Calling Carter.

I was tired. It had been a hell of a day. All I wanted to do was rest, up in my favourite tree on View Hill. That’s where I was walking to, up the unforgiving incline, trying not to catch myself on prickles and thorns. Failing, too. I had just caught myself again, for maybe the third damn time.

Coming up the rise, I surrendered a small smile to that amazing view that gave the hill its name. I couldn’t do anything less. From the top of the hill I could see all the way to the valley below, and the minuscule river that ran through it. Behind me and stretching out to my sides was forest, and my house. The hill wasn’t technically my family’s property; in fact, no-one knew who it belonged to. But it was close enough, and secluded enough, that nobody ever noticed I was here.

But today, I realised, it was different.

Because someone was on my hill.

I was immediately annoyed, although I don’t know why. It’s not like I could have laid claim to the whole area, even though I wanted to. Stopping, I watched this person for a second. Wearing a baggy black hoodie and dark, faded jeans, I wasn’t too sure if it was male or female who stood there with their back to me, looking out over the valley. But I didn’t care. Didn’t they know this place was mine?

Clearly not. And, although I was frozen in place, I must have made some noise, because he turned around and looked straight at me. Because he was a he.

I couldn’t tell from the distance what colour his eyes were, but his long hair was like soot across his face. At the sight of me, his lips parted in a soft “o” of surprise. I felt my face go blank, all traces of the smile I had worn earlier disappearing. I must have looked strange, because he blinked, and stared at me and my hostile stance.

His eyes moved over me, and I tried to recall what he would see. Crimson red t-shirt, black trackpants, grey trainers. I had a charcoal grey jumper clenched in one fist. My long, dark hair was loose around my shoulders and the red streaks must have looked a fair sight in the almost-sunset light.

I took a single breath, then turned on my heel and continued on my path towards the thicker parts of the forest. I didn’t like people very much, and this intrusion was most definitely unwelcome.

I tried to forget about him as I reached my favourite tree. I climbed high into it and proceeded to watch the sunset. The clouds were stained a dark red, making the crimson sky behind it stand out in comparison. Harsh orange streaks emboldened the outlook. The only thing that spoiled it was that I could see him at the top of the hill. Even so, it was one of the best sunsets I’d ever seen, and I tried to store it in my memory.

After the colours had faded and I had put my jumper on to combat the cold, I slowly climbed down from my tree and began to walk home. At the edge of the trees, where I had first seen the boy, was the same peacefully empty space I appreciated. He was gone. I was glad, I decided, as I ran the short distance home.

The next day was just as tiring. It was the seventh week of term one at school – out of eleven in total – and already I was pretty much sick of it. Walking into maths was not something a particularly wanted to do, but I forced myself, because after that I could go home. Only one more hour of hell to endure, and I would be able to escape to View Hill.
I walked into the classroom, grabbed a textbook from the shelf and sat down. I dropped my folder on the desk with a loud slap and grabbed a few things out of my bag before dropping that on the floor. The folder soon joined it. Looking up at the board, I sighed, not quite loud enough for the teacher to hear. Mr Louis – actual last name – was one strange man.

“Ah, excuse me, but I was wondering if I could sit here?” A quiet, musical voice asked me. I looked up in surprise, seeing a slender black-haired girl with pale grey eyes waiting for my answer.

“Sure.” I replied, just as quietly. I didn’t know why she wanted to sit next to me; there were other seats free, but I wasn’t a mind reader.

She sat down, pulled a new book out of her bag and looked quizzically at the whiteboard. I waited for it.

“What on earth is that?” She muttered, half to herself. She had a strange accent, sounding almost Irish, but not quite as strong or as hard to understand. I found it intriguing, and despite myself, I was interested by her.

Resisting the urge to laugh to myself, because I’d just asked myself the same question, I shrugged. “We’ll find out soon. You’ll see this teacher’s a bit of a nutcase.”

She laughed. “Really? I’m Kala, by the way,” she said, and smiled at me before turning back to the board to copy the insane diagram.

“Silah.” I returned. “You must be sick of this already, but you’re new here?” I queried.

She grinned. “Yep. It’s so pretty here. My brother and I fought over who would get the room with the amazing view over this hill. There’s a forest around it, and it overlooks a valley…” She trailed off as she saw me staring at her. “What?” She asked, with no hint of self consciousness.

“Do you know what that hill is called?”

“I think they just called it View Hill.” She said. Then, her eyes widened and she smiled. “You’re the girl.”

I allowed a puzzled look to settle on my features, although I had a feeling I knew what she meant.

“You’re the girl that…”

“Girls!” Interrupted Mr Louis, “enough talking! You should know by now… Oh. We have a new student.”

We both tried out hardest not to laugh at the man. Otherwise he would probably go home to his wife and complain about the mean teenage girls who laughed at him all the time and never did any work in class. That wasn’t true, but hey. I glanced at Kala as she rose to give the teacher an outline of what she had already been taught, and she shot me an amused glance.

I was left wondering what she had been about to say. The guy from last night couldn’t have been her brother, could it?