Crossings: A Sovereign Guardians Novel

by Susan Collins

  She barely took a breath before she continued.

  "But, sure enough, my mom was right. There you were in a picture frame at my house. All cute as a bug in a rug, just like you still are."

  She leaned back and flashed that same smile that had deceived me into joining her, as I struggled to figure out if any part of what she had said to me needed a reply.

  Finally I managed to stammer, "Uhm, how did you know which one was me? In the picture, I mean."

  "Why, that's easy, silly. You're the only new female face in the picture that hasn't been here every year since preschool. Oh, and that hair color of yours is also a bit of a flashing sign. Really, it's so crazy how few people ever move in or out of this town." For the first time, her smile faltered.

  "Not that I don't love Jasper. I do love this town," she affirmed, "but let's just say I won't be looking in my rearview mirror when I leave for college, if you know what I mean."

  Here was something I could at least understand: the need to leave. The only difference was I had always wanted to leave somewhere else to come here. Faith's desire was apparently the antithesis to my own lifelong dream.

  "So, you don't get many new people here, huh?"

  "Not until recently," she answered quickly. "And, you know, technically you shouldn't count because, like I said, you've really already been here. But, seems like all of the sudden we've been bursting at the seams with outsiders moving here. I'm not complaining. I love it. Especially since the other newbies are really hot and in our grade and even with a boyfriend of my own, I can enjoy some lovely new scenery, if you know what I mean."

  Faith looked down at her hands as if she realized her admission was the type of comment a lady should not make in general conversation and especially to someone she'd just met.

  I didn't know what to say after her last confession, but I didn't have to worry for long because it took only a moment for Faith to recover. She leaned closer to me and added in a hush-hush voice, "Of course the flux of new students has helped me to fulfill my mission this nine weeks."

  I stared at her blankly, which she took for encouragement as she hurried to explain.

  "Everybody knows that for scholarships to college you have to show how you do all these different good things for people, you know, community involvement and all that volunteer stuff. I try, but there's only so much time in the day to be nice, right? So, this nine weeks I got separated from the majority of my friends during lunch session which left me with thirty minutes on my hands every day. When new people started showing up at Jasper High it was like divine intervention, and I heard this voice speaking to me saying, 'Faith, you know what you need to do.' And just like that I knew what I could do to help others here at JHS."

  Her caramel brown eyes were big as she blinked at me, waiting for me to respond. I used all my reserves to feign an interest and ask her to tell me more, even though I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the explanation. My own eyes shifted again to the doors that went outside, and I had to remind myself that I was doing this for Gran, before I caved and ran for freedom.

  "Well," Faith drawled, "I figured if I made it my mission to be friendly and help out all the new students coming to the high school, I could write it down as some type of community service project. Then I could put that on my college applications to try and help me get some scholarship money. Not that my family needs the money for me to be able to go, but I know if there's extra money then I can use it for shopping. Ya know, I actually knew a girl like that once. In fact, she had so much scholarship money thrown at her, she had enough extra to buy a brand-new car."

  Faith had my full attention now.

  "You mean to tell me," I narrowed my eyes at her as I spoke, and I was pleased to see she had the decency to squirm a little as she became the target of my direct gaze. "You mean to tell me," I repeated, "that you're being nice to people, including me, to get money for clothes?"

  Her mouth formed a perfect 'O' before breaking into a grin. "Well, when you put it like that, I do sound clever, don't I!"

  I couldn't help it. I burst out laughing. It had been so long since I'd laughed - really laughed.

  Faith was incorrigible, and I was able to recognize a kindred spirit. For the first time since I'd sat down, I was glad I hadn't gone outside to eat alone.

  "I see you've picked up another stray, Faith." A voice I recognized came from behind me. The laughter died in my throat. I twirled around on my seat to face the intruder.

  It couldn't be him.

  But it was.

  "Hey, Keller!" Faith's greeting was effortless. It was the kind of greeting a person gives a friend. I wanted to believe he wasn't one of her pet projects, but his very presence convinced me otherwise.

  He walked around the table and slid into the seat across from me, grinning at my obvious discomfort. I turned back around, trying vainly not to think about the dimple that peeked out at the corner of his mouth.

  Faith either didn't notice the tension in the air or chose to ignore it.

  "Keller, you probably haven't met our newest classmate."

  He interrupted before she could continue with the introduction.

  "Actually, Faith, I had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of our dear, sweet newbie at an earlier time. You remember I'm working for her grandmother out at the farm, so..."

  He left the statement unfinished, giving her time to put the pieces together without telling her where we had actually met.

  Understanding dawned in Faith's eyes. "Oh, that's right! I'd forgotten about that, Keller. Why you and Pagan are neighbors, too, aren't you? I mean, what with you living at Mr. Mac's place."

  Her answered confirmed what I already knew. There wasn't much in this town that wasn't everybody's business.

  "You can't possibly be in high school, Keller," I pushed the words out through my clenched teeth, "unless you failed a few grades."

  "Nope. We're the same age, sweetheart."

  My brow wrinkled in confusion. "That can't be right. And, don't call me sweetheart."

  "Would you prefer love?"

  "I'd prefer not to hear your voice at all," I shot back.

  "So you'd rather we sit and stare deep into each other's eyes because there's no need for words between us?" His grin flashed wickedly as he began to do exactly what he'd suggested.

  It was not ladylike to growl, but I couldn't help it. If I had been standing, I would have stomped my foot and walked away.

  No, correct that.

  First I would have kicked him, then stomped my foot and walked away.

  Faith was watching us, fascinated, like someone viewing a tennis match, her head moving back and forth as we verbally sparred.

  Keller continued staring, unaffected by my anger. "Calm down, babe. I knew what you meant. I promise we'll work on what I can or can't call you later. Maybe we can have a neighborly chat at some point when we're alone and without quite so many other people around or quite so many clothes on."

  He flashed me another quick grin. My breath caught in my throat despite my anger. I really didn't like him, and the truth was I really didn't want to think about him enough to not like him because if I thought about him, I couldn't help but notice other things about him that weren't so annoying. The intended image his words had created in my mind wasn't helping me think straight either.

  I didn't want to notice how good he looked when he smiled, or for that matter, how good he looked even when he didn't. I didn't want to notice how his dark, wavy hair just touched the collar of his white button-up shirt or how the blue jacket he wore was just a shade darker than his pants.

  My eyes were drawn back to his, and I saw how his lashes were much too long for any guy to possess. Every girl who met him had to be annoyed by that, but those lashes did frame two beautiful, deep brown eyes.

  The sigh that escaped me was part frustration and part annoyance at myself for noticing way too much about Keller Jones.

  But I did notice.

  That annoying grin w
as still on his face and I wasn't sure how it was possible, but I was certain he had an idea of everything I was thinking. Mercifully, instead of continuing the discussion, he gave me the explanation I'd wanted. Keller's voice was more serious this time when he spoke.

  "It makes sense that you thought I was older than you since I live by myself at Mr. Mac's rental house, and of course, your Gran introduced me as working for both farms which would give the impression I work full time. But you see, sweetheart, I'm what the courts call an emancipated minor, which means I was given permission to live on my own at the ripe, old age of seventeen since I was responsible, had a job, and a place to live. No reason to put a burden on the foster care system when it's not needed, or at least that's what the judge said considering I was all alone."

  Keller was no longer smiling, but he didn't look angry either. He was absently twisting the silver ring he wore, but he kept his eyes focused on me.

  His explanation stunned me. I was more than a little curious. I wondered what had happened to his parents and why he was alone with no other relatives to help him, but I didn't ask. After being shuffled around from school to school, I knew what it was like to have people wanting to know everything about your past. The strange and curious looks at the new girl never stopped - everyone wondering why I never had any visitors or why I rarely went home.

  No matter my initial feelings towards Keller, I wouldn't put him through the questions running through my mind, regardless of how curious I was about him and his past. Heat rushed to my cheeks as his gaze stayed focused on me. He chose not to comment on my sudden silence, and I was more than thankful for the small reprieve. I needed a moment to get my thoughts under control.

  So far I was having a stellar day.

  I had been unbearably rude to the only two people who had even considered talking to me at this school. I knew my Gran would be ashamed of me if she'd heard how I had spoken to Keller, and here he was obviously with no family at all, while I at least had Gran. Surely, even though he got under my skin, he deserved a little more courtesy from me than I'd given him so far.

  "I'm sorry," I managed to say at last, and I was glad to hear that to my own ears my voice sounded sincere. "I didn't realize, about your family, I mean. I thought you had just moved away from home and started working instead of going to college."

  His right hand reached out and landed beside mine. Before I knew what he was doing, his thumb was caressing the top of my hands which were clasped together on the top of the table.

  "Don't sweat it, babe. I don't."

  I resisted the urge to scream. My resolve to be nice to him was slipping, and it had been less than a minute since I'd silently promised myself I would do better.

  This was not good.

  I sat up straighter and moved my hands to my lap, forcing Keller to lean back to his side of the table.

  "What?" he shrugged his shoulders. "Is it that babe really doesn't work for you? You're a hard nut to crack, Pagan. Most girls would love to hear words of endearment from me."

  I wasn't sure if he was joking or not but from the adoring look plastered on Faith's face, I knew he probably wasn't.

  "Aren't you eating anything?" I nodded toward the empty space in front of him and the obvious lack of food, desperately trying to steer the subject away from me.

  "Sugar, when I'm around you I can barely think, much less eat. Looking at you is all the sweet treat I need."

  My sudden burst of laughter surprised all three of us.

  Keller’s last remark was so ridiculous that it was funny, and he knew it.

  "Finally," he grinned back, "she smiles for me."

  Faith beamed at the two of us.

  "Isn't this going to be fun? I'm so glad I got separated from all my other friends at lunch. If that hadn't happened I know I'd never have met y'all, and I just know next fall starting senior year is going to be crazy interesting with you two around."

  Faith sat back on her seat still smiling and then looked around the cafeteria, obviously searching for someone.

  "He's running late," Keller said to Faith, and she nodded her head. "He had to run some kind of errand for Mr. Warren before he could come to lunch. I heard the teacher ask him to deliver some stuff to the science lab."

  "Who's running late?" I asked, curious.

  "Faith's other project," Keller explained. Then with that lopsided grin I was beginning to both love and hate, he added, "Honey, you don’t think we’re the only two strays she's picked up this year, do you?"

  I realized Faith had said there had been several new people to move to Jasper, so it made sense Keller and I weren't the only newbies at the school. I wondered if the other transfer student would be anything like Keller, or if he'd be someone I might actually be able to like.

  Keller had stopped talking and was twirling his ring again. The first time I'd seen him, he was wearing the same piece of jewelry. None of the boys I'd known ever wore jewelry except for their class rings, and that was mainly reserved for the seniors.

  His ring didn't look like any class ring I'd ever seen, although I hadn't gotten a very good look at it during the funeral. This time I could clearly see there was a design on the silver band, a series of knots engraved into the silver. I wondered if the pattern meant anything special. It reminded me of something I'd seen before, but I couldn't place where. It was probably some common symbol, or maybe something I'd seen on the internet or tattooed on someone, like one of those arm bands so many people were getting done.

  If Keller and I were friends, I would just ask him about it. But as things were between the two of us, I planned to tolerate him only because I now felt a little sorry for him, and I didn't want to upset Faith or Gran. Anything between us beyond simple civility would be out of the question. He simply rubbed me the wrong way. I'd had enough turmoil in my life. I certainly didn't need to invite more into it. Asking personal questions, even casual ones at this point, would look like I was interested in him.

  Which I wasn't.

  I definitely wasn't.

  Misunderstanding my frown, Keller said, "Don't worry, honey. You'll get to meet our new addition to the lunch table in five, four, three, two...one."

  At that exact moment Faith's voice greeted our newest arrival.

  "Hey, Granger. It’s about time you showed up. You don't have much time left to eat."

  Faith nodded at his lunch tray which he sat on the table before slipping into the seat to the right of Keller.

  "I'll help you with your tray if you let me have some of those grapes. You know I'm addicted to anything sweet and juicy." The grin Faith gave him was pure wicked, and as I looked at our newest arrival, I knew she wasn't just talking about the food on his tray.

  What was it with this school and the flux of amazing looking students?

  For all that Keller bothered me, he was gorgeous in that dark, dangerous, brooding kind of way that no boy should get to be, and then there was perfectly coifed and manicured Faith sitting not two feet from me, and our newest arrival looked like someone who had stepped from the pages of GQ.

  Brown hair, although not as dark as Keller's, framed a perfectly chiseled face with green eyes surrounded by dark lashes. Where Keller's grin was nothing short of a smirk, Granger's smile was open and friendly.

  "Granger Panera," he said by way of introduction.

  "Panera? I asked. “Like the bread?"

  "Like every delicious bite," he grinned easily before closing his perfect mouth around the grapes in his hand.

  For a moment I forgot to breath. Trouble breathing seemed to be a new condition I was developing since moving to Jasper. I wondered if maybe I was starting to have allergies or asthma or something because between that and my heart jumping out of my chest lately, I really wasn't feeling quite my normal self.

  Granger winked at me, right as Faith spoke up. Remembering her job as lunchroom hostess, she finished the introductions.

  "Granger, this is Pagan Saunders. She's Ms. Ellie's granddaughter. Pagan
's the one everybody around here has been buzzing about. No offense, Pagan."

  "She's also Faith's newest stray," Keller finished for her. "Just in case you hadn't figured that one out yet. This little girl here is now an official part of our newbie club. She's probably the clincher to Faith's scholarship hopes since she's taken in both genders now to her unofficial 'help someone committee' - a committee which she will skillfully write up on her applications as a real deal organization while convincing some first-year teacher hoping to hang on to a job to sign on as her club sponsor."

  "Faith and Pagan," Granger said our names out loud, and I liked the way mine sounded coming from his lips. "There's two words you don't usually think of in the same breath. I'm not sure you two are allowed to be friends. Doesn't the word pagan mean something like without faith?"

  "Well then, Pagan definitely needs to team up with our resident JHS greeter," Keller responded. "No one should have to go through life without any faith. Isn't that right, angel face?"

  I wadded up my napkin and aimed straight for his smirk.

  "What?" Keller asked innocently, easily catching the ball of paper that couldn't have really done the damage I'd wished for.

  My voice was a controlled hiss when I spoke.

  "My name is Pagan. Not hon, love, babe, little girl, doll face or any other ridiculous term you can come up with to call me!"

  "Oooh, doll face. That's hot!" Keller's voice had that seductive quality he seemed to wield perfectly like a knight brandishing his sword. "You know, I actually said angel face earlier, but I think doll face probably suits you better, what with the way you're sitting all ramrod straight right now. You're just like one of those perfect, plastic dolls. So unbendable. Cute figure and all. Only you couldn't be Barbie with that flaming red hair. Barbie would be Faith's job. You'd be that friend of hers. What was her name? The red-headed one?"