Chapter Two
I started down the road after classes had ended, not sure where I was going. I wanted to talk to Jamie, but she was gone. I couldn't find her anywhere. I asked one of the Barbies next to the door, and she said,
“Huh, who? Oh, the freak show without a voice? I have no idea.”
I suppressed my urge to trip her onto her face, and simply narrowed my eyes at her. “Whatever. Thanks for the help.” I might have accidentally left a foot in the way as she moved on. “Watch your step now,” I smirked smugly as she fell.
Should I go back to Tricia’s? I looked down at my feet as the snowflakes melted on my boots. There wasn’t anything for me in this city, nothing important left unaccomplished, no long lost rival needing to kill. So why should I stay?
I knew why.
Even if I’d just met her, even if she was terrified of me, I knew Jamie needed somebody. Why I thought it needed to be me, I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t quite understand why I felt this sort of kinship with her after just a short few minutes, but I could understand that there was a person underneath that apathetic mask, someone who needed me. And oddly enough, I felt like I already knew her. Like something about us tied us together.
It started to snow again. I’d have to wait until tomorrow. I pulled my thick coat tighter around me and started up a quick jog. The path back home was not difficult, although the roads seemed to change every hour. Each minute new people were making their ways down the street, different cars speeding down the road, creating a brown streak through each new sheet of snow. Ah, the perks of a big city! You know, besides that lovely smell.
I put my head down and sprinted down the road, turning a corner and then through an alley. My new house was the last one on a dead end road, partially hidden by the trees. Secluded, dark, empty. Homey, I thought sarcastically, but I understood Tricia’s wanting that house. I knew her thoughts, we both liked being in the shadows. To hide from everything else, hoping we don’t attract attention to ourselves. Everything was safer that way. Safer for keeping the past, the past.
I skipped up the stairs and through the front door.
“Tricia?” I called, looking around.
“In here,”a voice muffled by tears called. I followed the voice to the kitchen, where she was sitting on the floor, staring at pictures from an old photo album.
Tricia was a petite woman of 5’3”, with dark hair that stretched to the small of her back and was usually in a tight braid. But today, however, it spilled out over her shoulders.
“Trish, whats wrong?” I asked, dropping my bag and sitting on my knees next to her just as I recognized the people in the photo. There was a tall man and a woman, both with catlike green eyes. He had raven-like hair that seemed to be sticking straight out to the side, but I knew it was just the wind. The woman fairly resembled a phoenix, her hair was like the deep red of a flame. The wind made it wrap around her face, but I could tell she didn’t care. They were both smiling.
“Mom and Dad,” I breathed.
Tricia nodded. I looked further to see a small girl around 5 that looked exactly like her mother, only with blue eyes. She was holding an ice cream cone in her hand, that was melting and dripping onto the dirt underneath them. I recognized myself, eleven years ago.
“That was probably the last time I saw them truly happy. . .” she sighed, wiping her eyes. I did not say anything, only listened to her.
“I really did love your parents, Cassa. They were my best friends. . . I only wish I could have gotten to your house in time.” I looked at her, alarmed.
“Don’t say it like that, you know what happened wasn’t your fault. There was not anything you could do to save them. . .” I could feel my eyes beginning to tear up, so I took a deep breath and turned my head away from her.
“I know,” she grinned slightly. “and I hope you know that it wasn’t your fault either, right?” I gave her a halfhearted smile.
“Sure, Tricia.”
But I knew the truth.
The next day, I only had one thing on my mind. To find Jamie, and get to know her. It might have seemed strange, or even unconventional of me, but I knew there was something about that girl she hid from the world. I knew she was like me, someone with a secret, somebody who needed help getting through.
I found her before first period, walking through the hall. I drifted back, just watching her. She swerved in and out of people, going unnoticed, never looking up. A few people just made faces at her back and laughed. She ignored them, keeping her head down and her books clutched tightly to her chest. I admired her incredible self-control, a trait I had yet to pick up on.
I ran up to her, pushing past everyone else that was in my way, and placed a hand gently on her shoulder. She immediately stopped in her tracks, stiffening. She inclined her head slightly towards me, seeing who it was.
I grinned at her.
“Hey there,” I said. She waved slightly. “So, you wanna hang out later? Like, after school or something?” She looked at me like I was crazy for a moment, then seemed to adjust to the idea. She shrugged. “Good,” I smiled. “I’ll see ya later.” I let go of her shoulder and walked into Spanish.
*~^~*
I was shamefully giddy to find that Jamie and I had P.E. together. I felt strange in being so happy for meeting somebody who’s throat I didn’t want to tear out, but she was the only person I could even remotely stand in the school. So I rushed into the class.
Jamie wasn’t there. It was our last class of the day- but Jamie was not there. I tried hard not to let my disappointment overcome me. I walked to the teacher.
“Jamie Grace? Her uncle called- said he needed her home, and that it was an emergency.” He shrugged and turned his beefy back to me. I sighed.
Maybe tomorrow.
Or maybe never. Why was Jamie avoiding me?
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