by Tarisa Marie
Mr. Tanner takes this as his cue to start the class. He gives us each a worn out textbook and tells everyone to open to page 302. When I do, I’m greeted by an array of algebra questions. Thankfully this at least matches to what I’ve learnt over the years in Denver. As I listen to Mr. Tanner go over the lesson I realize that this will be simple. I have two years of algebra on these kids. I take a sigh of relief. I don’t know what I was expecting Canadian math to be like but this wasn’t it.
“What is this bullshit?” D whispers in my ear. “Do you speak this language?”
I look over at his notebook where there are scribbles everywhere.
“What are you doing?” I ask confused.
“Trying to solve one of these equations.”
“Have you never done simple algebra before?” I ask humorously.
“No. Do you think I have time for this crap? What is this even used for? Measuring the mass of the sun? Who needs to know this? I’ve been alive for three centuries and I’ve never once needed this,” he grumbles while crossing out his attempted solutions.
“Can’t you do some witchy trick to answer the question?” I demand while trying to finish my own homework.
“There’s not a spell for solving this blasphemy.”
“Then you’re fucked.” I chuckle quietly.
He groans exaggeratingly.
The teacher notices and looks up from his desk. There are a few laughs around the room.
“Are we having trouble with the lesson, Mr. Thompson?” Mr. Tanner asks.
It takes me a moment to recall D’s pretend last name.
“Trouble? Yeah, if that’s what you want to call it,” D answers.
“Maybe Ariella can help you,” Mr. Tanner suggests. The man is a thin thing with seventies glasses and a creepy porn stash. He has a terrible comb over and every time I look at this I have to hold back my laughter.
“She is no help,” D replies hopelessly and I wonder if I should feel offended.
“Well then, bring your work up here and let me have a look at it. Surely you did algebra back home.”
D reluctantly gets up and goes to sit next to the teacher. Finally something that I’m better at than he is.
The teacher glances down at his work and begins erasing everything. Ouch. I see D’s eyes widen in shock as all of his attempted work is demolished.
“Let’s start over,” I hear Mr. Tanner say in a hushed tone.
I complete my work just before the bell rings signifying the end of class and turn it in. It looks like I’m the only one who’s completed it in time. Although I have two years of math class over these students, I still feel pretty proud of myself.
Mr. Tanner keeps D for a few more seconds as they finish a problem together and then he reaches into his desk drawer and pulls out a piece of paper, handing it to D.
“This is a tutor form. There are a few students who tutor others in their spare time. Maybe even Ariella would be willing to tutor you. You seem like a smart boy, I’m sure it won’t take you long to catch up.”
D groans and takes the paper from the teacher. Then he meets me outside of the classroom.
“This is going to be more of a commitment than I was hoping,” he realizes while flashing the form in front of me.
“I’ll tutor you,” I volunteer and take the paper from him, filling in the form with my information.
“This is so dumb,” he grumbles.
“You’re just pissed off that I’m better than you at something.”
“I’m pissed off because it looks like all of those children understand this nonsense better than I do,” he rebuttals.
“Self-confidence knocked down a level?” I joke.
He scowls at me and grabs the class schedule from my hand. “We have science next,” he changes the subject.
By the time lunch rolls around, I’m starving. Finding a table, now that, is a challenge. I end up sitting next to Blake who is sitting alone in the corner. I can tell people pick on him, what I can’t tell is why. He seems perfectly normal to me.
D eventually makes his way out of the gym changing room and comes to sit by Blake and me.
“What are we doing sitting over here in the corner?” D asks confused.
I shrug.
“Let’s go sit with those guys,” he suggests.
“Or not.” Blake frowns. “They hate me.”
“Why?” I demand.
“I used to be good friends with them but then I stuck up for this kid that was getting bullied last year and they didn’t like it. They kicked my ass, I ended up in the hospital for a week. Then Talia dumped Eric and started hanging out with me which only made them angrier,” he explains. “Eric is that big guy. He’s only in grade 10 but he’s still one of the cool kids if you’d call him that.”
“What happened to the kid that you stood up for? He doesn’t want to hang out with you?” I ask in confusion.
“He’s dead. He committed suicide while I was in the hospital,” Blake answers, his voice cracking at the words.
I gape.
D is silent.
“This town, isn’t like most towns around here. Sure they all have their cliques and what not but this town is completely separated in halves. There are the ‘normal’ kids and the ‘weird’ ones. I suggest you stay far away from me if you want to skip the hazing and the bullying,” Blake recommends while filling his mouth with a bite of his sandwich.
As much as I don’t want to be bullied, I also don’t want to hang out with a group of people that makes other kids commit suicide.
“Hey, Daymon! Come sit over here with us. You don’t have to sit by the trash!” The guy, who I presume is Eric, shouts. “You too, Ariella!” A pretty blonde girl that I remember from the party calls out. I recall Eric being the one to make the comment about me being too small to eat or something in math. I suddenly hate the guy although I haven’t even really talked to him.
“Let’s go,” D says to the both of us.
Blake’s eyes widen and he shakes his head in protest. “Not me, thanks.”
“Yes, you, you chicken shit. You’re just going to let them push you around?” D whispers aggressively.
Blake looks unsure.
“Get up, Blake seriously,” D says as if he’s about to lose his temper. Then the three of us are heading towards the group of tables pushed together in a big line. When we reach the table, which is surrounded by probably twenty students, glares are thrown towards Blake. Even I cringe. D grabs his shoulder so he can’t run away. Blake looks like he’s about to barf.
“I assume there’s a spot for this guy as well,” D says finally and shakes Blake’s shoulder playfully.
Everyone is silent for a minute. The girl that invited me to sit with them pats ecstatically at the empty chair next to her. I take the seat without letting my eyes leave Blake and D.
From behind the two of them, I see that all of the younger elementary and middle school kids that are sitting at tables and on the floor around the cafeteria are staring expectantly at those of us at the large table. I even see Natalie sitting alone on the stairs. She smiles at me when we make eye contact and I smile back and wave. She looks thrilled to be acknowledged by me.
“I don’t think so, that kid is kind of, well not kind of, he is a fucktard. I wouldn’t even touch him, his fucktardness might rub off on you,” Eric sneers, scowling at Blake.
“Oh, good one,” D says back with a chuckle and heavy sarcasm. A few hushed chuckles fill the room. “Take a seat, kid,” D instructs Blake and pulls out an empty chair for him. Blake takes the seat against his will and D sits next to him. They’re about eight chairs down from where I am.
“Did you not hear me, Thompson? That kid doesn’t sit with us. Are the two of us going to have a problem? I was starting to think I might actually like you,” Eric scoffs at D.
D keeps his cool and manages a short laugh. “I don’t have a problem with you, but I do have a problem with the way you treat people.”
“Is that so? Wou
ld you like to take this outside?” Eric asks louder.
D shrugs. “Sure, if that’s what you want.” He seems absolutely unperturbed by the entire matter.
Blake’s eyes widen in disbelief and I see him lean over and whisper something to D. I’m sure he’s trying to convince D not to do it.
“Yeah, I think it is actually,” Eric snorts while standing up. He is easily twice the size of D. Although I know D can hold his own, I still can’t help but shudder. “Pick your partner, good luck finding one though. Daniel, you’re with me.” He nods to another big burly guy.
“I don’t need a partner,” D remarks with a cocky smile and I see Blake begin to hyperventilate.
“I’ll help you,” Blake suggests weakly, obviously only volunteering to do it because D is standing up for him.
D shakes his head. “No, no, I got this. I don’t need a little side kick like this pansy.” Then he stands up. “Come on boys, let’s do this outside.”
The whole table gets up and follows the boys out into the parking lot. I follow as well.
“He’s so going to get his ass beat, poor guy,” the girl that invited me to the table says to one of the girls who was sitting across from me.
“Want to place bets?” I joke.
“Do you really think that Daymon has a chance, Ariella?” the girl who I now remember to be Stephanie from the party asks. Her friends laughs far too loudly.
“Is that a ‘yes’ on the bet?” I ask.
She nods while biting one of her nails.
“Ten thousand bucks on Eric and Daniel,” she says while fixing her skirt.
“I’m betting on them too. With fifteen grand though. I’m Whitney by the way,” the second girl says.
“Okay.” I smirk.
A circle of people surrounds the three boys and even the little kids are here to watch. I wonder if we should usher them back into the building so they don’t see this but I’m too engrossed in the sight in front of me. Somehow Whitney, Stephanie and I manage to be upfront and personal with the action.
Blake finds me and gives me an apologetic look. I just smile at him, I can’t help it. He looks so worried that he is about to implode.
Eric lips D off and then D says something sarcastic and apparently hilarious although I don’t hear it myself I only know because everyone starts laughing even Stephanie and Whitney.
“It’s a shame that his pretty face is going to get messed up, he is one beautiful soul,” Whitney says sadly.
“Is he ever,” Stephanie agrees.
I feel like saying ‘stay the hell away from my man’ but he isn’t exactly my man at all.
Eric removes his hoodie and Daniel takes his entire shirt off. D just stands there in his usual leather jacket and jeans.
“Are you two girls almost ready?” D antagonizes.
Eric’s face goes bright red. “Just giving you time to say your last words.”
D snorts. Then Eric is pouncing on him. D is quick to react and somehow manages to flip Eric onto his back. The crowd gasps. Daniel then runs at D but D is quicker again and steps out of the way. By this time, Eric is back on his feet and sneering mad. He grabs D’s shirt and pulls him forward. D laughs.
“This isn’t going to be good, I can’t look,” Stephanie squeals.
D manages to escape Eric’s grip and swing around to knock down Daniel at once. Then somehow Eric is also on the ground. The crowd begins clapping as if we’re at a circus.
D lands a good punch against Daniel’s eye once he gets up and then another on his cheek bone, then he trips him another time and this time it doesn’t look like Daniel is going to get up any time soon. Eric lunges towards me and I jump backwards only too late to realize that he is actually lunging towards Blake.
I react quickly, jumping onto Eric’s back and wrapping my left arm around his neck and squeezing. The crowd gasps at my involvement. Eric tries to pry my arm from his neck but can’t. He falls to his knees. D grabs Blake from Eric and throws him into the crowd.
“You’re getting beat up by a girl, Eric, how does it feel?” D jokes with his famous smirk plastered upon his face and then turns to face Daniel who is crawling towards the rest of us. D kicks him right in the shoulder and he falls back to the pavement. I let go of Eric, letting him breathe. He gets up and grabs my arms tightly, I know I’ll have bruises. I gasp in shock and send my foot hurdling into his crotch. He winces and then D lands three punches into his nose, knocking him to the pavement. I kick him in the nuts a second time, this time for him laying his hands on me.
D nods and smiles approvingly at me and then bows for the crowd of shocked students.
Stephanie and Whitney are whistling and screaming.
“I so want a piece of that!” Whitney says to Stephanie who agrees with hasty nods.
“You two owe me a lot of money,” I enthuse while approaching them.
“Oh my god, Ariella, that was so awesome, seriously, you kicked Eric’s ass! You! Little, tiny you! That was so awesome! Are you secretly a ninja or something?” Stephanie chimes.
“That was pretty cool.” Whitney nods.
Then Blake is wrapping me in a hug. “Shit, Ariella don’t ever do that again! I thought he was going to end you with a single punch. Holy shit. Thank god you’re okay.” He releases me.
“I guess no one is going to stop you from sitting with us,” Stephanie giggles while eyeing Blake. This doesn’t seem to bother her. Why has no one stood up for him before?
Blake ignores her and runs his fingers through his hair, breathing heavily.
I glance over at D who is high-fiving a group of guys a few feet away.
Then I feel little arms tighten around my waist and I turn to see Natalie gripping me.
“Hi, Natalie,” I greet her, surprised.
“Ariella, that was so cool how you guys stuck up for Blake!” she chokes out and I realize she’s crying.
“What’s wrong?” I wonder.
“No one ever does that around here. No one ever stands up to ass hats like that. Sorry about my language.”
“Well, they should.” I laugh.
The bell rings signifying that lunch is half over and some of the kids begin going back inside including Natalie.
D finally makes his way over to me and wraps an arms around my waist while smiling. “We sure showed them.”
“Thanks, guys. That was pretty cool. I’m there for you any day of the week.” Blake thanks D and me.
“Don’t thank us. Those kids don’t deserve to breathe,” D mumbles and glances at the bloody spot on the cement.
Then over the intercom I hear D being called into the office. He rolls his eyes and jogs into the school.
That night after my first day of school, my father calls to check up on me. I tell him that it went ‘fine’ and purposefully leave out the detail about D and I getting into a fight. I’m just glad that I didn’t get called to the office like D did though apparently he isn’t in much trouble anyway. He got off with a warning and I’m not sure whether that’s because he’s new or because even the teachers are aware of Eric’s bad attitude.
I open the lid to my brand new laptop and bring up my favorite search engine. I type in nothing but the word ‘vampire’. After pressing enter, I’m unsurprised to be looking at a bunch of links pointing to movies, books, and other pop culture things. After sorting through it for a while, I figure that none of it is going to help me. I then type in ‘witches’. Again, nothing helpful. I’m not sure what I was hoping to find.
I close my laptop while trying to come up with another idea for my research. I doubt that the library, if this town even has one, will have anything helpful. My only real chance of learning more about all of this is to ask D, my dad, or Jacob. Only I’m sick of bothering them with my millions of questions.
I’m interrupted by a knock on my door.
“Come in,” I call.
The door swings open and in walks D.
“What do you want?” I ask with mock annoyance.
“Gee, I was going to ask if you wanted to go out for supper with me but fine,” he replies with mock defense, raising his hands up in the air and backing out of the room.
“I’m kidding.” I laugh and roll off of my bed. I set my laptop on my dresser. “I’m starving.”
“Yeah me too.” He nods in agreement and begins descending the stairs.
I follow him outside and into his already running car.
“Pizza or Chinese? That’s about our only options,” he asks seriously. “This place doesn’t have much.”
“Pizza.” I shrug.
When we arrive at the restaurant, I’m not shocked to see that it’s nearly empty. After we order we’re left sitting in awkward silence while we both pretend we’re fascinated by the walls and ceiling.
It’s D who breaks the silence. “That was a pretty nice headlock today,” he smirks. I swear every time he smirks like that my insides turn to mush.
“Thanks.”
“I thought about killing him after he grabbed you like that. That guy is really something.”
“Yeah. No kidding.” I nod.
D straightens his shirt and rubs a hand across his shoulder as if it’s some nervous tick.
“God, I’m starving,” he murmurs.
“Yeah me too. I never got to eat my lunch. That was really nice of you to stand up for Blake by the way. I guess I haven’t got to thank you yet.”
“Nothing to thank me for. Anyone who gets your respect, gets mine,” he says while making eye contact. Every time he does that I have to look away. It’s not like I’m self-conscious. At least, I’m normally not. It’s only when he’s around that I act this way. “Don’t do that,” he whines.
“Do what?” I demand confused.
“Look away from me when I look at you. Am I that revolting to you?” he asks sadly. I’m completely shocked. I muster up enough courage to look back up at him. I feel my face flush as I decide my next words. “Just the opposite actually.”
His eyebrows merge as if he can’t comprehend what I’ve said.
We are interrupted by our pepperoni pizza arriving. I thank the waitress and dig in. D follows my lead and grabs a slice for himself.
“Maybe we should have gotten two,” he jokes with his mouth full.