Ch. 8: Vance

CHAPTER EIGHT:

After class I found Ally in the hall. Sean made a small wave as he walked off. 

“Oh that’s him isn’t it?” She asked excitedly.

Max came up to join us.

“Rach you are no fun! I was dying in there!” Max pulls on my arm, “We must chat - bring the smiley one!”

Ally laughs and we both follow Max to her locker. Max and Ally formally meet and Max catches Ally up on what happened in her point of view, with me adding mine.

“Whew, the vapors!” Ally says with a fake southern accent and fans her face with her hand. “You’ve barely been here one full day and have already made this way more interesting.” She laughs.

I stand there smiling, feeling really good. I think this could be really good for me. After coming from Piso, where all I had was this greasy guy literally cornering me in the halls, this already feels so different. There was a brief time I thought Jake could make it different, but the stoic guy never said or did anything after I confessed my feelings for him. But that was all a long time ago.

Max looked at her phone and noted the time - passing period was ending and we all needed to get to our Homerooms.

“Can I fill Marsh in? I promise we will be super low-key about it with your man like right there,” she pleaded. 

I agreed as long as she was super serious about not making anything obvious. I trusted Max to calm Marsha if needed.

Ally led us to our Homeroom, which was back at Levi’s. Outside of the classroom, was a lanky guy waving at Ally. I was quickly introduced to Simon, who I recognized from Trigonometry yesterday. His voice was startlingly deeper than I would have guessed.

“Hey, nice to meet you,” Simon said with a kind smile. 

That’s when I saw someone watching us from the hall door. Thin, medium height, shaggy dark hair, oversized windbreaker. Piercing eyes. God. Dark piercing eyes. Unsettling ones. 

Simon followed my gaze and said, “Oh, do you know him? He’s kinda odd.”

Odd-unsettling-guy made a face of distaste and backed up further down the hall, further into the shadow.

“Uh no,” I say, clearing my throat, “Good lord, what was with the staring?” I ask no one.

Ally chimed in, “No clue, he keeps to himself. Sadly he’s in our homeroom. Never seen him look at me though, I’m shivering.” I notice that she actually is shivering. Squinting her eyes in focus, then looking off to the side, she looks like she is remembering something but changes the subject instead. 

“Speaking of Homeroom, let’s get inside before we’re late.” She leads us all the way to Levi’s classroom. 

We walk in, and the three of us sit at a table. We spend the time chatting, with Ally taking a few minutes here and there to work on some homework assignments. I learned that Simon is local, and lives just a few blocks from our school. He seems like an easy-going guy. I notice that when Ally isn’t actively participating in the conversation he glances at her more. I wonder if he notices that. It’s not hidden by any means.

Creepy guy sits in the room with his back to us thankfully. During attendance I learned that his name is Vance. He sits alone, even though there are two other people at his table, they keep their chairs, conversation, and body language far away from him. He sits almost totally still. Every time I registered his presence, I could swear he hadn’t moved at all.

At last Homeroom ends and we stand up, ready for Break, the nice actual recess we have. Most everyone is standing, walking towards the door, and pulling out their cells. I start to do the same and realize something unsettling. The glass cabinet door across from Vance is working like a mirror. He is looking right at me. Through me. Simon accidentally bumps into my elbow, and our mutual gaze is broken. I need to get the hell out of here. There’s something feral in that look. It reminds me of Paul, the creep who would corner me in the halls of P.H. and I notice I’m breathing really quickly. I am rushing through the door and away, away.

“Rach!” I hear Ally call behind me. I hear her footsteps getting louder, she is probably running after me.

But I don’t look back, I can’t. Can’t stop until I am clear out of there.