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The tall man stepped in, smiling widely. He was balding, with a spare tire middle and muscular arms. His smile was like a politician’s. “Mr. Pitts, happy first day! I apologize, I meant to be here at the start of class, but some paperwork came up, you know how it is.” The two men laughed the way boring adults do. “We have another new student that will join your brilliant world history class. A foreign exchange student, to be exact.” He raised his eyebrows at the word foreign.
Mr. Pitts lit up, clapping his hands together like an asshole. “Oh well, this is a wonderful surprise.” He peered around the principal to the person in the hallway, and Principal Garrison stepped further into the classroom, ushering in someone, a girl with long hair.
All I could see was red hair, full lips, and pale skin.
Those piercing blue eyes of hers locked on mine the moment she looked into the classroom. Her smile was faint, but I could see it.
“Students of Hart Hollow High, this is Sorina Oleksander. She’ll be staying in our beautiful little town for the school year.”
“Sorina, Sorina! Where are you from?” Mr. Pitts asked.
The red-haired girl looked at the teacher, and for a moment, it seemed as if she were appraising an insect, something beneath her.
Her voice was deep when she spoke, different than I expected. “Romania.”
Mr. Pitts said nothing, mouth half open as if he expected her to elaborate.
She didn’t, and the silence fell over us like a fog. When I cleared my throat, Sorina looked at me.
“Great, great. You’ll have to tell us a little about yourself tomorrow. For now, I know there isn’t much time left, but why don’t you take that seat right behind Nicholas? Wave Nicholas,” Mr. Pitts requested.
It was so fucking stupid, but I waved like a jackass as a question manifested in my mind, like smoke, like a dark river—what are you?
“He’s our other new student. Maybe you guys can be friends,” Mr. Pitts said, and I thought I was going to punch that man in the face before the end of the year.
Around us, the students talked, gathering their things as if their bodies were in sync with the length of the class, anticipating the bell.
My eyes caught on Kyrie. She had her lips pursed and her arms crossed. I guess she didn’t like someone sitting by thefresh meat. And maybe didn’t like Sorina.
Kyrie looked pretty in her floral dress with a cardigan over it. Her dark hair was styled in wavy curls, butterfly clips holding it back from her face.
Sorina didn’t look like she belonged here. Didn’t look like she belonged in this decade.
She reminded me of an antique.
I could feel every hair on my arms stand up when she sat behind me. I glanced back at her and saw only her red hair, a curtain between us, as she fiddled with her backpack. It looked like a prop, a foreign object to her.
Before I could speak, and I’m not sure I would have had the balls to say anything, the bell rang. A rush of bodies moved around me, and I felt Kyrie brush against me. On purpose, likely.
I didn’t like that.
I didn’t like being touched.
But I would soon learn the town of Hart Hollow cared little for what I wanted.
* * *
At lunch that first day, I took a seat alone. The room of students before me was a mass of people who knew each other, and I could hear them catching up on their summers. There was laughter and whispers, and some watched me as I moved about the room with my tray of pizza and applesauce.
At the end of a row of tables, I set my tray down, then my backpack. I felt like I was in a dream. I’d never had the naked at school dream, school being the least of my worries in life and a welcome challenge after we left. But walking into that room felt like something of a nightmare, though mild compared to my own demons.
I kept my eyes on the mushy pizza as I settled into my seat. When I glanced around the room, I saw Kyrie watching me. She was sandwiched between two guys, and when they saw her looking, they followed her gaze. One narrowed his eyes, and the other leaned into her hair, saying something.
She rolled her eyes and grabbed her tray, getting up.
Maybe she meant it as a mercy, but it felt like she was drawing an arrow, letting it loose.
I looked up at her as she approached. “Hi, friend,” I said, ensuring she knew where our new relationship stood.
