Orientation took about a few hours and before we knew it we were all told to go find our classes so we wouldn’t be lost on our official day back tomorrow.
“What’s your schedule?” ask Ashton as he came up falling into step on my left.
“Geometry, A.P English, Art, and Music appreciation.” Looking up from my paper I ask, “What about you?”
“A.P English, Music, Geometry, and Swimming.” He says.
“Math before swimming? I thought you didn’t like having to deal with numbers before you practice.” I smiled.
“I don’t, but the lady up front says for me to ignore it for today, that I can switch my classes tomorrow. When did you say you have Geometry?”
“First period.”
Running a hand through his hair he smiles, “Looks like I know what I’m switching to.”
“Looks that way.” I say smiling.
Walking out of the auditorium a few of Ashton’s friends came up talking about their swim meet that they attended over the weekend. Standing there I went over my class list once more, when a strange sense of warmth crept at the back of my neck. I absently rubbed it as I began to look around. The halls were filled with kids trying to find their way to their classes.
First days were always chaos; no one knew where to go so it was like they were lost in the woods with no sense of direction. Glancing around one last time I went to look back at my student list when I stopped. Standing there down the hall stood the kid from this morning. He stood with his back leaning against the locker, his hands shoved into his pocket as he stood listening to whatever the girls in front of him were saying. He didn’t seem really intrigued with what the girls were saying as he looks up. Glancing up my direction his eyes scanned the crowd briefly before his eyes met mine as he smiled. Not a sweet and innocent smile. No, something about his smile was something sinister, something that screamed he wasn’t the type of boy to bring home to meet your mother, but I wasn’t for sure. Most bad guys didn't come across freaky and frightening, hiding in shadowed corners with insane grins plastered across their faces. Most bad guys were your normal, everyday guys moving through life like anyone else. Going to school. Going to work. Going to church, even. They were hard to spot, and that's what made them so good at being bad.
“Who is that?” I ask Charlotte as she steps up to my side.
“So I see you’ve spotted our new exchange student.” Says Charlotte.
“Exchange student?” I asked.
Charlotte nods, “I hear his name is Harry. Jenny says that he just transferred from somewhere in England I believe.”
“What year is he?” I asked.
“Same as us, 3rd, he’s a junior.”
I nodded as Charlotte says, “Don’t go down that road.”
“Go down what road?”
“The road of wanting to find him out? Jenny says he’s nothing, but trouble. That he was transferred out here because he got into so much shit back in the U.K. The boy oozes trouble as if he was producing sweat.”
“Are you seriously going to feed into the rumors? It’ not even the first day.”
“Hell yeah I’m going to feed into the rumors! The boy has a track record and wherever trouble goes, it seems to follow him.” turning towards me she says, “Just stay away from him Anna.”
Charlotte was never the person who believed in much of the rumors, so with her getting this emotionally attached to the subject I nodded.
“Okay I’ll stay away from him.”
Sighing a sense of relief she says, “Great! Now I’m starving.” Turning around she looks at Ashton and says, “Asher babe! You up for tacos?”
Glancing up in Harry’s direction, he stood there still smiling as a guy steps up on the side of him. He was about his height; hair was brown and short and slightly quiff in the front. Wearing dress pants, a button up shirt with a tie and the dress jacket required as our uniform. He stood looking at Harry. Turning his eyes from me he turned to respond to whatever the guy next to him said, and to my surprise the guy eyes raised from Harry and locked onto mine. Quickly turning around I made my way to where Ashton and Charlotte stood waiting.
“You ready Anna Banana?” says Ashton.
“Depends, are you paying this time?” I ask as we made our way out the school.
“When haven’t I paid?” he asks.
“The correct question would be when have you ever paid?” laughs Charlotte.
“Char I would be nice to me if I were you. Especially since Anna is still carless which means I’m going to be your caddy for the next few weeks.”
“I hate you.” says Charlotte.
“Impossible everybody loves me.” says Ashton as we all walk to his car.
Charlotte hopped in the backseat and I took the passenger seat. As we pulled out the parking lot I leaned my head against the headrest. Harry’s face flooded my mind. I knew that I’d seen him before, but I just couldn’t pinpoint where.
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Lunch with Ashton and Charlotte didn’t take long, considering I had to be up at the station to meet my dad at 3.
“Call me later?” says Charlotte as she hops into the passenger seat.
“Of course.” I say.
Smiling her and Ashton say ‘Goodbye’ as they drove off.
Walking into the station it always smelled like old coffee and stale donuts. A very annoying smell that I learned to overlook.
“Hey Darlin’, how was orientation?” asked Deputy Marks who was just like an uncle to me.
“Boring as usual. Dad in?” I ask laying my bag on top of his desk.
“He just ran out on an errand.”
“Figures.” Glancing up at the clock as it read 3pm I say, “Tell him that I did swung by?”
“Of course Darlin’.” Smiles Deputy Marks.
Grabbing my bag and a glaze donut from the box on Marks desk I headed back out the station and begin walking home.
Moving to Black Mountain from Ashville was a big change of scenery for me. Ashville was where all the town shops, cafes, art galleries and stores were located. Even though Black Mountain had stores and shops, it was most know for the many acres of trees and point blank wilderness. It was a small town, and the population was fair. We lived a little away from town, a 15 minute drive from the school and about a 30 minute walk from the school. We had neighbors, but they were a mile or so up the road which left our 5 bedroom house sitting in the middle of nowhere with only trees and the night stars to surround us. I loved my house it was defiantly an upgrade from the 3 bedroom cottage we stayed at in Ashville. We had a huge backyard, and it was a two story house. Daniel was a little bit iffy when we first moved in, but after going on a late night walk with me he took in the scenery and admittedly fell in love.
The walk from the station to my house took well over 25 minutes, but since it wasn’t a hot day the walk was very pleasant. Walking up the dirt road to the house I spotted moms car in the driveway.
“Mom!” I called as I opened the front door.
“In the study!” I hear my mom yell.
Placing my bag on the bottom of the stairwell as I passed by it, I walked to the back of the house where Mom and Dad’s study was located. Sitting down at her desk, mom had health books opened and scattered around the table.
“Hey mom.” I say walking inside as I leaned against the door.
“Hi honey, how was orientation?” she asked briefly glancing up at me to smile as she looks back down at her book.
“Orientation was orientation, which was boring.”
“Well orientations isn’t usually all fun and games honey.”
“I know.” I say. Pushing up and away from the wall I walk over to where mom sat and looked at the sea of books that covered her desk. “Why does it look like anatomy 101 threw up in here?”
Flipping the page in the book she was reading she says, “There was an accident in the early hours of the morning, someone was attacked.”
“Attacked?” I asked.
She nodded, “Yes. When the EMT brought the person in they were covered in multiple abrasions and bite marks. DR thinks it was animal.”
“An animal? What kind?” I ask.
She shrugs, “I have no idea. Forensics pulled samples from the victim to run test, but so far nothing has showed up.” she stopped midway through turning the page she was reading and looked up at me. “Wolfy was here with you last night right?”
“Of course he was.” I answered defensively.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes I’m sure, he stayed in my bed till I got up this morning to shower. Why? You think he did it?”
She shakes her head, “No honey I was just asking. With what happened back in Ashville…”
I cut her off, “They marked that as a coyote attack, Wolfy wasn’t even around at that time.”
“I know I was just…”
“You know Wolfy isn’t like that mom, so why even ask?”
Mom looks at me and shakes her head, “No reason.” Looking back at her book she says, “Have you seen my medical books that list bacterial specimens in them?”
“Dad was using it as a cup holder the other day, maybe you should check on his desk.”
Standing she walks over to dads desk, shuffles a few books around as she says, “Ah ha! Found it.” looking at me she smiles.
Walking back to her desk as I ask, “Have they started up again?”
Mom shook her head and said, “No.” looking at me she walks over to me as she kissed my forehead, “Don’t worry honey it was probably just a wild bear or something.”
“Probably.” Pointing to the door I say, “I’m going to head up before Wolfy comes.”
“It’s another full moon? I thought it was just last night.”
I shook my head, “Todays the last night till next month.”
“Alright. I leave for my shift at 10:00.”
“I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
Walking up the spiral stairway I walked to my room and stripped off my clothes, showered as I a waited for Wolfy.
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“I swear I hate all of my classes!” says Charlotte as she sits down at our usual lunch table. Lunch was always the last period of the day from me, and a hand full of seniors and juniors who were already ahead in their graduation credits.
“We only been here for a week and your already sick of it? What happen to you being all excited and chipper about the different things we were going to do this year?” I ask as I popped a few green grapes into my mouth.
“That all changed once my English teacher said that its recommended that we do 20 hours of community service ever month till the end of the school year.” she says as she opens her water bottle.
“Wasn’t that already recommended?” I asked.
“Yeah but no there making it mandatory.” Taking a few of my grapes she says, “Do you think your dad will let us work there a few hours after school again?”
“I don’t see why not. He is completely backed up in paper work. I bet he would love the extra hands around the station. Especially since he won’t have to pay us.”
“Deputy Stevens still work there right?”
Before I could answer loud yelling echoed from outside.
“What in the hell was that?” I asked glancing around at the cafeteria door.
“I don’t know.” Says Charlotte as she shrugs.
The yelling increased making the students inside all run out. Running through the crowd I spotted Ashton running up to our table.
“Asher what’s going on?” ask Charlotte.
“There’s a fight! New kid and one of the jock’s, come on!” he yells half out of breath as he motioned us to follow.
“New kid?” I asked flashing a glance at Charlotte who was already standing.
“Who cares? Guy fights are so sexy!” she says.
Following her and Ashton out of the Café we ran to the football field where a huge circle formed. Jumping up and down I say, “I can’t see anything!”
Grabbing my hand Ashton says, “Come on I’ll get you closer.”
Grabbing Charlotte’s hand I followed Ashton deep into the crowd, but somewhere in between all of the shoving and pushing from the on lookers who were instigation the fight I got separated from Charlotte and Ashton, as I was pushed near the front.
Looking to the center of the circle I stood on my tiptoes just in time to see Harry rush Robert. The crowd began jumping up and down, elbowing me as I bounced back in forth. Jumping up the top of the fighter’s heads became visible, so I continued to push my way forward. When I finally reached the front, Robert grabbed Harry with his huge arms and tried to throw him to the ground. When Robert leaned down with the motion, Harry rammed his knee into Roberts’s face and before Robert could even think about shaking off the blow Harry went in on him, his fist making contact with Robert’s now bloodied face.
Just then five fingers sank into my arm and I was jerked back.
“What in the hell are you doing?” yelled Ashton.
“I can't see!” I called to him.
I turned back just in time to see Robert land a solid punch. Harry turned and for a second I thought he had dodged another blow, but he made a complete circle, crashing his elbow straight into the center of Robert’s nose. Blood sprayed my face, and splattered down the front of my pink jumper. Robert fell on the field with a thud and for a brief moment the crowd was silent. A few football players ran to Robert’s side as the crowd exploded. I was pushed around with the movement of those who were coming and going. Charlotte called my name from somewhere in the back, but I was too distracted by the trail of red from my chest to my waist. Heavy footsteps stopped in front of me, diverting my attention to the floor. My eyes traveled upward: dress pants spattered with blood, a deep V-line that disappeared into his trousers, a fine set of chiseled abs, a bare chest drenched in sweat, and finally a pair of piercing luminous, green eyes. I was shoved from behind, and Harry caught me by the arm before I fell forward.
“Sod off!” Harry frowned, shoving anyone who came near me. His stern expression melted into a smile at the sight of my jumper, and then he whipped his face with the back of his hand.
“Sorry about that, Pebbles.”
The guy who was with him the day of orientation ran up with his clothes in hand as he says, “C’mon Haz we need to get out of here.”
Harry’s eyes didn’t stray from mine. “It’s a damn shame about the jumper. It looks good on you.” his voice was thick and raspy with a natural British accent following. Just as quickly as he appeared, he was engulfed by the crowd, disappearing the way he came.
“What were you thinking, you idiot?” yelled Charlotte pulling my arm.
“I got lost, then I couldn’t see, but that was crazy!”
“You could’ve gotten hurt.” Says Ashton.
“But I didn’t.” I smile.
“You’re such a pain in my ass Anna-Banana. God, I love you!” says Ashton as he hooks his arm around my neck leading the way out of the field, just as the campus security pulled inside the gate.