Working On A Title

Three nights after my dreadful first day at Eric Major I as sat on my window seat reminiscing about all that had happened in those three days, I realised something. My new friends were keeping something from me.

Looking back I can see the glares that Si and Logan kept giving Andy, through narrowed eyes, for no apparent reason. I didn’t catch them many times, they were careful around me, but I could tell that they had happened much more than what I had witnessed.

I began to wonder whether there was more to this friendship, not just between Logan and Sienna, but with Andrea and Jason too, they seemed to be more tightly knitted than the out groups in the school, almost like family rather than friends. Yes, there was definitely something going on, something none of them were about to tell me. That night I decided to confront Sienna about this. The glares were part of a story. But what I wanted to know was the secret behind it all.

* * *

The next day I did exactly what I had planned. I got into Sienna’s Ford Ranger like I did every other morning and we greeted each other. When I was thinking about how to ask this question that morning I decided that I better ask it when we were approaching Eric Major, so as to make a quick escape if things went badly, plus Sienna’s locker was a fair distance from mine so she would have no reason to approach me before class. As we neared the crossroads a block from Eric Major, I thought I would have to ask Sienna it was now or never.

“Si, can I ask you something?” I said avoiding her gaze as we waiting for the traffic lights to change to green.

“Well you just did,” Sienna laughed (I hoped she would still be laughing after I said what I was going to say) “but of course you can ask me a question,” Sienna continued.

“Is there something you need to tell me?” I asked hesitantly.

“Not that I know of, why do you think I need to tell you something?”

“I’ve noticed some things that you can’t deny. I’ve seen the looks that you and Logan have been throwing Andrea, what’s going on?”

“Kris, whatever you saw you seem to be picking it up wrong. There’s nothing going on. Logan and I have been throwing nobody dirty looks, least of all Andy. We’re like, best friends.”

I looked at Sienna through narrowed eyes. “Yes, you have. Don’t even lie to me about it. I feel bad enough about the whole situation without that too.”

“What are you talking about? Kristen you are acting ridiculous.” Sienna sighed.

That was it I couldn’t take it anymore. “I think you know exactly what I’m talking about” I spat.

Wow, I was really beginning to lose my temper, but I hated when people lied to me and Sienna was clearly trying to cover something up. “We’re close enough to the school, I’ll walk from here.” I aid as I unbuckled my seatbelt and got out of the car. I was practically running up to Eric Major and all I could hear in my ears was Sienna calling me to get back into the car. I didn’t even look back at her.

As I walked through the school gate everyone turned to stare in my direction. Ugh. What was their problem? Had they never seen an angry teenager? I think so but maybe it was the fact that I was wearing metallic purple Doc Martens, ripped black skinny jeans and a comic strip shirt. Some people are so stereotypical. I stood there for a couple minutes to calm myself down. Then I recognised the two figures that were bounding towards me.

It was Andrea and Jason.

“Kristen, you need to calm down and fast!” Andy gasped when they finally reached me.

I ignored what she said about calming down and got straight to it. “I suppose neither of you are gonna tell me what’s going on around here either.” I waited for Jas or Andy to answer. When they didn’t I plainly said “Didn’t think so,” and stormed past. Everyone in the halls backed up against their lockers when they saw me coming. That’s when I heard Logan and Sienna.

“She knows something is going on, Logan!” Sienna said in an extremely low hiss. They were around the corner from our first class so I was straining to hear them without coming into view.

“Andy could have told us that, in fact she did! She said that she was thinking about something along these lines for the past few days. I am surprised that she caught on so fast though. But she’s special Sienna. I’ve felt that from day one.” Logan replied in a much calmer voice than Sienna’s but with the same whisper.

“Do you think she knows how special she is? ‘Cause I can tell you from the way she was speaking to me earlier she didn’t feel very special unless you mean specially excluded.”

“You know that’s the exact opposite to what I mean. I would never purposely isolate someone unless it was necessary.”

“Is this necessary? Why can’t we tell her?” Sienna sounded like she was pleading with Logan.

“We can’t. Not Jas or Andy or you, Sienna. In case you have forgotten we have laws to abide. I can’t be put in a situation where my friends have broken the law. You do know who my family are, or have you forgotten?”

I didn’t like Logan’s tone. He sounded threatening, not his usual smooth voice. Sienna seemed to pick up on this too.

“Are you threatening me, Logan Tyler?” She said in a feisty voice, forgetting to keep it lowered.

“Si, shut up.”

People were beginning to look in their direction, but I think this worried Logan. Whatever they were talking about it was clear, now, that not a lot of people knew about it and neither were they supposed to.

“And no, I wasn’t threatening you, I was simply refreshing your memory. C’mon everyone’s going into class.” Logan continued.

He was right everyone was beginning to walk into the classroom so I practically ran to the front of the line and got in before Logan and Sienna had even come around the corner to where I had been standing only seconds before. I sat in my usual seat next to Sienna and acted as if everything this morning hadn’t actually happened. I planned to ‘apologise’ later and act normal around everyone until I actually found out for myself what was really going on.

* * *

As the bell rang signalling lunch for all of us sophomores. Sienna was just about to walk into the cafeteria, when I yelled from down the hallway.

“Hey, Si, wait up!” Sienna turned around to see who had called her and an expression of surprised momentarily crossed her pretty face, regardless she stopped to wait for me to catch up to her.

“Si, I wanted to apologise about this morning I was totally out of order. If there is something going on- and you wanted me to know about it- you would tell me. It was wrong of me to pry the way I did; I’m really sorry, will you forgive me?”

Sienna smiles. “Sure I can. I know that things might seem weird to you because you’re new but our lil’ group just functions weird. You’ll get used to it in time but I totally understand how weird it must have looked to you and it won’t happen again.”

This time, it’s my turn to smile. “Thanks, Si. You’re awesome you know that?”

She laughs and grabs my arm, dragging me into the cafeteria.

After we get our lunch and we’re walking down to our usual table I see a girl that I don’t recognise sitting dangerously close to Logan. My eyes involuntarily narrow.

“Who’s the girl with Logan?” I ask Sienna.

Her back was turned to us so I didn’t even know if I did recognise her or not.

“Oh that’s Natasha. Logan asked her out last night.” Sienna replies in a whisper as we approach the table.

“Oh, right.” I say, I couldn’t manage to get another syllable out. I knew my voice would crack if I tried.

All this on top of Sienna and Logan talking about me? Logan saying I was special? What a pile of bull. I was getting angry I knew I was but I couldn’t stop myself.

That’s when it first happened; this was the first time I realised the secret that had been hidden from me for so long, and it would change my life forever...