"Beauty has a lot to do with character." - Kevyn Aucoin
Okay so back up. What? That girl from the diner... what was her name? Ashley? El-Ellen? Elena? Elena! Yeah that's what she said when I walked out... So she goes to my school? As of right now, as I walk down the crowded hallway of my new high school, I'm not sure how I feel about that.
I've only been going here for two weeks now and I still feel like "the new kid" with the way everyone is staring. I mean I'm not some alien, jeesh people keep your eyes to yourselves. This whole small town high school scene is just not my thing. They're all so clique-y and tight. They think of me as the "cool city kid" when in reality I'm just an average city kid.
Everyone stares at me like I'm from another planet-which I'm half convinced I am- and it just makes everything so awkward when it really doesn't have to be. Back in the city, I moved here from New York, the school was so big that no one even noticed when someone new came to school. Everyone was a stranger if you weren't friends, so a lot of times you would run into people who'd actually gone to school with you forever but you just never knew them. Not here though. Here everyone knows each other. All their grandparents are cousins or something, their parents all throw parties for the holidays, stuff like that. Stuff that makes my city skin crawl.
Even the girls here are different! They all look the same. They all wear skinny jeans with brown boots of different sorts. They all wear boyfriend tee shirts or flannels. I mean I think they look cute or something, but it's honestly not my type. I like girls with personality. That can work anything they wear even if it's candy-striper uniform... Yeah I'm talking about El-Elena? I mean she was rocking that diner uniform and when I bumped into her today her style was so different from the other girls. She didn't have the furry boots or loose tops. Her hair wasn't even straightened. She looked so real it was almost refreshing...it was refreshing.
See back in New York, there were girls of all different varieties. Emo chicks, who I didn't mind in some cases. Preppy girls, the real kind who didn't get made fun of because they weren't fake, they were just preppy. There were the good girls who every one of the guys liked but would never admit or mess with. Then there were the skanks who we all knew and tried to avoid, well us guys with self respect that is. Of course there were all those in betweens. Artistic girls, fashionistas, sporty girls, musical babes, all of them. Here though... they're all the same.
They all laugh too loud, dress the same, act the same. They all go after the same guys... Meaning me and then jocks and bad boys and players. Seriously, I swear the minute I show up here I'm the center of all their worlds. They all think they have a shot with me or something. It's beyond annoying, almost impossible to be nice to all of them. Especially the younger girls. Seriously? You think with all these senior girls taking shots with me, I'm gonna go for you? Seriously it's all so weird around here.
Okay I sound like one big, fat ass pessimist right now. Back up. There are, of course, some positives to this whole move thing. For my mom's got a job. That's always a good thing, right? The town's, well in her opinion, "a good place to raise a family", which is good considering I've got a new baby brother/sister on the way.
Matt just can't believe I ended up in some boondock town like this place, actually I am too, but it's only five more months! Then I'm out. February, March, April. May, June... FREEDOM! It's hard to believe I'm almost done with this whole school thing. Once it's done it's party school here I come.
Wanna know one other plus of this whole small town gig? Open campus lunch. Oh yeah, that's gotta be the best. For the non-senior's, it's the envy of the school. Basically, as long as you keep a decent GPA (which for some reason means, at least according to the stupid school board, that you're an overall good person), you can eat lunch off campus wherever you want to...in town. That's the downside in my opinion, but none of the other seniors seem to mind. Most kids hit up that diner, the one where I met Elena. I don't though, usually I end up just driving around town enjoying the freedom.
That's where I'm headed right now, after I drop my books off in my locker, I'm heading right for my car. Some jocks asked me during third period if I wanted to hang out by some... alleyway? Guess that's what the "cool kids" around here do. Where I come from though, alleyways are for losers and drug abusers... So I politely declined that invitation.
The anticipation of my liberation seems to grow as I make my way for the side exit of the school. Once I'm out in the cool air, it's like the chains have been undone. Now it's my time. Flipping off the school building for added effect and my own sick humor, I stroll over to my car and slide in as quickly as I humanly can. You could call me eager.
Not even bothering to let the engine warm up, I pull right out and rip toward the parking lot exit. Suddenly though, running from the back door from the music wing, comes sprinting by some emo looking kid, and... Elena? My foot slams on the brakes as I see her. She doesn't notice me though as she keeps looking over her shoulder and calling to the emo kid, that's odd?
Soon my puzzlement is satisfied though as Mr. Simmons, my questionably straight music teacher, comes busting through the door they did. They're already in the car though by the time I glance back and pull out in the same fashion I had just seconds before. Next thing they're speeding out of the lot leaving Mr. Simmons in the dust. That was...awesome!
As I roll by the panting music director, I can't help but laugh at the whole scene as it plays by in my head. Feeling a bit cocky, I wave to Mr.Simmons as I drive by with a firm smirk on my face. He just glares which only adds to my amusement.
That has to be THE most entertaining thing that's happened since I moved to this hickville. And of course, the star of the act was my girl Elena. So she's a bad girl, eh? That's hilarious. She seemed so shy and what not at the diner and then there was the bathroom scene...I cut my mind off from those thoughts since I try not to think back to that part of that evening.
With a smile on my face I follow them down to the light, they turn left then while I'd been planning to turn right, heading to the edge of town to drive through the back-roads that no one else does. For some reason though, I feel sort of drawn to follow them. Wouldn't that be sort of stalker-ish though?
Just as I'm about to turn right my mind changes and my cars is headed right after them, in a totally creeper kind of way. This is nuts, I should just turn back. I'm freaking following them! Come on Caleb, turn the car around. Hit the brakes, turn in reverse, head back...
As much as I chant these instructions in my head, my body completely and blatantly disobeys. Crap, now we're headed for some back street I've never heard of, I really have no idea where we are... this can't be good. For all I know they could be on their way to a gang meeting, or some cult gathering. What do I know about this chick? She skipped school obviously, unless they're seniors... but then why would Mr.Simmon's care? Are her grades bad? She just seems too... beautiful... to be bad.
Oh here I am, stereotyping all pretty people to be good people, too. Isn't that like ethics 101? Seriously I should really know better, I mean just look at Mindy... Let's not go there. Anyway, now we're going down some forgotten and forsaken dust road with no rails or even lines. There's woods as far as the eye can see in every direction I look and damn, it's freaking creepy. As a city kid, this is not my thing.
They just keep speeding along though and like the dumbass I am, I follow suit. After about five minutes of this parade, apparently they haven't realized I'm following them, we pull up to this big old house off on it's own. Seriously if I'd come here on my own, I'd swear the place was abandoned. The goth kid gets out though along with my girl, I'm back up the road farther away from the house now since I stopped when I saw the house knowing this was the end of the trip, and they make their way inside. Once they're inside...I'm stuck.
Now what? It's not like I can just... follow them inside! Can I? What would I say... "hey, I followed you from the school... can I come in?" yeah, that's smooth. Real smooth.
Oh this is ridiculous. I should just leave. Seriously, with that I slam my gear shift into reverse and begin to leave. It's not that hard to get back from here, well I hope not anyway. There were a few spots where I was day dreaming and wasn't really paying too much attention to where they turned. I just followed blindly like the fool I am. Shoot, as I think back I realize I really have no blasted idea where we are or how to get back. Oh this is awesome. Just fantastic. Now what do I do? Sitting there for almost an hour, I swear, seriously I just sat there and stared at the house and the surrounding area. My mind is just reeling for an idea. No one moves in the house either, they're still inside.
There are absolutely no possibilities coming to mind.
Then suddenly, like a freaking light bulb goes off in my mind, an idea hits me. I'll stop and asked for directions. I'll just pretend I was going for a drive, made a wrong turn, ended up here. Now I just need some help getting back to school. They obviously know the way... hm. This should work.
With new found confidence, I park the car and make my way to the door. As I stand on the stoop, I hear talking and laughter from within. Wonder if... they're ya know... I knock then, hard and loud hoping they'll hear it over the noise. It silences within the house. God, I hope they answer. This is freaky enough, it would be nice if for once, things went according to plan.
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A/N: Mwahahaha, :) So Caleb's got some major misconceptions going through his head doesn't he? Hm, wonder how Elena's going to take seeing him again... with Carl there! Hehe, next chapter's gonna be a real trip♥ Love always, Lily