Legends

"Class, Senior year is a big deal for all of you. I know that most of you don't care about class, and you want to hang out and kick it with your buddies, but this year you have to be smart. For your English assignment this month, that is totaled toward 75% of your passing grade, you have to do a project on a legend you find in your book. It doesn't matter what legend it is as long as its in the book. Now... I've got 22 students, and you all have a partner, when I call your name, you come up, get a name from this box, then go to your partner."

My teacher Mrs. Wellesley rambling this all in her snooty voice. I listened, because I am one of those nerdy girls who wants to go to a big college next year. I want to get into Yale, and so far, I've done all I could to meet the requirements.

I've done extra curricular activities, I've tutored, studied -the works. If I don't get in, I'll be devastated. My safety school is NYU, it isn't so far away, just over the bridge from where I live.

"...Cassidy Anderson." Mrs. Wellesley looks at me and I stand.

I headed to the front and dig my hand in the big brown box she got from the science lab. I pull a name out, unfolded the little sheet, and read the name inked in red pen. I mindlessly read the name out loud, "Michael Way."

I looked up; who the hell is Michael Way? Was he new? Surely he's new to me, it being October and all, he must've transferred?

I look around, then Mrs. Wellesley taps my arm, "In the back, dear. Michael, raise your hand."

The kid, he looks tall, big glasses and very... Shy? He looks as if he hates human contact. But, he raises his hand, and I head back to my seat to get my book and go over.

I sit in the empty chair beside him; our class doesn't have desks, we have tables. I set my book down, Michael, he looks at me, as if he's trying to figure me out. He eyes me up and down, "What's your name, again?" He asks.

"I'm Cassidy." I said with a small smile.

His lips twitch. He wants to smile but he won't let himself. This kid is different.

"Don't call me Michael. I like Mikey better."

I nodded, "Uh, cool." I clear my throat, "So, have you looked through the book?"

He nodded, "I want to do the New Jersey Devil."

I rolled my eyes, "But, he's not in there."

"Extra credit if we do the New Jersey Devil; local legend." He leans back in his chair.

Gosh, he is tall. He's got long legs.

"How about we do The Woman with the Silver Eyes? It's based here, did you see it?"

Michael, I mean, Mikey, sits up and leans forward on his elbows, "No way, you wanna do Silver Eyes?"

I nodded, "Local legend."

He smirked and shook his head, "You're crazy."

"You don't obviously believe those old ghost stories, do you?" I raised a brow at this weird boy.

He looked at me, the glasses are at the tip of his nose, "Yeah, I do. My friend went into Windman's Woods and almost died. His shirt got rip to shreds."

I rolled my eyes again, "Dude, I think your friend is playing a prank on you."

"You don't believe me?" He narrowed his eyes a bit.

"It's just a legend, that's what kids do with legends. They check 'em out and scare their friends with fake stories of being mauled."

Mikey still didn't falter, "You want to do it." He states rather than asks.

"Sure, why not?"

He shook his head, "You're fuckin' crazy, woman."

I furrowed my brows a moment at him, ready scold him, but Mrs. Wellesley spoke up, "Cassidy, Michael, what legend will you two be working on?"

"Chapter 46; the Woman with the Silver Eyes." I told her.

She seemed impressed, "You two are the only ones not to skip that one, good for you."

I was happy I chose it, maybe I would get extra credit.


After class, Mikey took my arm. The guy is almost 6 ft., it's kinda scary.

"Hey, look, this is gonna be really dangerous, you know."

I raised my brow, "You watch too many horror movies."

"I'm serious, Cassidy. We have to be careful."

I sighed, "Okay, yeah, sure." I coursed my hair back, "Gimme your number so I can call you when I need help. Obviously, I'm gonna be doing this solo."

He shook his head, dropping his hand from my arm, "I'll help... I'm just worried, alright. I believe Silver Eyes is real."

It takes all my willpower not to laugh at this kid.

"Alright." I agreed.

"Okay, I have some guidelines."

I tried not to roll my eyes, yet again, "Shoot."

"We go to the library, check with locals, look in the woods, not at night, and then we write this paper together. By the deadline, we will be finished." Mikey spoke almost brokenly; the kid really was upset over this.

"For sure, Mikey. She said we needs pictures and as much info as we can get. I'm willing to do whatever." I told him.

He exhaled, "Please, don't make me go out at night."

"I won't."

Mikey smiled, then we exchanged numbers. We planned to meet in the library the next afternoon.


"I heard you're working with that weird kid, Mikey Way."

My best friend, Davida, smirked at me from the spot on my beanbag chair. I tossed a stuff elephant at her, "So what?"

"He's such a creepy dude. Have you ever seen him?"

I shook my head, "No, not till this morning. Is he new?"

"Yeah, he and his family moved in down the street from me. They are freaks, Cass, lemme tell you!" She sat up, "The mother, she's got these long fingernails that she paints black. The father, he only goes out at night, and they got two sons; Mikey, as you know, and Gerard... That dude is a fuckin' creep."

I leaned forward, "Just because they're different doesn't make them freaks."

"They never leave the house! Mikey is the only one who comes to school! He rides the bus, sits with that little punk rocker, Jason, then that's it. Do they all not have jobs?"

I shrugged, "Probably. Maybe they're night people."

"Maybe they're vampires!" Davida's eyes went wide as she made this maniacal laugh with her head tilting back.

I giggled at her and threw another pillow, "Shut up!"

Before Davida could retort, there was a knock on my door. It creaked open, damn old, wooden things, and my mom poked her head through. I smiled, "Hey, ma, what's up?"

"Hi Mrs. Bishop." Davida waved.

"Hey girls," My mom smiled, "Me and your father are heading out to that banquet now. I made cookies and there's a phone call for you," She began to straighten up her sweater, "It's a Mikey Way."

Davida made a kissy face at me and I rolled my eyes, getting myself off the bed, "Thanks, mom."

I followed my mom out the room, with Davida following me, and down the stairs. My dad hugged me swiftly as I picked up the receiver in the foyer, "Hello?"

"Hey, uh, Cassidy?" Sure enough, it was Mikey.

"Yeah, what's up?" I waved to my parents as Davida got the info in when they would be back.

"I got some info on the project," he spoke quickly, "I just thought you should know."

"Oh, cool, bring all that stuff to the library tomorrow." I tell him as Davida moved in.

"Aren't you the least bit concerned on what you're playing with?" Mikey sounded so serious, "After you read this stuff, you'll be begging for a different legend."

"Dude, if you're scared, we can just ask Mrs. Wellesley for different partners." I explain; Davida smirked at me.

"He's not gonna do that." She sang softly.

"No-No!" He spoke quickly, "It's just... This shit is really creepy."

"Well, I can handle creepy." I shook my head at Davida who was smirking still, "I'll see you tomorrow, Mikey."

"Yeah, sure. Sweet dreams."

I looked at the phone after he said that and hung it up. The only thing creepy around here was him.

"God, that kid is so weird!" I exclaimed after I hung up the receiver.

"Why? What'd he say?"

I followed Davida into the kitchen, "Okay, first, he's trying to push me away from this freaking project, and then he's like "Sweet dreams." That kid is a freak."

Davida giggled, "Well, maybe he likes you."

I shook my head, swiping a cookie from the tray, "He's really turning me off with his creepiness."

"Maybe he wants to ask you out and he's trying to get comfortable before doing so."

I eyed her, "Do you want me to date this creep?"

She shrugged, "I don't want you to do anything you don't want to. I'm just throwing these things out there as a possibility."

I bit my cookie, "Mikey Way is a creep."