Setting: Upstate New York
Status: Unaware
My day had not started the way I had planned it. In fact my entire week had been off kilter. Monday I had gotten into a fight with the school bully, which was normal, and had won, which wasn't normal. Tuesday I had been asked out by my four year crush. Wednesday I had gotten into an argument with one of my teachers about Greek mythology and had gotten myself suspended from class.
Today my friend since middle school, Dylan, and I had gotten in trouble for supposedly stealing from the staff lounge when neither of us had been near it all day. Somehow one of the teacher's lesson books had ended up in my locker and when I went to return it with Dylan, we had gotten detention. Which was where we were now
Detention was being held in the school's library and we were the only ones there besides the teacher who was supposed to be watching us and the librarian, both which were in the back room.
"I suspect Miles and Adam." Dylan said, bringing me back to the present. I considered this for a minute. Miles and Adam were the schools trouble makers, always taking things from the teachers and blaming other students and generally bringing mayhem wherever they went. One time, they had spray-painted graffiti all over the lockers and doors.
"Could be." I agreed, playing with a strand of my blonde hair. "But it sounds more like a set-up"
"Well, duh!" Dylan said, exasperated. "Of course it was a set-up. How else would the book have gotten into your locker?"
"No, I mean like a set-up from one of the teachers" I clarified. "Doesn't it seem odd?"
"Everything in this school is odd" Dylan said seriously. He always seemed to get serious whenever I talked about things being odd, like it was crucial information he needed to file away for later.
"That's true" I agreed. "Has your dyslexia gotten any better?"
Dylan shook his head. We both had Dyslexia and ADD, they were what made us friends. Since I met Dylan he had been trying to get his dyslexia to get better. Apparently it hadn't.
"Maybe we can sneak out of here while Mr. Creeps is busy shoving his tongue down Miss M's throat." I said pointing towards the door. Mr. Creeps was what everyone called the new twenty something year old science teacher because he seemed to give everyone the creeps.
Dylan glanced towards the back room, brown eyes flashing in the sun, and nodded. Quietly we both gathered our stuff and crept towards the front doors. We were almost out when the door to the back room slammed open and Mr. Creeps walked out running a hand through his already messy hair. He saw us, gave us a look that said "Say anything and I'll have you back in detention", then raised an eyebrow. We both nodded then rushed out the door behind us.
"Jeez, I thought he was going to yell at us." I said, once we were out in the hallway. School had ended about an hour ago, so the place was generally deserted. "Or make us sit back down for another hour."
"Sherry's probably either worried sick or extremely upset." Dylan said. Sherry was my foster mom. When I was twelve my real mom had been diagnosed with cancer. She had been in the final stages when I had met the nurse, Sherry. My mom had asked her to keep an eye on me and a week later she had passed away. I had been thrown into foster care and Sherry had adopted me saying she needed some help raising her two year old son and the baby she was expecting. My real father hadn't even bothered to show up for the funeral. I didn't even know where he was.
"Probably both." I said, sighing. Sherry could be extremely protective. "I should get home before she freaks out completely."
"I'll drive you home." Dylan offered. I smiled gratefully. It was a three mile walk from the school to Sherry's apartment. It wasn't like I didn't have my driver's license, I did. I just didn't have a car yet.
XXXXXX
An hour later I was standing in the hall outside the apartment. I could hear laughter and the sound of cooking and an occasional spoken sentence. For some reason, I dreaded going in there. It wasn't that I didn't like the place, it was nice and cozy, it was that every time I walked through the door I felt like I didn't belong. Sighing I placed my hand on the door knob and turned it.
"It's because you don't belong there." A quiet voice behind me said. I let go of the door knob and turned around. A man was leaning against the stair rail, he looked about twenty, wearing a red shirt, faded jeans, and loafers. He had sandy hair that fell in his eyes despite the fact that a pair of Ray Bans were pushed up on his head.
"Excuse me?" I said, because he hadn't made any sense.
"You're wondering why it never feels like you belong. That's because you don't." He said crossing his arms.
"No kidding?" I said sarcastically. "Do I even know you?"
He smiled and his teeth were so white they could have blinded someone if struck by any kind of light. Something in my memory clicked into place, a warm glow.
"In time you will." He said and stood up. "But if you ever find a place where you belong, make sure it has an archery range." And then he was gone, down the stairs and out the door at the front of the building.
I don't know how long I stood there processing his words, but I knew they were important. All of it. I just didn't know why.
