CHAPTER THREE
THE NEW GUY
TWO AND A HALF MONTHS LATER
Jessica Carlisle is a killer slut.
That's right, she's a killer slut. At least, that's what the hallways are whispering whenever she passes by. Who is she to be dating Taylor Wright within the first day of school? What makes her so special to catch the bad boy's eye? No one would ever suspect her of murder as well.
But that was the thing, Jess didn't commit murder. Taylor was in a coma and now he moved away and his parents sent him to military school after they found out what had happened.
This calmed Jess to know that she won't ever have to see him again. For the month that Taylor was in a coma, she thought she had killed him. Her, Jess Carslile, a murderer.
Her parents were understanding but they were also a bit scared of their daughter. They had sent her to therapy to figure out if this was a bigger issue.
Her therapist concluded that Jess has been traumatized by the last year to the highest extent possible. The therapist also told her parents to treat her normally and that it was the only way that Jess could make progress.
Jess knew what they were talking about behind closed doors. Military school, catholic school, an all-girls school. Many points of disciplinary action were tossed in the air.
Thankfully her parents concluded that the best thing for Jess was to stay where they were. They couldn't afford to move, both financially and mentally.
Jess has returned to her normal self for the most part. She got over the whole Taylor scene pretty quickly. She agreed with herself that she couldn't have done anything else in that moment. Taylor could've killed her. That was what made her return to normal; convincing herself that what she did was for the best.
In the hall, some people would say thank you, but most people would just stay away.
Some would bully her, if you'd call it that. They'd say some bullshit, get her riled up and then say, "What're you gonna do? Throw me out the window?"
Sometimes it would get to Jess, but recently she told herself that at least she could throw them out the window and they knew that.
Jess has her days, though. Sometimes she would break down and cry. Had she ruined her life?
Anyways, as of now, Jess is leaning against her new car. It was a 70s Dodge Challenger and she loved it. She was good at driving herself now so her parents bought a used car for her.
"It's the same every fucking day," Delilah commented, rapping her fingers on Jess's car.
"Stop that," Jess told her. Delilah gave her a look and raised her hands in surrender.
"Repetition isn't that bad," Jonathan said as he came around the car, tinkering with his camera.
"Maybe for psychopaths like you," Delilah sneered but Jonathan seemed unbothered. "Nothing new happens."
"When something new eventually does, you're gonna be here pouting because you want nothing to change." Delilah looked at Jess, mulling over what she said.
"Whatever, you're just saying that to contradict me." Delilah flicked her hair over her shoulder and tilted her nose up to the air.
"Maybe I am," Jess chuckled at her friend, watching Delilah kill her with her eyes. The bell rang and Delilah pushed off of Jess's car to walk towards the school aimlessly. Jonathan followed along, but stopped when he saw that Jess was still behind.
"I'll catch up with you guys, I left some things in the car," Jess told him. Jonathan nodded and followed Delilah inside the school.
Jess opened her car door and grabbed her bag from the backseat and slung it over her shoulders. Closing and locking the doors, Jess finally walked away from her car. She heard a faint sound of music from behind her, but she didn't pay much attention to it.
It grew louder and louder until it sounded like it was right behind her. She turned around and a navy blue Camaro was speeding towards her. There was the squeal of tires and the loud beat of rock 'n roll music as the car sped towards her.
Jess's heart stopped as she felt the flashback of that night on the road. She could practically feel the impact of the muscle car to her body and the pain searing through her face and neck.
But, the car stopped before it could hit her. Jess practically fell out of the way, breathing heavily at the vivid flashback. She wiped her hair out of her face and ran her hand down her head. She watched as the car parked and a redhead girl got out.
The girl looked at Jess for a second before throwing her skateboard down and skating to the middle school side. Jess watched her go, but a chill went down her spine as the driver got out.
He was dressed in denim on denim and sporting a dirty blond mullet. He had the most beautiful blue eyes as he looked at Jess. She felt her heart stop again, but from fear or admiration, she didn't know.
There was anger in his eyes as he slammed his car door shut. He started walking over to Jess, but she quickly sped-walked away. She looked over her shoulder to see him not even trying to catch up.
Once she entered the school building, she felt as if she could breath.
I almost died, Jess thought. I almost died!
Suddenly, Jess erupted in a fit of giggles. She almost died! It was the scariest thing ever!
This was the problem with Jess. She laughs at the most inconvenient times. When she was first learning how to drive, she put the car in reverse and accidentally pressed on the gas instead of the brakes, making the car speed back and almost hit a tree. Her mother was scared, of course, but all Jess could do was laugh.
She wasn't allowed to drive for a month after that.
Anyways, this wasn't any different. People looked at her as she laughed down the hall like a maniac. She stopped when she got to her first period. This was the class Jess had with Taylor when he was still here. His empty seat haunts her sometimes knowing that she was the reason he wasn't there.
Jess sat in her seat with her knees up, pushing against the desk and she filed her nails down a bit. Someone sat to her left, but she didn't pay attention to them.
The bell rang and she put her file away but kept her knees up. Almost killing Taylor weirdly made her act a bit more like him in class, as if she didn't care, but she actually did. It was when she pulled her head up that she saw who was on her left.
It was the guy from the parking lot. The new guy.
He didn't say anything nor did he even look at her. Jess was grateful, she didn't need to know who he was sitting in Taylor's seat.
Jess couldn't help the nagging feeling of just talking to the new guy. She has to say something, right? She almost died because of him.
"Where'd you learn to drive?" Jess asked as if she was bored, propping her head up on her fist. She didn't look at a him, but he turned towards her, slinging his arm over his chair.
"Excuse me?" He asked in a deep voice. It made her wish she never said anything, but of course, her mouth couldn't stop talking.
"You heard me," Jess looked at him. He looked amused by this. "You almost killed me. Fucking idiot."
"Say that again," the guy taunted. Jess gulped as he leaned forward. She slightly opened her mouth to say something more, but the teacher cleared her throat at the front of the classroom.
"Ms. Carlisle?" The teacher called on her. "Do you have the answer for number two?"
"No," Jess said plainly.
"I suggest you pay attention," Mrs. Kameyer said with a disapproving look. Jess rolled her eyes once the teacher looked away.
"Aw, did Doris Day get a mark on her record?" The new guy asked. Jess made a face as she turned to him.
"How old are you, 50?" Jess asked rhetorically. She didn't expect a reply so she leaned her head on her fist that was propped up by her elbow.
Throughout the class, Jess couldn't help but steal some glances at the new guy. He was extremely handsome and he smelled so good. That was weird to think, but it was a mixture of cologne and cigarettes, both scents Jess secretly loved. It was enchanting but Jess reminded herself that he almost killed her.
-
"Here's one for you..." Tina, the school slut, said as she was handing out flyers for her houseparty on Halloween. She looked at Jess and gave her a terrified look.
"H-Hey Jess, here's one for you," Tina stuttered. Jess refrained from defending herself and grabbed the flyer.
"Thanks," Jess bit back. Tina handed the new guy a flyer without hesitation.
"What's this?" He asked. Jess turned around and she realized that he was talking to her.
"A party on Halloween, why? Does it get in the way of your trick-or-treating?" Jess laughed. Some people stared at her, worried she may try to kill the new guy with her wicked laugh. That rumor made Jess roll her eyes.
"Why does everyone always look at you like that?" The new guy asked.
"They're scared of me," Jess said plainly. "I don't mind."
"But you're so tiny," the new guy laughed. "How could they be afraid?"
"Eh, you'll probably hear one of the rumors throughout the day," Jess said before walking away with the flyer in her hands.
She spotted Jonathan over by his locker and she snuck up behind him and yelled, "Boo!"
Jonathan wasn't scared, it was really hard to scare him. Jess asked how he wasn't afraid but he just said that once you get a good scare in, nothing could top that. The only question was what scared Jonathan so much?
"Hey," Jonathan smiled. Jess saw the orange flyer in his hands, crumpled up.
"Are you going?" Jess pointes to the flyer.
"I dunno, maybe," Jonathan shrugged, stuffing his locker with his stuff. "I promised my mom I'd take Will trick-or-treating."
"Aw," Jess cooed. "But a party is more fun."
"That's not correct grammar," Jonathan laughed. Jess rolled her eyes and pushed his head to the side playfully.
"C'mon," Jess begged. "You've been pinning over Nancy forever now. Maybe you'll meet someone at the party."
"I doubt it," Jonathan looked down shyly.
"Any girl would be lucky to have you." Jess squeezes his shoulder in comfort. "Just think about it."
"Alright," Jonathan. "I'll think about it, no promises."
"I'll take what I can get," Jess smiled and nodded once.
-
"Corporal punishment should be implemented into the school system," Delilah said randomly during lunch. Jess and Jonathan stared at her for a while, but Delilah was dead serious.
"You'd think we'd be used to this..." Jess shook her head. Jonathan laughed and ate more of his Jell-o.
All of a sudden, Jess felt her back colliding with something as her front side bent over the table. Water spilt down her shirt and she got up quickly to dry herself off and to look at the culprit.
She looked up and saw Tommy H, a complete dickhead. He was laughing and looking back at the new guy.
"See? Funny as fuck!" Tommy laughed.
"Tommy!" Jess yelled. "What the fuck is your problem?"
"What are you gonna do, Princess?" Tommy laughed. Jess felt the steam pour out of her ears as she waited for the punchline. "Push me out the window?"
"Shut the fuck up," Jess growled.
"She won't, but I will," Delilah stood up and put her hands on the table. "I'll pound your ass into the fucking ground, Tommy. I'll kill you."
"Woah, Crazy," Tommy said, calling Delilah the nickname that she hates.
Delilah let out a roar as she tried to jump the table, but Jonathan held her back.
"Let's go," the new guy said, dragging Tommy away.
"C'mon Billy," Tommy laughed. "Loosen up."
"I said, let's go," Billy said, walking away. Tommy looked back at Jess and shook his head as he followed Billy.
"Billy..." Jess said under her breath. "You're gonna regret that."
-
[EDITED]