II

17 years later

Emiry Marie

" Bye," I yelled to mom as I walked out of the house into the cold dark morning, not even sure why I even bothered to say anything. A cold -brisk wind greeted me as I carefully stomped on the snow avoiding sinking into deeper piles. It felt like January which tended to get beyond cold in this little town but it was only December meaning January would be colder. I quickly unlocked my car door, well actually my mom's car. I took it over a few years ago. Thinking of why did make my shoulders sag, I took it over, or better yet she can no longer use it. "Why is that Em? " I said to no one in particular. " She's a drunk!"

The plainest and simplest answer was that she hasn't driven it since dad passed away 5 years ago. She hasn't done much of anything just drink day in and day out. It has been hard fending for myself, but after 5 years I think I might just be a pro at scavenging and cooking up a few things here and there.

Hopping into the small two-door Honda I shivered. Inside the car, the cold felt almost like a sharp sting that shocked me. I rushed to turn the key making the engine quickly purr to life. Old cars seem to take forever to warm up, I thought glancing at myself in the rearview mirror. My teal-ish eyes greeted me back with emptiness and exhaustion. Under my eyes my skin looked a little sunken in, giving me more of that pale look, the look that got me teased since pre-school.

I could never seem to not look pale. During the summer I would avoid the sun since I normally burned from it. And no, not just burn like turn red, be hot or peel. More like my skin would burn to cause blisters or worse if I stayed under the sun too long. Doctors said that I had a rare disease called xeroderma pigmentosum. That means that the ultraviolet light of the sun affects me more than others by burning my skin and making it hard to see. Not sure why my vision was impacted by the rays of light, but as a kid I sure as hell got teased for the sun-like glasses I used to have to wear.

That's why winters in this small town were perfect with just the right amount of cloud coverage I didn't have to hide or wear those ugly glasses during the winter.

I wasn't into fashion or makeup not like my bestie Corrie. So I just left myself as is, mix-matched and all which just added to my tormentors Sean and his jock friends to tease me constantly.

My hair has always been a big puffball of reddish-brown curls that cascaded down past my shoulders midway down my back. I learned my lesson early on in life, don't ever cut curly hair past your ears, or you will end up with an afro that targets the meanest of kids. Not only was I bullied for my glasses but also my hair and weight. Kids could be so cruel!

Once the car was ready I took off to hell or I mean school, I only had five months left to graduate, and trust me I was so ready. This town was home but the school was a prison. Mainly due to all the stuck-up jocks and their condescending comments.

I have never been outgoing and I only have like two friends so we all kept a low profile to not get picked on or targeted by the popular crew.

Most of those in the crew had been around since first grade and first grade was when it all started. Sean was the meanest of all. He continues to torment the lesser-viewed students daily. I don't understand it, maybe he is compensating for something, or maybe he grew up with mean parents. All I know is that I do my best to avoid him every day.

As I drove to school I noticed fewer cars on the road than normal. My guess was the snow, snow was something that came every year, and every year everyone in town was surprised and couldn't drive. I turned onto the main strip of town where all the cool shops and restaurants were located. The only place nearby with stores for miles was the main strip.

I was born in this small town and very rarely do the shops change.

Mom went to the local college and so did my dad, that's how they meet so many years ago and according to them things are still the same.

As I arrived at Lincoln High I parked in my assigned space. And that was no joke, if you parked in the wrong space and your tag didn't match the school would tow your car away in a flash.

I grabbed my backpack and a few extra books that I could not jam in it before meeting the cold breeze again. I slowly inhaled the crisp scent of pine trees that surrounded the school before opening the front door.

Quickly I tapped my brown iced covered boots on the edge of the entrance before entering. Glancing inside the school I felt a little unnerved but also relieved realizing that I only had five more agonizing months left. I didn't want to enter, don't get me wrong I am a sucker for academics but for the town and the kids no, I could do without them.

I quickly walked in to pass the secretary that sat at her desk. You could tell she hated being here by her morning grumpy face to her three cups of coffee on the desk. She was an older lady maybe in her 40s who had been at that same desk longer than I was alive. Her blond hair was always tightly pressed together forming a bun at the top of her head. Her eyes squinted from not wearing her glasses most of the time leaving some wrinkles that crept around them. She was a heavy-set lady and always wore long-sleeved dresses, even in the summer.

Being an office aid I had to check in with her several times between periods to make sure she didn't have any crazy errands for me. " Good morning Ms. Applegate," I said walking up to her desk.

" Yes, I suppose we are alive and well. Oh! Good news there is a new student." Her eyes lit up with a hint of excitement. "And guess what, my dear you get the pleasure of introducing them to the school."

Great I thought as I smiled at her. " Be here by 8:20, I will notify your teacher of your attendance to not be marked absent."

" Yes ma'am," nodding I headed out to my locker. Great a new student this late in the year. I shrugged as I unlocked my locker and stuffed some of my class books I didn't need into it.

" Hey, did you hear?" Corrie asked me propped next to my locker almost making me jump out of my boots. I raised an eyebrow at her as she continued," there's a new student!"

" Wow," I said sarcastically. Word traveled fast in this school, heck in this town. Where everyone knew everyone and if you didn't know them then by golly they knew you.

"Wow, really that's all ya got?" She said crossing her arms in front of her,

I laughed at her as her deep brown eyes grew bigger. Corrie was one of my only true friends who grew up in this shit hole of a town with me. We played together ever since we both wore diapers. Growing up she became a sister I never had and continues to be there for me whenever.

She is way more fashion-forward than I am, wearing cute sweaters with black leggings and pretty bows. Her hair was a dark brown color and always cut short. For some reason, her curls never looked like an afro as mine did if cut short. She was a tad bit slimmer than I was but I still tried to squeeze into her clothes now and then.

I shrugged closing my locker and glancing down the hall as the first bell rang.

"Well, apparently I must be a tour guide for this new person so I will see you at lunch k?"

" Make sure to give me all the details," she said all giddy before turning and walking away.

I made it back to the front desk with two minutes to spare and set my backpack behind Ms. Applegate's desk.

" There they are," she said as she stood up to greet the newcomers.

" Welcome to Lincoln High," she said as a tall man and slender woman entered the school.

The couple seemed glamorous maybe too glamorous for this small town, I thought to myself. A middle-aged man entered first followed by a gorgeous, slender woman.

The man was oozing charm with his built stature and handsome rugged features. He had the most amazing complexion that made his green eyes pop behind his black-framed glasses. The man's dirty blond beard gave him a sexy professor look that made me smile shyly.

The woman was astonishing with her long blonde hair that perfectly curled at the ends as if she had just come out of a salon. Her blue ocean eyes were mesmerizing, they reminded me of a husky dog Corrie used to have. Her clothes looked expensive along with the mounds of diamonds she wore.

My jaw dropped as a tall, muscular and very hot guy emerged from behind the couple. His blonde hair shined and was long enough to almost cover his bright ocean-blue eyes that were similar to the women's. My mind went blank as he came closer and my body tingled all over. I had this feeling of Deja Vu as if I knew him somehow. He had the most exquisite jawline that accentuated his features. He was built but not as bulky as the older gentleman.

"Thank you, this is our son Ellis," the woman said turning to point to him. She oozed politeness just introducing her son.

" Hello there, Emiry will tour you around today, and if you need anything you know where I am. " Turning she pointed in my direction. I was struck frozen in place but managed a short awkward wave.

" Go ahead hun we need to finish some paperwork."

I nodded as I unglued myself from behind her desk and started to walk toward him, a unicorn I thought as my mind began to turn again.

His smile shined with a pristine set of pearly white teeth that flashed as I approached him. That smile only intensified his appearance causing my stomach to flutter in response. " Hi," he softly said or maybe sang I wasn't sure but it did cause my heart to beat a little faster. Was it hot in here? I thought as I felt flustered.

"Um hi, I'm Emiry," I said like an idiot.

" Yeah, I figured, Ellis nice to meet you." he extended out his hand for me to shake. As I slowly reached for his hand sparks ignited between us that made my whole body shiver. His warm hand was big and strong as he surrounded mine. He smiled back reviling a perfect set of dimples on each side of his amazingly plump lips. " Oh, hon don't forget your bag and note for your teacher." Mrs. Applegate tugged me back out of my daze, turning myself around I quickly snatched my things before having him follow me out of the office into the hallway.

" So what's first on your schedule?" I managed to ask with my stomach fluttering like mad. It felt like a dozen of butterflies moved around within me, almost to the point of feeling sick.

He pulled out the half paper that Ms. Applegate had given him and looked at it unsure what to say. " Here let me see it," he quickly handed it to me. A mix of pine and maybe cedar waft up my nose, he smelt of the woods for sure, very alluring.

"Mr. Longhand, that's my first period," I said a little too excited. He smiled as I had him follow me to show him where the classroom was. "Mr. Longhand teaches bio and chem, he is hard but a decent guy." I pointed to the room next on his list "Mrs. White is your English teacher, she is super sweet " I continued as he followed. I managed to tour him through his classes and ended up showing him the cafeteria before the bell rang for the second block to start.

" Think you got it?" I hesitantly asked. I wasn't quite sure, you could get lost in this school if you didn't know your way around even though it wasn't that big. " No, maybe..... I am not sure," he said looking at the schedule paper. I giggled. " So why did you end up here?" I asked, especially this late in the year with only a few months till graduation.

" My parents moved for work, and my dad got a professor position at the local college which offered him tenure, and possibly a scholarship for me since they needed him now, we moved before I could even finish senior year with my friends. Yet I am kind of glad we did. " Understandable I thought as I recalled the couple that walked in with him. " Well, let's get you to Mrs. Whites' class" I honestly didn't care to take him to class I would have rather stayed near the cafeteria with him all day, we didn't even have to talk he was just that good-looking.

I knew after showing him to class I would probably never talk to him again. It's just how things went, he was super sexy and most definitely popular by the looks of it. So once the crew of jocks notice him they would take him under their circle wing and steer him away from the unnoticeable types like me or Corrie. " Well there you are," he glanced at his schedule and back at me before he said," Mr. West is the third period right?" I nodded continuing to admire his handsome stature.

" And when will I see you again?" His question surprised me, why would he want to see me again? I thought. " Um," I glanced at his schedule again, apparently we had last period together as well," I guess in Art class," I said smiling as my heart leaped for joy, he is into art! " Ok, cool see ya then." He turned and entered his class.

I finally was able to breathe as I turned to walk to my class. For the rest of the day, all I could think about was Ellis, his smile, and his sexy body. What was wrong with me? I never liked boys, come to think of it they were all jerks so why was I so hung up on this one?