Wide Awake - Academy of the Fallen Series

by Daniele Lanzarotta

  My plan was to go to school and act normal, and after school I would try to find a way of talking to Hunter without anyone seeing me. After the Justin and Ashley fiasco more rumors was the last thing I needed.

  I went downstairs and was surprised to see that Kelly was home. Most days she was gone by the time I got up.

  She sat at the dining room table, looking as if something was bothering her.

  “Morning sickness?” I asked her as I attempted a smile.

  “No, Kayla. Why don’t you sit down? I want to talk to you.”

  “I will be late for school,” I said, trying to get out of whatever was coming my way.

  “It is important, and this won’t take long.”

  I sat down.

  Kelly put her hand over mine, and meeting her gaze I noticed how concerned she looked.

  “Kayla, I’m worried about you.”

  I rolled my eyes. Here we go!

  “Why? There is nothing to be worried about…”

  “Kayla, I heard voices coming from your room last night…your voice. Sounded almost as if you were having a conversation with yourself, and this is not the first time. What is bothering you, Kayla? It is the baby, isn’t it?”

  I took my hand away from underneath hers. “What is it with the paranoia about the baby? I’m totally fine with the baby coming, last night I was…umm… I was on the phone.” Okay, terrible lying job!

  “Kayla, I know something is bothering you. If you won’t talk to me, can I at least arrange for you to talk to someone? It will make me feel better.”

  “You mean, like a therapist?”

  She nodded. “Yes.”

  “Sure, if you want to waste your money, whatever. Just know that I don’t need one.”

  “At least try it out. One session.”

  “Fine!”

  Knowing Kelly, she already had everything lined up. She likely told whoever that was to find out what was bothering me in that one single session. Kelly was very persuasive and intuitive, which never worked out to my advantage.

  “I will set everything up.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Alright. Gotta go or I will be late” … again.

  ***

  I got to school and Hunter was standing out in the parking lot, away from everyone else. As soon as I parked my car he came in my direction, and so did Justin. This is going to be one of those days…

  Justin got to me first.

  “What do you want?” I asked Justin.

  “Come on Kay, don’t be like that. I just want to talk.”

  “Well, we got nothing to talk about.”

  “Is everything okay?” Hunter asked as he approached.

  Justin snapped. “This is none of your business, dude. Just turn around and go back to do whatever it is you do.”

  Hunter didn’t move. He stood there staring at Justin and without looking away for a second, he asked me, “Do you want me to go?”

  Justin was already smiling, and I knew that in his mind, he was so sure that I was going to tell Hunter to get lost. That same smile made me say something that surprised even myself.

  “No, Hunter. I want you to stay. Justin, we have nothing to talk about!”

  Justin was clearly pissed off. We noticed that quite a few people were watching us, some laughing at Justin, until he said, “Sure, I will go. I just wanted to make sure to tell you that not for a minute do I regret cheating on you with Ashley.” So much for staying away from rumors…

  I didn’t know how to react to that and I was glad I didn’t have to. All I saw was Hunter moving in front of me and punching Justin right in his face.

  Justin threw himself at Hunter, but Hunter got him again. This time, punching his stomach so hard that Justin seemed to have trouble catching his breath. Then I saw quite a few people moving around and I knew that someone was coming.

  Great!

  Mr. Clarkson was having one of his bad days, which wasn’t uncommon, and he ended up sending all three of us to the principal’s office.

  Hunter and I were sitting in the guidance counselor’s office. Justin was sent to the nurse to get some ice. For some unknown reason, our principal had this thing with listening to everyone’s side of the story without being interrupted, so she wanted to see us each separately. Hunter was the first to go talk to the principal.

  When Justin got back I was still waiting for my turn

  He held the ice pack up to his eye. “So, are you with that guy?” He asked in an annoyed tone.

  “Not that it is any of your business, but no, I’m not.”

  “It sure doesn’t seem that way.”

  I ignored him. Truthfully, I wanted to lie and tell him that I was and that I had cheated on him just like he had cheated on me with Ashley, but it wasn’t fair to get Hunter mixed up in my personal drama.

  Hunter came out of the principal’s office, Carolyn walked by his side, and she actually seemed to be in a good mood.

  Carolyn looked right at me and said, “Just go with it.” I almost responded but I was able to act as if she was not there, which was really hard to do.

  Right before Hunter told Justin that it was his turn to go in, he came to stand by my side, he grabbed my hand, fingers entwined with mine. He looked at Justin who was staring right at our hands, and said, “You know, I’m sure Kayla also doesn’t regret cheating on you with me.”

  Justin looked as if he was going to throw a punch again when the principal came out. Hunter quickly let go of my hand, which I hadn’t even realized that he was still holding. Not that it was something meaningless. Him holding my hand just felt…normal.

  “Is there a problem?” Mrs. Jones, the principal, asked.

  “No, Mrs. Jones,” I said.

  “Well, good. Kayla, Hunter explained what happened and you may go back to class… Justin, in my office.”

  I walked out in the hall, side-by-side with Hunter.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” I said.

  He shrugged. “No, but it was the most fun I’ve had in a while.”

  I did have to admit that watching Justin’s reaction was priceless.

  “You didn’t get in any trouble for what happened outside, did you?”

  “One day suspension. I will be fine.”

  “I’m sorry…”

  “Don’t be.” He glanced at Carolyn. “She said you needed to talk to me.”

  I hesitated.

  “I thought she—she couldn’t really talk to you.”

  She responded. “Sometimes it is easier than others. Most times he can’t understand me, or it just takes too long to communicate what I need.”

  “So, do you need to talk to me?” He asked.

  I avoided his gaze.

  “Well, when you decide you want to, here is where you can find me.” He handed me a piece of paper and walked away.

  Inside there was his number along with a message. ‘You can trust me.’

  I took a deep breath, folded the piece of paper, put it in my pocket and went to class to face what I knew would be a gossip-fest.

  EIGHT

  I went to class, and for the first time ever I was glad that my Math teacher was so damn uptight. A lot of my teachers were like that but he was by far the worst.

  I walked in, gave him my pass, and took my seat. Luckily, for me anyway, he didn’t allow anyone to say a word during his class. Someone even got in trouble for glancing at me instead of looking at the front of the class. But I knew it was coming, as soon as that bell rang I would be swarmed by everyone’s curiosity.

  Sure enough, as the class was released, my best friends Jess and Emily were waiting right outside the door, ready to walk me over to my next class and get the details of what all had happened.

  In a way, I was glad that they were there because it was one thing for them to get in my business, but anyone else who tried to do the same would get all kinds of nasty comments from Jess.

  They pulled me aside, away from the crowd.

  “Okay. Spill it! Wh
at happened?” Emily asked.

  I shrugged. “Umm, nothing really. Justin was annoying me, as he has been doing a lot of lately.”

  “What about the other guy? You know… what was his name again?” Jess asked.

  Emily looked at her. “Ugh. If he wasn’t so socially deprived, maybe I could remember it.”

  I snapped. “His name is Hunter… Hunter Chambers!”

  They both looked at me, eyes wide open, shocked that I snapped at them for that.

  Jess finally said. “Oh, well, so what is the deal? Were you like using him to get rid of Justin?”

  I honestly considered the possibility of saying I was, just to stop their questioning, but as I opened my mouth to say that, the words wouldn’t come out.

  Luckily, the bell rang. “Sorry, guys. I have to go. We will talk later.”

  By the time my next class started, I couldn’t take it anymore. Good thing it was my art class. I got my iPod, putting my hair down so it could somewhat hide what I was doing, turned it up, and tried to look busy so that everyone would just leave me alone.

  It worked for a while. I couldn’t even say that I was actually drawing anything, it was more like doodling random shapes, as I tried to decide what to tell Jess and Emily and what to do about calling or not calling Hunter.

  “Umm. Interesting picture!” He said and then he laughed as I jumped and knocked a couple of my papers and pencils off the table.

  I quickly took the headphones off and the teacher was already at my desk making sure I was okay and probably wondering what the hell had happened.

  I couldn’t exactly tell her that a ghost scared me half to death, no pun intended.

  It was difficult to focus on the teacher’s questions when Benjamin kept whispering in my ear, asking why I sent him away like that. It took a lot for me not to turn around and tell him to shut up.

  “Are you sure you are okay?” The teacher asked.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Can I go get some water?”

  “Sure. Rough day, huh? Heard you didn’t exactly have a pleasant morning.”

  Great, even the teachers are into the gossip!

  I nodded. “I guess you could say that.”

  My plan was to actually go into the bathroom and try to kick Benjamin out once again. Last time I had Carolyn’s help, but this time, she was nowhere in sight.

  I knew I had to do this myself, and figured I would just repeat the same process.

  I walked toward the bathroom and sure enough, he was following me.

  “Don’t you even think about it!” He warned me.

  I started walking faster, scared of what he could do. I didn’t think he could touch me, or anything. I mean, Carolyn couldn’t, but what did I know?

  “Did you not hear me? I said, don’t you do that to me again!” His tone was enough to terrify me.

  As I walked, I kept begging that Carolyn would show up, but I couldn’t even focus on summoning her.

  I finally walked in the bathroom and hoped no one would come in.

  I walked into one of the stalls, locked the door and closed my eyes.

  “I’m telling you! You don’t want to do this. It will only piss me off even more.”

  My hands were shaking; really, my entire body was trembling. I kept my eyes closed, but I could feel he was close…way too close.

  “Please go away and I won’t have to do this.”

  “I’m not going anywhere. Now open your eyes and look at me!”

  I wouldn’t open my eyes, I tried to focus on sending him away, but I couldn’t, not when I could feel him there.

  Then I felt as if he was playing with my hair, but I was scared to look. “Please leave me alone,” I begged him.

  “Sorry… well, I’m not really sorry… but I don’t want to leave you alone.”

  I heard the sound of two girls coming in and talking.

  I could still feel him playing with my hair, not letting go. I kept my eyes closed, doing my best to resist the temptation to open them, and bit my lip in an attempt not to scream.

  Carolyn, please! Please, show up!

  I heard the two girls leaving the bathroom and bolted for the door, and then to my car.

  Of course, he followed me again.

  I got in and locked the door, knowing very well that would do no good…and it didn’t.

  This time I closed my eyes and said her name out loud. “Carolyn, please!”

  He laughed in a way that freaked me out even more. “Oh, please, she can’t help you. She knows nothing!”

  I opened my eyes. Big mistake! I looked directly at him, sitting there, smiling. Looking as if he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  I just sat there, and I didn’t remember ever feeling so helpless in my life. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t exactly call someone and say, yeah, there is this ghost bullying me.

  “I need you to do something for me,” he said.

  I didn’t even want to know what he wanted. “Please, leave,” I begged him again.

  “NO!” he said as he started to slowly fade away.

  I wondered how that happened. I hadn’t done that.

  My hands were still shaking. I closed my eyes, lay forward against the steering wheel and started crying out in frustration.

  I jumped when I heard a soft knock on my window.

  Startled, I had to put my hand over my mouth to keep myself from screaming.

  Relieved to see that it was Hunter standing there, I unlocked the door.

  “Come on, I will drive you home.” His tone was cold, as if he was sick of having to help me when I didn’t want help.

  He was right.

  I just hated owing favors, and I wasn’t about to change that.

  “I’m fine,” I told him.

  “Umm, no you are not. Come on, I don’t have all day.”

  I didn’t talk to Hunter much, but I knew he had never been this rude or cold before. I gave him a ‘whatever’ look and got out of the car.

  As I walked around, making my way to the passenger side seat, I took the time to take a few deep breaths, dried my tears away and really pretended that I was fine.

  “You know, I really should go back to class. If I just leave, they will call my parents, and then well…”

  He sighed. “I will take care of it. I will just go in and make something up. Wait here.”

  Not for a minute did I believed that would work.

  ***

  When Hunter got in the car, I didn’t even care to ask what he had said at the school about me leaving. He said there would be no call, and he then asked if I still lived in the same place.

  I was surprised he even remembered where I lived. Back when he socialized with, well, with everyone else, he went to a couple of my birthday parties at the house.

  I nodded.

  As much as I wanted to ask him questions on the way home, I didn’t want to talk about what was really going on. I wanted to ignore and forget it, hoping that the problem would go away, even though I knew very well it wouldn’t.

  Hunter took me home without saying a word.

  When we got to the house, he got out and gave me the keys.

  “How are you going to get back to your house?” I asked.

  “The same way I got to the school. Cab.”

  “That is nonsense, I will drive you.”

  Hunter agreed to let me take him home. He probably noticed that I felt better already. Either that or it was a trap to get me to talk to him about what had been happening.

  I was driving now. I asked him, “Why were you back at the school?”

  He hesitated. “You need to decide whether you want to talk about what you are seeing.”

  After a few minutes of awkward silence, I finally spoke.

  “Let’s say that I do, why were you there?”

  “Someone told me you that you needed help.”

  “Someone who?” I asked.