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Authors: Vanessa Barger
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Bryan’s face flushed. Offering me a crooked smile, he shrugged. “We have been a bit annoying. Sorry.”
He seemed sincere, but at the same time his very changeable nature made me shiver. Until now, he’d been so polite. A little overly friendly, maybe. I glanced at Haven, who watched Bryan with what looked like concern. The idea unsettled me.
Both of them were strange. Bryan was a nice enough guy. But everyone knew him and spoke to him. They seemed to like him, or at least put up with him. But Haven…the girl in front of him turned around to pass a paper back. When Haven’s hand accidentally brushed hers, she jumped and something that looked like repulsion passed over her face.
The boy sitting on his other side had said hello earlier. But it wasn’t friendly. It was cold. Empty. A polite gesture that he had to do because it was a small town and appearances must be kept.
The contradictions fascinated me. Everyone was polite to him, they spoke to him and smiled, but beneath those bland gazes, there were other things. Fear, disgust, and even a little distrust. What could he have possibly done to deserve that?
I didn’t know anyone well enough to ask questions. And I doubted whether anyone would give me the whole, unbiased truth. I didn’t need to look for trouble anyway. We had enough problems at home.
I leaned my head on the desk and sighed. I didn’t need this. It was bad enough to be at school, to feel the weight of so many minds and dreams again. I’d almost forgotten what that burden felt like. The weight of souls pressing against one another.
The first assignment, a mini essay about a current event, finally made it back to me. It was a relief to focus on anything else. I didn’t have to try to make small talk with either of them for the moment. Mr. Larsen called me up to get a book and I slid out of my seat. Just make it another fifteen minutes and then you can go to lunch .
Lunch. A whole other social problem. I was the new kid, on the first day of school. I doubted Grant would sit with me. The best I could hope for was an empty table somewhere.
As I headed back to my seat, thick Government book clutched to my chest, I studied the two boys on either side of me. This would be a long school year if they kept it up. However, I didn’t have to worry about trying to make conversation. We worked on the mini essay and then Mr. Larsen stood and gave us a reading assignment due the next class. I scribbled it down in my planner. The bell rang as I finished, and I took my time loading my book bag. Haven glanced at me, pointing to the door and raising an eyebrow. “Coming?”
“I’ll be there. You go ahead.”
Haven paused, his face flushing. “Look, if you want, come sit with me at lunch.”
“Thanks,” I told him. “I really appreciate that.”
He nodded and headed out of class. I noticed the two girls who left after him gave him wide berth. Beside me, Bryan cleared his throat. “I hope you’re not developing a soft spot for Haven.”
With an unladylike grunt, I hefted the over-filled bag over one shoulder. “Bryan, there is no reason why I can’t be nice to people.”
“I know I’ve probably screwed things up, but there are things you don’t know about him.”
I stopped in the doorway and glared over my shoulder. “There are a lot of things I don’t know about you.” Without giving him time to argue, I headed out the door, waving a hand over my shoulder. “See you later.”
I made a beeline for the girls’ bathroom. Neither of them would follow me there, and I needed a few minutes alone. Being in the midst of so many people drained me. I’d forgotten what it was like to be a high school student. I spent the last half of my previous high school year in tutoring with doctors, psychiatrists, and my parents watching my every move. All because of one mistake. One huge mistake. Even though I guarded against it now, the weight of their thoughts and dreams and energy gripped me
The
He seemed sincere, but at the same time his very changeable nature made me shiver. Until now, he’d been so polite. A little overly friendly, maybe. I glanced at Haven, who watched Bryan with what looked like concern. The idea unsettled me.
Both of them were strange. Bryan was a nice enough guy. But everyone knew him and spoke to him. They seemed to like him, or at least put up with him. But Haven…the girl in front of him turned around to pass a paper back. When Haven’s hand accidentally brushed hers, she jumped and something that looked like repulsion passed over her face.
The boy sitting on his other side had said hello earlier. But it wasn’t friendly. It was cold. Empty. A polite gesture that he had to do because it was a small town and appearances must be kept.
The contradictions fascinated me. Everyone was polite to him, they spoke to him and smiled, but beneath those bland gazes, there were other things. Fear, disgust, and even a little distrust. What could he have possibly done to deserve that?
I didn’t know anyone well enough to ask questions. And I doubted whether anyone would give me the whole, unbiased truth. I didn’t need to look for trouble anyway. We had enough problems at home.
I leaned my head on the desk and sighed. I didn’t need this. It was bad enough to be at school, to feel the weight of so many minds and dreams again. I’d almost forgotten what that burden felt like. The weight of souls pressing against one another.
The first assignment, a mini essay about a current event, finally made it back to me. It was a relief to focus on anything else. I didn’t have to try to make small talk with either of them for the moment. Mr. Larsen called me up to get a book and I slid out of my seat. Just make it another fifteen minutes and then you can go to lunch .
Lunch. A whole other social problem. I was the new kid, on the first day of school. I doubted Grant would sit with me. The best I could hope for was an empty table somewhere.
As I headed back to my seat, thick Government book clutched to my chest, I studied the two boys on either side of me. This would be a long school year if they kept it up. However, I didn’t have to worry about trying to make conversation. We worked on the mini essay and then Mr. Larsen stood and gave us a reading assignment due the next class. I scribbled it down in my planner. The bell rang as I finished, and I took my time loading my book bag. Haven glanced at me, pointing to the door and raising an eyebrow. “Coming?”
“I’ll be there. You go ahead.”
Haven paused, his face flushing. “Look, if you want, come sit with me at lunch.”
“Thanks,” I told him. “I really appreciate that.”
He nodded and headed out of class. I noticed the two girls who left after him gave him wide berth. Beside me, Bryan cleared his throat. “I hope you’re not developing a soft spot for Haven.”
With an unladylike grunt, I hefted the over-filled bag over one shoulder. “Bryan, there is no reason why I can’t be nice to people.”
“I know I’ve probably screwed things up, but there are things you don’t know about him.”
I stopped in the doorway and glared over my shoulder. “There are a lot of things I don’t know about you.” Without giving him time to argue, I headed out the door, waving a hand over my shoulder. “See you later.”
I made a beeline for the girls’ bathroom. Neither of them would follow me there, and I needed a few minutes alone. Being in the midst of so many people drained me. I’d forgotten what it was like to be a high school student. I spent the last half of my previous high school year in tutoring with doctors, psychiatrists, and my parents watching my every move. All because of one mistake. One huge mistake. Even though I guarded against it now, the weight of their thoughts and dreams and energy gripped me
The
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