"Hi, my name is Dylan. I'm new here. I think I have you in a few of my classes." I glance up out of my daze to find a tall boy standing over me. I look around and realize the bell has rung, signaling the school day is over. Dylan and I are the only ones in the room. While I stand up and gather my things, I study the transfer in front of me. I hold out my hand, and when he shakes it, I introduce myself. "My name is May. You are probably right about the classes." I smile slightly and head for the door.
"I think I live down the road from you. I saw you getting into your car when I drove by this morning." I stare at him, surprised. I try to think of a response as I walk into the hallway, and he follows. "So, where are you from?" I ask, trying to be polite. As we walk out the front door, I see my siblings already waiting at the car. When I look back at Dylan, I notice that he is studying me. I glance away again. "I came from California." Confused, I gape at him. "You moved here from California?" I think I may be in shock. Why would anyone come to this small rural town from the populated state of California?
He laughs and shrugs. "Yeah, I guess so. It doesn't seem that bad. Deadwood is small, but it seems to have its own charm." Now I laugh. The only charm Deadwood has is its ghost legends, but hey, it could be zombies. "What?" We reach my car and I turn to him. "Deadwood is practically dead. It is a ghost town, and has a population of what? Maybe seven hundred?" He places his finger on his chin and smiles playfully. "Well, if you add the ghost population…." We both laugh. Bree walks up to us and glares at me. "May, last time I checked, you have to drive. Max and I have homework; because that's the kind of thing teachers like to give on the first day of school. So, can we go?"
"Bree, this is Dylan. Dylan, this is my sister. Aliens gave her to us, and now we know why." He laughs, and its genuine despite Bree`s rude behavior. Bree shrugs and walks to the passenger side. With an evil grin I say, "Sorry, Bree. I promised Max that he could sit up front." The looks she gives me could freeze fire. I smirk. "I got to go. It was nice meeting you. See you tomorrow." Then I unlock the car and slide in. When I go to close it though, a hand stops it. Startled, I turn to find my gaze caught in Dylan's.
He gives me a knowing grin. "What, I don't get to say goodbye to you or meet Max?" I look over at my brother who grins with an evil intention. Smiling nervously I make a quick introduction of Max. Then Dylan leans closer. "It was nice meeting you too, May, and your siblings also. See you around tomorrow." Then he turns and is gone. I start the car and head home, thinking about the new comer.
When I get home I head towards my room. With every intention of avoiding all family, I make no stops. Then I plop down on my bed and stare at my class list. Since it was the first day, I didn't really pay that much attention to who was in my classes. I don't normally care until around Thursday when all the schedule changes are complete. It`s my Senior year, and surprise! I am still not excited. That would make me weird, right?
My best friend Kayla left over the summer. We had our life`s planned together. We were going to get a house together, raise our kids together, get married on the same day. All that crazy kind of stuff. Then she got offered a once in a life time opportunity to go to New York. I made her accept it. Now I am alone. With thoughts that drift back to Dylan. Why would anyone come here? He never answered my question. ….
I walked away from May`s car with a smug grin on my face. I couldn't help it. Her expression had been priceless. The first day of school went as expected. Everyone stared at him and asked him an endless torrent of questions. Everything had gone as planned, and he had managed to get into seven of May`s eight classes. This assignment would be a piece of cake. He had gotten a house a few miles from hers, and had already introduced himself.
She confused him though. The way she had talked to him seemed almost reluctant. She didn't even appear to notice him until he talked to her. Of course, she hadn't really paid any attention at all today. But, when others had started talking to her she was responsive enough. She hadn't been reluctant or evasive to the other students or teachers. Maybe detached. So, was it because he was new and unfamiliar?
She had seemed dazed. She had not responded to the bell, and had taken her time answering him. Most of the time that would irk him, but with her it was like she was considering what he had said. Her reaction was pretty much the same as his when she found out he had come from California to this deserted area. Disbelief. He could already tell this wasn't the place for him. He liked the waves and surfing that California could offer. He liked the vast population and the varying personalities there. Everyone here could be expected to be the same.
But when you are told where to go, you got to go. At least with his job. Which brought him back to May. She could have just been having a bad day. He would have to see tomorrow. If she was still acting different from the other girls, he would have to ask around. Of course, he could just go talk to her, but the way she had said, "See you tomorrow", had given the impression that she was going to avoid him.
He would have to see. She would come to like him and hang out with him regardless. They all did. He left them no choice. He fitted himself into their lives. Made himself into a person they could be friends with, or a person they could date. Someone they would trust. It happened over and over again. Once he got the information he needed, he would report back to headquarters and tell his boss. Then he would be back in California till another job opened up. That was just his life.
Then he thought of May`s sister. She could be a potential problem. She acted rude and suspicious. That could throw a kink in his plan. He would have to ask about her problem at school tomorrow also. Max, the kid seemed harmless enough. He had already gone through Max`s records and reports. Nothing unusual. He seemed to be a normal seven-year-old boy. If he worked it right, he could use Max to get close to May.
He checked his phone. No new messages or missed calls. He had plenty of time for some research and plotting. He sat at his desk and brought up the family`s information. He had already gone through it time and time again, but he had to know this family inside and out. If he planned to get into the family, he had to make sure he knew what he was getting into. How different the three siblings seemed to be. May had an email, Facebook, and Instagram. Bree had every possible social media ever invented. Max had nothing. May barely went on her Facebook, while Bree seemed to live on hers. ….