There’s been rumors going around about a new student. We haven’t had a new student in a while, so the chatter is sort of loud. I’m surprised the family hasn’t noticed.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHjKcxqgXH
There’s been countless rumors flying around, in the back of my mind I’m slightly interested-- having grown up in a town that lives off gossip-- but personally, I couldn’t care less. Honestly, it’s probably just another young couple trying to find the essence in a small town. Whatever that means.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkJK6uIFf8
I kept the thought in the back of my mind, occasionally listening in on conversations in the hallways and other parts of town, but other than that, I just chose to ignore it.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDUz5tqDS3
My brother honks, bringing my attention back to getting ready for school. I grab my bag and go outside to his car, sliding into the passenger's seat.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2Th1ktm0b
"Hey.”
"You look good today." he replies, smiling.
"Don't be weird, It's too early in the morning." I reply, half-joking.
He laughs. "Weird, huh?"
"Yes."
"I'm hurt," he pouts, pretending to be offended.
I laugh. "Not as much as you will be if you don't start driving. You're late."
"You're a little ray of sunshine this morning, aren't you?" He retorts, pulling out of the driveway.
"I'm just a little annoyed this morning," I sigh. "All I've been hearing about is that damn family that moved to town, I haven't even met them and I already loathe them." I scoff. "I can just hear mom now, inviting them over." I place my head against the glass of the car window.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXz2N3Rjhm
"I'm sure it'll all blow over soon," He says. "Besides, you know how small towns are.”
He’s quiet for a moment before beginning again, “Do you even know why they moved here?"
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj43rYGUY5t
"I have no idea." I reply, picking my head up. “I have vague inclinations based on what people have been saying, but they’re all ridiculous things.”
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnAo3vfgeL
"Well, mom works at the Post Office during the fall for a little extra cash, and you know how nosey the mailman is, he told her that they got mail from some life insurance thing-- I'm not really sure how that works-- but there may have been a dead family member and they moved here to get away from that? Financial reasons, maybe?"
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZAqnLUiEnp
I look at him, shocked at his knowledge of information.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOdXCeERIxD
"You seem surprised, I just listen when the mailman talks." he says.
"It's not that, I'm just a little shocked. It seems a little far-fetched," I sigh. "And anyway, that's a bit of an overstep for the mailman to be sharing such personal information. So I'm done with this conversation now." I shake my head.
"Alright, alright," he says, "you don't have to be so dramatic, though. It was just a guess."
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLJHX4izCu6
"I'm not being dramatic, I'm just not interested in discussing rumors." The remaining car ride to school is spent in an uncomfortable silence.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImhnNo1rZq
We arrive at school and I get out, heading towards the double doors. I walk inside, distant chatter filling the hallways. I tune out most of it, not wanting to hear another rumor-- or another word-- about the Colsons.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2CgRBixP0b
"Hey, Christian, wait up!" I hear someone say.
I turn around, seeing Hannah running up to me. We get to my locker on the second floor before she begins speaking again.
"So, have you heard about the Colsons?"
I sigh in exasperation, "Yeah, it's all anyone's talking about recently," I slam my books into my locker. "It's a bunch of rumors, I'm not interested."
"I'm just curious." She says.
"Well don't be. I've heard too much of the rumors and it's giving me a headache." I slam my locker shut.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDFzVxlTyiI
"Have you heard anything interesting?"
I sigh, "A possible dead family member. Life insurance stuff. And a few other ridiculous things."
"Oh, I haven't heard those." She says. "But I have heard something about their dog."
"What about it?" I ask.
"Well, apparently it's huge, like, monster-sized." She smiles.
I laugh, "That's the first normal thing I've heard."
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHe1fbHgFF
She just laughs before speaking again. “I need to get to class, see you after?.”
“Sure.” I replied.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG73xUmAhY9
I walk down the hallway and see my teacher at the end, talking to the principal. I get closer and overhear him.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ygvuGXDiu
"Let's just help her feel welcome, ease her into the curriculum."
The teacher looks over, seeing me. "Christian, take your seat, we're just about to start."
"Sorry, sir," I say, walking towards my seat. I sit down and pull out my supplies. I can't help but replay the principal's words in my head.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxv4gYOPK9q
"Her?" I thought to myself. Of all the rumors and details, I hadn't heard about the kid. I know they're in the same grade as me and Hannah, I just knew nothing else. Maybe it was because I didn't care to know, maybe I tuned it out at the right time, maybe nothing was said until I overheard the principal. I’m not sure.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUxAH8pc2Js
"Alright class, today we'll be talking about-"
The bell rings, cutting my teacher off. He continues his lesson and I jot down some notes before tuning out the rest. For the remainder of the period it’s fairly silent, some people working on the independent assignment, others deciding this would be the perfect time to take a nap. I look around, feeling like I was somewhere else. I was lost in thought but I tried my best to stay focused.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gsMjiCZBs
But as I’m walking away from my seat, I feel someone looking at me. I turn my head to the right, and find myself staring at a girl. Her eyes are dark brown, and she has long hair tied in a ponytail. Her skin is fairly tan, clearly from somewhere sunnier than here, there's also a small hint of freckles on her nose. I-- unbeknownst to her-- watch as her dark eyes scan my body, she can't see my eyes watching hers, it's like she's in a trance.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp9wATfOq5b
When the bell rings, I gather my things-- giving her more of a chance to stare-- I turn to look at her, for multiple reasons. I want her to know I’ve noticed her, and get a better look at her. I study her features for a moment, noticing the same ones as before, I watch as she scrambles to finish whatever she was writing on her paper, a subtle avoidance to my stare noticing hers. I only take a moment to do this, then head out of the room.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLItRKYQ2f
As I walk out of the class, I hear whispers;
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡze1qAGXgCc
"Have you seen her?"
"She's so quiet."
"I heard her dad died, that's why she moved here."
"I think she was homeschooled wherever she lived before."
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMkQ74taid
Various, small things I chose to ignore. My friend Austin taps my shoulder, I stop and turn around to face him. He seems like he's bursting at the seams with news. I sigh, "What is it?"
"Have you talked to her?" He beamed.
"No, I haven't. Why? Have you?"
"No. Hannah's the only one who has. She said that she was really quiet, didn't say much." He looks down the hallway towards Hannah's locker.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjnzQJODmT
My gaze follows his. Towards the end of the hallway, Hannah and another girl are talking in front of her locker. The girl looked bothered, irritated maybe, almost as if she had heard our whispers and conversations about her. We made eye contact for a moment before she looked away again.
193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAz31Q0hg6i
"Christian?" He blurted, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"She looks bothered," I said, not taking my careful gaze off Hannah and the girl. "Almost like she's heard everything everyone's been saying about her."
He turns to look at her for a second before facing me again. "I don't see what you're seeing, Christian. Are you sure?"
I look at him, my expression blank. "I don't know. It's just something about her that looks uncomfortable I guess."
"Well, Hannah did say she didn't say much." He looked at the girl again. "Maybe you're right." He almost looked sympathetic.
"It's just a hunch." I say, turning my head. "Anyway, I'm gonna get to class. I'll see you after school." I don't wait for his response, I make my way towards Hannah and the girl. 193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmWBM1bWu5R
