The secretary looked up at me and I gave my name. She smiled in welcome and asked the girl to give me a brief tour handing us both late slips. Popping tutti-frutti scented bubbles between her teeth, the girl nodded her mostly blonde head and motioned for me to follow. The pink and purple peek-a-boos contrasted her otherwise school girl look.
She introduced herself as Beatriz. After showing me my locker, we went down my list of scheduled classes finding each room in relation to my locker.
Smiley and welcoming, Beatriz had me wishing again for a friend. Oh, I knew how to make friends… I just knew that I couldn’t keep them. Friends eventually wanted to come over, or go out at night. They also eventually asked hard questions I couldn’t answer. At least, not without sounding crazy.
So, I smiled and thanked her, but didn’t start up any additional conversation. Instead, I turned and started putting my things in my locker. The tactic usually drove people away from me. Not Beatriz.
“You know, I’m going to like you,” she said from just behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder at her trying to figure out why she was still there. She studied each item I put in my locker.
“Simple things. Nothing pretentious,” she nodded at the things in my locker.
I glanced back at my school supplies. Cheap and bought in bulk, I’d never really given them much thought. You do your homework in them and move on to other things. There and gone again.
“You can tell a lot about a person by their locker,” she continued. “I’m taking a guess here, but you keep to yourself and don’t really care what people think about you.”
She didn’t give me a chance to answer. “Come on. We have first hour together. We can catch the last few minutes.”
It turned out that we had several classes together that day. She talked to me in the hall when she had a chance and introduced me to a few other students. Overall, it easily ranked as the best first day ever. I didn’t have to touch a boy once.
That night when my mom got home, she asked if I met anyone interesting. I mentioned Beatriz even though I knew she’d meant boys. She gave me a level look and told me I needed to put more effort into choosing. My seventeenth birthday loomed on the horizon making my time left to pick, short. I didn’t need the reminder. They all looked at me expectantly and I nodded in agreement while I wondered again, what would happen if I just didn’t choose.
Chapter 4
The second day I didn’t fare as well.
Jess, a boy in my geometry class asked if I had plans on Saturday. I wanted to say I did have plans, but also knew I was running out of time to make my choice. In a friendly and hopefully non-suggestive manner, I touched his arm briefly letting the vision wash over me before I giving my regrets.
At first, I thought I hurt his feelings. His face fell slightly and a flush started to creep up his neck. Then, it suddenly stopped. He stood straighter and his previously downcast gaze met mine directly.
“Tell me. What did you see?” His voice echoed.
I forgot to breathe for a moment and lights danced before my eyes. Nausea rose.
We stood in the hallway having just finished lunch. The majority of students milled around us.
“You don’t look well. Come. Sit.” He motioned me into the quieter cafeteria and waited expectantly for me to move. I hesitated, not wanting to do anything he suggested but knowing I didn’t really have much of a choice. He could jump bodies, follow me or possibly hurt the person he controlled. I didn’t want to risk anyone else. I appeared to keep his attention well enough that I wouldn’t need to worry about others if I listened. A thought struck me. If I didn’t listen, could he control me?
Woodenly walking up to the tables, I faced him, not sitting. “Who… what are you? What do you want?” My voice came out strong surprising me. My insides felt like jelly.
“Don’t you know?” he asked. For the first time, an expression leaked through the face of the person he controlled. He appeared truly puzzled. “Did you lose the book?”
My mouth popped open a bit. Book. How could he know? He watched me patiently his observant gaze never leaving me. The lunch-ladies started moving around washing tables casting us questioning looks.
When I didn’t answer, he clarified for me. “I am here to collect on the bargain Belinda’s father made.”
“What bargain? What are you collecting?” My voice rose in fear.
“Excuse me you two,” one of the women boldly interrupted. I swung my shocked gaze her direction. “You’ll have to take your drama somewhere else. The bell rang and we need to clean up.”
I barely managed a nod. Turning back to Jess, he frowned at me. “How did we get here?”
Relief flooded me. It’d left. I knew I should have felt something else though. It had answers we needed. Whatever it was, I needed to try to speak to it and get them. The thought made my stomach dip dangerously.