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school. I ardently did not want
my very slim, miniscule, non-interest getting back to him. That
would just give him leverage; I didn’t need someone having that
kind of power on my first day. And I certainly could live without
the teasing. But for some strange reason, I was convinced our
conversation would remain private.
    At the chorus room, Alex left my side so I
could talk to the teacher. She settled herself in with the other
sopranos, her thoughts circling around ways to get Daniel and me
together. I sighed as I handed the teacher the slip, hoping her
ideas would remain in her head. I didn’t need any crazy shenanigans
in my first week; particularly potentially embarrassing
shenanigans.
    The last hour of class was torturous. The
bell ringing was the second most beautiful sound I had heard all
day. I gave Alex a brief excuse about having to turn in my
paperwork then fled the classroom as quickly as I could. Alex let
me leave with a smile, her mind on the plans she had with Michelle,
not minding my rushed escape.
    A cold wind played across my face as I walked
out the large double doors, but it was refreshing after a long day
indoors. It was better than the stagnate feeling of unanswered
questions and an unwelcome spotlight. Feeling overwhelmed, and
conflicted, I made my way through the sunny, cold afternoon with my
jacket pulled tight against the wind.
     
     

Chapter 4
     
    I unlocked the front door of my large house
eagerly, glad Ellen wasn’t home yet. I needed the time to compose
myself, to get my thoughts in order before anyone else’s intruded.
Unlike the apartment complexes I was used to, the house provided me
with enough room to do just that. It was another thing I was
starting to like about the house.
    Figuring that having something to do would be
better than dwelling on my strange day, I spent a good forty
minutes on the homework I’d been given. It was insanely easy, but
it kept me occupied. When I finished my last algebra problem, I
left the sanctity of my bedroom and went to cook dinner. As I put
the lasagna in the oven to bake, I heard the door open and Ellen
called my name.
    “In here!” I called back.
    She looked tired, but happy, as she walked
into the bright kitchen. “Hey! How was your first day?”
    “Typical-ish.”
    She laughed at me. “Lots of questions, right?
I told you there would be lots of questions.”
    I made a face at her and went to the
refrigerator to get out the salad. “How was your day?” I asked
focused on washing the lettuce.
    “It was good, busy, but good.”
    “I met Alex Lawson today,” I said.
    And a stupid boy I beat at tennis. And a
bunch of kids that apparently decided to make me popular. And
teachers that not only knew you when you were young but were
jealous of you.
    Her face brightened noticeably. “Sam’s
daughter?”
    “Yeah, she’s pretty cool.”
    “Cool,” she replied.
    I frowned, trying to remember the
receptionist’s name. It came to me. “Oh, and Heather Smith or
Thomas said to tell you ‘hi.’ I think she wanted you to know that
she is married…to an old boyfriend of yours.”
    Ellen raised a trembling hand to her mouth. I
thought she was going to start crying again, her eyes filling with
water. Instead, she started laughing hysterically. “Oh….that
hypocrite! She hated me when we were in school together! She didn’t
like the fact that I was dating James King. She had a major crush
on him.” She snorted with laughter. “Figures, she would marry
James’s best friend. He must have been sorry that day.” Trailing
laughter down the hall, she went to go change out of her work
clothes.
    I shrugged to the empty kitchen, thinking
that people really were strange and that despite being able to hear
their thoughts, they didn’t make any sense.
    When the food was ready, we ate companionably
as was our custom. She told me all about her day, no detail being
too small, while I tried to figure out the right way to bring up
something which had been