Part 3
The classroom was buzzing with the sounds of kids who hadn't seen each other all summer, who sat around in noisy clusters gossiping. Paige Hoffman sat alone in a back corner waiting for her friends to arrive.
No one had really changed all that much, which wasn't unusual. Nothing ever happened here in Elm Creek. Everyone was the same as they had been in the first grade. She would love for someone new to come, someone different who would change things, liven the area up a bit.
Suddenly someone snapped their fingers in front of her face. "Earth to Paige, anyone home?" a bright cheerful voice was saying.
"No. Go away." Paige opened her eyes and grinned.
"Yeah, we missed you too," a deep male voice said.
Page smiled as her two friends Jackson and Charlene took seats beside her. Charlene was tall with long golden hair and bright green eyes. She was dressed in a pale blue top and khaki shorts with strappy brown sandals on her feet. Jackson was tall and dark skinned with deep-set black eyes and a gleaming bald head, who remind Paige of the killer on the space ship in the movie *Pitch* *Black*. He was dressed in a black tank-top and black jeans. Paige herself was also tall, with long blue hair, streaked with black. She was dressed in a black top with a Chinese dragon design and a short black skirt showing off long slender legs.
Most people avoided their group, considering them the weirdos. But lately, Paige had been feeling that her own friends were just as dull and predictable as everyone else. And yet, at the same time she was convinced nothing never happened, she was equally convinced, that before long, things were going to change dramatically.
"What's up Paige? You're completely out of it," Jackson said, a note of concern in his voice.
Paige sighed. "I guess I'm just bored. Nothing ever happens around here."
Charlene snorted. "Of course nothing ever happens around here. We're in the middle of nowhere. In *Oregon*. What'd you expect?"
"Hello, what do we have here?"
Jackson had turned around and was facing the front of the classroom. A new girl stood in the doorway. She was tall, blonde and gorgeous. She was also dressed in dark clothing, a long dark skirt and a black and red halter-neck top. There was an aura of differentness about her.
"Someone's in love," Charlene said with a snicker, glancing over at Jackson, who seemed entranced with the new girl. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
The girl was scanning the room, looking for somewhere to sit. She started to head into the classroom, her movements as graceful as a lioness. She sat down in an empty seat behind some of the popular girls who were turning and talking to her. The new girl's voice was beautifully modulated, clear as bells.
Throughout the period, Jackson just couldn't stop staring at the girl. The girl glanced over at him once. Paige frowned, wondering why she looked so familiar. When the bell rang she moved away before he could talk to her.
Paige and Charlene exchanged glances. They'd never seen him like this before. "Jackson?" Charlene asked, touching his arm briefly to bring him back. He didn't move.
"Oh my God! She's taking all her clothes off!" Paige said suddenly. Jackson's head snapped in her direction. The girl of course, was nowhere to be seen.
"What's *wrong* with you?" Paige demanded.
Jackson shook his head. "I don't know. I just - I - I have to have that girl. There's just - something..." He trailed off and shook his head. Then he left, probably going to hunt her down.
Paige and Charlene exchanged glances again.
"What the hell is the matter with him?" Paige asked, annoyed.
Charlene just shrugged. "Who knows? I'd hate to think what would happen if that girl *isn't* interested in him!"
* * *
The classroom was buzzing with the sounds of kids who hadn't seen each other all summer, who sat around in noisy clusters gossiping. Paige Hoffman sat alone in a back corner waiting for her friends to arrive.
No one had really changed all that much, which wasn't unusual. Nothing ever happened here in Elm Creek. Everyone was the same as they had been in the first grade. She would love for someone new to come, someone different who would change things, liven the area up a bit.
Suddenly someone snapped their fingers in front of her face. "Earth to Paige, anyone home?" a bright cheerful voice was saying.
"No. Go away." Paige opened her eyes and grinned.
"Yeah, we missed you too," a deep male voice said.
Page smiled as her two friends Jackson and Charlene took seats beside her. Charlene was tall with long golden hair and bright green eyes. She was dressed in a pale blue top and khaki shorts with strappy brown sandals on her feet. Jackson was tall and dark skinned with deep-set black eyes and a gleaming bald head, who remind Paige of the killer on the space ship in the movie *Pitch* *Black*. He was dressed in a black tank-top and black jeans. Paige herself was also tall, with long blue hair, streaked with black. She was dressed in a black top with a Chinese dragon design and a short black skirt showing off long slender legs.
Most people avoided their group, considering them the weirdos. But lately, Paige had been feeling that her own friends were just as dull and predictable as everyone else. And yet, at the same time she was convinced nothing never happened, she was equally convinced, that before long, things were going to change dramatically.
"What's up Paige? You're completely out of it," Jackson said, a note of concern in his voice.
Paige sighed. "I guess I'm just bored. Nothing ever happens around here."
Charlene snorted. "Of course nothing ever happens around here. We're in the middle of nowhere. In *Oregon*. What'd you expect?"
"Hello, what do we have here?"
Jackson had turned around and was facing the front of the classroom. A new girl stood in the doorway. She was tall, blonde and gorgeous. She was also dressed in dark clothing, a long dark skirt and a black and red halter-neck top. There was an aura of differentness about her.
"Someone's in love," Charlene said with a snicker, glancing over at Jackson, who seemed entranced with the new girl. He couldn't take his eyes off her.
The girl was scanning the room, looking for somewhere to sit. She started to head into the classroom, her movements as graceful as a lioness. She sat down in an empty seat behind some of the popular girls who were turning and talking to her. The new girl's voice was beautifully modulated, clear as bells.
Throughout the period, Jackson just couldn't stop staring at the girl. The girl glanced over at him once. Paige frowned, wondering why she looked so familiar. When the bell rang she moved away before he could talk to her.
Paige and Charlene exchanged glances. They'd never seen him like this before. "Jackson?" Charlene asked, touching his arm briefly to bring him back. He didn't move.
"Oh my God! She's taking all her clothes off!" Paige said suddenly. Jackson's head snapped in her direction. The girl of course, was nowhere to be seen.
"What's *wrong* with you?" Paige demanded.
Jackson shook his head. "I don't know. I just - I - I have to have that girl. There's just - something..." He trailed off and shook his head. Then he left, probably going to hunt her down.
Paige and Charlene exchanged glances again.
"What the hell is the matter with him?" Paige asked, annoyed.
Charlene just shrugged. "Who knows? I'd hate to think what would happen if that girl *isn't* interested in him!"
* * *