I woke at a faint light coming throught the window. I peered over at the clock, reading the numbers on it; 6:30 a.m.
Sighing I climbed out of bed and made my way to the window. Outside, the sun was hidden behind clouds making the sky grey.
I looked over at the jeans folded on my desk. Today was going to be difficult. I was just happy that they had not said who had found him in that letter.
When I emerged from my room, I could hear my mom's silent snore's coming from her room. I strolled down the stairs and looked around. The place was a mess from the night before.
I sighed and made my way out the door. There was a slight breeze that caught me off guard. It made the day feel colder than it should. Looking at the sky, it looked like it might snow later. There was only one problem with that; it never snowed here.
It was February right now, and all winter, we had seen no snow; nor the year before. I climbed into my truck and slipped the key into the ignition. The engine roared to life. I pulled slowly out of the driveway and made my way down the street.
It was unusually quiet. While passing Cody's house, I could see his father sitting at the table with his head burried in his hands. A sudden wave of grief passed over me.
Upon arriving in the parking lot, I saw that there was only one other car parked there. A silver chevy solstice. I parked a couple of stalls away from it and cut the engine. Climbing out, I could now see a couple of cars slowly making their way here.
Walking up to the school, I felt numb. I didn't know what to do or say if someone asks who found him.
When I enetered the school, I could see the halls were decorated red and pink. Looking at a poster that hung on a wall, I realized it was Valentine's day.
'Great' I thought to myself.
Valentine's day was way over celebrated here. There was a parade downtown and a community fair by the lake. The worst of it, was at the school. Students would send each other bouquets of roses.
Each rose had a different meaning. Red was for passion, usually sent in a long relationship. Pink was for a secret crush. Yellow symbolized friendship. And the last was white. Nobody ever sent anyone a white rose, not even a boyfriend to a girlfriend, though the office still kept it as an option. White symbolized unconditional love.
I continued down the empty hallway. Once at my locker, I dropped the folded note onto my books, where I had found the last one. I quickly closed my locker and made my way to the chemistry classroom.
Carefully, I placed my books on the table. When I turned, I fell backwards against the desk. I grabbed my chest breathing heavily staring at the boy who stood right in front of me.
"You scared me!!" I cried.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to." His voice was apoligetic.
He smiled at me, his eyes locking with mine. I couldn't help but smile back. For some reason, it felt like he had some sort of control over me. Like if he told me to do something, without question, I would do it.
"Jasper!" a familiar voice called from behind.
He turned as I stepped to the side to see who it was. Aidan stood in the doorway with an annoyed look on his face. He turned slightly to see me, and then smiled.
"Good morning Raya."
"Morning Aidan."
Jasper turned back towards me, "Excuse me," and turned to leave with Aidan.
When They were out of sight, I slouched against my desk, my heart still racing from the little scare that was inflicted on me. I closed my eyes, slowing my breathing.
When I opened them again, Desiree stood right in front of me with a serious look on her face. I jumped back as far as I could, my heart racing again.
"What is it with you guys and scaring me like that?"
She smiled, but then turned back to her serious self. "Raya, understand me when I say this. The closer you get to us, the more danger you will be in."
I blinked at her. A hand reached out and grabbed Desiree's shoulder. She turned to see Jasper towering over her. Her face became frustrated. She shook off his hand and looked at me with a pleading look before she turned and left.
All the while, Jasper smiled watching her leave. He turned to me when she was out of sight.
"Pay no mind to her."
I cocked my head, confused. "But you said the same thing last night."
He looked at me, his face became hard. "I said alot of things last night that you should pay no mind to."
He walked by me slowly, the air around him whipped over towards me. I could smell the sweetness of ginger like the night before.
"Raya!"
I looked up at the doorway where the voice had come from. I could see Alice standing there waiting for me, her eyes looked eager as she looked at me then looked over at Jasper.
I turned to see where Jasper was. He was over looking out the window with a smile on his face. I made my way over to where Alice stood.
"So what's new?" she giggled, looking over at Jasper.
I grabbed her arm and headed away from the classroom, aware that Jasper was watching the whole time.
"It's not what it looks like." I said harshly.
She smiled, "Sure it's not."
I rolled my eyes. Once Alice got something into her head, there was no getting it out.
The halls were more crowded now. I could see over in the corner, people making their last minute selections for the rose delivery. I was early this year and had got mine in at the beginning of February.
"Come on. He's a greek god. I'm..."
"Beautiful." Alice chimmed.
"No, you and Sage are beautiful. I'm...normal."
Alice shook her head, "Raya, when are you gonna learn that it's not all about how you look."
The hall filled with the chime of the bell. Students rushed through the hall towards their classrooms. Alice and I made our way in silence.
When we entered the room, we saw in the corner all the little bundels of bouguets. We took our respected seats.
Jasper smiled at me when I sat. His eyes pierced through me.
"Something wrong?" He asked, his voice as smooth as velvet.
I shook my head and looked over at Alice. She shook her head at me and mouthed, 'see.'
Mr. Riley picked up three yellow bouguets and read the name aloud: "Alice Hudson."
Alice smiled and made her way up to the front to collect the flowers. She looked at me as she made her way back to her seat.
"Tompson O'Ryan, Bertha Jackson, Sage Matthews, Jack Flayle,"
As more and more bouguets were claimed, I could see in the back of them all a bouguet of white roses tied with two yellow and one pink bouguet. When everyone else noticed, the class went dead silent in awe.
"Someone gets...white roses?" Bertha exclaimed.
Mr. Riley grabbed the last four bouguets, "Raya MaCayle."
My heart started racing. I could feel everyone's eyes staring at me. I stood from my chair and made my way to the front of the class. Mr. Riley handed me the four bouguets. I made my way down to my chair, my face beat red.
Alice and Sage starred at me. When I sat, I covered my face with my hair. Starring at my paper, I could hear Mr. Rileys voice fill the room.
"Before class begins, I have an announcement to make. Yesterday, our dear friend Cody Osment was found outside the school. Unfortunately, by the time he was found, he had already passed." He paused and looked over the class.
"I am not supposed to say this, but Cody's body was drained of all the blood. someone had time to drain the blood and get away before anyone saw..." his face turned stern, "a word of caution: do not travel by yourself, until this person is found."
I could hear gasps throughout the classroom. His blood was drained? Who would do such a thing? In the far corner, sobs could be heard.
I sat back in my chair and sighed. I looked over the four bouguets that now sat on my desk. On the white bouguets card, I could see a message scrawled in a delicate manner, of which I instantly reconized.
I picked the card up and read the delicate scroll:
Raya,
I hope you like them. Please do not be frightened. I do know what white means. All my life, I have been searching for someone that would make me feel complete. and by some strange coincidence, I have found you.
I folded the note and placed it in my pocket. I glanced over at Jasper to see that he was faced towards the door. I frowned and followed his gaze.
In the doorway, stood Aidan. His eyes were locked with Jasper's in a horrifying anger. I turned back to Jasper to see the same anger in his eyes.
"Now class, I have an experiment planned for the day..." Mr. Riley said as he handed out glass slides and a microscope to each desk.
"What you are to look for in these slides, is what organism it is. they are all plants, but what plant is what you must find out." he looked around the classroom, "All text books on the floor please. this is a lab exam."
The loud thumping of books being dropped on the floor seemed to awaken Jasper from his angry gaze. He looked around and dropped his book on the floor as everyone else had done.
I slipped a slide onto the microscope and looked over at him.
"Ladies first." he smiled.
I smiled back and looked through the lens. "Onion skin, I think."
I turned the microscope towards him. He peered through the lens. "I agree."
He picked up the next slide and shoved it under the lens. He wrote on a piece of paper what the previous slide had been identified as.
While he was looking at the slide, I glanced at his writing. It appeared to be the same as the note I had recieved the day before and like the one on the bouguet of roses.
I nodded as he passed me the microscope, "leek root.
I peered through the microscope; he was right. I picked up the next slide and replaced the previous.
"Spinach leaf." I passed it over to him.
Looking over at Alice I could see that she was arguing with Tom about what the slide was.
Jasper passed the microscope towards me. "You were right. it was spinach. this one here, is onion root, I think."
I looked through the lens. Again, he was right. Looking at the slides on the desk I saw that there was only four of them which meant that we were done.
"Have you lived here all your life?" Jasper asked.
I looked over at him, "No. Just a couple of years."
"By your tone, I gather that you don't really like it here."
I smiled, "Ya. My mom and I were relocated here from Phenoix when my dad disappeared."
"But you said that you have known Cody since Kindergarten." he said confused.
"I have. He used to live in Pheniox too, but he moved here last year."
I looked at him, wanting to change the subject. "It seems that you and Aidan don't really get along much."
He laughed, "Brotherly love I guess."
I shook my head, "Everytime you two look at each other it's in an angry way though."
"We have our disagreements." He said slowly and turned to the side.
I gathered that that was all I was going to get out of him, so I let it go. I turned over to Sage who was sitting by herself. When she saw me, she waved and smiled. I smiled back. Looking around, she stood up and made her way towards me.
"So, how's it going?"
I smiled, "Good."
She laughed and picked up the white bouguet, "Cyrus is going to be jealous."
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jasper watching me, "Let him be."
When I said this, I could see a smile return to his face.
"You really don't like him, do you?"
"Not in that way. just as a friend, but he can't seem to get that through his head."
Sage Chuckled. "You know, he will probably never give up on you."
I groaned, "Great. just what I needed to hear."
"Is everyone done then?" Mr. Riley chimmed. Looking around the classroom, he realized it was time to move on.
Sage returned to her desk with a smile on her face. I turned to face the front. The rest of the morning went by quickly. I was eager to get to my locker and see it my secret admirer had left a reply.
When the bell rang signalling it was lunch, I became exited. I made my way to my locker, practically running. When I opened the door, there where I had left my note, was a new one.
I grabbed it and unfolded it, reading the delicate scroll on it.
Raya,
We do not know each other very well I'm afraid. But we will soon. Don't worry, in time I will let you know who I am. But for now, It shall remain a secret.
