“I’ll help you with that.”
“That’s what I said, but my parents think you’re a distraction.”
He laughed as he turned out of the neighborhood. “I guess they’re right about that. I do get a little sidetracked when you’re around.”
“Hey, whatever you do, do not join their side. That’ll ruin my positive attitude.”
“Don’t worry. I’m always on your side.” He kissed my hand. “You never have to doubt that.”
“I know. We’re a team. We always will be.”
“I like the sound of that.” When we pulled into the school parking lot relief flooded me. People laughed and talked as they relived the basketball victory from the weekend. Perhaps now everyone could focus on something other than the fire.
“Kate,” a powerful voice yelled out from across the parking lot.
A slight fluttering tingled in my stomach as Alex and Zoe approached us. Alex and Nick stood opposite each other. They looked like they were statues cast from the same mold, but filled in with different color schemes. They were exactly the same height. Their broad chests were identical. Their facial structures were the same; even their skin tone was similar, but their hair and eye colors were different. Once again, as I compared them, the feeling of them being the same, yet different came over me.
“Nick, this is my new neighbor, Alex and his twin sister, Zoe. Alex and Zoe, this is my boyfriend, Nick.” I made the introductions while the three of them smiled at each other.
“Hello, Nick,” Alex said. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Nick looked back and forth between Zoe and Alex. “So, Zoe’s your twin? I never would have guessed.”
“Obviously we’re not identical.” Zoe smirked.
“Obviously,” Nick agreed, one side of his mouth turned up in a flirtatious smile.
“We better get to class,” I said. “I cannot be late for AP biology.”
“Hey, I have AP biology, too,” Zoe said. “Can I follow you to class?”
“Sure.” I noticed Nick checking out Zoe. It appeared my day was going downhill if Zoe could claim my boyfriend within minutes of them meeting.
We walked into biology as Mr. Dobbs was preparing for class. “Kate, please come here.”
“Yes, sir.” As I stood beside him, I noticed the effects of having a newborn at home. Dark circles framed his eyes, and baby formula splattered his clothes.
“I talked to your dad yesterday.” Mr. Dobbs’s elbow rested on the podium. “He wanted to know about your latest test and quiz scores. If you need help, I can recommend some tutors.” He rested his head in his hand and looked like he might fall asleep at any moment.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Dobbs. I’m going to work harder. I won’t need a tutor.”
“Good, good.” Mr. Dobbs nodded his head, as if waking up, and went back to his textbook.
Zoe was sitting by the window, and she waved me over. I slid into the chair and dropped my backpack onto the floor.
“Wow, Nick sure is cute.” She leaned closer to me. “How long have you been together?”
I was partially flattered and threatened by her honesty. Was she the type to go after another girl’s guy? “Um, we’re really close. It feels like I’ve known him forever.”
Her dark brown eyes stared at me. “It feels like forever, but you haven’t really dated for that long, have you?”
“No.” I placed my elbow on the desk and hooked my thumb under my chin. “We started seeing each other at Thanksgiving, but… it feels like we were made for each other.”
“So you love him?”
I laughed, embarrassed. She asks some personal questions for practically being a stranger. “Yeah, I guess. He makes me happy in a way I never thought possible.”
“That’s interesting.” A smile brightened her face.
Mr. Dobbs began his lecture. I forced Nick from my thoughts and focused on biology, because if I didn’t, a tutor awaited me.
The beautiful bright morning sky was slowly overtaken by dark thunder clouds. By the afternoon, a steady downpour ruined Nick’s and my traditional run so he dropped me off at home. I went inside to decompress and begin my homework.
“Hi, Katie Bug,” Mom called out from upstairs. “Come on up. I need to talk to you.”
I set my backpack beside the kitchen table and headed upstairs. Voices from the television in her bedroom gave away her location. A mound of clean towels filled the center of the bed and organized sets of folded towels and washcloths lined the edges of the bed. “I have good news. I found a tutor for you.”
“What! You found a what?”
“You heard me. You should be thanking me because he’s very cute.” She lifted up an over-sized towel and began folding it. “I promise you, none of my teachers looked like that.” She cocked her head. “In fact, none of the guys in my high school looked like him, or Nick, now that I think about it.”
“Mom, what are you talking about? And I didn’t think you were getting me a tutor yet.” I shook my head in disbelief. How could she do this? “I thought I had time to pull up my grade.”
“Well, the timing was perfect. This morning when I took the trash to the curb he came over to say hi. He’s available, and he’s even willing to do it for cheap. So don’t be rude.” She waved a cautioning finger at me.
“Ugh, what have you done?” So much for reclaiming my life. It seemed everyone else was trying to claim my life. “Wait… You talked to him before school?” The very limited options ticked through my mind. “Mom, who did you get?”
The doorbell rang. Normally the ringing brings a thrill to my heart; however, this time, the ringing sent chills through my bones. I already knew who stood on the other side of the door.
“At least he’s cute,” Mom teased. “And as far as tutors go, I don’t think you could do better. He seems to know his stuff. I asked him all sorts of questions this morning. You should’ve heard him going on.”
“Mom, I have a boyfriend.” What was she thinking? I’d already told her that he was staring at me. Having him for a tutor wasn’t a good idea.
“I’m coming,” I shouted and slowly headed down the stairs. How could Mom do this? It felt like each step was leading me towards a future that I couldn’t control. Turning the deadbolt, I placed my hand on the doorknob and pulled.
Honey-golden skin beamed with satisfaction. His perfect lips formed an idyllic smile. Alex’s green eyes gazed at me as he subtly shrugged. “Hi, Kate. I’m your new tutor,” his voice enchanted, and his smile charmed. My pulse quickened as his eyes stared into mine. Once again it felt like he was searching for something. Why didn’t he say anything at school today about being my new tutor? Why did he keep it a mystery?
“Come in,” I said.
He stepped out of his wet shoes, left them on the covered wrap-around porch, and entered the house. He turned his body as he walked past me so he could continue staring at me. “Your house is beautiful.”
“Thanks.” I sighed, angry that my Mom arranged this without my knowledge.
He took off his baseball cap. Rain droplets dripped from the edges of the cap. “Do you have somewhere I can put this?”
“Mom keeps a plastic storage box handy for our wet things.” I pulled the box out of the hallway closet and set it on the floor beside the heating vent. “You can put it in there. That’s where we always put our wet stuff to dry.”
“Perfect.” Alex tossed the cap into the box. “Kate, I hope this isn’t too awkward for you. I guess I should have said something today, but the timing never felt right. I’m just glad I got the job.” He shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “If you have homework, we can start there. Or, if you want, I can review some of the past information to help you master that. What do you think you need?” He looked at me and waited for me to answer. His look wasn’t threatening, but calm and patient; however, it still made me nervous. I couldn’t quite figure him out, and I definitely didn’t want to lead him on.
�
��Well, my book is in the kitchen. Let’s sit at the table and begin with tonight’s homework.” I led the way. He followed behind me.
“Here you go.” He pulled out my chair and smiled. “Do you mind if I sit next to you? It will make it easier for me to see the book.”
“No, of course not.” The zipper hummed as I opened my backpack. I pulled out my book and flipped to tonight’s homework as Alex hung his coat on the back of the chair.
When he sat next to me, I finally noticed his cologne. It matched Nick’s. Images of meadows and grasses filled my head whenever I caught a whiff of it.
“Hmm.” He glanced up at me. “I think this will be fun. Science is fascinating. There’s always something new to discover.”
“You know, I don’t really need a tutor.” I twirled my pencil back and forth. The eraser tapped softly against the table. “My parents are overreacting. I haven’t put the effort into the class that I should have.”
His eyes met mine. “Oh. They probably think Nick’s a distraction.”
“Definitely. So you might not be employed for long. I just need to pull up my grades to prove to my parents that I don’t need a tutor.”
“I see. I get the feeling you can accomplish anything you want once you set your mind to it. Let’s get started,” he said, and lightly tapped the page.
I read the question and explained my answer before committing it to paper. Alex shared his insights and helped me understand the topic more fully. We finished quickly, and I found working with him helpful and enjoyable.
“Thanks for your help, Alex,” I said as I paid him at the door. “I actually learned some things from you.”
“I think that was the point.” A faint smile enhanced his features as he donned his cap. “Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Yes, I uh, think my parents want you to tutor me every day.” I leaned against the door with my head propped against my arm. “I’ll ask them.”
“Just tell me tomorrow when you see me at school.”
“Okay,” I said as he turned and jumped down the stairs. I closed the door, relieved our first session went so well.
Face to Face
It seemed I was constantly surrounded by Nick, Alex, or Zoe. Surprisingly, Zoe became as close to me as my other girlfriends. I realized that what I originally perceived as staring was really Zoe giving me her undivided attention. She was a great listener, and there was something I trusted and admired about her. Alex also became a good friend as he continued to tutor me in AP biology. His patience and gentle spirit won me over so quickly that I actually looked forward to our sessions together.
The days passed quickly. Winter’s cold arms wrapped around us as we ended January. A light dusting of snow fell during the night, but it wasn’t enough to cancel school. Instead, the ultimate happened — the three hour delay. There is no better way to start a school day than to sleep in, have a relaxed breakfast, and know that in a few short hours school would be over.
The school’s halls pulsed with shouts of jubilation as students made their way to class. In an attempt to salvage the shortened class periods and smaller class sizes due to skipping students, teachers reviewed all previously taught information.
“How do you like the snow?” I asked Zoe as I slid into the seat next to her in AP biology.
“I love it!” she sang out. “Especially the three hour delay. If only every school day was like this.”
“No kidding.”
“Kate, please come here.” Mr. Dobbs was hunched over his laptop at his desk.
“Uh-oh,” I whispered, standing up.
“What’d you do?” Zoe mouthed.
I shrugged and headed towards the front of the room. “Yes,” I said to Mr. Dobbs. His eyes were inches from his computer screen.
“I need you to take this memory stick to the computer lab and give it to Mrs. Sears.” He pulled the stick from the computer and handed it to me. His eyes still had dark circles around them. Apparently, newborns are nocturnal.
“Mr. Dobbs, may I go too?” Zoe asked halfway to his desk.
“No. Kate knows where the computer lab is.”
I shrugged my shoulders. I could tell Zoe was biting the inside of her cheek. Then she smiled and went back to her seat.
The tardy bell rang as I entered the hallway and the final stragglers dashed into their classrooms. It was peaceful. Only the hushed voices of the teachers filtered through the doorways.
I walked down the hall, staying on the Columbia blue vinyl tiles that lined the floor. Silver tiles covered the main portion of the floor, and a band of black tiles butted up against the walls. All three of our school colors were represented in the floor. The designers and school board probably thought this would liven up the school visually and increase school spirit.
Pulling the metal handle, I opened the door and entered the stairwell. It was colder than the rest of the school since the concrete block walls had no insulation. The door clicked shut behind me. I took the stairs, one at a time, and flipped the memory stick around in my hand.
At the landing, half-way to the second floor, I looked out the large window. The sun beat down on the snow and threw brilliant sparkles in all directions. However, the snow in the road had melted. Muddy slush lined the edges between the two wintry worlds before me. The day appeared to be in transition. How much longer would the transition last?
A click sounded on the first floor, footsteps tip-tapped on the vinyl tile stairs.
I left the view of the outside world behind and my steps echoed softly through the stairwell again. The smooth metal handrail was cold on my skin as I jogged up the steps. I turned at the landing on the second floor and began my way up to the third floor.
The footsteps quickened behind me, the fast pace ticking like a metronome. I turned to see who was lucky enough to get out of class.
It was him!
Greasy brown hair.
Brown eyes glared at me.
Pink scar marred his face.
Lips curled up in a snarl.
“Hi, Kate.” His cruel voice had an edge of desire to it.
I turned to run. My foot slipped off the front of the step, and my shin smacked against the edge of the step. The throbbing began as blood rushed to my shin. I gripped the edge of the step and pulled myself up. Then I scrambled up the stairs without looking back.
“You won’t get away that easily this time.” His words echoed through the stairwell. The walls seemed to narrow in on me.
“Help! Help!” I screamed.
I ran through the streams of light that poured through the third floor landing window when he grabbed me. I fell to the stairs when he pulled my legs out from under me. I tried to break my fall with my hands, but my chest slammed into the stairs. For a moment I couldn’t breathe — the wind was knocked out of me. And he dragged me down the flight of steps so quickly that I didn’t have time to react.
He threw me against the wall. “They can’t hear you,” he taunted. One hand covered my mouth. The bitterness of his skin on my lips sickened me. His other arm seized me around my waist. “You’re mine,” he whispered in my ear. He pressed his body weight against me, making it difficult to breathe.
Terror seized me. I was in the clutches of a madman. His breath soured the air around me. His hands squeezed me too tightly. His fingers cut into my ribs. If I didn’t try to escape, I wouldn’t stand a chance. If he has a weapon, he may kill me here. “You’re going to be a good girl, aren’t you,” he seethed.
I nodded in submission.
“You’re going to come with me quietly, aren’t you?” He pushed my jaw upwards into my face. My cheeks ached. My heart pounded.
“We’re going to walk down these steps and go outside. Then we’re going to go somewhere special. If you don’t obey, we’ll see how you do when you can’t breathe.” He rubbed my face against the concrete block wall, grating my skin.
All the lectures Dad gave me about self-defense and never going with an attacker ran through my mind. I
knew that if I left this building with this monster that he would kill me. If I was going to take a stand, now was the time.
His grip tightened around my waist and made it even harder for me to breathe. He slowly pulled me away from the wall. I simultaneously threw my head back — ramming it into his — while I placed my feet against the wall and pushed off with all my might.
So much happened so quickly and at the same time that is was hard to process all the sounds. A crunch of bones, an “umph” as our heads collided, and I screamed as his teeth smashed into my head.
We flew backwards. He stumbled and knocked his head on the floor while I landed on top of him.
For a brief second, he lost his grip on me. I hopped up and ran up the stairs.
“Kate!” His anger pulsated in waves that washed over me as I fled to the top of the stairway.
“Get behind me,” Alex ordered as he stepped in front of me.
Relief flooded through me as I peeked around Alex. My trembling hands gripped his shirt.
My attacker came up the steps as blood dripped down his face from his broken nose. He resembled an ape — hunched over, muscular, full of rage, and out of control. He stopped when he saw Alex at the top of the stairs.
“I see you’ve decided to join our festivities?” he seethed. His voice was distorted as blood and mucus filled his nasal cavities. “Aren’t you supposed to be in class?”
Alex stepped towards him. I stood still, frozen in the moment.
The man stepped back and gripped the railing. “You’re not going to be able to stop me.” He spit out a wad of blood and took another step backwards.
“You don’t belong here. There are innocent people here,” Alex said, his voice firm and full of authority as he took another step towards my attacker.
“When have I ever worried about innocents?” he replied.
“If this is what you want. If now is the time of your choosing.” Alex stepped closer to him. “You will lose. You are outnumbered.”
“True. It wouldn’t take long for you to call in the cavalry.” He hacked another gob of bloody goo onto the stairwell. “This isn’t over.” He nodded and turned. His footsteps quickly faded as he fled down the stairs.
Scintillate (Scintillate Series Book 1) Page 24