Chapter 3.

When I first moved to this town, my initial thought was, okay, it's another small town to lay low till we move again, but how wrong was I?

Months have passed and I'm starting to loosen up, on the high walls around me. It's hard to even think of making a life for myself, when being on the constant run. My brother and I have even become good at it, it's scary.

But what does one do when it's a matter of life and death? 

We practically raised ourselves, and we always looked out for each other, we've ran and survived. Now here we are, trying to make something of our lives. We've longed for a sense of normal in our lives, without the constant looking over our shoulders, to walk freely and never have to worry about anything, more than everyday issues.

It's sad really, but it is what it is.

I snap out of my thoughts when Callie plops down next to me.

" Am hating my life right now." She groans.

I don't say anything.

" Am so hating my life right now." She repeats, when she notices that I don't say anything 

" Nope, you're just hating on that hangover you should have been nursing yesterday." I say, not even glancing up from my book.

" I know, but I couldn't disappoint Amber, she needed a buddy." 

" You mean a drinking buddy?" I arch my brow, looking at her.

" She just broke up with her boyfriend this weekend." 

" Which one?" 

" Jake, you know, the soccer team captain." She says it like I know these people.

" Right." I trail off, like I understand.

" Well they had a nasty fight and bam, he breaks up with her, now because she was lonely and she needed someone ----------- " 

" You." 

" Yes me, so I offered a shoulder to cry on and yep, she brought a bottle of vodka and we drank our sorrows away." 

" Must have been fun." I comment dryly, but she doesn't get the hint, continuing on about the rest of her weekend.

I try listening to her till I can't, totally drowning her out, not really interested in their weekend activities consisting of a party, making out with a total stranger, drinking and such.

 The two are inseparable in that area.

You see, when Callie moved here in Rivermead town, she found a friend in Amber, only later on, for the same Amber to abandon her as she found foot within the popular crowd. Callie was then a loner for some time until I moved here.

I had no plans of making friends, for I was still on high alert about my surroundings, living in a suitcase, and prepared for the timer to go off on us, urging us to leave. We bumped into each other once here in school, only to discover that we were neighbours and from there, she started bugging me, hanging around me, till I had enough and I just accepted that she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

As time passed, she tried out for the cheer squad and I guess that's where she and Amber reunited, and now they are like thick as thieves when it comes to all weekend activities, ones I never bother to be part of.

 It's just not me.

I don't really have a problem with Amber, a beautiful girl she is, but her actions when in the mix with her squad, is one to frown upon. Now, in Callie's case, she's vulnerable and a people and Amber pleaser, she can't resist the temptation of tagging along.

 Sometimes I do feel sorry for Callie, but then I think back to the fact that she's a growing teen, she's still learning, and that she's a big girl, she can make her own decisions. All I can do is be there for her, as long as she allows me to.

I have to say though, this is the longest friendship I've had since I was a kid. I'm not one to initiate a friendship, I have never minded being alone really.

Callie sighing, knocks me out of my thoughts.

" He's changed." She comments.

I follow her gaze, where it lands on the one and only Wesley Adams, sitting alone on a bench under a tree. He's in a dark hoodie, head leaned back against the tree, with eyes closed and white earphones in his ears.

I know what he's doing, he's blocking out the whole world.

" Do you think he'll ever go back to how he was before?" She asks and I feel her looking at me.

" I'd answer if I'd known him, but I don't." I shrug, looking away from him.

" Yeah, but you know that two years ago, he quit sports and basically distanced himself from everyone. All this happened right after his twin sister passed and now that his mom abandoned them ----------" 

" She abandoned him?" I perk up, stealing a glance his way before looking back at her.

" Yeah, I mean Amber said -------" 

" Alright, we can stop right there, don't even continue." I hold up my hand, silencing her.

" What?" 

" I don't need to know anymore, you know how I feel about rumours. " 

" It's not really rumours, Amber would know, because she basically has stalked Wesley ever since they'd been kids." 

" That's creepy." I comment, earning a glare from her.

" It's called keeping up with the life of someone you love, she's been in love with him since forever. " 

" Right......." I trail off, closing my book.

I, the one who doesn't like to be involved in anyone's business or be on the know how, actually knows this fact, because Callie has forcefully grilled it in my mind. I wouldn't tell the difference if this was because she basically loved talking about Amber, or it was a warning of some kind.

What ever it is, I don't want to know or be involved. I'm fine dealing with my own stuff.

" Callie!" Our heads snap to a waving Amber, standing with her crew.

She wears leather shorts with a white shirt, big hoops, leaving her brown-blonde hair in loose curls. Already, as she stands at the near distance, she's earned eyes.

Callie waves back before rising to her feet. " The cheer team has a meeting right now, um, the usual milkshake after school?"

" Can't this week, I've got detention, remember?" 

" Argh, damn Gilbert, well, I'll see you in class." I nod, watching her walk over to her squad.

Amber gives her a quick hug before they all walk away, probably to gossip.

I sigh, looking away and making the mistake of glancing Wesley's way, only to find him looking at me. We stare at each other for a minute or so, before I break the contact, shoving my things in my bag and rising to my feet, just as the bell rings.

I don't dare look his way again, leaving my spot and heading to class.

                        ********

Detention is no ones friend, that's for sure. I still can't grasp the fact that Mrs Gilbert actually gave me detention. Oh right, I can.

You see, Mrs Gilbert is a middle aged woman with a hairy mole on her chin, big nerdy glasses, a sleepy, bored and slow voice, but really good healthy hair. So she's one of those old school types of teachers, believing that if a student doesn't return with their homework, no matter big or small, they are to be punished.

A small punishment yes, that's fine, but because she was in such a bad mood last Friday, I fell victim to her wrath and now I have to attend detention for a whole week.

Just great.

Entering into the classroom, expecting to see Mrs Gilbert present, I sigh out in relief when I notice that it's Mr Lankosky, I'm not even kidding, its his name. He'll be supervising today. He's one of the laziest but kind teachers around. He's a short man with a middle age crises, he's always got on tight, colour blinding clothes, no fashion sense at all. That says a lot, coming from me.

I usually feel sorry for him and his belly, his belly, because it's literally suffocating in the tight shirt, thus resulting to him breathless most of the time. Him, well apparently his wife left him for a well off lawyer, leaving him in tears. How I know all of this you ask, well it's none other than Callie.

You try blocking all the rumours and gossip, then when you least expect it, you hear a thing or two, thus staying in mind for some time. Glad thing though, I've managed to block most of what Callie tells me in which I consider gossip.

My eyes scan around the room, discovering only two of us are attending, myself and a sleeping figure in a hoodie. Well that's another way to waste time.

I guess the others must have skipped or didn't bother showing up. I make my way to Mr Lankosky's desk, handing the slip to him, before settling down on the second row seat next to the window. I get right into my homework because I have a lot.

Time passes and a chair scrapes against the floor, earning my attention. I look up, my eyes on Mr Lankosky who's risen to his feet. " Alright, carry on with what you've been doing, I'll just be heading out real quick, I'm needed in the office. Remember no noise and disruption." 

I hope he realizes that it's just two people present.

 I watch him exit the class before getting back to my work. Another round of chair scraping against the floor disturbs my thoughts, but never diverting my attention from my work.

I hear footsteps advancing forward, maybe the other person needs to go to the bathroom.

How wrong I am, when the person makes their way in front of me, standing on the opposite side of the desk.

" Hey. " 

I freeze in place, pen in between my fingers. I know that voice.

My eyes trail up the dark hoodie until they land on the face.

No doubt, its him. Wesley Adams.

What does he want?

All I do is just look at him for a few more seconds, before glancing back down to my book.

" You know, it's rude to just ignore someone, " he says, placing his hand on top of my work.

" Like you've been doing to everyone else who tries to speak to you?" I say, eyes still down.

A moment of silence passes before he speaks up again.

" Hi," he repeats.

What is with this guy?

Sighing , I finally glance up at him. " Hi, now can I get back to what I was doing ?" 

"One question."

"What?" 

" Why did you do what you did Friday night?" 

If I knew the answer, I'd tell you.

" Do what?" 

" Try stop me from jumping." 

" I didn't." 

" You did, that's why I'm still here." He says the last part to himself, but I hear.

" No you're here because you still want to, the part you're denying told you to not do it." I shrug.

Please go away now.

" Gosh you're doing it again." He's staring straight at me and I think what he just said, is directed to me.

" W-what?" I furrow my brows.

" Nothing." He mutters, avoiding my eyes.

The sound of footsteps on the hallways haults us to attention, this gives him reason to go back to his place and for me to focus on my work.

Mr Lankosky returns, literary throwing himself on his chair, and we all resume to what we've been doing, till it's time to go home.Wesley and I don't speak again after detention, both of us parting ways and going our different ways.

On my journey back home, my mind keeps going back to Wesley. I'm troubled, I can't figure him out, he's like two different people. A closed off person in front of everyone, yet to me, he's talking but also sounds confused.

Well it shouldn't matter to me now. 

I have nothing to do with him.