Hi again. This is a one-shot story about the first time Graves noticed Dru. I just thought I'd put a little story on while we wait for the next Strange Angels. Disclaimer, Strange Angels belongs to Lili St. Crow. Hope you like and please review.
The New Girl
It was just another day at school, and why would it be any different? I supposed that it would be a day spent in a bored mindless stupor, except I was fighting to pay attention. After all I had to make something of myself, I had to make a decent future, and living in the Mall was a pretty sad excuse for a living. I never get kids who complain endlessly about their parents. I mean, their lucky they've got parents who give a shit. It's just me and I know it will always be me. But hell is it lonely sometimes.
I trudge to school, watching my breath rise in the air. I wait outside the premises while I smoke my cigarette. Other students walk past me, they ignore me, and I them. They gather together in their little cliques using one another for protection. And if it came to it they would probably use one another as a human shield to save their own skin. I watch them as they laugh and how pretentious they look to an outsider. The girls with their high-pitched squeal, and the way they batter their eyelashes at the guys. And the guys trying to be butch, bantering together and walking with squared shoulders, one of them, Johnny Tracey, aka Mr. Popular is throwing his football hand to hand.
I'm getting to the end of my cigarette and I look to the side when I see a girl. She's walking alone looking down at the ground as she does so. And hell is she good looking, but not in the usual way. She's got dark hair that is a little curly, like the curls are slipping out. Her face is oval and a little pale but her hair falls in her face. She wears grungy, practical clothes, boots, well-worn jeans and a military coat over the top. She clearly isn't used to the cold yet, she's got her arms crossed and walks right past me without looking up. I turn to watch her make her way up to the school. I throw the remains of my cigarette on the floor and step on it before hastily following.
Once I get into the school however I can't find her, she's disappeared into the crowds. I wonder what everyone else will make of the new girl. By the time it's lunch I've heard a lot of opinions. A few guys think she is sexy in a mysterious way, other guy's think she looks like a weirdo. The girls have largely got their claws out, saying vicious things about her appearance and how she is a loner. She's not at lunch. It's not until English that I'm in a class with her. She walks in a little later than everyone else and takes a seat. She sits a little lounged but sits facing the front. I know I like this girl already. I can tell that she won't conform to fit in; I know that she's tough and doesn't give a shit.
Mr. Kennedy starts the class, 'Miss Anderson we're studying Mice of Men,' he hands her the book. 'You'll need to catch up.'
She doesn't respond but I watch from three seats down and one row to the left as she pushes it aside dismissively. Mr. Kennedy drones on for twenty minutes until he sets us a little essay to do. Every now and then I look from my own work to look at Anderson. She never once picks up the book but I can see that she was writing. She's finished before everyone else and starts playing with a thread on her jacket which she hasn't taken off.
The class finishes and we all file out. I listen to Vicky and Hannah talking. 'What's her actual name?' Vicky asks in a whisper.
'It's Dru…I thought that was a boys name', Hannah answered laughing.
'I thought it stood for Drusilla,' and they both erupted into laughing.
I scowled but obviously they didn't notice. I liked her name. It suited her.
For the next couple of days I watch Dru with keen interest. I knew that if she noticed me staring or anyone else for that matter then I would probably look like a stalker. But I couldn't help it. I could feel a kind of magnetic pull towards her. I don't know, maybe it was freak seeking out oddball. Today Bletchley was being a complete asshole, she picked on Dru but she knew exactly what Bletchley was talking about. Seriously it was weird because there had been the tiniest pause and she answered like she was reciting. It was probably nothing, but it just seemed a little strange.
I walked into the cafeteria, my mind wondering when I saw Dru. She stood by the door for a fraction of a second before walking away. Compelled I couldn't help but to follow her. I lost her. I thought I was fast to follow but she was gone. Creepy but cool. Oh well, I might as well talk to her instead of continuing to think, almost obsessively about her. So I search for her. I finally see her walking towards the gates; obviously she's going to skip. 'Hey! Hey, you', I call to her but she doesn't hear even though I'm pretty sure that I shouted loud enough. I hasten my pace until I'm right behind her. 'Hey! Anderson!' I shout and realise she might think I'm a teacher.
She finally stops and turns around. Her eyes are pretty blue and they scan me all over and strangely flicker to my hands for awhile. It's like she's assessing me. I wonder what she thinks. I let my breathing calm down, 'You want a cigarette?' I ask her.
'No', she answers almost defiantly and her eyes narrow. She clearly doesn't approve. Maybe I'll ask again. But Jesus being so close to her is weird. My whole body feels alive, like I'm nervy, or on an edge knife. I want to impress her; I know that I can't be too open; she's obviously not a girl who appreciates a guy who wears their heart on their sleeve. And, well I'm not that guy anyway. But a quick thought disagrees; I'll be whatever she wants me to be.