I'm glad you all like this first chapter, most of this story is actually already written, 38 chapters, so updates will come pretty quickly, although I'm thinking of having this as a Tyler/OC, but at the moment I'm not sure, we shall see were it takes me. I hope you like this chapter as much as the first one.
Opportunities For Eternity
Chapter two: Righting Mistakes
"Want us to show you to the dinner?" Pogue questioned turning his head so that he was facing Ree. They had just finished their third lesson of the day and it was currently dinner, something in which both sons were thankful for.
Ree shook her head and smiled her thanks at Pogue, pulling the strap of her bag closer to her body, smoothing a piece of stray hair away from her face.
"Thanks but I gota head over to the dorms, but ill meet up with you guys later" She reassured when she saw that they were about to argue, after all you couldn't leave your charge wondering around on their own now could they.
Pogue gave her his own wide smile, he had been watching her pretty intently all day, she intrigued him, with the smallest things she did, but when then it had clicked, he knew her, he wanted to call her on lying about the accident when she was younger, but then she hadn't actually lied, there was an accident, she just wasn't so young. That was why she intrigued him, he mused, she had lost so much, been blamed for her teams death yet she still managed to get on with her life, or he guessed she did, what went on behind closed doors was another matter. He flicked his gaze over to Caleb wondering if he to had figured it out, after all they both had run into her, or her team a couple of times at state.
"Well we'll save you a seat" He gave her a smile while pulling his own bag back over his shoulder. She nodded her head, gave them a smile and turned on her heel, wondering what she had done to deserve them treating her so nice.
"Wait Gabriel Kacey, as in Gabriel Kacey, Free style swimmer, Red Ridges girls captain, that Gabriel Kacey" Caleb questioned as they headed into the cafeteria for lunch.
Pogue couldn't help but role his eyes as he pushed open the doors, the sound of the busy cafeteria assaulting their ears. He allowed his gaze to wonder around the room, quickly finding the table in which they always sate, noting that his girlfriend Kate was as normal, absent.
"That would be her, I didn't recognize her at first, but its defiantly her man" Pogue answered confidently. Caleb sighed heavily as they headed over to the table. Tyler and Reid were already there as was Sarah, who tilted her head in their direction, her face creased in laughter. He fist bumped both Tyler and Reid before bending to capture Sarah's lips in a chaste kiss.
"Hey baby" She murmured as she moved over slightly, ensuring that there was enough room for both boys so that they could get seated comfortably. She smiled up at Caleb before redirecting her gaze over to Pogue, eyes softening just a tad.
"Kate said she had some things to do, and that she would catch you later"
Pogue just nodded, he couldn't bring himself to show any other reaction, it had become common place, Kate was more absent then anything else these days. Ever since the Chase incident she had made every excuse possibly not to be around them. He regretted telling her the truth about them, she hadn't been able to handle it and now he wasn't handling being apart from her. Shifting in his seat ever so slightly he realized all eyes were on him, he gave a small smile and decided to change the subject.
"Papers say there was an animal in the road, she lost control of the car, drove straight through some guard rails and into the water, two of her team died straight away, the others were trapped, she'd shattered her hip and couldn't get them free"
Caleb nodded his head, he remembered reading something about the accident in the paper, but he had been to busy concentrating on his mom to actually pay attention, but the information he couldn't remember hadn't been good. She had been painted as the bad girl in the whole thing, star swimmer falling of the rails, drinking and driving, the only survivor, drunken teenagers becoming just another statistic.
"Your talking bout Kacey right?" Reid piped up, his mouth half filled with fries. Pogue nodded his head and ran a callused hand through his long hair.
"Yea, but she was never charged with anything, she didn't even have alcohol in the system" Pogue stated, looking over at Caleb who nodded his head, taking a bite of his burger.
"It would explain why she's here though, fresh start and all that" Tyler said while giving Reid a disgusted look for his rude behaviour.
Sarah nodded her head in understanding, her hand resting on Caleb's knee. She smiled up at him, and slowly brought her attention back to the conversation. Biting her lower lip she looked over at Tyler.
"But running away isn't gonna change anything right, I mean you guys recognised her, how long before someone else does
Pogue shrugged his shoulder, agreeing with Sarah completely, and unfortunately people didn't tend to forget or forgive at their age. Teenagers were just cruel. It only took one person to figure out who she was before the entire school knew.
Ree made her way down the halls of Spencer, the second she had seen Pogue and Caleb disappear from sight she had made her way back inside, she hated lying to people that were actually being nice, but she couldn't bare to see the looks on their faces when they figure out who she was. The longer she kept lying the more peace she got.
She had to talk to the provost though, she needed to get her schedule changed, she knew her mother was behind it, she had been trying to get her back into the water since the accident had happened, Ree had flat out refused.
Her schedule held firmly in her hands she approached the office door. She once again had to face that horrid secretary, whether she liked it or not. She had to do this, she wasn't ready, she would never be ready, not so long ago she had a respect for the water, she had been one with it, but now the very thought petrified her. Taking in a deep breath she stepped inside the office and made her way to the front desk.
"May I speak with Provost Higgins please" Ree questioned as politely as she could. The woman looked up at her, arching her already arched brows, she regarded her for a moment before nodding her head.
"He's free at the moment, so you can go straight in," she answered as her eyes lowered back to the computer screen in front of her. She pointed a long manicured finger to a room at the side of her desk, her eyes never straying from their spot on the screen. Ree nodded her head at the woman, who clearly had no interest in being sociable.
"Thank you" Ree said as she turned towards the provost's office. The woman replied with a cure 'mmhmm' and Ree couldn't help but role her eyes. Smiling to herself she knocked on the solid mahogany door in front of her, waiting for the curt come in, when she received it she pushed open the door, her gaze wondering around the furnished room before settling onto the men behind the desk.
She allowed the door to shut behind her and stepped further into the room, the provost was a little white haired man, warm eyes and a warm smile, but she knew provosts, their looks were their to simply just to make you like them so that when they snapped it shocked you to no end.
"I'm sorry to bother you sir but I need to discuss my schedule" She gave him a tight smile and watched as he sighed before offering her a seat, she nodded her head, smoothing down her skirt before taking it.
"I was expecting your visit Miss Kacey" He folded his arms in front of him and gave her a hard, but soft stare.
"But sir I thought we agreed to this when I chose my electives, I thought I made it clear swim was no longer my priority" She chewed the inside of her lip, the fear was creeping into her voice again and she hated it, the provost on his part took no notice.
"Miss Kacey, your mother has made a rather generous donation to this school on the understanding you would continue with your extra curricula activities. Both your mother and I agree on this matter, you're an bright young lady with a promising future on your hands, Spenser is lucky to have such a talented swimmer on our hands"
Ree raised her brow, lifting her hands in frustration before pushing herself away from the table. So that's what it all boiled down to, throw enough money and even the hardest men crumbled. She shook her head, and glared down at the provost.
"Sir, I'm not ready, im never going to be ready" She all but pleaded, the provost shrugged his shoulders.
"Im sorry, there is simply nothing I can do, you will report to the natatorium like every one else"
