by KD Knight
"What exactly are you planning?"
His wicked grin was the only answer he gave. I looked back at Jane to find that she was looking at me. When our eyes met, she quickly turned away. For a brief moment, I felt like I owed her some sort of warning. When she approached me yesterday, it was clear she didn't know anything about being an Eshkar. If that's the case, she has no idea what level of destruction, in the form of a sixteen-year-old boy, was headed her way. Then I remembered my mother and wondered if keeping Jane ignorant and allowing her to think that Marcus's pursuits stemmed from simple infatuation might be a better option. There's a reason why they say ignorance is bliss.
"Alright, students, please bring your independent conversations to an end. Class will now begin." Coy entered and called the class to attention.
All eyes turned to the front of the room. All but mine. My eyes were fixed on Jane's face. I have to protect this girl; she has no idea what trouble’s heading her way.
"Boothe," Marcus looked at me from the corner of his eye. "I offered you a piece of the action. You've made your decision. Don't interfere."
~Jane~
Chapter Six: Late
In a field of tall grass, I stood face to face with my grandmother. The grass tickled my bare arms as it swayed in the gentle breeze. Gran's necklace glistened in the high morning sun. She touched the pendant, ran her finger along the curve of the ocean wave, smiled briefly, and then cupped my face with her hands.
"Never take this off, you hear me?" Her hand lingered around my collarbone. "I told your mother to give this to you. It was the only protection I could provide. You need to know that your ancestors are with you always."
"Gran, I wish you were still here. Now the only time we share is in my dreams." I wiped the mist that formed in my eyes. "You only come to me when something is wrong. Do I have to move again?"
"No. No more moving. No more running. You stand and fight. It is your destiny."
"Gran, I don't understand."
"When given the choice to stand and fight or run, your mother decided to run." She touched my hands. Her fingers were frigid, her skin withered and frail. I wrapped my hands around them, trying to will my warmth to transfer to her.
"It wasn't just a home invasion that made mom run, was it? It was something big; something she has always thought was chasing her. Gran, what sort of trouble is my mother in?"
"None," she said gently. "You are the one in trouble. It has always been you."
Suddenly, the wind picked up, tossing our clothing and hair violently around our bodies. In the distance, dark clouds formed.
"I don't understand, Gran."
"It's not time for all that now," her pleasant smile disappeared. "These are dark times. You have to pay attention to the signs. There are friends who will help you. Do not push them away."
"Gran, you're not making sense."
A dark shadow clouded over the lush valley. The wind whipped so violently that I had to shield my face. When the angry tide died, my Gran was gone. I panicked and did what I knew, what my mother taught me to do when faced with trouble, I ran.
Dark shadows began to twist around me. In the distance, I heard heavy footsteps. Someone was following me. I ran aimlessly through the valley as I heard the footsteps grow louder behind me till I ran right into a dead end. Surrounded by a dark wall, I had no choice but to confront my assailant. I turned and searched the shadows with my fist clenched tightly and my heart thundering. After a few moments, a faint silhouette appeared. I could not make out the face, but recognized the outline of wings spread wide behind the silhouette.
The feeling of dread and fear continued to grip my chest. The figure moved forward, now standing only a few feet away from me. His broad wings were tattered and soiled with dirt. He bent forward and stretched out his hand.
"Come," he whispered in a deep, sweet voice.
"Who are you?"
"Come," he beckoned again.
I hesitated for a moment, but then gave in to his tender voice as it urged me to follow him. I took one step forward when suddenly, a bright light appeared behind me. The winged man covered his face and stumbled back into the darkness.
"Gran!"
As the light faded, I realized that it wasn't her. Standing behind me, in our blue and white Kingston Academy uniform was Lisa.
"What are you doing in here?"
"Helping you."
"Who was that?" I asked, looking back into the shadows.
"Someone who should not be here. Listen to me, Jane, only you can end this. You can end all of it." She gripped my hands.
"End what?"
A rumble shook the ground like a ten-point earthquake. Lisa mouthed something I wasn't able to make out over the bellowing noise.
"What did you say?" I called out to her. My ears felt as though they were filled with water.
"Get down!" She howled.
I awoke with a start. The curtains on my street-facing window were wide open, allowing the sun rays to brighten the entire room. As I sat up straight, I realized that I was exhausted. Every limb ached. I touched my throbbing tongue and realized that my mouth was filled with blood.
I slid off the bed and walked slowly to the window, hoping the bright rays would fill my aching body with life. My gran came to me again. Although I did not know her in life, she always came to me in my dreams. She warned me of bad things to come, but I hadn't seen her since my last move.
Lisa, what was that about? My gran has always appeared in my dreams solo.
Outside, the morning had begun to take shape. Across the street, the neighbour's two children were leaving home, dressed in their green and white uniforms. Aunt Dar 's car was missing from the driveway, meaning she had already left for work. Aunt Dar left for work!
I ran downstairs, taking the steps two at a time. I called for Aunt Dar as I searched room by room. Finally, I saw the note on the kitchen table.
Had to leave early for an emergency meeting.
You'll have to take the bus today.
I'll pick you up at 4:00 p.m. be safe.
Underlined twice in capital letters she wrote: DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS.
Back in my room, the red numbers on my alarm clock flashed 8:33 hauntingly. A feeling of dread washed over my body, now bursting with energy.
I have my Civilizations class at 9:00 a.m. This felt like a test. If I'm late for school, she'll never let me take the bus again.
I threw on my wrinkled uniform and ran feverishly toward the bus stop. The bus was scheduled to arrive in two minutes. With one block left, I was too late. I watched helplessly as the bus passed me by. I turned and let my eyes follow the taillights as it disappeared around the corner.
"Great!" I muttered, throwing my hands in the air.
I walked slowly to the empty bus stop and looked at the bus schedule. I won't get another bus until 9:00 a.m. Still looking at the schedule, I heard a loud car horn behind me. To my right, someone in a bright red sports car was waving. I looked back at the bus schedule. I had to figure out how I would get to school.
"Jane!" I heard bellowing from the car
I looked into the car and immediately recognized the face. It was Marcus.
"Looks like you're going to be late." He spoke with a subtle smile. "You want a ride to school?"
I hesitated, idling beside the empty bus shelter. Accepting a ride from Marcus was not an entirely comfortable idea for reasons I couldn't pinpoint. He gave me shivers, and not the romantic kind. There was something about his charm that wasn't charming. On the other hand, Aunt Dar said not to talk to strangers, Marcus wasn't a stranger. My eyes searched the street examining the passing cars while I tried to come up with a solid reason to turn him down and wait for another bus.
"Oh, come on, Jane. Get in." He pleaded, "We're going to the same place."
"Jane, it's starting to rain," his tone was one of annoyance. That same moment a grape-sized raindrop hit my cheek like weighted pigeon poop falling from the sky.
I took a deep breath as I slipped into the passenger seat.
"Thanks," I quickly browsed the interior of Marcus's car. The seats were rich black, high gloss leather that was so soft it felt like my hand would go right through the material. There were no crumbs, no dust, not even a trace of dirt tracked in from outside, except under my feet, of course. I'd have felt more comfortable on the bus.
"No problem." He replied.
Large drops of rain began to pour from the dark sky. It was such a huge contrast to the sun that shone through my window less than fifteen minutes ago.
"So, you like it around here?" He glanced at me slightly as I stared out the window.
"It's okay."
"You stay with your aunt right?"
"Um, yeah," I said, wincing. "How did you know that?"
His smile revealed the deep dimple in his cheek.
"How did you know that I lived with my aunt?" I repeated the question.
"There is very little that is kept secret at Kingston Academy. I'm sure Lisa must have said something."
"Lisa told you? I doubt that."
"It sounds like you know a few secrets yourself," he chuckled.
I decided to let go of the subject and ride in silence. But the curiosity bug began to gnaw at me.
"So, why don't you and Lisa get along?"
"Let's just say that Lisa and I have very strong and opposing beliefs," he spoke slowly, drawing out every word.
"What beliefs?"
"Well, she's on the straight and narrow path and I like the wide, more travelled road. You understand?"
"No, I don't." I peered at him for a while. The longer I looked at him the more unsettled I felt. All of my senses were telling me to run from this boy. The only problem was that I couldn't, at least not for the next ten minutes.
Despite Marcus's uncomfortably fast driving, we were five minutes late. I thanked him politely for the ride and headed to my class, happy to be away from him.
The halls were empty . I approached my first period classroom door with my nerves stirring viciously in my stomach. All I could think of was the look on Dr. Coy’s face as I walk in late and interrupt his lesson.
"Oh well, here I go." I said out loud.
I exhaled and opened the door slowly. I was instantly relieved when I didn't see Dr. Coy at his desk. I was even happier that very few students stopped jabbering long enough to notice that I entered.
I searched the room for Lisa's blond bob. The first face I saw was Boothe's, sitting in the front row. An uncomfortable, clammy heat burned in my ears and moved swiftly to my cheeks as our eyes locked.
I haven't spoken with him since that day in the hallway when he rudely told me to get lost. He is by far the rudest, most self-centered person I have ever met, Kumar included. Until he apologizes, I will not speak to him again. .”
I heard the door open and close behind me. I held my breath and then exhaled as Marcus walked past. Relief turned into disgust as he winked at me before taking his seat beside Boothe. They exchanged a few words and a short laugh.
Watching those two together made my stomach turn.
I soon found Lisa nestled in middle row. "Thanks for saving me a seat. I thought I was going to be late. Well, I am late." I slid into the seat beside her. Mark gave me his usual nod as he popped his bright blue chewing gum.
"What happened?" Lisa knitted her brow as she assessed my badly wrinkled uniform.
"I woke up late. Ended up getting a ride from Marcus…"
"Marcus?" She said curling the corner of her top lip.
I told her what happened this morning after I discovered that my aunt had left early for work.
"Marcus should not be allowed to come to this school, period. It's wrong for him to be here." She said angrily. I hadn't realized how deep her dislike for him ran. My curiosity peaked. What were the criteria for coming to this school? What makes Marcus a bad fit? He seems a lot like the other boys here, pretentious and arrogant.
I was about to ask Lisa these questions when Dr. Coy stepped in, throwing his briefcase onto the wooden desk. He looked anxious as he fidgeted to get his briefcase open.
"What's with Coy?" Mark asked, wheeling the gum around in his mouth.
"I’ve never seen him look like this. His shirt wrinkled. His hair is all over the place," Lisa added.
I looked down at my tattered clothes. "Maybe he woke up late, too."
The lecture didn't go as smoothly as it usually did. Dr. Coy stumbled over his words, dropped his papers, and even misspelled simple words on the blackboard. At the end of class, I gathered my things and headed down the stairs. Dr. Coy was hunched over his desk. Lisa approached him and they spoke quietly for a few moments. I watched her lips as they moved quickly, until I heard, "Psst ... psst" from someone behind me.
I refused to turn around. I picked up my pace, exited the classroom and merged with the flow of students in the hallway. But then I felt a tug at my arm. My heart raced and I turned swiftly. I was ready to pounce, but instead I silently counted to ten and waited for the pressure in my chest to settle.
"I was calling you." Marcus said in a playful tone.
"No! You were calling someone named 'Psst,'" I snapped. "My name is Jane."
"I'm sorry, Jane." His tone reeked with mockery. "I was just trying to get your attention."
"Well, you have my attention." I folded my arms across my chest.
Boothe soon emerged from the classroom and paused by the doorway. He looked briefly in our direction, shook his head, and then adjusted his position as if he was bored.
"I wanted to know if you were free this weekend. Maybe we could…"
"I've got an assignment due on Monday. I'm probably going to work on it all weekend with Lisa." I interrupted him before he could finish.
This was half-true. I did have an assignment due on Monday, but I didn’t have a chance to speak to Lisa about working together. Nevertheless, from what I’ve seen, Lisa and Marcus seem to repel each other like water and oil. Dropping her name ensured that he wouldn't try to weasel himself into my weekend plans.
"Maybe some other time then," He said softly. "Maybe I'll catch you at the bus stop sometime." With that, he stepped by me and blended in with the other students heading to second period. I looked towards the door where Boothe stood, but he too was gone.
Each time I look at Boothe's smug expression, my blood boils. So why am I standing in the middle of a crowded hallway searching for him?
This is crazy.
~Jane~
Chapter Seven: Me and Him Nuh Deh
{We are not dating}
Another exhausting night. It's been a week of nightmares. It was the same one every night-I run through the dark alleys and vacant grass fields as some unknown crazy person chases me.
Signs of fatigue were starting to show everywhere; my limbs felt so heavy I could barely carry my backpack and bags had formed under my eyes. Correction, there were shopping carts under my eyes. I'm surprised that I was able to take the bus to school and arrive in one piece.
I pulled the textbooks from my backpack and tossed them into my locker. As I reached for my last book, something from behind me slammed into my shoulder, causing me to drop the math book on my foot.
"Oops," Nadya came up from behind with a wicked grin. "Accidents happen, right?"
The two friends that flanked her laughed heartily. Nadya rolled her eyes and continued down the hall.
Bullies. I hate bullies. I bent to pick up the book when another set of footsteps stopped behind me. I rose slowly, put the book in my locker, and then turned.
"I hope you enjoy your movie." It was Boothe. His jaw was clenched so tightly that the tendons stood out.
I stood staring at him for a few moments. My mind was foggy. My thoughts refused to turn over at their normal rate almost like a car engine in the dead of winter. One thing I do know, I didn't have the energy or the patience for his rotten attitude. In fact, he still hadn't apologized for the rude way in which he treated m
e when we last spoke by his locker.
"Aren't you afraid your girlfriend, Nadya, is going to see you talking to the 'foreigna'?"
He took in several heavy breaths, which flared his nostrils. I had clearly hit a nerve.
"Alright, I'll bite," I said finally. "What movie?"
He paused for a few moments just looking at me, his eyes growing stormier by the second. "You know what, forget it!"
"No, let's not forget it. You brought it up, so say what you came to say."
He looked up and down the crowded hallway with his fists clenched tightly by his sides. Slowly, his eyes began to transform. I held my breath as his eyes went from onyx to grey. It was mesmerizing. Beneath his white polo shirt his muscles began to swell, filling out his polo shirt.
"You like that guy?" He stepped forward and spoke in a low, but firm voice.
"Boothe, I am really tired. I don't have the energy or the desire to…"
"Marcus! You like Marcus?" He said raising his voice.
"Where did you get that from?"
I try to avoid Marcus at all times. I ignore his advances and obnoxious comments. Yet, despite all my efforts, based on what Boothe is telling me, we are still somehow linked together. How could anyone think Marcus and me are an item?
"You're not denying it! Huh?" He shook his head, "Marcus isn't what he seems, Jane. You of all people should see this. I thought you did, until I heard that you're going out with him."
I opened my mouth to deny his accusations, but he quickly cut me off.
"You think I enjoy following you around school?" He returned to his lowered voice. "I spend most of my day making sure Marcus hasn't…" His voice trailed off as if an unpleasant thought had invaded his mind. "You know what, I don't care anymore! Do what you want. I'm done protecting you."
He turned and stormed down the hall. "It's your funeral," he mumbled over his shoulder as he slipped through the crowd.
I returned to my locker, my head was spinning. I have nightmares that leave me physically drained, Marcus, a creepy guy I can't seem to shake, and now hot-tempered, jerk Boothe who admits to stalking me. What is wrong with the boys in this school?