And then one day, everything changed.
Unexpected encounter…
It was the week before the most exciting event of our school year, the Tenth Grade camp to Kappa Falls Outdoor Education Center. This was something that the entire grade had been looking forward to since the very beginning of junior high school. However, with everything going on recently, I’d hardly had a chance to give it much thought and I now desperately needed to get organized.
Thankfully, my friends had been planning for a while and I’d arranged to meet up with them during our lunch break so they could help me with all the last minute details. The best part was that Millie had decided to join our cabin group and for me, this was the coolest thing ever. I could hardly wait for the week to pass so that camp could begin. Obviously it was an awesome way for everyone to end the year but for me personally, it was exactly the distraction I needed.
Heading quickly along the corridor, I was keen to reach the lunch area where I knew the girls would be waiting. I strode purposefully along, deep in thought about the camp ahead when I was stopped by the sight of my Geography teacher, Mrs. Greene, struggling with a pile of boxes that she was carrying. Without thinking, I stopped to offer some assistance.
“Do you need some help, Mrs. Greene?”
The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
“Yes please, Julia,” she replied gratefully. “I really do need some help with these. They have to be taken to the main storage room on the other side of the campus and I was trying to avoid making two trips. I’ve asked the janitor several times to do it for me, but sometimes if you want a job done, you just have to do it yourself. If you wouldn’t mind helping me that would be great!”
I knew for sure, that by the time I walked all the way over to that building and back, my lunch break would be over. As luck would have it, I’d already been held up by my English teacher who wanted to discuss the first draft of an essay that I’d handed in to be checked. While I was thankful for the feedback, I was conscious of the girls waiting for me and I had to mask my impatience while trying to pay attention to Miss Bromley’s comments regarding my assignment.
As is often the case though, some plans are destined to go astray and I soon found out that I was in the midst of one of those days where every encounter seemed to be leading me in a different direction.
Realizing that I could hardly have walked past Mrs. Greene without offering to help, I begrudgingly accepted the fact that I was probably not going to be able to meet Millie and the others after all. So, with a discreet but frustrated sigh, I took hold of the uppermost boxes from the pile that she was carrying and headed down the walkway alongside her, all the while attempting to take part in her friendly conversation about the camp that I was still so unprepared for. Then, in mid-sentence, she was interrupted by the sound of her mobile phone.
Pulling it from her pocket, she stopped to answer the call while attempting to juggle the armful of boxes with her other hand. All the while, I stood impatiently by, waiting for her to finish speaking. However, when she ended the call, her expression had turned to one of obvious concern.
“I’m so sorry, Julia,” she explained in a rush. “There’s been some sort of emergency and I’m needed at the office. Do you think you could manage to take these on your own?”
Without waiting for an answer, she hurried on, “If you leave them tucked inside the building, just outside the storage room door that would be great. I’ll head over there later to put them away.”
It seemed then, that in the blink of an eye she had disappeared and I was left to deal with the boxes on my own.
“Don’t worry about me,” I muttered irritably under my breath. “I’ll just carry them all for you! I don’t care about missing my lunch break!”
Staring in frustration at the pile of boxes she had just dumped on the floor at my feet, I wondered how I was going to manage by myself.
“Typical!” Unable to control my annoyance, I spat the word loudly, not caring if anyone heard.
With a shake of my head and another frustrated sigh, I tried to comprehend how I’d managed to get myself into such a situation in the first place. Especially when all I wanted to do was meet Millie and the other girls for lunch!
All self-control deserting me completely, I kicked angrily at one of the boxes with the toe of my shoe. And then somehow resisted the temptation to kick it with full strength, just like a football towards a goal post, down the entire length of the hallway. If I damaged the box and the contents inside, that would just lead to more problems and I definitely didn’t need that to happen.
In the hope of finding someone to help, I scanned the hallway in each direction but there was no one in sight. Clearly, everyone was at lunch. So, with no other alternative, I crouched down in an attempt to gather all the boxes together so I could pick them up in one go. However, this proved to be useless as one box after another kept sliding off the top of the pile and onto the floor.
Becoming more and more frustrated by the second, I continued to stoop down in order to pick them up, only to find another box would fall off the top and join the others. Just when I was about to give it all up, in what seemed a bizarre twist of fate, I heard a voice call my name.
It was one of those moments that catches a person completely unaware. And later that evening when I had time to reflect on the chance meeting, I thought that maybe it was my reward for offering to help Mrs. Greene. And maybe, just maybe, it was a sign that my inner most prayers had been answered.
“You look like you need some help!”
I turned abruptly to the sound of the familiar voice and immediately my pulse began to quicken.
“I just passed Mrs. Greene,” he continued in a friendly manner, “And she asked me to help you.”
The sight of Ky heading in my direction was like a gift from the heavens. And in addition, the other miraculous occurrence was not so much the fact that he’d offered to help, but the manner in which he’d spoken to me. Those few words were probably the most that I’d heard from him since the accident, and by far the friendliest.
A small but nervous smile had formed on my face and I stood staring at him, not sure how to respond. Then, without another word, he reached towards me and took a pile of boxes out of my hands.
“I’d take more,” he said, the grin on his own face widening, “But it’s a bit hard with this cast on my arm. I can’t wait to get it off!”
Forcing myself not to be awkward, which was something I’d become so good at whenever he was around, I smiled in return, a genuine smile of thanks. It was my chance to spend a few minutes with him, even though it only involved carrying boxes for the Geography teacher and I was determined not to spoil it.
Then, in a sudden rush of recognition, I stood motionless for a moment as I recalled abruptly that the two of us had been in that exact same situation on a previous occasion not so long ago.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, curiously.
“Oh nothing, it’s just that this reminds me of another time….” And then I stopped, faltering uncomfortably.
“Another time?” he questioned, his brow creasing into an inquisitive frown.
Then comprehension dawned. “Have we done this before?” he laughed, looking curiously at me.
With a deep breath, I nodded my head. I’d been unsure whether I should mention the day that the two of us had been asked to help a teacher out in much the same manner. That had been just after I’d first met Ky and now, quite coincidentally, the scenario had been repeated, so much so that it was almost an exact replica, with me feeling just as nervous the second time around.
But, determined not to ruin the opportunity to be with him, I searched for something to say, while at the same time he appeared to be doing exactly the same thing.
“Julia,” he said abruptly, his tone becoming much more serious. “I’m sorry that I’ve been avoiding you.”
Taken aback at the sound of his unexpected words, I felt my eyes being
drawn to his, and instantly my heart melted. The beautiful pools of blue intensity that stared towards me in return, held me captive, and I was powerless to look away.
“That’s okay.” I murmured quietly, not sure how else to respond.
“No, it’s not. I’ve been really rude to you.” The abruptness of his reply caught me by surprise and I stood silently waiting for him to continue.
“Julia, I’m truly sorry! It’s just that this whole thing has totally freaked me out. I’ve had no idea how to handle it.”
He blurted the words quickly, the pain and frustration of the past few weeks showing clearly on his face. It was as though he had only just summed up the courage to confront the truth.
“I understand.” Overwhelmed by a sudden burst of sympathy, my heart went out to him. “This must be so hard for you, Ky. I can only imagine what you’re going through.”
My voice shook with emotion as I spoke. It was as though I’d been struck a sudden blow. The clarity was instant, and finally, I understood the depth of the situation. Ever since the accident, I’d been filled with self-pity and misery so intense, that I had not even considered the overall impact on him. Completely self-absorbed, I had only thought of myself, so much so that I’d actually begun to resent him.
How could he not remember me?
Did I mean so little to him?
How could he go on with his life as if nothing had happened?
They were the thoughts that had continued to race around in my head, with little empathy at all for the pain and trauma that he was going through. But in that instant, I understood, and for the first time since the accident I felt the leaden sensation in the depths of my soul become a little lighter.
Then, as we made our way along the walkway that led to the rear of the school campus, we talked. And we continued to talk and then talked some more. We spoke about the events of that terrible day and then the aftermath when he’d woken from the coma, oblivious to who I was. He was open and honest and told me that apart from the driver of the car that had hit him, there was no one else to blame. It had been an accident and that was all.
He then told me about the counseling sessions which had become a regular part of his routine, in the hope that some of his memories may be triggered. The sessions were also designed to help him come to terms with the fact that for him, a huge chunk of his past had ceased to exist. It was just someone else’s recount of a series of events that had he had no recollection of.
And when he asked about me and how I was feeling, I was able to explain. The words came easily and the whole time, he listened. But he wasn’t simply listening. I knew that he understood.
We’d both been affected so dramatically. The entire episode was a crazy, mixed up, chaotic turn of events and the impact on both of us had been immense.
And when I later considered the coincidences that led to our chance meeting in the hallway, I wondered if it had all been part of a master plan; a predestined path that had been arranged to give us a chance to possibly reconnect once more. Even though I had hoped and prayed, it was something that I had not expected. Certainly not that day and not in that way.
And in addition, I definitely did not anticipate the scenario we found ourselves a part of next.
I also know for a fact that Ky certainly didn’t expect it either.
Although I’m not sure who was more shocked. Him or me.
Caught out…
The whispered voices could easily be heard from behind the closed door. Although muffled, it was obvious that some sort of secretive conversation was underway. When a sudden giggle erupted however, Ky and I exchanged curious glances. It seemed that the storeroom was definitely occupied, but we had no idea by whom. Then, when the door swung abruptly open, I was sure that the surprised expressions on our own faces closely resembled the two that we were confronted with.
With a sideways glance at Ky, I raised my eyebrows in stunned silence, and then managed to mumble awkwardly, “Mrs. Greene asked us to drop these boxes off.”
In an attempt to mask his surprise at the sight of two unexpected students staring questioningly back at him, Mr. Hathaway stammered, “Oh, that’s fine. You can just put them inside.”
Quickly managing to recover, he went on to explain, “I was just showing Sara the equipment we have available for the camp next week. If you can put the boxes down wherever you can find room, that’d be great.”
Sara, who was standing silently beside the good looking Math teacher, had also managed to overcome her initial shocked reaction and pushed arrogantly past us. Then, with a slight flick of her blonde hair and a smug look in my direction, she was gone. Mr. Hathaway however, was forced to wait so that he could lock the door after we’d left.
Standing uncomfortably by, he appeared keen to share more details, probably to add credibility to his story. “The school has purchased a heap of new gear. There’s some new high tech compasses and some great camping equipment for the overnight campout. If you want me to run through what’s available, let me know, because you’re welcome to borrow anything you might need.”
“Okay, thanks.” Ky responded with a frown in his direction, before taking the last of the boxes from me and storing them in a corner.
Then, without another word from either of us, we quickly headed back in the direction from where we had come.
Not trusting myself to make a sound until I was sure we were out of earshot, I finally opened my mouth to speak, unable to keep my thoughts to myself any longer.
“OMG! That was so awkward!” Although my mind was racing, it was the only thing I could manage to say.
“Do I just have a vivid imagination?” Ky replied, shaking his head in disbelief. “Or was that what I think it was!”
Glancing around to make sure no one was nearby to hear our conversation and in particular, Mr. Hathaway himself, I lowered my voice just in case. “I know it looked suspicious, but there’s a slight chance he was telling the truth.”
Ky was staring at me, clearly dumbfounded at the scene we had just left behind. “Are you blind, Julia? Didn’t you see their reaction! Obviously they were doing more than just checking equipment!”
“We don’t know for sure, Ky! We don’t really have any proof!” His response was causing me to panic, the acknowledgement of what we’d just witnessed too crazy to comprehend.
My gut instinct was complete paranoia at the thought of being involved in anything Sara was a part of. I just wanted to forget the whole incident had even happened.
“Julia, his body language said it all! And besides, why would the two of them be in there with the door shut? It’s totally obvious.”
Unable to argue, I sighed heavily before continuing. “I’ve had my suspicions for a while,” I admitted reluctantly, “But I’ve never been completely sure.”
“What? You already knew about this?” he shook his head, unable to fully understand the situation. “How long has it been going on?”
Nodding my head in resignation, I realized I had to tell him what I’d been keeping secret for so long. “A couple of months ago, Becky and I spotted Sara getting into Mr. Hathaway’s car outside the shopping center. But I swore Becky to secrecy because I was worried about spreading rumors when we weren’t certain of the facts. And then I caught them deep in conversation outside his classroom one afternoon, and it really didn’t look as though they were discussing schoolwork. I haven’t mentioned it to anyone else at all, not even Millie.”
“You’ve got to admit it’s pretty creepy!” The disgust on Ky’s face showed exactly how he felt. “He’s so much older than her. I can’t believe she’d even want to be with him.”
Ky continued on, his contempt for the situation making it easy for me to predict what was coming next.
“I think we should tell someone!”
I stared back at him and shook my head. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea, Ky. I really don’t want to get involved!”
“He’s a teacher, Julia. We can’t let him ge
t away with this. Plus, you’ve seen how skinny Sara is. It’s not normal to look like that. She’s probably got some sort of psychological disorder and he’s taking full advantage of it.”
Standing stock still, I took a moment to consider the repercussions of staying quiet. Perhaps keeping it a secret was the wrong thing to do. And the more I thought about it, the more I wondered whether he may actually be right.
Filled with increasing indecision, I knew it was a problem I could have done without. I certainly had enough to worry about without adding Sara to the mix. In the blink of an eye, my relief at the possibility of reconnecting with Ky had been completely shattered by something so bizarre and unexpected that it seemed almost surreal.
But then I came to my senses. Her confident stare as she’d sauntered past us, and the arrogant smug look she directed my way, had been enough to make my skin crawl. Deep down, I really was afraid of her. And although I hated to admit it, even to myself, the fear was real and there was nothing I could do about it.
So, without another moment’s hesitation, I blurted, “You don’t know her the way I do, Ky. You have no idea what she’s capable of! She’s seriously psycho. I’ve seen what she can do and I refuse to get involved. She’s always hated me and there’s no way I want to provoke her. Trust me. It’s just not worth it.”
Ky stared back dismayed and momentarily speechless at my abrupt response. Although I’d quite adamantly expressed my feelings about the situation, I could see that he was still unsure whether to agree.
Then, as the seconds ticked by, he finally nodded in consent. “Okay, Julia. If you feel that strongly about it, I won’t say anything. Not for now, anyway. And hopefully after being caught out today, Mr. Hathaway will come to his senses. But I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Believe me,” I tried to sound as convincing as possible, “Some things are better left alone and I really think this is one of them.”
Julia Jones - The Teenage Years: Boxed Set - Books 2, 3 and 4 Page 21