15 Days Left
"Why can't you stay at my house?"
"I already told you, I have to go to my dad's house for the weekend." I look down at Anne. She looks up and scolds me.
"Hey! Just because I'm short does not mean you can look down on me." She says, stepping in front of me. I look up over her head, knowing this will annoy her. "Fine." I can feel the anger radiating off of her. She turns on her heels and heads off to social studies. I smile and turn around. Renee is now standing in front of me.
"You know better than to make short people mad." I raise an eyebrow. "Are you sure you know me?" I ask her. We start walking to the science room. I have three best friends. Anne, Renee, and Lynn. We pass a very sparkly, which is why it caught my eye, poster promoting the Halloween Spectacular.
"Do you have a date yet?" I ask Renee. She gives me a confused look until she looks at what I'm looking at. "Yeah, I'm goin' with Tim. How 'bout you?" She looks at me.
"Well, let's go to science now." I rush across the room to my seat. I look at Renee. She gives me a look saying, "We will talk about this later." I nod, and look at the board. There is just a giant graph. On the Y axis it's labeled different liquid, solid, and temperature measurements. On the X axis there are numbers. Oh great, another lab.
"Okay class, we are going to do a Lab. In this one we are going to see which water sample has E. coli. Now…" Ms. Redd just kept on droning on and on about how "Clearwater Lake" is polluted with such and stuff. I would listen, but I had other worries. Like, what to wear to the Halloween Spectacular. I know I'm not going to wear pink sequins. Gross. I'm probably going to get my grandma to make me a dress with layers of grays and blacks with lace, and then I'm probably going to cut the bottom so it has a ragged look.
"Alexandria you are with Kaleb."
"It's Alex," I mutter under my breath. I look over at KC. He has a smug look, knowing that with me as a partner he will get above a C. Joy. I go over to my lab station. Number 5. As soon as KC is by my side, my phone starts singing. The worst part? It's singing 'Comin' In Hot' by Hollywood Undead. The volume is on it's lowest, and muffled from being in my pocket.
"Do. Not. Say. Anything. To. Her." I say to KC. With a smirk he asks, "What do I get?"
"I'll do all the work, and get you at least a B."
"B+." he says getting serious.
"Deal."
I get to work mindlessly. I test everything, record everything, and conclude everything. It's no surprise that we were the third group done. The Softies were the first ones done. When I sat down a voice in front above me said, "I like you choice in music."
I looked up to that voice. It was the one and only Jace. He is one of the hottest people I know. He is also the head of the rumor saying that he is going to ask me out. That is exactly what it is. A rumor.
"Seats," Ms. Redd said.
/\
The by the time I was back to paying attention it was lunch time. On the way in I pass the Semis, Goths and Emos, Bottoms, Smarties, Baddies, Softies, Jocks, and Reggies. Confused? Most likely. The Semis, or Semi poplars, are almost popular. Goths and Emos, the Goths are popular, the Emos aren't. The Bottoms are at, well, the bottom. Smarties are the people who get all A's. Baddies are attention grabbers. To do that they are bad. Softies are nice, well-known people. Jocks are jocks, boy or girl. Reggies are like me, go by unknown until you get noticed. Which I will end up doing, but that is for later.
On my way hurrying to my table, located at the opposite wall of the lunchroom entrance, I accidentally bump into an emo.
"Watch where your going, God." She quickly lost interest in me. Anne and Renee sit at the Emo's table. Lynn sits at my table, along with Esther, Jo, Elisabeth, Woody, Jen, and Megan.
"Hey, Alex. So, cosmic brownie or nutty bar?" Esther asks me.
"Come on! This is a life or death situation!" Jo exclaims. I gesture to the cosmic brownie. I unwrap the cosmic brownie, my mind somewhere else. I start thinking about a math problem, while everyone else goes on about the Halloween Spectacular. Before I know it, the lunch ladies are dismissing tables.
I have this weird thing where if I figure something out I shout, "I GOT IT!" and do so weird gesture. Well, I did that, and my arm went straight out. Esther ducked, but I punched Jace in the stomach. Not hard, though! I think. I turn around.
"I am so, so very, super sorry! I did not mean to do that. I did that out of habit¾" I explain, but he stops me.
"No it's fine, but out of curiosity...what exactly did you 'get'?"
"That one plus five, divided by one, times twelve, divided by nine, times five, minus fifteen, then squared is five." I say really fast. Something I do when I am really nervous
"Nice." He, then dumps his tray and goes outside.
"Calm down, Alex, do your breathing exercises," Elisabeth instructs me. I feel my breathing calming.
"Here is some water." Jen hands me a full, never-has-been-opened water bottle. I drink it in 12 seconds flat. A new record.
"Slow down. We wouldn't want you to choke." Lea walks past our table.
"You better speed up. We wouldn't want you to choke." I look at her.
"That makes no sense," she says with a confused look. "It means get away before she chokes you. Duh," Lynn says, clearing up Lea's confusion. She quickly walks away from us. I then stare intensely at the table.
"Why is Anne and Renee even friends with her. I mean I can get along with her, but only a certain amount of time. You know. Alex, Alex, Alexandria, ALEX!" She finally yells.
"What?" I say snapped out of my trance. My phone starts singing. Again. This time it's 'Gangsta Sexy' by Hollywood Undead.
"Okay. Seriously! Who is calling me!" I take out my phone and hide it under the table. It reads:
Two Missed Call(s): Jason3 ; October 15, 2011 ; 12:42:51
"Oh, Alex. You got yourself a BF?" Lynn asks me, with one eyebrow raised. I start laughing. Hard. I look over at Lynn. The look on her face tells me she is openly offended.
"He's my cousin's boyfriend."
"Oh. I knew that." Lynn says with a flip of her dyed black hair.
Jason is a Goth that goes to I35. He is a hug junkie. Well, that's my excuse for hugging him so much. I mean, what in-the-closet hug junkie can live off of hugs from only his mother and girlfriend. Sometimes I hug him so much, I am afraid that he may OD. Over Dose for those who didn't know.
I went back to not paying any attention to what was going on around me.
/\
I took out Eternal by Cynthia Leitich Smith. The bus shakes as people get on. I faintly pay attention to the many conversations around me. My mind starts to wander to the dance. I start to let my worries out. Will Grandma get the dress done? Who will take me? Who is going to be my date? What will my friends¾
"Hey, can I sit with you?" a voice says, interrupting my thoughts. "Whatever," I mutter, not looking at the speaker. It's probably Ryan or KC. Even though neither feel right. I ignore that feeling, and I go back to my book. As soon as my eyes glance over the word angel, I am over come with a sense of paranoia. That someone was watching me. I stand up and look around the bus and out all the windows.
"Alex, what's wrong?" Elisabeth asks me. I lean over the seat to whisper in her ear, "I was reading this book, and as soon as I read the word angel, it's as if I'm able to sense someone watching me." I look at her expectantly, waiting for her to tell me I am crazy. If she did I would totally agree. I mean that is just weird. Really, really weird.
"I'll see if I can find out anything. If I do I'll e-mail you," she says, pure truth in her eyes. Now that is a friend. I sit down as the bus begins to move.
"Freak," I hear Lea say. I turn around to see Lea sitting with Anne. "Baench." I go back to my book. I feel the bus coming to the halt. My stop is the first. Thank God! "What are you reading?" my seat buddy asks. "Eternal. Can you move I need to get out." I realize after I get off how mean that sounded.
"Did you see how hot that guy was?" Anne asks me.
"What guy?" I answer with a question, honestly confused.
"Um, the guy you were sitting with?" Anne says looking at me.
"Oh, I didn't really get a good look at his face." I start to wonder what my seat buddy's face looked like. As I turn onto 14th I see, Exactly Concrete on the side of a black truck. I don't need to see the driver to know that he is really tan, blue-eyed, and has shoulder length, brown dreadlock-like hair. How? He's my dad.
Dad steps out of the truck from obviously seeing me in his rearview mirror.
"Your dad looks like a hippie." Lea has a look of disgust on her face.
"I think he looks cool," Anne says looking over at Lea, a grin spread across her face. Anne doesn't really see her dad. He lives in South Dakota. Lea in response looks down, her blonde hair acting as curtains hiding her face. She turns to go across the street where her house is. I turn and wave goodbye to Anne. I run and get into the truck.
/\
I look out the windshield, and see the Medora Store sign. I also see a neon green sign with extra sparkles saying that the IMS Halloween Spectacular is on October 30th at Hickory Hills. We stop at the mailbox to pick up the mail. We go up the long gravel driveway. Our house lies on top of a hill. It is white and has a carport. On the other side of the driveway is Henrey's doghouse, a large fenced-in area, and a small structure where the horses sleep during the winter. Behind the house is a garden and a secret hide-away spot I hangout at. I know that there is a spot in the fence to go onto the property next to ours. The large fenced-in area is connected to our pasture where there is a pond. My pond. We stop in front of the carport.
I get out of the truck and pass my brother's maroon chick car. I say that because, well, it is a chick car. He is six two, can bench two-fifty, but has a girly car. Poor guy. I get into the house through the basement door. When I get into my room I am welcomed by a tall girl with blue eyes, short dyed hair, black t-shirt, and jeans. My reflection in my full-length mirror. I turn on my radio and turn the volume up really loud..
"Turn that down and come help me with this video game," Bro yells from the basement living room. I choose to ignore that. I set up my laptop on my blue blanket. I, then, log onto my email. I am about to pick up my sharpie when Dad yells downstairs, "Dinnertime!" I hear my brother race up the stairs.
I take my time readying up an excuse to cancel my dinnertime. I love food, especially Dad's, but what I don't like is having leftovers. Okay, that was a cover-up of how I really feel. I just feel invisible to Dad. He doesn't notice me only notices Heather. Heather is my "Mom." She has been trying to have me call her that since I was three. I do just to make her happy, but when the money I was given for my birthday from Grandpa went towards a pair of new shoes for Heather, I quit. No she isn't my real mom if that is what you think. She is a girl, she is twenty-eight, that Dad, a million years old, picked up off the side of the rode. Literally.
I get to the top of the stairs with no excuse on my tongue, and sit at the table. We are having eggs, hash browns, and bacon. Yummy. Bro is sitting next to me, already shoveling food into his mouth.
"Victor, slow down while eating. We wouldn't want you to choke," Heather said. Bro flinches at his name. He hates being called Victor. Even Dad calls him Bro. I flinch over what she said. How close it is to what Lea said at school. I look over to the oven clock. 7:20. I with Dad and I could have stayed at Uncle Joe's later then seven. I eat my dinner in silence, thanking God Heather didn't ask me about my day. I feel a sudden sadness that overwhelms me. Dad didn't. I excuse my self from dinner. Protests from Heather follows me to the door, but I ignore them.
I run down the stairs. I whip the basement door open. I run as fast as I can around to the back of the house. My vision gets blurry with the threat of tears. I slip through the space in the fence. Yes sit is illegal to trespass onto property that is not yours, Kids. Don't do it. I turn left and go straight until I come to a corner. My corner. I let it out. I cry over the stress of the Halloween Spectacular, I cry over being invisible to my dad, and I cry over being terribly and utterly alone.
I look up at the sky. Through the tree leaves I can see traces of stars. I look behind me, over the fence, at the sunset. The sun has settled enough, that the light gives the clouds a soft pink glow. I wipe my cheeks and watch the sun set fully. I run to the gap in the fence. I walk around the path to the driveway, and I walk down the hill to my carport. I open the door to the basement to get welcomed by the sounds of Jack Sparrow and Bro in a deep sleep. I throw my door open. I whip the lid of my sharpie off and write on my wall.
I finish writing "There is a hope, but not for me to take" on my wall in sharpie. when the my laptop dings. I go over to my laptop. I read the email info.
; subject: EMERGENCY ; Oct. 15 9:15
I open the email. I start to read what it says.
Alex,
I was reading a book my grandmother got me. It was related to what you said on the bus. About angels watching you? Well, it says that angels come in two types: Death and Guardian. I am worried for you. Watch out.
-Elisabeth
I shut my laptop. I know it's nonsense, but I know someone was watching me on the bus. That it is not by accident I got that feeling while reading the word angel. I look out my window, only to have my view blocked by a note written in a hurried scrawl that says,
Meet me at the pond opening at 12:00 exactly. A friend.
I look at my watch. 9:20. I set an alarm for 11:50. I put my laptop in it's case. I unfold my blue blanket, and I put it underneath my comforter. It gets real cold at night, especially in the basement. I tuck the covers around me, until it forms a cocoon. I start to close my eyes when I realize that the note wasn't being held on by anything. I drift to sleep before my brain registers. The last thing I hear is the soft snoring of my brother across the hall.
/\/\/\
The alarm clock starts singing an Avenged Sevenfold song. I slap the off button before I know what song it is. I get up, and I look down at what I am wearing. I have a loose, one-shoulder tee with a black tank underneath, black sweat pant with the pant legs rolled up and safety-pinned, and a pair of black low top all stars.
I make my way to the stairs and go up them. When I open the door, I get swallowed into the darkness. The only light on is the hallway light. I go back down stairs. About halfway down, out of the corner of my eye I see a dark shape, but when I look over there is nothing but the washer and drier. I keep going, and I open the door that leads to the carport.
When I pass a table I pick up my dad's silver utility flashlight. I press the black button that is located at the top of it's slender handle. I point the beam of light in front of me. I carefully make my way across the gravel driveway and away from the electrical fence that keeps the horses in. When I get within a 5-foot radius of Henrey's doghouse, I feel eyes watching me. I turn around to find a curtain swaying in the living room window. I suddenly feel a chill pass through my spine.
I get to the pool ladder that serves as a way to get easily over the fence. I check my watch. 11:56. I go past my dad's white barn. There is a dirt path leading straight and a second going to my left. I choose the first one. I make my way up the hill. I guide the beam up the length of the trees as I pass them. I get deeper into the trees, until I see an archway made of branches. I soon as I step through the archway, my watch lights up meaning it is twelve o'clock.
"Hello!" I yell, my voice echoing and making ripples on the water, until I realize that the source of the ripples were coming from behind me. I turn around to come face-to-face with a collar of a t-shirt. I look up to a face looking at me.
"Who are you?" I ask the boy. His forehead is covered by naturally black bangs. He is wearing a black t-shirt and black Tripps. His eyes are big and brown.
"I am Cane." That was all he said. I suddenly realize this was the guy from the bus. I guy I was mean to.
"I saw you on the bus. Well, heard you. Sorry for being mean to you. Though, why do you want to talk to me?" I ask him. Cane's expression is troubled.
"Alexandria, you are going to die in two weeks. Before you ask me when, where, or why I cannot tell to you for if I do it will ruin fate," he tells me in monotone as if he has said it a million times before. Three of his fingers gently brush my cheek. Where his hand makes contact with my skin there is a warmth that spreads throughout my body. I look at Cane. I blink, but when I open my eyes he is no longer there. The warmth of him is going away slightly. I look around.
"Cane! Hello! Where are you?" I yell at nothing. A tear escapes the corner of my eye. I look down at my feet to see a black feather where he was standing. I drop to my knees and pick up the feather.