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I surveil the shadows as they continue to sway and, within minutes, I drift off and hope I dream about the most incredible woman I have ever loved. The woman who sleeps less than twenty feet from me. The woman I hope will forgive me in the end. And somehow, love me again.
Chapter Fifteen
Gavin
Fifteen years ago
I jump out of the bus and land on the concrete sidewalk of my new school. High school. I am in the big leagues now. No stopping me.
Freshman year holds so much promise. Making new friends. Meeting new people. Hot new females. Life couldn’t possibly get any better.
I toss my backpack over one shoulder and head for the class where my homeroom is said to be. The first day is usually full of chaos, and today is no exception. Even though it is corny as hell, I am glad my mom forced me to come to orientation so I at least got a lay of the land. The last thing I need is to look like a dope wandering the halls while staring at a map.
Navigating the hall, I locate the correct room and find a desk in the back row. There is still another six minutes until the bell, so I pull out my notebook and begin doodling while I wait. Stomps and thuds and soft pitter-patters echo off the sterile white walls as everyone files into the room. I ignore all their steps and continue my artwork, the buzzing of the bell causing me to stop.
When I peer up at the front of the room, a raven-haired girl walks through the door, huffing and bending at the waist as she tries to catch her breath. Her skin is pale as cream, her onyx hair as bold of a contrast as her bloodred lips. She reminds me of a modern-day, punk rock version of Snow White, except with shorter hair. And I immediately like everything about her.
When her breath catches enough, she stands and wanders through the rows of desks, picking an
available seat two over from me. I try not to stare at her, but can’t help how she has caught my eye. Surely, she has caught the eye of many others as well. And not just because of her entrance. Everything about her is bewitching.
I avert my gaze when the teacher introduces himself and begins going over some of the basic school rules and hands out paperwork for our parents, the code of conduct, and our class schedules. Typical first day of school stuff. I scan over my class schedule, check I was assigned all the appropriate classes, and then wonder what classes the raven-haired girl has. Hopeful we will have at least one or more classes together.
The bell sounds and I sidle up beside her, trying to spark a conversation.
“Hey,” I say with a wave. “I’m Gavin. Crazy morning?”
She glances over at me, confused. “Hi,” she mumbles. “Cora. And yes.”
Maybe she isn’t a morning person? Or maybe she is not having the best morning. Whatever.
“Sorry to hear. Anything I can do to help?” Why not offer, right? No harm, no foul.
“Gavin, is it?” I nod. “Thanks, but I’m good,” she says with a brush-off.
But I don’t back down so easily. Something about her begs me to keep trying. “Well, let me know,” I offer with a smile.
When she walks away, I check to see which class I head to first and make my way to the science wing. Honestly, who thinks it is a good idea for people to learn science this early in the morning?
Slap.
My geometry book closes too loud in the room and several sets of eyes stare at me like I am their next meal. Sorry. Why does everyone seem so touchy today? Just brush it off, man. No one likes the first day of school. Actually, no one cares for school on any day. But no one needs to bite my head off.
I shoulder my backpack and head to the cafeteria. After I load up a tray of random crap food, I head out to the tables in the sun. The summer heat still blazes, but I would rather be outside than in the dank cafeteria. The cafeteria feels claustrophobic and I question the cleanliness.
When I step out and search for a good place to sit, I spot her. The raven-haired girl with bright red lips. Cora. She sits under a tree, eating a sandwich and reading a book. Before I realize what I am doing, I trudge over and stop in front of her. She ignores me for a few seconds, bookmarks her page, and finally looks up.
Shielding her eyes with her hands, she squints and tilts her head to the side. “Can I help you with something?”
“Mind if I sit with you?”
“Gavin… right?” I nod at her. “Well, Gavin, I’m kind of a loner.”
It is not a denial, only a statement meant to scare me away. But it won’t work on me. If anything, the attempt at a brush-off has me wanting to sit with her more. Cora… what a fascinating creature.
“We don’t have to talk. I’m just here for the tree,” I joke.
She shakes her head in disbelief, a subtle laugh under her breath as she gestures to the landscape beside her. “It’s not my tree.”
