by Regan Ure
ARCHAIC
REGAN URE
Kindle Edition
Copyright © 2016 Regan Ure
All Rights Reserved
All Rights Reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Cover Design: © L.J. Anderson, Mayhem Cover Creations
Formatting by Mayhem Cover Creations
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ISBN: 978-1-911213-01-7
I dedicate this book to my wonderful friend Lauren.
Thank you for being my valium in the crazy and stressful times.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
About the Author
CHAPTER ONE
I was nearly done, with just a few more items to put away. Most people would call it a day and leave it at that, but I was a compulsive person who liked everything to be in its place. I knew I wouldn't be able to relax in my new room until the contents of the suitcases were completely unpacked.
My father had been offered a chance to work overseas for a couple of years. He worked as an English professor. My parents had discussed the possibility of me going with them but my grandmother, Anne, had offered to take me in while they were abroad. I'd been grateful even though it had entailed a move across country to the small town Anne called home.
Anne. I smiled as I thought about her.
She didn't like to be reminded about her increasing age so calling her granny or grandma was a definite no-no. She preferred to be called by her first name. She wasn't your typical grandmother who loved to bake and knit. No, still in her early sixties, she worked as a very successful investment consultant.
When I'd overheard my mother question her about retirement, Anne had shaken her head with a frown.
"Why retire when I still love what I do?" she'd shot back, and my mother had let the subject go.
She had the money to live anywhere she wanted but there was something about the small town she'd grown up in that made her refuse to live anywhere else. Even after my grandfather had died suddenly of a heart attack five years prior. She preferred to set up the appointments with her clients in the city where she traveled to when she needed to.
My room in my grandmother's house was bigger than my old bedroom and had been recently painted in a cream color. The dark-red curtains matched my dark-red comforter, which was folded neatly on my bed. My double bed stood in the middle of the room, with a dressing table and chair beside it.
The walk-in closet was quite big and I didn't really have enough clothes to fill it. I wasn't your 'typical' girl with loads of clothes and shoes. I wouldn't know fashion even if it hit me over my head. I loved simple clothes; no ribbons, no flowers and definitely no frills. I didn't even own a dress. My basic attire was jeans and simple T-shirts, which were generally paired with sneakers. Not to mention that I loved hoodies! My mom had given up trying to get me to wear dresses years ago.
Once I finished unpacking all of my stuff, I flopped down on my bed. I was exhausted, but at least everything had finally been put neatly in its rightful place. Just the way I liked it.
A glance out of the windows of my bedroom showcased the dark night above with stars sparkling down. It was getting late and I needed to get to bed to get some sleep.
Tomorrow would be my first day at my new school. I was starting my senior year and I wasn't looking forward to it. Making friends didn't come easily to someone who was shy like me. But at least I would know a few of the students from the occasional holidays visiting my grandmother through the years, although my last visit had been two years ago. Anne had come to visit us after that time.
I also missed the friends who I'd left behind, and even though we'd promised to stay in touch, it wouldn't be the same.
"Are you done?" Anne asked from my doorway, pulling me back to the present.
"Yes," I replied as I sat up, giving her a smile.
She returned the smile, showing the fine lines in her still beautiful face. Her silver-gray-blond hair was tied up in a ponytail and her warm blue eyes swept over my room.
"All settled in," she murmured.
"Yes, I am."
"Don't stay up too late," she reminded me, before she closed the door to my room.
I hadn't hesitated at the chance to live with Anne. Despite the fact I would miss my parents, I loved my grandmother and loved spending time with her. She was witty and funny. I also liked the fact that she never treated me like a child that should be seen and not heard. Instead, she'd treated me as an individual with likes and dislikes. She was interested in my thoughts and what I had to say.
My parents were all about rules and boundaries. It wasn't a bad thing but I liked the freedom I had with Anne.
When I'd first arrived, she'd sat me down in the kitchen.
"I'm not going to be one of those parent-type people who're going to police you," she'd stated. "Here I trust you until you prove I can't."
"Okay," I'd said, excited about my newfound freedom.
"Good. Don't give me a reason not to trust you," she'd added before helping me take some of my stuff to my room.
Feeling apprehensive about the year ahead, I walked over to my bedroom window.
There wasn't much happening in the town of White Cloud where I'd spent some holidays and where I now lived. It was surrounded by lots of dense forest. I knew it'd take some getting used to, living in such a small town after living in a big city. If I looked to the right, I could see the edge of the forest from the window. There were no houses on the opposite side of the street, just more forest. It was dark and, to be honest, a little scary.
Still staring out of the window, I saw a bright light flash through the dark trees --and then it was gone.
Had I imagined it? I rubbed my eyes and saw another flash of light within the forest, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared.
What the hell? I peered closer and waited for a few more minutes, but there were no more flashes of light. I tried to make some sense of what I'd seen, but I couldn't.
Maybe it really had been my imagination. I shook my head, waiting and watching for another ten minutes, but the forest remained dark and ominous. Had I really imagined it? There must have been some sort of logical scientific reason that would explain the light. It wasn't like it had been a flying saucer; it had just been a flash of white light.
Fireworks? But there had been no sound. No loud bang.
Thoughts of what I'd seen remained on my mind as I followed my nightly routine of getting ready for bed. I ran a brush through my shoulder-length blond hair and then climbed int
o bed. I switched off my lamp, and tried to close my eyes and get some sleep.
Wondering about my first day at my new school, I pulled my comforter over myself and drifted off into sleep, with no more worrying about the mysterious lights in the forest.
The next morning, I opened my eyes even before my alarm clock went off. I was so nervous. I was hoping that the sooner I got to school and got my first day over with, the better I would feel. It didn't take me long to get dressed. I wore a pair of jeans with a plain blue T-shirt, black sneakers and my favorite gray hoodie. No matter what I wore, I was going to attract attention whether I liked it or not. This town was small and the high school didn't have a lot of students, so being the new kid was bound to attract attention.
My grandmother was already dressed for work. She wore a gray jacket over a white blouse and a gray skirt. She was seated in the kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee, when I came down. I'd inherited my grandmother's blond hair although hers was now going gray. She'd given up dying her hair and had decided to embrace growing old gracefully.
"Hi, sweetheart," she greeted with a big smile.
"Hi, Anne," I greeted back, giving her a quick hug. I got a smell of her soothing perfume, which helped calm my nerves.
"Are you excited about school?" she asked while I started to pour my cereal in my bowl and walked over to the fridge to get the milk.
"I'm a little nervous," I replied honestly, stirring my cereal. Suddenly I didn't feel very hungry. I was way too nervous to eat, but I forced myself to sit down and eat a couple of bites anyway.
"It'll be okay. You'll know some of the students there," she tried to reassure me before she took another sip of her coffee.
She was right. I would know some of them.
"I've got to go or I'll miss the bus," I said. I emptied my cereal into the trash, gave Anne a quick kiss on her cheek and grabbed my school bag, rushing out of the house.
Once I was outside, I put my earphones in and randomly selected a song from my iPod. The bus stop wasn't far from home. After about ten minutes of waiting, I got on the bus and headed toward school. As one of the songs from my latest playlist sounded through my earphones, I stared out of the bus and took in the scenery. Despite the tranquil music, I was slowly getting more nervous the closer we got to school.
I'd worked myself up into a bundle of knots by the time the bus stopped outside. It was an old building made out of stone, and had a big sign above the front entrance that read 'White Cloud High School.' I was still early, so there weren't that many students littering the hallways as I made my way to the office to collect my schedule. It was still hard to believe I was going to the same high school my mom had attended.
A friendly-looking woman with glasses sat behind the counter as I entered into the front of the school. The office looked similar to the rest of the building, with brick walls and dark wood furniture. It was cozy and small, reminding me of the town in general.
"Ava Delaney?" she asked, looking at me with a little recognition in her eyes.
"Yes," I replied cautiously, because even though she seemed to know who I was, I had never met her before.
"You look just like your mother," she said, before adding, "I went to school with her."
"Um, thanks," I said, unsure of what to say.
She ruffled through some papers and then handed me my schedule and a map of the school with the number of my locker written on it.
"Thank you," I replied and walked out of the office and into the now busier hallways that were starting to fill up with students. With my schedule in one hand, I readjusted my bag's strap and walked down the hallway toward my locker. Some people stopped talking to stare at me, but I ignored them and kept my head down, attempting to walk straight to my locker.
It took me longer to find my locker than expected. I'd had to retrace my steps a few times before I finally found it. I kept the books I'd need for the next few classes and put the rest in my locker. I spun the combination and then started to walk toward my first class. As I made my way down the hall, people were whispering around me.
When I got to the classroom, I was the first student in the room. I walked to the back of the class and sat down in a seat closest to the windows. The other students filtered into the classroom, but I ignored them and kept my gaze focused on the view outside the classroom. I could hear people talking and chairs scraping against the floor as students began to take their seats. Once the noise settled down, I took a quick glance around the room and saw a girl with long brown hair and toffee brown eyes with her focus firmly on me.
"Ava?" the girl asked, like she was trying to place me.
I studied the girl close and realized I knew her.
"Stacy," I murmured and she smiled as the recognition set in.
"I forgot my mom mentioned you'd moved in with your grandmother," she added.
I'd met her a few times when I'd spent time at Anne's house. I think the last time I'd seen her had been about four years ago. Any chance of catching up was cut short when the science teacher entered the class. According to my schedule, his name was Mr. Lang. He began talking in the front of the class and took my attention away from the girl beside me.
An hour later, the bell rang for the next class. I packed my books quickly into my bag while Stacy stood waiting for me.
"What class have you got next?" she asked. I opened up my schedule to check as we walked out of the class.
"It looks like I've got Spanish," I replied as we continued to walk together down the hall.
"I've got biology and it's right next door, so I'll walk with you," she offered.
Just outside the classroom, my steps slowed when a guy walking past caught my attention. Stacy seemed to be looking in the same direction.
He was by far the most gorgeous guy I had ever seen. Standing well over six feet tall, his black shirt hugged his lean build and I was almost certain I could see the outline of a six-pack on his stomach. Dark jeans hung loosely on his hips and his tousled, nearly jet-black hair framed the most beautiful face I had ever seen.
Everything about him was perfect. He looked like a model who'd just stepped off the front cover of a magazine as he made his way through the hallway while we continued to openly stare at him. In our defense, most of the female population in the small vicinity had stopped to do the same. I felt my heart flutter to life as my eyes stayed glued to him, unable to pull my gaze away.
He seemed oblivious to the attention as he strode purposefully with two guys walking on either side of him. His two friends were also good looking, but they were nothing compared to him. They both had dark brown hair, and all three were about the same height. One of guys had short hair, and he had the biggest build. The other follower had slightly longer hair that just reached past his ears.
Finally, when they disappeared into the crowd and down the hallway, I turned to Stacy who was shaking her head at me with a knowing smile.
"Who was that?" I asked, unable to hide my interest or the fact that my heart was beating a million times a minute.
"The guy in the middle with the short hair is Jared Walker," Stacy said as we began to walk in the opposite direction from where Jared and his friends had gone. "The guy with the longer hair is Tyler Miller and the other guy is Danny Johnson."
Jared Walker. I repeated his name in my thoughts.
"It's hard not to look," she admitted, before she pulled herself back together. "Let's get to our next class before we're late. I don't think perving over guys will be a good enough excuse."
I smiled but could feel my heart beating erratically at the after-effects of having laid eyes on Jared Walker. Trying to settle my heart, I pushed thoughts of him out of my mind as I walked beside Stacy while we made our way to our next class.
By the end of the morning, we'd caught up on what had happened in the years since we'd seen each other. Her parents had divorced and she now lived with her mom and she saw her father every alternate weekend. I couldn't imagine my parents anything but in lo
ve and blissfully happy.
"Come on! It's time for lunch," she said enthusiastically as she looped her arm through mine and dragged me toward the cafeteria. So far my day was going better than I'd expected. In the cafeteria, Stacy and I collected our food. She scanned the tables and then pulled me along until we came to a table where another girl was seated already.
"Ava, this is Kennedy," she said, introducing me to the girl already seated at the table. Kennedy was very pretty, with short brown hair and hazel eyes.
"Hi, Ava," she replied with a friendly smile as she scooted over so Stacy could sit by her, and I took the seat opposite them.
I relayed the reason I'd moved in with my grandmother and Stacy told her how we knew each other. In my short conversations with them, I'd already worked out that Stacy seemed to be bubbly and outspoken, and seemed to say exactly what was on her mind whether it was appropriate or not. Kennedy was the more reserved one. Stacy's attention turned to a guy she had a crush on. Kennedy was listening patiently as my attention drifted from them to scan the cafeteria.
It didn't take long for my eyes to settle on Jared, who was sitting with four students. My eyes drifted over the people who sat with him at the table. My curiosity made it impossible to pull my gaze away from him.
A strange feeling settled inside me when my eyes fixed on the two girls who were now talking to Jared and his two friends. Jared sat beside one girl, who had the most vibrant red hair I'd ever seen--it was straight and reached past her shoulders. His friends sat on either side of the other girl, who had short dark brown hair, which suited her narrow features and sharp cheekbones perfectly.
The strange feeling that had settled inside of me grew stronger when the redhead leaned closer to Jared. He leaned closer and whispered something into her ear and a smile tugged at her lips.
"The girl with the short hair is Neve Miller, Tyler is her brother. The one flirting with Jared is Felicity Young." I turned to look back at Stacy, who began to explain who was who at the table. "There are rumors going around that Felicity and Jared are together, but you never really see them kiss or hold hands."