James hadn’t gone to practise but I could only guess he didn’t feel up to it.
Robert took a seat at the desk next to Erin and I. I tried not to look at him but after he’d pulled out his notebook and pen he wrote a note and threw it onto our desk. ‘Are you okay?’’ was written in an elegant script and I couldn’t help but feel another lump form in my throat. I turned to him and smiled which was obviously unconvincing by the way he looked at me afterwards. I mustn’t have been good at pretending to be okay at all for Robert to ask me as soon as he saw me, unless he knew about the whole Paige scenario but I doubted he could if he’d just moved to town. I turned my attention back to Mrs Gerritson once I’d tried my best to smile at him again and got on with the work she’d set.
One of the worst things to happen if you’re upset is for someone to be nice to you. As soon as anyone shows you any sign of sympathy it causes people to start crying. It was another one of the things I hated about myself. There I sat in my English class ready to burst out into tears just because of a simple little note that sat on the desk peering up at me. The question that lay right in front of me was something I honestly didn’t know the answer to. After losing both Paige and my Dad, I doubted if I would ever be okay again.
Erin and I were walking out of the room trying to distract ourselves with small talk about a new movie coming out when Robert grabbed my wrist gently in the hallway. Almost immediately my skin began to tingle with excitement.
“I heard your name on the news this morning, I’m so sorry about your friend.” he spoke, his voice full of concern.
“Thank you,” I replied, unsure how to answer him. His faint lips set in a tight line and his eyes narrowed on my face as if he was fascinated by something.
“Well walk with me to History?” He had that smile that made me go weak kneed on his face but on that morning it didn’t have the same effect on me as it usually did. I glanced towards Erin who was stood beside me silently before agreeing. She nodded her head with a glum attempt of a friendly smile and we all made our way towards the history block. As we walked together people were looking at us and whispering without even trying to be subtle. What was it with people whispering that morning? It made me feel really uncomfortable but I couldn’t stop them doing it. It was how teenagers were always going to act to the mysterious hot new boy and the two morbid girls.
“So Carmen, you’re seeing James? He seems like a nice guy,” Robert began trying to make conversation.
“No, I’m not seeing James. I’m not seeing anyone really. My friend Paige who was on the news used to be James’ girlfriend, we’re just really good friends.” I corrected him trying not to fidget with the textbooks I held close to my chest.
“Oh, I’m sorry about bringing it up again. But the other thing is good.” He smirked to himself. This had taken me back a bit, was Robert happy about me not seeing anyone? I knew I was certainly attracted to him. But did he have the same feelings for me. Wait a minute. This boy couldn’t be into me, he would be into the Barbie type girls surely. I knew for sure many of them girls liked him. I’d heard them in the locker rooms and in the hallways admiring is physique, as they’d called it. Yet, the way he never looked at me when he said it made me think differently. He was obviously nervous how I’d react so I just bumped my shoulder into his arm as we continued to stroll beside one another. “How’s your love life Ms. Erin?” He asked casually.
“My boyfriend Ben and I just celebrated out first month together actually. He’s so good to me…” And then I zoned out as Erin recited what she’d told me so many times to Robert who was being perfectly polite and tried to act interested in what she was saying. It shocked me how Robert seemed to be like just another guy as we all walked like typical high school students.
“So, it’s just you and your sister Viola then?” I asked trying to change the subject after Erin had exhausted it.
“Yes, our parent’s passed away a long time ago.” He said clearly, whilst he looked like he was deep in thought about something. I knew I had put my foot in it.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” I apologised staring at my feet.
“Don’t worry about it, we’ve all lost people.” He cut me off with a comforting smile on his face again. I knew he was telling me the truth about his parent’s. He didn’t have any, but I had both of mine (even though I didn’t know where my Dad was) and another one I didn’t want at all. It wasn’t fair that I had three when some people had no parents whatsoever.
By the time we got to History I remembered I’d seen him in my class too. Erin wasn’t in it though and left when we passed her classroom just before ours. So when it came to finding our desks I sat next to Robert because I wanted to know more about him. Plus, he obviously didn’t mind seeing as he pulled the chair out for me as I passed.
For the most part of the lesson our new teacher Mr Miller lectured us on what he expected from us and how we weren’t meeting our potential. I could tell he was going to be a barrel full of laughs for the rest of the year. By the time Mr Miller finished his rant at us the bell rang. I rose from my seat and stretched because my back felt stiff after sitting still for an hour in fear Mr Miller would complain if I behaved incorrectly. Quickly I gathered my things and made my way to the doorway as Robert followed silently behind me. I looked at him suspiciously frowning playfully which I think he picked up on it.
“Oh sorry, do you mind if I come with you?” He asked looking at me with his gorgeous smile knowing what my answer would be.
“Of course you can come with me.” I answered blushing a little, I could the feel my cheeks go warm as I felt Robert’s eyes on me as I led the way.
Erin was waiting outside her last class that had obviously been let out on time unlike mine when she waved at me with one eyebrow cocked. As soon as she saw Robert her smile grew wider and wider and I could see her trying not to giggle.
“Just like a puppy following you,” Erin mumbled to me as Robert bent down to tie his shoelace once we stood together. I began giving her the look because I knew she’d read too much into it all.
“So should we head to the courtyard?” I asked a little too loudly when things started to get awkward.
They both nodded in reply and we then started strolling towards the tall door at the end of the hall that lead outside. I explained to Robert how all the seniors sat in the courtyard and that it was where he could find me and Erin every free period or lunch. As I said that he seemed pleased with me insinuating this wasn’t just a onetime thing.
“So you’re Italian Robert?” Erin questioned him as we sat on our normal table in the sunshine. “Seeing as you’re wearing a real leather jacket, most kids have those fake ones and you have that perfectly tanned skinand the slight European accent. Is there anything about you that isn’t impressive?” Erin attempted to make a joke, which I laughed happily at.
“Yes, as you know my full name’s Roberto Paolini. My sister Viola and I moved from Italy many years ago. Before here we lived in New York actually.” Robert explained.
“Wow! New York, why did you move here then? You must like boring small towns.” I asked him. It fascinated me how he’d left New York for Beethoven. I knew I’d never be able to do that.
“Haha, I do like them.” He chuckled. “It’s quieter here. I think I’ll like it.” He finished the last part of his sentence watching me as he so often did, as he span a coin on the table. All throughout History I’d caught Robert watching my face with a grin plastered on his. It didn’t seem like he was too worried about Mr Tanner but I didn’t dare to return the blatant gawking so I tried to cover my flushed cheek with my long hair but it made no difference. He continued to stare at me throughout the lesson. All Erin did as Robert spoke was raise her eyebrows and beam with amusement.
“Hey, well you and Viola are more than welcome to attend my parents’ ball. It’s December fourteenth.” Erin invited Robert, despite my wide eyed expression I shot her way.
“A ball?” Robert said, cringing slightly at her. “I don’t know…”
“Erin’s Dad’s the Mayor of our lovely town. They have the Winter Ball every year in their very own personal ballroom.” I explained.
“You should go with Carmen! She hasn’t got a date.” Erin exclaimed not realising the utter embarrassment I felt as she did this. My neck and cheeks immediately felt hot as they reddened and I held my head in my hands, trying to forget she’d just said that. “You’ve got a bit of time to get your tux, only if you don’t have anyone else in mind. Because Carmen a few people are available for you.” Erin suggested trying to recover every shred of my dignity she could.
“I’d love to. But I will ask Carmen another time.” He whispered loudly across the table to Erin, winking. His playful smirk was quickly replaced with the dark brooding look he often wore when he was alone or walking somewhere. But this time he looked over his shoulder as if he heard someone call his name or something. “Ladies, you’ll have to excuse me. I feel a little faint, I’ll see you two some other time.” and with that Robert took off and walked with his backpack slung over his shoulder and his jacket scrunched in his fist.
Erin and I however, just sat at our table. “Carmen he is gorgeous and really sweet, plus he’s totally into you, you have to date him. My plan of avoiding him is utter crap!” She spluttered after what seemed like a second since he left.
“Okay calm it with the typical teenage girl talk for a second, I just don’t think he sees me like that Erin.” I replied to her. My earlier feeling of danger when Robert was around me had nearly completely vanished now I just felt the excitement. It was as if I was a delusional mega fan of his and he was a pop star. His presence alone made me happier than I’d felt in a long time, I’d thought I hadn’t known him at all. But it turns out I did, I knew the important stuff about him. I just didn’t know the irrelevant ones like his favourite colour or food, I knew it felt right, like he belonged by my side, and I his.
“He kept looking at you so intensely and those eyes!” She shrieked excitedly. “They lit up when I said for him to take you to my parents’ ball.”
“We’ll see what happens.” I said winking at her, which seemed to satisfy her for the time being.