After having lunch with the boys, Callas went looking for Henry. She did tell him at lunch to meet her at the table with the others, but he never showed up. Maybe they weren't friends at all, maybe that's why he told her to stay away from them. He didn't want to be left alone. She did feel bad about that, she could have gone to find him. But she was so caught up in the moment with the boys. Jacob stated that she needed to have their numbers, just so they could keep in touch. So, now she had five extra numbers in her phone.
Jared mentioned something about maybe meeting up with the others, although Callas didn't really know how many more people she could meet. He said that there were two siblings, Leah and Seth who she'd have to meet at some point, but Seth wasn't well and neither was Leah, so she'd have to wait. There was also Sam, who was a couple of years older than the group, and his fiancée Emily—who's cooking was to die for. Quote by Jared himself. Callas was nervous to meet them, though. Paul mumbled how she'd be lucky to get out alive after meeting Leah, something about her being rude and unfriendly. But if she learned anything about others opinions, it was that they weren't to be trusted, just like Henry's opinion on them, she wasn't going to do the same to someone she hadn't met before.
Callas was in her second to last lesson, Biology. She still needed to get Henry's number, which she was a bit surprised about, she had spent more time with him than anyone else and yet they never swapped numbers. Maybe he didn't have a phone. But surely, he had to, she could have sworn she saw him on it in the morning at the front office. Unless her mind was playing tricks on her like they were in that morning when she saw the strange movement out by the trees. The lesson was almost over, although Callas wasn't sure of how much she could take.
Finally, the bell rang, Callas silently cheered as she packed up her bag, picking up her kit as she left the room. She bumped into Henry. He gave her a smile, which she returned. He asked if she had done the experiment in Chemistry, and they began to talk about it. Apparently, Henry added too much yeast and water and it wouldn't stop overflowing, although he found it extremely funny when his partner kept panicking, trying to scoop the foam up in his hands.
"What did your teacher say?" Callas tried holding in her laugh.
"Nothing, she just tried to calm the kid down while the foam just kept going." He shook his head. "You ready for P.E.?"
"I guess." She shrugged. "Can't really prepare for it, can you?"
"You can cry. Or skip."
"Skipping isn't preparation, Hen." She rolled her eyes.
"It is for your next lesson of P.E." Henry grinned as he showed her to the girl's locker room. "I'll meet you outside, I left my kit in my locker." He began to jog back down the halls as Callas walked into the locker room.
It was slightly cold outside, but luckily Callas was prepared. All those days running in Utah paid off. With her sweatpants and long-sleeved running top, she stood outside in the huddle while the Coach looked down at his clipboard, yelling out names. Callas noticed Jared and Quil off to the side talking to each other, she would have gone over to them but she wanted to stay with Henry. The Coach paused, making Callas look over to him. He was squinting at the paper on the clipboard.
"C-Callas? Callas Quinn? Who in the hell is Callas Quinn?" The Coach looked up rather annoyed.
"I am, Sir." Callas lifted her hand up, the Coach looked over.
"Have you been skipping out on my lessons?"
"No, Sir." She shook her head. "I actually enjoy P.E. So, I wouldn't be one to skip it. I'm new, that's why you've never seen me before," she explained.
"Oh. Well, do you like cross country, kid?" The Coach asked with a raised eyebrow, expecting Callas to groan.
"I love it." She smirked. The Coach nodded his head with a firm smile, almost proud of her answer.
One of the other students scoffed, Callas glanced over. "Have you ever actually ran in the rain back from wherever you came from? Because it's not like running in the sun." Callas couldn't help but cringe at how snobbish and ignorant the student was.
"I'm from La Push. I lived in Utah for over a year, I went running during snow storms. Weather doesn't affect how I run."
She crossed her arms, the other student closed their mouth and looked away, not expecting that answer either. Apparently, Callas was full of surprises. The Coach laughed to himself, clapping Callas on the back, squeezing her shoulder. Obviously taking a liking to Callas. Soon enough, Henry came running out, joining the rest of them, standing next to Callas with his arms crossed as the Coach explained what he wanted from them. All he said was four laps. Callas didn't think it was that hard, especially if the rain was going to be keeping them cool as they ran.
"Did I miss much?" Henry asked as they both began jogging together at a steady pace, while others were sprinting ahead, not realising that it wasn't a good idea.
"No, I just shot down one of the kids who didn't think I could run in the rain."
"Was it the one in the red shorts?" He motioned his head to one of the students just a bit ahead of them.
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
"They said the same thing to me last year."
"What did you tell them?"
"As an Alaskan, the rain is nothing compared to snow." He shrugged his shoulders while Callas let out a small laugh.
"Exactly my point. How long did you live in Alaska for?"
"A few years or so before we moved around. My parents used to make us go every year, for about ten years, before they split up. I doubt me and Dad will continue going up there."
"Bad memories?"
"Something like that, yeah."
Callas understood. Although she did like Utah, the memories of her father still lingered there. It was the last place they went to while he was still alive. He was always outdoorsy, something Callas picked up on. His love for the woods and outdoors, anything to do with being closer to nature, was something that he shared with both Callas and Reed, although more so with Callas. So, she could understand why Henry and his father wouldn't want to go back to a place where memories of his mother stayed.
Callas heard Jared behind them, no doubt talking to Quil, "They won't like it," Jared's voice was low. Yet Callas could still hear.
"It made its way onto the Rez without being spotted, of course, they won't like it," Quil responded.
"It's going to cause trouble."
"A few phasing's at least."
They sounded rather cryptic. It annoyed Callas that she couldn't pick up what they were talking about. But it didn't matter as Henry and herself picked up the pace a bit, almost like a silent challenge to see who could beat the other. The Coach was sitting down on one of the chairs, his sweatpants and sweatshirt were almost covered by his thick black coat, as he watched everyone run. Callas noticed he was eating an apple, and a thermos was in his other hand. That small distraction gave Henry a small head start on the track. The rain pelted down harder, small hail stones dropped down, but Callas only ran harder, running past Henry.
A small sound behind her made her laugh, Henry complained as he tried to run past her again, only making Callas pick up the speed once more. Henry groaned, trying to run faster than Callas. Although now Jared and Quil decided to join in the race, meaning Callas was trying to outrun them as well. The Coach was just laughing as a couple of other students dropped out while some completed the four. He just watched as the four of them continued to run, even more than the four laps he set, cheering them on, while he sent the others inside when the hail came down heavier.
It was almost pointless to get the four of them to stop, they weren't listening to anyone. Jared and Quil were almost neck and neck ahead of Callas while Henry was lagging somewhat behind. Callas pushed her legs even harder, trying to catch up to the two boys ahead of her. She almost got there when the Coach blew the whistle, making them all slow down until they came to a stop. All four of them breathing heavily. Jared and Quil were trying to trap each other in a headlock while Callas and Henry leaned against one another, trying to catch their breaths. Her right arm was bent, resting on his left shoulder while his left arm was around her waist, his left cheek was on her arm that was on his shoulder.
"As much as I enjoyed seeing the four of you run, you have to get inside. I don't want any of you to get hurt. The weather isn't on our side today. Sorry guys..." He shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. "And Quinn." He pointed to her. "You are my all-star for today." He laughed before ushering the four of them in.
"We need a rematch at some point," Henry wheezed out, his cheeks somehow not red like hers were.
"When I finally have a trail mapped out, I'll take you on it so it's fair on both of us." Callas nodded.
"Good." Henry patted her back. "But right now, I need to throw up a lung." He held his side, walking into the boy's locker room, leaving Callas to go into the girls.
She decided to have a shower, rather than smelling the entire way home. She was surprised when the lesson got cancelled early, although it gave her time to have a shower. She still needed the Coach to sign her form. So, she made sure to keep the shower quick, walking out of the locker room. Henry was waiting for her, she held up the form and he nodded, walking her to the Coach's office. It was near the locker rooms at the end of the corridor. She knocked on the door, he called for her to come in. He offered her a smile before she handed the form over.
"You impressed me today, Quinn." He nodded, signing the form.
"Thanks, Sir."
"You can call me Coach, Quinn. Sir is for the weaklings inside."
Callas laughed quietly. "Including Mr Hanson?"
"Oh, definitely including him, I've never seen a man so afraid of having his different food groups touch each other before in my life. Did you know that he sections off his food and eats everything with a knife and fork?"
"I did not know that, S-Coach." Callas shook her head.
"Yeah, well, he's a weenie. I plan on toughening him up by the end of this school year. He can't impress Ms Randell with a bow tie and antiseptic wipes for any longer."
"I also think that I don't need to know that, Coach."
He waved her off. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. But good work out there today."
"Thanks, Coach." She gave him a smile.
The Coach lifted the form. "I didn't know you were friends with that Henry kid."
"Uh, yeah, he's the first person I met here." She nodded.
"Good. He could use a few friends like you. See you soon, Quinn."
Callas nodded her head once more, taking the form from him. That was a bit of a weird thing to say, but so far nothing has exactly been normal since she moved. La Push was full of secrets and Callas planned to find out each and every single one, even if it killed her. When she left the office, Henry was leaning against the opposite wall with his head down, looking at his phone, he lifted his head as soon as he heard the door close. Henry smiled at her, picking up his bag from the floor, putting his phone away.
"So, did he tell you about the food thing with Mr Hanson?"
Callas looked at him weirdly. "How'd you know?"
"He said the same thing to me last year."
"Even the summer plan?"
"Yeah, it's not really working out for him."
She shook her head with a light laugh. "Well, I think Mr Hanson is great. Bow tie and all." Henry grinned. "I need to hand in the form before we leave."
"Sure."
While they walked down the corridors, some still unfamiliar to Callas, they began to talk about the History project. They both finished early on Thursday, Callas offered to continue the project back at her house as it was closer for them to walk to than his house. Henry agreed, saying he would leave slightly early just to get home before it got too dark. He wouldn't allow Callas to offer him a ride, he said he liked to clear his head while he walked, which she could understand, running was the same for her. She wondered how many more forms she would need, she already had six teachers sign it, she wondered how many more teachers she would have.
Before they got to the office, Callas noticed the boys walking up to them. She couldn't see Embry or Jacob. But the boys seemed to have a hard look on their face as they made their way down the corridor. Henry mumbled something about going the other way, pulling on her arm to get away with them, Callas was going to leave with him when she heard Paul yell out his name, almost like it was poison on his tongue. Henry tensed up, turning around slowly to look at them.
"You shouldn't be here." Paul crossed his arms, glaring directly at Henry.
"Maybe you should just leave," Jared spat.
Callas could see Henry's jaw tighten. "Maybe we should. C'mon Henry." Callas gave the boys a glare, pulling Henry away from them, not wanting to hear anything else.
"You didn't have to do that." Henry shook his head, letting out a sigh.
"What did you do to make them hate you?"
"I might have made a bad first impression last year in the canteen, involving spaghetti. I don't have many friends, I keep to myself."
Callas responded, "But you talk to me."
"Something about you drew me to you, I don't know what it is."