Walking in the Shadows

by Giovanni, Cassandra

  “Don’t faint, Vera,” Jaz ordered as she squeezed my shoulder before letting me go. “See you in the AM?”

  “Yeah…thanks,” I replied as I rushed towards the only person that I knew could do anything.

  “Vera—are you okay?” Tad asked, shutting the door behind me as I rushed into his classroom with my hands in the air.

  “She’s insane—on crack, I swear. Vampire teacher wants to do a section on the murders!” I spat, my body beginning to shake. “I can’t bear it Tad, to listen to people judge what happened to my parents—to put me under the microscope. I can’t—it’s wrong!”

  “There is no way in hell!” Tad exclaimed as his fist hit his desk and sent pencils and pens skittering across the room.

  “Please, I don’t know who else to talk to, and I know there is no way they will let me drop that class. It’s bad enough I have to hear about it from kids around me everyday—to have it analyzed…the things they might say…” I broke off, my voice cracking in anxiety.

  “No one is saying anything—Jennings needs to be put in her place about this vampire shit,” Tad reassured me as he rushed out the door.

  I watched him walk to the superintendent’s office with kids rushing out of the way when they saw the look on his face. They knew he was a man on a mission, and he was not someone anyone wanted to trifle with. I walked to the water fountain near the office and pretended to take a drink. There was no reason to be pretending to not listen because Tad was yelling more than talking.

  “You cannot allow her to make that a part of her curriculum. She shouldn’t even be talking about it with the students. She’s upsetting them and you never know who’s been directly affected by this. It’s wrong that she can walk around here and say whatever she feels like,” Tad blew up without further explanation.

  “Calm down Knightley,” the superintendant began in obvious shock. “There’s no reason to be so upset. I agree with you and can guarantee you this will be addressed to the fullest extent. I appreciate your concern for the students. Besides, with what the news is saying we don’t want anyone to get further upset—you haven’t heard the news? They’re saying that they fear the killer may strike again soon.”

  My stomach dropped at his words. I probably should have filled Tad in on that minor detail, but to hear it again, much less let it pass from my own lips was unbearable. I had to lean in closer to hear Tad’s faint reaction.

  “What?” Tad mumbled in response, and I could feel the fear releasing from him unchecked.

  “It’s unfortunate but true.”

  I coughed as Tad came out of the door with his face red and his hand tangled in his hair.

  “Why didn’t you tell me that part?” he asked in a harsh whisper.

  “I was trying to ignore it,” I replied.

  He closed his eyes. “Then I should try to?”

  “I guess.”

  “I’m not as good at that as you,” he retorted, and I knew I blushed. “I didn’t mean it like that…oh…yes, read chapter three to seven for tomorrow and be ready for an open discussion.”

  The superintendent walked out and smiled at us. “Knightley, there will be a meeting today at 3:00, please spread the word.”

  The bell rang, and I was amazed at how much could happen in ten minutes. I took a deep breath.

  “Thanks for the refresher on the homework,” I said.

  Our eyes searched one another for some solid ground, but there wasn’t any. The bell rang once more, forcing our eyes to tear from one another as we walked in opposite directions.

  Chapter 30

  The turmoil I had felt about Miss Jennings’ words had kept my head spinning all night. Whether or not she knew it, the woman seemed to have it out for me. First, she was constantly nagging Tad about how he shouldn’t love me. She was right, and maybe that was why it bugged me so much, but what she was doing now was different. She was digging into me again without knowing it with her obsessive vampire talk. There were a lot of people out there that were “reignites”, but her concentration on the murderer was just asinine. I didn’t care when I saw her face contorted in a permanent grimace the next day; it served her right. I couldn’t relish my win over her for very long; as I had slipped and told Jaz that I was required to go to the winter formal next week.

  “No way! You have to go to the winter formal? I love that guidance counselor!” Jaz cried out as she clapped with happiness. “But you know what sucks? I already got my dress, so we can’t go shopping together.”

  “My boss bought me a dress for the winter formal for Christmas—she thought it would be a good idea I went too.” I looked over my shoulder at Miss Jennings. “What crawled up Jennings butt and died?”

  Jaz looked over her shoulder at her. “Apparently all the teachers had a meeting yesterday and were told they can’t even mention the word murder on campus. With what she was telling us about how she wanted to teach about it, it must have rubbed her wrong. I bet she was the whole reason for the meeting…nuts the stuff she said to us—did you say anything to anyone about it?” Jaz asked with a shrug.

  “Why would you think that?” I replied, hugging my book tighter to my chest. She wasn’t telling me anything that I didn’t know, but I needed to act the part of an innocent bystander.

  “Well, someone had to have told on her?”

  “Maybe she’s been harassing other students about it too? I mean there are other people who talk about it, right?” I suggested, picking at the plastic book cover.

  “Yeah, with the way it’s been plastered all over the news lately everyone’s talking about it. I know I said there’s nothing to worry about, but it’s starting to scare me…I mean…” she drifted off as she swallowed. “There’s only one pattern—the release of the movies. It’s hard to be excited for Crimson Reign and Mac when everyone’s talking about real life vampires.”

  “You’re telling me,” I mumbled, sucking in a deep breath.

  “Huh? I thought you didn’t like Crimson Reign.”

  “Oh, yeah. No interest,” I recovered, trying to look distracted.

  She narrowed her eyes at me. “Are you a closet Crimson Reign lover?”

  “It’s the murders that get to me,” I replied with a huff.

  She squeezed my shoulder. “They get to all of us…imagine being that poor Abigail girl, she’s our age you know…no parents and now people are accusing her of being involved. Even though the news channel had to apologize—just the feeling that everyone’s saying all kinds of crap…you know?”

  I pulled myself away from her.

  “You have no idea,” I whispered to myself.

  Chapter 31

  “You okay?” Tad asked, coming around the corner of the bookshelf that I had hid myself behind.

  I looked up from the book I had been staring at. “Sure.”

  He leaned against the bookshelf frame. “Could have fooled me.”

  “Nice glasses,” I observed, and I was glad to have a distraction from my own thoughts.

  “One of my contacts broke in the middle of a class. You should have heard the gasps when I put these suckers on. I didn’t think they were that bad, but I guess so,” Tad sighed his cheeks turning pink; “I can’t see two feet in front of me without them though.”

  I stood up and put the book back. “You know, I don’t think it was that they looked bad.”

  “You like them?” he asked with raised eyebrows.

  “Mhmm...school girls gasp in unison having thought there was no way Knightley could look any better, but alas you have proven them wrong with those glasses,” I said, pointing at him.

  The blush deepened. “You think that’s what it was?”

  “I know that’s what it was.”

  “Thanks, but I know you’re upset…hiding behind books is your shelter,” Tad commented, looking over his glasses at me.

  “Your glasses fixed the situation,” I replied with an all too fake laugh. They had partially distracted me, but I could still feel the sickness at
the edge of my stomach.

  “How?”

  “Just imagining what Jaz is going to come up with.”

  “Ughh…she has a boyfriend, why does she obsess over me?”

  “Brad? He’s not twenty-two years old, muscular, with an air of mystery and oh—a teacher!” I explained, rolling my eyes.

  “Fine…but why are you upset?”

  “There’s no way to fool you is there? Or change the subject?” I observed as I placed my hand half-heartedly on a book that I had no interest in.

  “Nope, sorry.”

  “Jennings looked like she was going to eat me alive today,” I replied, and my stomach rolled as acid built because of the name.

  “Yeah, she got her ass handed to her. But so what, she deserved it,” he answered crossing his arms. “Could it have to do with what’s bugging me, too?”

  I sighed. “What’s bugging you, Mr. Knightley?”

  He rolled his eyes. “I hate that,” he began and when I shrugged in response he continued. “The fact that everyone is saying the murderer is going to strike again.”

  “Yeah, the talk is getting to me,” I acknowledged.

  “Have you looked into it? There’s no reason that certain people were murdered…there’s no real pattern. Any of us could be next, there’s no specific target,” Tad explained, but I already knew. I didn’t want to be mad at him for stating the obvious, but I still felt the anger start to crawl under my skin.

  “Teachers aren’t supposed to talk about this with students,” I snapped, picking up my back pack.

  “This is different Vera; you’re not just a student.”

  “For once, I wish I was,” I responded as I walked away from him.

  He grabbed my arm. “Vera, I’m just trying to figure out how to protect you.”

  “I’m sure my dad would have tried to protect my mom, but now they’re both dead,” I shot back as I shook my arm free.

  “Vera, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

  “How? You can’t save me from this, Tad. Just leave it be, “I demanded, leaving him standing puzzled in between the books. The second I couldn’t feel his eyes on my back I let my shoulders fold with fresh, angry tears. I felt cornered and lost. I missed my parents, and the one person who I needed to save me couldn’t. I wouldn’t let him.

  Chapter 32

  I had every intention of continuing to be livid with Tad for no apparent reason for the whole dance. I knew it was stupid to be mad at him for wanting to protect me, but I didn’t want him to end up dead too. It didn’t help that I was also irritated that I had to go to this dance. I took a deep breath before I entered the ballroom of the hotel and steeled myself to keep up the farce of anger. It didn’t matter though; as soon as my eyes found Tad, the anger and apprehension were replaced with light, fluttering butterflies. Damn him and his good looks and easy smile. Before I could rein in my reaction Jaz was jumping up and down in front of me in excitement.

  “Seriously! O-M-G you look amazing in that color blue!” Jaz gushed as she looked at the full length, curve revealing dress. “It’s like Mr. Knightley’s eyes. Mhmm…he looks smashing in that suit and tie.”

  “Thanks,” I replied as I glanced around the room, trying not to look at Tad because I was afraid I might melt if his eyes met mine. Instead my eyes landed on the one person I hadn’t wanted to see ever again. The anger returned, and I felt as though I might just boil over.

  “So glad you’re here!” Jaz said, breathless with enthusiasm. Then she noticed where my eyes had landed. “Awesome band, huh? They come all the way from the vampire murder capitol.”

  “Seriously?” I muttered, and added the silent, why me?

  “Oh, yeah, and that lead singer is so hot. Not as hot as Knightley, but who could beat that?” Jaz observed, and continued to drag me into the crowd of moving bodies on the dance floor. “Oh! Oh, he is so eyeing you!”

  I swallowed, brushing the curl that had fallen from the bun at the nape of my neck out of my eye. I knew the reason he was staring. It was because I was his ex-girlfriend, the one commonly known as the girl who got away. I hated the feeling of his eyes on me; it made me feel unclean.

  “Like you said, he isn’t Knightley,” I answered as I looked away.

  “Knightley is also off limits!” Jaz exclaimed.

  “Yeah,” I said, glad to be distracted by her horrid dancing.

  “Dance! This is a dance after all,” Jaz ordered as she grabbed at my crossed arms.

  I knew that Jaz was trying to make me enjoy myself, but I couldn’t help but feel miserable with Brian’s eyes on me and my eyes lingering to the off limits teacher. I bit the inside of my lip before letting the music sink in. I ignored the voice and let my body flow with the beat.

  “Vera, you can move!” Jaz yelped in surprise.

  “Thanks,” I said, knowing I couldn’t say the same for her as she jerked this way and that.

  “Brad’s attached to the wall like a fly.” She complained, her eyes narrowed at him as he stood behind me.

  At least he was only a wall flower. Tad was serving punch to his students, which included me. I could feel that sickening feeling in my stomach where I wanted to run from the room and disappear forever. I knew if I did run that I couldn’t resist the need to drag Tad along.

  “Zebra print—you have such good style and you dance and you’re pretty. I’d be worried if you wanted my man,” Jaz remarked with a hint of jealousy as she watched me reach into my purse for my vibrating cell phone.

  “You don’t give yourself enough credit,” I replied, distracted by the elation filling my body.

  “So, who’s texting you?”

  I slid it open to find a text from Tad.

  Thirsty?

  “You look wicked happy!” Jaz probed.

  I looked over my shoulder and nodded for Brad to come and save me. He walked forward in reluctance.

  “I think you should dance with your girlfriend,” I suggested, taking his hands and putting them on her hips.

  Jaz fluttered her long black eyelashes, and he couldn’t resist. “I suppose I could.”

  Tad didn’t notice who I was until his hand touched mine. He looked up and burst into an undeniable smile. “Vera.”

  “Mr. Knightley.”

  He glanced around him to ensure that no one was close enough to hear.

  “You look stunning,” he whispered, “like an angel.”

  “Oh, that is such a bad line,” I choked on my punch and watched as he straightened his tie. “You look like a knight.”

  “Please! That was such a bad play on words that if I had a garbage can, I would puke in it,” Tad replied, gagging.

  I leaned down and picked up the over flowing one at my feet. “Here you go, Sir!”

  “Do you like the,” he began as a fellow teacher walked by, finishing, “book I assigned?” The teacher smiled at him and continued on their way. “band?”

  “Not really.”

  The song that was being played ended and the lead singer spoke.

  “So let’s slow this down a bit,” he began, and I couldn’t help but look over my shoulder. I found his eyes locked on mine as he continued, “This is a song I dedicated to the girl that disappeared and broke my heart.” The crowd awed. “She is still as beautiful as ever though.”

  I swung my head back around, and I could feel the venom building in my veins. I knew it showed as my eyes met Tad’s and he frowned.

  “You look like you want to punch that guy in the face,” Tad noticed, and his tone was laced with worry.

  “That’s because I want to,” I replied through gritted teeth.

  “They’re from your town, aren’t they? Is he…talking about you?” Tad asked, scratching his five o’clock shadow as if the thought irritated him.

  “Technically I didn’t disappear. He knew I was leaving, and we broke up far before I left. He was always good at over exaggerating things to piss me off. He was mean to me, and he ended up with my best friend,” I explaine
d as I tried to keep my voice hushed.

  “Mean to you?” Tad repeated, his eyes staring at the punch bowl.

  “He always acted like I was stupid and he was pushy. I hated it and hate him for it more now,” I said, shaking my head.

  “Why?”

  “Look at me please,” I demanded, and he looked up so I would answer. “I found someone who treats me as their equal and makes me want to be better for myself and for him.”

  “You amaze me,” Tad whispered.

  “Knightley, your shift is up,” the teacher I recognized from the science department said. The school was big enough that I barely knew half of the faculty, but I was able to recognize them.

  “I liked your insight onto that book you assigned. I was struggling with that concept. Thank you, Mr. Knightley,” I covered with the most fake smile I had ever mustered.

  “I can head home, then?” Tad asked over my shoulder.

  “Lucky man, yes you can,” the teacher replied.

  As I turned I all but rammed into Brian, whose band was taking a break. “Ab—“he began.

  “It’s Vera.”

  “Vera, this is where you went to,” Brian observed, using his hands to signal at me.

  I had to bite my tongue to prevent myself from spitting in his face, but I knew everyone was watching—at least all the single girls were.

  “Typically, when your whole family is murdered you move away—especially when the murderer might want you. So if you give a shit, which I highly doubt you do, I would keep your god damned big pop singing mouth shut,” I snapped, poking my finger into his chest.

  He stepped back throwing his hands up. “That’s not the response I expected when I just serenaded you.”

  “In case you didn’t notice, I wasn’t listening!” I growled. “Your little dedication could raise suspicion—I know you hate me, but really? Get me killed?”

  “I didn’t mean it like that,” Brian stuttered as his face paled.

  “No, you wanted me to feel like crap because you always enjoyed doing that. Guess what...I don’t need your shit!”