My first encounter with a Chambers was in the spring of my senior year of high school. Finals were around the corner and tensions were high while we all awaited college letters in the mail.

He was sitting in the corner of the library, legs sprawled out on the chair next to him, chewing on the tip of his pencil. He didn't seem like the type to seek out a tutor. But then again, I wasn't the tutoring type.

I was caught with a cigarette on school grounds a few days earlier and sentenced to a punishment only the smartest of the stupid kids had to endure. The rest of my friends got to do trash pickup and were completely envious of my position until they heard about just who I was tutoring.

"Don't let him corrupt you, Dolly."

"You know what they say about those Chambers kids: white trash."

"Be careful who sees you with him..."

Jesus, I was just his tutor.

Even my mother had some nasty remarks to say when she got the phone call from the principal.

"Dolores, you will not leave the school library with this boy. I mean it, I don't want to hear any rumors about this at work."

She was embarrassed to even leave the house the next morning in fear that word had gotten around already. Castle Rock was a small town and everyone had something to say about everything.

I head over to the table and lay my book bag on top of it, "Richard?" I ask, watching his brown eyes look up at me.

"Eyeball."

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Eyeball."

I raise my eyebrows in disbelief. "Oh, okay..."

He takes the pencil out of his mouth and puts it behind his ear. He stands up and slings his bag over his shoulder.

"Im outta here."

"Wait... I-"

He was already out the door.

Was it something I said?

I decide to sit down and do my homework until I see my mother's Ford pull up to the front of the school.

"How was it?" My mom asks, smirking.

"I talked to him for all of one minute and he just left...all but ran out of the door." I reply, shaking my head. "I don't know if I can do this for two more weeks."

I showed up after school to the library everyday for almost a week before he finally decided to show his face again. He was almost a half hour late.

"Nice of you to show up." I grumble, watching him slump in his seat across from me.

"Mr. Greene is watching us." He points behind me.

I look over my shoulder and smile at him. He was indeed watching us, arms crossed. Mr. Greene was our principal and was incredibly cold and standoffish. He doesn't return my smile.

"Jesus, does that guy have a stick up his ass." I mutter, giggling. I see Eyeball crack a smile.

"Listen, I have the answers for this test. I don't need your help." He pulls out his notebook and doodles on it with the same chewed pencil he had last time I saw him.

"Well what do you suggest we do while he stares at us like that?" I ask, looking at his face for answers.

"Just pretend we're studying, he'll leave in a minute."

I look over my shoulder again, Mr. Greene hasn't moved a muscle, eyes still glued on us.

I tap my pencil on the desk and pull a strand of hair behind my ear.

"So, is Coach making you do this tutoring thing?" I ask, trying to break the tension surrounding us.

He looks up at me and studies my face. "You have a pimple."

A hand flies up to my eyebrow to cover it. He snickers and leans back in his chair. After a while of silence, I try to think of something to say back, and take control of the situation. All that comes out of my mouth is, "Well, you have a scar on your eye."

"Good one," he rolls his eyes. I shrink back in my chair.

What an asshole, is all I can think. I can't wait to go home and tell my friends all about this. We don't say anything else for the rest of hour. Once Mr. Greene leaves, Eyeball promptly stands up and leaves, this time without a word.

Another day passes since my interaction with the Chambers boy. My friends have a ton of questions about him, and frankly, I can't answer hardly any of them. He only says a few words to me during our sessions. Whenever I try to get more out of him, he shuts down.

"Dolly!"

My friend Betty waves me down. Her glittering green eyes and ginger hair bounces over to me.

"Did you hear about Jackie's party this weekend? We have to go." She shows me the invitation. One has my name written across it in purple pen.

"I don't know Betts, my parents still have me under lock and key."

"You can't miss this party! Sneak out!"

I roll my eyes, "yeah, sure."

"Come on, Dolly, just say you're staying at my house. Tell them we're going to make some popcorn and study, maybe watch a movie...your parents love me, they'll say yes."

I sigh and snatch the invitation out of her hand, "I'll try."

She squeals in excitement. We close our lockers and head down the hallway.

"Are you tutoring Eyeball today?" She asks, scrunching her face up like she's smelt something awful.

"You know it." I whine, forming my fingers into a gun and putting it to my head.

"Bummer. Georgia and I were going to get some milkshakes...Well, don't catch fleas!" She blows me a kiss and heads out the door, "Call me later!"

I wave her away in response.

When I get to the library Eyeball is already there, textbook open, talking to some black haired girl the table over. She smiles shyly, but ignores him.

"Hey."

He looks up at me and half-heartedly smiles.

I pull out my books and start to look them over. I decided it wouldn't be me starting the conversation this time. It's not like I wanted to talk to him anyway.

I glance up and notice he's staring at me. His eyes are burning a hole in my forehead and I can feel it.

"Do you mind?" I snap.

"Are you going to that stupid party this weekend?" He says suddenly.

I collect my thoughts for a second before I answer, "maybe, I haven't decided."

"Oh."

"Why? Are you?"

He shrugs, "I might."

I give a tight-lipped smile and raise my eyebrows, "well, maybe I'll see you there."

"Maybe."

I was surprised he was even talking to me. I wasn't sure if I preferred it to the silence of our past sessions though.

"Your pimple is gone."

I cover my mouth with my hand to keep from smiling, "fuck you."

I take a moment to study him, with that smug little grin on his face he was handsome in a way that you'd never admit to your friends. A mop of wavy brown hair, shiny from pomade. The sleeves of his white t-shirt were rolled up, showing the definition of his tan arms. His face was a little hardened, that scar on his eye didn't do him any favors. But it did give him a sort of James Dean edginess.

I push those thoughts out of my head and kind of feel guilty for even thinking them. He was a Chambers after all, his reputation was no good and my parents would certainly forbid me from ever seeing him outside of school. Not that I wanted to anyway.

The hour passed by quickly and soon enough, we were both out of our chairs and walking out of school together. We didn't say a word to each other until we parted ways in the parking lot.

"See ya." He says with a smirk.

I can feel my cheeks get hot.

My mom honks her horn at me and I almost jump out of my Keds.

"What did he say to you?!" She says, glancing at me with accusatory eyes.

I groan and slouch in my seat, "Mom, he just said 'see you later,' would you relax?"

"That boy is no good and everybody knows it."

I had heard most of the rumors surrounding the Chambers name. All were horrible, and quite embarrassing. Eyeball wasn't the nicest guy in school but from what I'd seen he didn't seem all that bad. I felt awful just listening to my mother go on and on about him.

"He's not that bad, mom."

"Just you wait, Dolores, you'll see."