Disclaimer for the ENTIRE story- I do NOT own Twilight, New Moon, or any of Stephenie Meyer's Fabulous ideas.
CHAPTER 1
I guess I had a normal life. In any sense of the word I could use to describe it I would choose boring. I lived in California, just north of San Francisco, in a town made up of upper class society who thought they deserved everything. I lived in Marin. But living in California wasn't as amazing as people said it was. I didn't see celebrities strolling down the street, I didn't live on the beach, I didn't surf, it was no different or more exciting than any other town in the world, and it was just boring. The few close friends I had were starting to become annoyed with me, I could tell. My very best friend in the world, Kirsten Farsby, her patience with me was dwindling. I didn't know the exact reason, but I had some pretty good guesses. My once exuberant, jubilant personality was fading as a sense of numbness was washing over me. These days I didn't feel emotions that strongly, I acted as if nothing was different merely putting on a show hoping to fool them, I guess it wasn't working. I could feel this change myself, Kirsten and I had been best friends since kindergarten, but ever since I had returned from camp this year, we hadn't exactly reconnected. The year before when I had arrived home from camp I hadn't had any inhibitions. I could walk down the street topless and just smile. I thought back to then and wished that I could once again feel that way, the joy and bliss of having fun with such close friends.
With a peal of anguish and pain from the realization of just how far I had drifted away from my friends, I released myself from the fetal like position I had been holding myself in. I flipped over on my stomach to look at the clock; it read 5:32 A.M... For another night sleep had evaded me. I rolled over on my back, staring at my ceiling, wishing my body would give in to the constant tired feeling and let me fall asleep. It didn't happen.
I decided to count to 3 then get out of bed. 1, 2, 3, I sprung out of bed scurrying out my bedroom door into the door next to it, the bathroom.
I flipped on the light. The immediate blinding was annoying but my eyes soon adjusted.
I stared at my sallow looking reflection in the mirror, my eyebrows that had been waxed a week ago, the few nearly nonexistent freckles that dusted my nose. I took a step back, examining my whole reflection. Most of my younger childhood I had been tiny, meaning short and thin. Short being around 5 inches shorter than my other friends. I remained short all through grade school but somewhere in there I began to grow not vertically but horizontally. Then in 4th grade I went to my first year of sleep away camp in London. At the end of the summer I had dropped the weight becoming slender, thinner than the other girls but closer to average than anorexic. I lifted my shirt to further examine my flat stomach, my skin stretched taut around my slightly protruding hip bones. Thankfully in puberty I had grown. I was now the average and respectable height of 5'4 ½". I stepped onto the scale; more out of habit than true yearn for knowledge. It read 111; I let out a humorless chuckle at how redundant the numbers were much like my dreary life.
I pulled the knob on the shower letting cold water rush out of the faucet, I pulled back the curtain the scrape of the rings against the curtain bar hurt my ears. I turned back to the mirror startled again by my pail nearly translucent skin, I would never get used to it. My skin only had color on two occasions, 1- during the winter when the cold nipped at my bare cheeks and 2- the far less pretty time when my face changed to the violent shade of scarlet any time I was embarrassed. Sometimes I wondered why I was so pale no one else in my family was pale they all tanned while I just burned and peeled. It wasn't pretty. I had decided that the only pretty part of my face were my eyes. My white iris contrasted nicely with the thin ring of dark navy blue of my eyes that immediately jumped to sky blue and darkened inwardly until they reached my coal black pupils. I was average other than that with my mostly straight brown hair that had natural strands of dirty blond and auburn.
I realized that the shower must be hot enough because of the condensation forming on the glass. I quickly slipped out of my clothes and into the shower. The water was so hot it felt like it was freezing on my skin, as my body slowly adjusted to temperature I picked up my shampoo. It was the same shampoo I had used since I was about five. The intense smell of artificial strawberries filled my senses as I poured it into the palm of my hand I went to close the cap but as my hand made contact with it; it jumped and hit me in the head. I didn't bother to pick the bottle back up. As I rinsed the suds left of shampoo out of my hair it was like all of my troubles were washing away with them, then I remembered that this was reality and realized that today would be a bad day.
The rest of the morning passed slowly. As I gathered my book bag placing at my front door, I walked to the bathroom trying to yank the knots out of my hair, it seemed useless. I blow dried it. Then I had nothing to do. Normally I would use this time to put on makeup, but other than translucent powder and waterproof back mascara I didn't wear that much makeup any more. I had in middle school but if anything it just made me look uglier. I used waterproof mascara because at any moment hot tears could well over in my eyes all the days stresses becoming too much.
Now I was just waiting. I was waiting for the call from my carpool to tell me to start walking to the corner of my street where they would pick me up. Ring Ring. That was it I scurried to the phone before it could wake my mother.
"Hello?" I said slightly breathless.
"Hey Cassie, we'll be there in a few minutes, 'kay?" It was Jenn her voice bubbling over in excitement like she had something to tell me. I nearly asked, but then thought better of it knowing it would keep me from getting to the corner in time. "You still there?" she asked I was brought back to attention.
"Yah, I'll see you soon" I said as I hung up the phone, grabbed my bag and stole out of the house.
The warmth that overtook me as soon as I had stepped out of the house alarmed me it was hot, especially for how early it was. I mentally patted myself on the back for wearing my denim micro mini skirt.
When I reached the corner I was slightly amused and surprised that I had made it there before they had. They nearly never lost to me. That was when the sandstone colored Nissan quest whipped around the corner coming so close to the curb that it caused me to jump back. The door slid open and I jumped in the strange but familiar car.
All of the seats in the back had been taken out leaving plenty of room for Jenn Ashley, Mike, and me, plus Lily and Nick who sat in the driver and passenger seat. All of them were juniors except for Ashley and myself, the babies of the carpool, the sophomores.
Jenn started gushing about a movie she had seen last night with her boyfriend Rob. With a few well placed giggles and "oh my gosh"'s I could get through the drive to school with no true mental inclination.
When we arrived at school the first bell hadn't rung yet which made me happy. It meant I could go to my locker get my supplies go upstairs and across the building to my first period without the embarrassment of falling on my face as I try to hurry.
I walked into the class trying, unsuccessfully to gracefully find my way to the desk through the swarm of students. The class passed in a blur. Next was second period. Gym.
I hated second period, luckily today all we had to do was sit and listen as we were told about how were starting swimming, I couldn't hurt myself in the water, aside from drowning. P.E. was probably my worst class, it wasn't that I didn't try I just fell down a lot or hit people with what ever I was trying to throw.
As the bell rang and I walked to the locker room with one of my good friends Sara Stoble. We changed in silence I liked her because of that she didn't find my silence annoying. What I didn't like was she was probably the most perceptive of my friends.
"Hey are you all right?" she asked me for the 400th time.
"Yea, you should know that me and P.E. don't mix very well" as if this would cover my constant fakeness. The truth was I didn't feel that upset or bad today but apparently I looked enough for Sara to see it. We both stood listening intently for scraps of gossip.
"I didn't know that we were going to have any new kids here" I had been listening to a similar conversation as she had apparently. "Wow sounds like there are 4 of them" that jump started my mind, wow 4 was a lot.
"Hmm, well I guess that there will be new guys" after all it couldn't be all girls.
"Probably" we were walking out of the locker room now. It was brunch. I was struck
Again by how warm it was outside. Even though I lived in California it was rarely this warm. The sun wasn't even my favorite weather. My favorite was storms of thunder and lightening or when it was just plain dark outside. What I didn't like about that weather was the cold. It pierced my thin skin like a needle through a piece of news paper.
I approached the small cart and bought a cookie I did this about every day. I most likely had too much sugar in my diet.
As I approached the little circle of my friends. I realized that they seemed moderately intrigued by something. They were talking about Halloween costumes. That was slightly odd because it was only September 3rd, so I didn't listen that intently. Kirsten spoke then.
"What are you going to be Cassie?"
"I don't know" I said thoroughly dumbfounded, out of curiosity I asked
"What are you going to be?" truthfully I knew she only asked me so she could talk about her costume.
"Well" she said taking a deep breath; she began to babble about how she was going to be a nurse. I knew I didn't really need to listen because by tomorrow she would have already changed her mind.
Everyone began moving then. I guess the bell had rung. I slowly made my way to drama. As I entered the door I saw that we had a sub today, great. I sat in my regular seat next to my friend Mimi. The sub began role call.
"Cassandra Sunnel" she called
"I go by Cassie" I said annoyed I didn't like it when people used my full name.
"K.C.?" She asked
"No, Cassie" I repeated
"Hmm" she said as her eyes rolled down the list to the next person. Since we had a sub we just watched a documentary on Shakespeare.
4th period was boring I just had to go to my friend Allie's house to work on a project with her, Bill, and jack. I didn't not like jack, we had dated in 8th grade but ever since we broke up he had been so rude to me and I wouldn't even do anything to provoke him. The rest of the day flew by.
After school I carpooled to Allie's house. We worked on the project fine getting it finished.
It wasn't until we were waiting for our parents; I was getting a ride home with Bill's parents. Hats when Jack brought something up about when we had dated.
"What, you guys dated?" Bill said. I could feel the heat of blush starting to creep up my face. I felt like slapping him. That's when Jack started shooting accusations at me.
"What, why would I ever say something like that?" I yelled I could feel all of my senses being overwhelmed. "I need to use the rest room" I blurted out as I rushed out of the room so the couldn't see the tears that felt like ice against my flustered face.
I wandered because I didn't really know where it was. Once safely enclosed in the bathroom I looked in the mirror. My face was covered with hectic red marks tears
Streaming down my face. I tried to breathe deeply and calm myself.
"Mike, Cassie your ride is here" Allie's father called.
"I'm on my way "I replied loud enough so barely I could hear it. I trudged back into Allie's room while quietly scolding me for asking for a ride, I should have walked it wasn't that far now I would have to spend the few excruciating minutes with mike and probably his mother.
As I walked into allies room hoping to retrieve my bag with out any conversation a voice pierced my calmed aura.
"What were you crying again?" Jack sneered. I shot him a glare with as much venom and malice that I could infuse into it.
The ride home with mike and his mother was short and quiet. A few times his mother tried to start conversation, but I quickly deflected her attempts. As I left the car thanking them for the ride I could almost here the question burning his mother's throat "what was her problem".
When I entered the house its emptiness pressed on me as if I was underwater.
"Hello? Mom?" I called, so I wouldn't embarrass myself if she was there and I hadn't acknowledged it.
I walked down the hall into the office (it was more just a computer room but that was what my mom called it). I turned; next to the computer was the phone. My hand itched to dial someone, anyone's number. I was still so upset about what had happened with Jack that I had to vent to someone. But, who was I going to call? Kirsten was at cheer practice. Sara was at the gym. I wouldn't be able to sympathize with Lana. I couldn't call any of my guy friends that would just be weird. Then I rethought about my last idea. I could, I could call one of my guy friends, and I could call Rory. Rory didn't go to my school he went to some charter school for expressive youth. Pretty much for the kinds of people who were popular and smart, the kind who would probably make it big in life. But, he had been there when Jack and I had started going out, in fact they had been good friends until jack had transferred schools. The problem was he rarely answered his phone anymore. I hadn't seen him in about 5 months. We had been nearly best friends the year before, but when we both got back from vacation and I started calling again I rarely got to talk to the real him instead of his voice mail. The phone rang once, twice, three times I was about to hang up when I heard a voice on the other line.
"Hey," I was truly surprised a) that he had picked up b) that I wasn't sure it was him it didn't sound right.
"Hello?"
"Yes?" I answered like I had picked up the phone rather than called.
"Are you alright you sound," he paused searching "upset" he finished. I was stalled in my response by marveling at how alluring his voice was thick, deep, and silken. His voice was so wonderful as if, if I fell from a building just the cashmere softness and caring of his voice could save me.
"Cassandra" he spoke again.
"Uh..." I blushed at myself, happy no one could see me for being distracted so easily, but also because he had used my full name. I took a deep breath then began fuming about my afternoon. He consoled me and told me that I was right.
I was growing used to his voice so fast. I loved the way it sounded like he was caressing every word. I didn't know how I could have missed it before. Based on my memory this isn't what it sounded like before. This slightly confused me because he had already gone through puberty. As I continued with my rant I heard a dulcet chuckle in the background.
It sounded female. This didn't surprise me; Rory went out with a lot of girls. Then the guilt hit me, I had been taking time away from him and (if I was assuming correct) his date.
"I'm sorry I didn't realize you were with people"
"It's all right it's no one of supreme importance." He spoke jokingly, but it
Sounded as if someone had hit him, rather hard, after saying that.
"No really, I feel horrible for stealing you from them" The truth was that I didn't want to say goodbye to his heavenly voice, but I knew it was proper etiquette.
"It's quite all right" not only had his voice changed but the way he spoke, it flowed better, was more polite and…charming? "I'm transferring school's" his voice was thick with implications as though he was begging for me to ask "why" or "where to?" I decided to take the bait.
"Wh-"I cut myself off as I heard my mother pulling into the garage. "Gotta go hope you enjoy your new school" I hung up and raced to my room so my mother wouldn't know that aside from English I hadn't even started my homework. I sat doodling in a notebook waiting for my mother to come in.
"Hey" I called to my mother as I heard the back door to the garage open.
"Hey honey, how was school?"
"Fine" I lied easily
"Learn anything new at school?"
"Not really" I knew she didn't ask these questions looking for real answers.
We went through this every day the same questions same answers. To follow routine I asked "how was work?"
"You know I love when you care enough to ask." she never really answered my question. It wasn't as if I wanted or expected her to anyway.
It was like we had a silent truce. Ask each other questions every day, try to act like a normal working family (I wasn't really sure if we counted as a family just the two of us, and we definitely weren't normal).
I felt that if I ever gave a real answer to one of her questions she'd either drop dead from a heart attack or have me committed. The truth was she'd probably just feel uncomfortable and have me see a therapist so she didn't have to discuss my feelings with me. She'd always been one to keep her emotions hidden while I on the other hand couldn't even try they showed too easily on my face, which usually meant no need to talk about them. The clock next to my bed read 9:03 P.M… I didn't understand where the time had gone.
The next morning n the car the conversation had been taken over by rumors about the new kids. There were two boys and two girls. Two of them were sophomores like me while two of them were juniors.
When we arrived at school all the chatter revolved around them. It was pathetic how everyone could become so worked over by something so simple. For some reason though I couldn't stop thinking about it myself, until I heard the bell ring.
I pushed weakly through the moving crowd I was being slowly pushed in the opposite direction as though caught in a current of people. Finally I made it through the infinite stream of people. My locker wouldn't open. Once it did I quickly retrieved my chemistry book and slammed it shut. The halls were nearly empty, only stragglers like me were left and some seniors with no first periods. I was jogging across the building right on one hall left on another, then up the stairs. I scampered up the stairs to make it to class on time, keeping myself moving even though my body felt like it was about to implode. I had never realized how many stairs there were I had probably climbed 30 already, I was taking the stairs 2 at a time 32,34,36,38. That's when it happened; I had either been too busy counting the steps or just misjudged how high I need to lift my foot for the next step. My foot hit the middle of the stair with such force I stumbled backwards, slipped on the step behind me, and went flying.
I expected to land on the cold, jagged edges of the stairs but instead I felt something, or rather someone catch me. It was hard, I wouldn't have been surprised if I had hit the wall, but walls weren't horizontal nor could they catch people. I surmised as much as it was a person who had caught me. They hadn't even wobbled when I had slammed into them full force, and even more surprising, they had caught me, not just their hand on my back to steady me but was holding me. I could feel the snare of someone's arms around my back and in the crook of my legs; their arms were freezing almost like they were metal that had been left outside on an unusually cold night. They held me like a small child in another or father's arms.
I looked up to see the people who had moments earlier been hurrying to class all standing still, they had stopped to look strangely at the us, it was quiet except for their whispers
My whole body felt like it was on fire, I knew I had never blushed this deeply. While I turned to see my savior the crowd slowly started to depart. Be fore I had turned my head around completely I heard the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. Soft as cashmere yet thick and smooth as honey
"Figures you'd be the one to fall" That was when my breath whooshed out of me as if my body really had imploded.
It was Rory, but it wasn't. His face had the same features yet they were slightly altered, refined, and more perfect. There was something about his eyes that were different, beautiful, but different. But somehow I knew it was him. He looked painfully handsome, but his eyes still struck me the most. They were absolutely gorgeous, breathtaking, they were green, but not normal human green. They were almost stoplight green. "What, do I really leave you speechless?"
"Ha-ha, very funny" I had found my voice again, but what I had really wanted to do was reply "yes". An unstoppable grin spread across my face. It wasn't one of my smiles that I had been perfecting to look almost real, it was real, and I realized that there was probably no comparison to my fake one because it was fake. I flung my arms around his neck I was so happy to see him. He went rigid; I quickly released him guessing I had cut off his air supply. "You can put me down now, I promise I won't fall again, plus I know it must be a strain on your arms." He immediately put me down.
His once dyed black hair had returned to its normal color of dirty blond. It fell slightly over his eyes and covered most of his ears. It looked like he was a model for really expensive good haircuts. I hadn't even thought to include him in the thought that he might be one of the new kids, when he said he was transferring I would have guessed any school other than this one.
The second bell rang. He used that to distance us about 3 stairs.
"I've got to go" he said apologetically.
"I'll see you later" all he did was flash me a gorgeous smile. I gave him my
Far inferior smile, and was on my way, careful to not fall down the steps.
When I entered the class it had already started
"Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Cassie, you are indubitably more important than all of your fellow students and their learning" Ms. Cooper scolded.
"I'm sorry Ms. Cooper, it wont happen again" I stammered, heart still trying to find its normal pattern after what had just happened.
The rest of my class I kept my head down and worked studiously, not wanting to give her reason to scold me more in front of the class.
For second period P.E. Sara and I treaded water amidst our fellow class mates. Though my heart still unexplainably felt like an over-inflated balloon, I was struggling to keep my head under water. I was trying to sort my thoughts on why I was so overexcited about Rory being at my school, when an annoyingly nasal voice pieced my somewhat tranquil bubble of thought.
"So Cassie," Lexi paused as though she was choosing her words carefully. I hadn't even noticed her wade over. "I heard that you and one of the new boys shared a 'thing' this morning". My skin boiled and I was happy that I was in the cool water.
"Not really, I just knew him before and didn't expect him to be here. It was nothing" I replied as non-chalantly as I could manage while trying not to drown.
"Hmm" she murmured as though she was storing it away in her head somewhere so she could pull it out and use it at any moment, like a flashcard. Maybe she could tell that I wasn't that eager to elaborate because she drifted away back to her fiends, and no doubt to inform the rest of the school. I turned back; Sara was staring at me wide eyed.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me!" she whined.
"It wasn't exactly a pressing matter" I retorted.
"In high school it is" she spit back.
I raised my eyebrow to gauge her reaction, to see if she really wanted to know the story, she did.
"Well, since you'll probably find out what happened this morning soon enough, I'll skip that and start with the background info." I took a deep breath trying to sort my thoughts to explain them to Sara, but I was interrupted by her eager question.
"Wait, I heard that all of them were like totally gorgeous, best looking kids in the school, hands down. Is that true?"
"Well, I don't even know the names of the other kids, and I definitely haven't seen them, the one I was with Rory he looked," I tried to think of a word hot? Breathtaking? STOP! I commanded myself, don't think things like that, its just wrong. "Different" that fit well "than I remembered him" I said finishing my sentence while struggling to find an answer to her question. Well, I thought, I guess I should just say it, if I'm thinking it, it must be the truth. "Yes, he is definitely gorgeous." For the next 40 minutes Sara and I gushed over him and what the others might look like.
When they finally sent us in my mouth felt numb, I hadn't talked that much in at least a month and a half. I didn't really understand how I could have managed that.
As we walked out to the already crowded pavilion for break it was like in the movies where the girl walks by and every one goes silent and stares. But this wasn't the movies so they all talked loud as normal except when Sara and I passed when they quieted just enough so I could tell they were talking about me.
"I guess this is what sucks about having a high school with only 700 people in it." I sighed and wished that Rory almost would have let me fall.
He never left my mind all through break a) because he was the only thing my brain wanted to think about b) because I was being constantly bombarded with questions from both friends and random people. I mostly pushed away the questions from my friends telling them I would answer after school, while just blushing and saying that I really didn't want to talk about it to all of the random people who came up.
Everyone except Kirsten seemed to be about to burst with questions. I knew why.
It definitely wasn't that she enjoyed the isolation from talking. It was that she and Rory had gone out for a year and three months from 8th grade to 9th grade. They had had a very intense relationship (emotionally) but in the end he had broken up with her telling her that he didn't love her the same as he thought he had and that there was no use dragging it out any longer. I had been able to stay friends with him and Kirsten, she had known that we were still friends (Rory and I); I had talked to her about it. I didn't truly understand why I was getting such icy glares from her and I felt a pang of hurt at the pit of my stomach.
The bell rang. I quickly sped away from the many pairs of prying eyes and the single pair shooting venom at me, to my third period drama class. When I opened the door I expected to be the first one there, caused by my hasty escape. But what my eyes say surprised me, Rory was sitting there stationary beside my usual desk. I felt my heart literally lift, the cold caused by Kirsten's glare immediately melt away. I could hear my pulse in my ears quicken. As I made my way to the desks stopping before fully reaching him, to talk.
"So quite the commotion we caused this morning in this small minded school of yours." He announced with perfectly smooth flowing articulation that I envied.
"Maybe if you hadn't picked me up" I added as annoyed as I could.
"Sorry," he replied holding is hands palm up towards me to convey he was innocent "it was just a reflex."
"A reflex?" I asked skeptism obvious in my voice "to what, break your arms?"
"I was a black belt at age ten you should know I'm pretty strong"
"Oh, so you were like 'huh, she fell I'll pick her up to see how deeply she blushes'"
"No, it was more like 'oh, she fell, knowing her she won't be able to stand by herself'" he said playfully.
I glowered at him "well…well I slammed into you at full force you should have felt strain on your arms" I said retreating to my first plan.
He rose so quickly and gracefully I nearly missed it. He was standing in front of me.
"Cassie, you'd have to weigh at least four times your weight to put any strain on my arms" he said grinning. All I could think was how men could have such huge egos and be such stupid liars. They should know to at least lie about something believable. I was bout to burst out laughing when he leaned over and scooped me into his arms.
"Put me down!" I yelled
"Why?" he argued.
"Because it makes me feel… uncomfortable" I half lied, I couldn't help thinking about Kirsten's glare "plus, we don't exactly need anymore publicity stunts for today." He put me down and went back to his seat. People were starting to come in now. Once I had ascertained that he was seated and wasn't getting up, I walked to my chair. I had place my foot on the opposite side of the leg of the desk and when I made a move to go forward I nearly fell but righted myself so all I did was stumble. Out of the corner of my eye I had seen Rory about to move to catch me if I had fallen. I sat in my seat and gave him a look. Once everyone in class taken their seat I was glad to notice that we didn't have a sub, kind of.
I turned next to me Mimi was sitting there, giving me a meaningful look before she turned to talk to Nate. If I had been better at understanding her in general, maybe I would have been able to understand he looks. Moments later Mrs. Pembry called the class to attention.
"Today we will be starting a new unit, I am also sorry that I was absent yesterday" she quickly tacked onto the end. "This unit will be all about, almost, overdoing your emotions, so that they really reach your audience" she paused catching her breath, I saw a few people turn to glance back at Rory. "Split up into pairs and I will come around and give you one of four scripts." I had always loved drama but ever since I hadn't been cast in the school play I had felt kind of stupid in her class. I turned to Mimi she was my usual partner in this class; I was disappointed to see she had already paired with Nate. Maybe she had finally realized that she was better than me and deserved another partner. I looked away to search for another partner. My eyes saw the most gorgeous eyes I had ever seen in my life and they were sitting right next to me. I felt sheepish almost like I should be scolded. Rory looked me over quickly then looked at me again quizzically.
"Well, aren't you going to ask me to be your partner?" he questioned. Annoyance flashed through me.
"Maybe if you don't act so arrogant" then I spoke lighter "so, why didn't you tell me that you were transferring here?"
"Wait I thought that you were about to ask me to be your partner?" I looked at him did he really want me to do that? Was he going to make me do that? It wasn't like there was any one else in the room that I even could be partners with.
"Fine," I took a deep breath; his face looked amused "will you, Rory Montego, be my partner?"
Instead of answering he just stared at me, a few expressions crossed his face. I could pick out worry, anger, and confusion before he formed a carefully calm mask.
"Where in the world did you come up with that last name?" he asked slightly bemused.
"Come up with?"
"That is certainly not my last name" he spoke with such authority my confidence wavered slightly.
"Is that so? Then what is it, enlighten me." I said annoyance obvious in my voice.
"Haven" he said blankly.
"And where did you come up with that?" I had looked away, annoyed, but he had stopped talking. His head was turned the other direction, I could tell by the side of his cheek that he was smiling.
"Get your things together" he said, even though he was smiling (could tell for sure because he had turned to face me), it wasn't a request but a demand. I didn't argue. I could see an office messenger leaving the class room and Mrs. Pembry walking with purpose towards our desks.
"Get your things together, both of you, and go to the principal's office. I stared at her in shock." Now please" she said before walking to the other end of the room to hand out scripts.
I got out of my desk my legs felt like jelly. I hobbled, bag in arm, out the classroom door, next to the graceful godly creature next to me that I thought I had known.
He looked down at me from his 5'11" well built frame. I guess he could see the panic on my face. He let out a chuckle when he met my gaze.
"You really are nervous aren't you?" he asked obviously amused.
"Of course I am, I've never been to the principal's office in my life!" I said slightly breathless, it took such an effort to keep my lungs working and my feet moving at the same time, in the state I was in.
"I doubt you are in any trouble, since he called me in and it is my first day"
"She" she I corrected. He looked confused. "The principal's a she" I clarified.
"Oh!" then he feigned panic and in a frustratingly convincing voice said "uh oh, that makes all the difference then we probably should panic" I glared at him, his choice in playful words tipped me off to his joke.
By the end of our conversation we were standing in front of the office. We entered. The secretary raised her brows questioningly. Then understanding as to why we were there sunk in and she smirked
"The principal's office is down the hall to the left, she's not there at the moment, but should be soon. You two can sit and wait for her there."
"Okay thank you very much for your help" Rory said. Her face instantly relaxed and became more pleasant.
"Thanks" I muttered meekly.
We walked down the hall, there were a few doors all of them were closed. I could feel my heart rate start to climb. I could hear it in my ears. I could feel the closing up in my throat. It was almost like an allergic reaction to fear of being in trouble.
I sat in a chair at the end of the hall. I was staring at my knees, the fading that was interrupted by the slightly threaded hole that gave stores some reason to raise the price on them.
"I promise that you are not going to end up in any trouble" the cashmere voice said in my ear. I looked up. He was crouched on front of me, about six inches from my face. He had a tight smile on his lips. His eyes looked longing, but not in the way a normal guy longs for someone. His arm rested , or was rather clenched on my arm rest. He looked like he was restraining himself from something. I felt a chill go down my spine.
"Ahem" a shrill feminine voice broke our gaze. "If you could please join me in my office." It was Ms. Degie, the principal. She was in her early thirties, with vivid red curls.
"Yes Ms. Degie." I answered obediently as she walked into the office and motioned for us to follow. I stumbled in then stood stiffly. I heard a quiet but hearty chuckle escape Rory's lips. I glared at him darkly.
"You'll get it soon" he whispered while Ms. Degie had her back turned.
"Ms. Sunnel, Mr. Haven" she addressed us. "Please sit" we did. She looked at us both meaningfully. "I would have thought that you two would have known better" then she turned on me " I would have expected that you knew the school code." She turned to Rory, her expression became kind like he could never do anything wrong. "Well, it is your first day but I would have thought that you had the same rules at your school."
"Um, I 'm sorry but what exactly did we do?" she stared at me disbelievingly.
"We aren't exactly aware of what we did wrong" Rory helped.
She looked at us for a long moment as if waiting for the punch line of a joke.
"Fine I'll be blunt with you. Apparently you two were caught doing things far beyond kissing in the halls, things that you could have been arrested for doing at a public place. Now you Ms. Sunnel know exactly the rules and I'm afraid that I am going to have to suspend you for the rest of the day. Mr. Haven, I don't know what I am to do with you, it may be your first day here but you should know not to do that, I don't understand what kind of school you came from that thought that was acceptable." Her whole rant my mouth was wide open, but I had finally found my voice, my face beet red.
"I don't know what you heard exactly or where you heard it, but we didn't do anything. I was running up the stairs to class and I slipped and he caught me." I took a deep breath " we were friends before he came to this school and I was surprised to see him here. Anyways we're friends, which would just be weird." I wasn't quite sure about that last part. I looked down at the floor. This was so upsetting and annoying. Realization set in, this is probably what the whole school thinks happened.
I felt the tears welling in my eyes. I breathed slowly.
"Do you mind if Cassie sits outside, I think she needs to get a hold on her emotions." I looked up and as if on queue the tears glided down my cheeks. His voice had sounded so smooth and persuasive.
"Of course, do try and calm down honey" she said in a rather maternal voice. I just nodded walked out and sat in a chair.
I had regained my calm by the time he walked out but when he did my face instantaneously blushed. I could see his muscles tighten under his clothing, but he smiled.
"She understands, and neither of us is in trouble." An unstoppable grin spread across my face.
"We don't need to go to 4th period" he assured me as we made our way back across the campus. I looked at the clock tower. That was good, it meant that we had an hour until lunch to just talk.
We walked into the cafeteria, passing the closed lunch line. I went to sit at my usual table, he followed. I sat cross legged on the table seat facing him on the other side.
"So that was… interesting" I was staring at him, he looked deep in thought. He blinked.
"Well… What!" I demanded annoyed by the bemused look on his face.
"Nothing of importance" he replied simply.
"Um" my throat felt dry. Suddenly my earlier annoyance flashed through me like lightning. "How could your last name just change?" his eyes went somber, his expression sullen. I worried that I had somehow hurt his feelings.
"Well, when I was in Europe a while back with my parents, they decided that it would be best for both them and me if I had a different family. So when it came time to leave they stayed, they gave me my plane ticket, and then" he stopped. I looked at him encouragingly "and then gave me away" he finished.
My heart nearly fell out of my chest. I couldn't breathe. I felt sick with myself for making him bring this up.
"I'm so sorry" I said. Sorry didn't even begin to explain how bad I felt.
"It's okay, I love my new family, more than I could ever love them" he sneered. I still regretted bringing it up no matter what he said. He glanced up at the clock on the wall, his hair falling slightly across his eyes.
"It's almost lunch time" he said. He had returned to his happy state.
"I have to go to my locker" I had been looking at the linoleum tiles on the floor. I looked at his face when I lifted my head. His breathtaking eyes caught and held mine. I don't think I would have been able to look away even if I had wanted to. I certainly didn't want to though. His eyes were truly shocking. They were glowing, and not just figuratively. Finally his eyes released me. I got up and stumbled to the door before calling.
"I'll talk to you later okay?" before I could move the bell rang and I lost him in the crowd of incoming students.
As I walked down the now empty hallway, I was enthralled in thought. His eyes definitely didn't look like that before.
I used my locker combo and it opened easily. I grabbed my U.S. government binder and my Spanish notebook. Then I stared at myself in my locker mirror. To tell the truth I was looking for some type of physical change in myself since this morning. I was surprised when there wasn't. how could such a good-looking person like Rory want to still be friends with me even though I'm so average looking. I slammed my locker door shut thoroughly annoyed. Maybe he was just being nice to me, because I was so average looking, maybe he felt bad for me.
The lunch room was crowded by the time I got there not that that was very unusual. I wanted to find Rory, to invite him and his family to eat with us. But, I knew that that wouldn't be fun with Kirsten there. "Hey guys" I said plopping down at my usual table. I was met with about 12 eager pairs of eyes, and 1 glares that if looks could kill, I'd have years taken off my life.
"So, you and Rory hooked up in the hallway." Lena stated. I t wasn't a question, maybe she'd meant for it to come out as one but it certainly didn't. There was a slight edge to her voice that I didn't quite get.
"No" I stated calmly. Everyone at our table looked aghast.
"Well, that's what everyone thinks." Lena reprimanded.
"Well, then what everyone thinks is wrong." I said mocking her choice of words.
"Why are you lying to us?" Kirsten asked hurt. It was my turn to be aghast.
"I'm not" I said. My voice was just a whisper, why were they so sure of rumors that definitely weren't true.
Kirsten's voice no longer sounded hurt. It sounded sharp, sharp as a razor blade, with the intention to hurt others.
"I saw you two, yah you fell. But he caught you and held you. You two stared into each others eyes, then you just threw your arms around his neck and you…you… you kissed him!" she was shouting. All of the attention in the room was on our table, with a few furtive glances at Rory and his family.
Lena interjected by getting out of her seat, grabbing my elbow, and yanking me up so I was standing. I had never been that close with her. She did cheerleading with Kirsten, so I new that Lena was Kirsten's best friend aside from me, though after this she might just be her best friend period.
Lena stood in front of me not even a foot away. "How could you do that" she spat her voice full of malice, "to your best friend, were you even thinking about her feelings? Knowing you, you probably were, you probably did it just to hurt her." My hand was itching to hit her; I was digging my nails into my palm to stop myself. I knew that I had like super adrenaline, and if I really needed to be either fast or strong I could, but I hadn't hit someone since I was seven and I didn't really intend to now, but she was making herself very liable to be hit.
"You are disgusting" Lena continued "you are such a bitch, you need to learn to think of other people summertime's not just your self. The world doesn't revolve around you Cassie. What did Kirsten ever do to you? Nothing, she was just a good friend. This is just a game to you isn't it, you like to see people in pain, don't you? Well Cassie you are a cold hearted BI-"she didn't get to finish. I had slapped her as hard as I possibly could. She was standing there screaming in pain, countless profanities coming out of her mouth. I could see an angry red mark shaped perfectly of my hand had formed across her cheek. A twisted smile slid across my face as I wondered if she would have a bruise shaped like my hand.
My smile instantly dissipated as I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. Everyone was silent; I could feel the tears start to run down my cheeks. I dropped my head, I wished the person that the hand belonged to hadn't just seen how I had acted. I looked back up at the faces of the kids in the cafeteria. They were all blank, showing no emotion, impassive. They almost looked like they were under a spell.
Rory's hand guided me out of the cafeteria to the edge of the parking lot. I let my legs give way. I was crumpled on the ground crying, I had just hit someone, probably lost my best friend, and would probably be expelled. I sat there on the ground for about half of an hour crying until no more tears would come.
The whole time Rory stayed a few feet back. He didn't try and comfort me and for that I was glad. When I looked up to him his face looked callous, then angry, and then empathetic and caring.
He walked over to me and picked me up. I didn't argue or contest as he cradled me in his arms while he walked. Even after what just happened. I was sure that if anyone saw there mind would be confirmed as to what Lena and Kirsten had said. But as he walked I didn't feel uncomfortable, I felt safe and cared for. For the first time all day my nerves calmed. And for the first time in weeks I fell into peaceful sleep in his arms.