Chapter 429: Tree Hill High School
Monday, February 13th, Morning
The sun shines weakly through the windows of the classroom. She sat at the desk and absence-mindedly, stared out the window, and picked at something at the end of the book. With her free hand, she rapped on the desk. The teacher hadn't reached the room yet, and she currently sat alone in the room.
Sawyer Scott stopped drumming on the desk; she started twirling her curly blonde hair between her fingers. Slowly, she turned towards the classroom door. Her eyes came across someone sitting next to her. Her eyes flared open, then quickly went back to normal size.
"Noah, what the hell?" Sawyer asked.
"What do you mean by that, Sawyer?" Noah asked.
"Why did you sneak up on me?" Sawyer asked.
"I'm in this class," Noah said, "And you were so into whatever you were doing."
"What do you want, Noah?" Sawyer asked.
"I want to talk," Noah said.
Sawyer looked at him, "Why would a junior want to speak to me? Let me guess it's because I'm a cheerleader," she said.
"No, none of that, Sawyer," Noah said.
"Then what is it?" Sawyer asked.
"I'd like to meet your sister-in-law," Noah said.
"Keni? She's in my grade and with me when we have common classes," Sawyer said.
"No, I've met Keni, and trust me, everyone knows Sawyer and Keni," Noah said.
"Everyone does?" Sawyer asked.
"Yeah, they do; that's not who I want to be," Noah said.
"Why is this so important to you?" Sawyer asked.
"It is, Sawyer, it just is," Noah said.
Sawyer pursed her lips, "Well, Chase runs Club TRIC; you could go there and meet her," she said.
"I don't think that will work," Noah said.
"What do you think will work, Noah?" Sawyer asked.
"I'd like to meet Izzy first," Noah said.
"Noah, that's next to impossible; she's swamped," Sawyer said.
"You're close to your brother," Noah said.
"That doesn't mean I'm close to Izzy," Sawyer said.
"I would think that's a lie," Noah said.
"Gee, Noah, why are you so hell-bent for leather on meeting my sister-in-law?" Sawyer asked.
"I've my reasons, Sawyer," Noah said.
Sawyer rolled her eyes and pulled out her smartphone. After a bit of typing Sawyer sent a message.
Sawyer: Some guy at school wants to meet my sister-in-law.
Chase: You're not used to that by now?
Sawyer: Not from another member of my school.
Chase: So, just introduce them to Keni. She can handle herself.
Sawyer: It's not Keni he wants to meet.
Chase: Okay? Who does he want to me? Also, shouldn't you be in class?
Sawyer: Class hasn't started yet; anyway, he wants to meet Izzy.
Chase: Probably, wants something political.
Sawyer: I don't know; he doesn't seem that way.
Chase: What's his name?
Sawyer: Noah.
There was a long pause. Sawyer felt the room's silence grow and press down on her. The room seemed to be getting smaller. Sawyer could hear her heart beating in her ears, and slowly she could make out Noah's breathing. Finally, Chase replied.
Chase: None of us, me, Izzy, or Trin, will meet Noah.
Sawyer: Do you have a reason? In case he asks.
Chase: It's a choice all three of us made.
Sawyer: K
Sawyer put her smartphone down and slowly turned to Noah. The older boy looked at Sawyer.
"I can't introduce you," Sawyer said.
"Why can't you?" Noah asked.
"When I mentioned your name, I was told none of them will meet you," Sawyer said.
"Who did you text?" Noah asked.
"Why does it matter?" Sawyer asked.
"Just let me know," Noah said.
Sawyer sighed, "It was Chase," she said.
"Chase? Why did you text Chase? I wanted to meet Izzy," Noah said.
"Izzy's not around. I was texting Chase to talk to her about this," Sawyer said.
"Chase hates me and is poisoning her sisters against me," Noah said.
"Whoa! Slow down there. Have you been drinking the Jess Ventura Kool-Aid?" Sawyer said.
"Chase cut me out of her life and bullied Izzy and Trin to do the something," Noah ranted.
"Noah, Man, do you need some meds or something?" Sawyer asked.
"Never wanted to see me, get to know me, only living across town," Noah ranted on.
"I think we need to get a protective order here," Sawyer said.
"Then Tucker comes, and they greet him with open arms, but me, no," Noah said.
"What does Tucker have to do with this?" Sawyer asked.
"The kids come, and they cut me out of their lives," Noah said.
"Okay," Sawyer said, getting up and walking out into the hallway.
In the hallway, Sawyer shook her head and closed her eyes for a moment. Upon opening them, she looked to see Wendy Kilpatrick standing in front of her.
"I know that look; what's trouble did you get into, Sawyer?" Wendy asked, flicking her ginger bangs out of her eyes. Sawyer noted Wendy was wearing her vintage 1990's style clothing.
"Creepy Noah is ranting at me," Sawyer said.
Wendy nodded and investigated the classroom. Looking back, she nodded. "I can see that he hasn't even realized you've left the room," she said.
Sawyer nodded, "So, typical of him," she said.
"What got him going?" Wendy asked, "This time."
"He wanted to meet Izzy. I checked with Chase on this and told him she wouldn't meet with him," Sawyer said.
Wendy shrugged, "That's all? That's why he became unhinged?" she asked.
"Seems that way," Sawyer said.
"Well, good luck, I got to get to class," Wendy said.
"Thanks for leaving me with this, this, I don't know," Sawyer said.
"Can't be late," Wendy said and walked away.
Sawyer shrugged and looked at the other students in the class. "Noah is ranting," Sawyer said.
The other students shook their heads. Finally, the teacher came up and walked into the classroom. A moment later, Noah claims down. The teacher put their head out into the hallway.
"Okay, we can come in now," the teacher said.
The class nodded and entered the room.
