Blood Magic

Chapter Two
Conversation

I wasn’t use to not being the popular subject of conversation among the other students. Mostly they talked about my flaws and made an effort to point them out to me. But now with these new unexpected students arriving at Willows high it was easier for me to slide by unnoticed. It was nice not to have people whispering behind my back. Probably the easiest week of school I’d had. From what I understood the new kids were Michael, Cynthia and Dean Wilder, the other two were Rex and Amanda Hathaway.

The Wilders where the children of John and Mary Wilder. The Hathaway’s were Mary Wilder’s younger brother and sister. They were twins and were adopted. The big deal was that Michael and Amanda, and Cynthia and Rex were a couple and their parents had no problem with it probably because they weren’t related by blood. But in this overly religious small town, I was shocked the town hadn’t formed a mob with torches and pitchforks.

Then there was Dean Wilder, the too good looking to be real guy who saved me from a rouge football. Though I knew the players threw it at me meaning to hurt me. It was the first time in my life ever that someone other than Grandma stood up for me. The bell rang letting me know that my freedom of having a peaceful lunch was over. I cleaned up my cards and packed up the containers my lunch had been in. Getting to my feet I headed off to Social Studies. It was probably the most laid back class I had that day.

I walked into Social Studies to find my English teacher Mister Rusk sitting behind the desk. He looked up from a stack of papers and smiled at me with his bright blue eyes.
“Well, looks like you’ll have to get through having me in two of your classes Miss Starr”.
He said with a smile. I smiled back at him hugging my books to my chest, Mister Rusk was my favorite teacher here by far. He wasn’t like the others. He treated me like a person instead of a student. He stood taking the attendance sheet to the podium at the front of the room.
“I hope you’re not disappointed”.
He continued in a joking tone. I laughed giving a smile.

“Of course not, you’re the best teacher in this place”.
I beamed taking my seat at the front of the room like I normally did. Mister Rusk gave wink as if to say “Let’s just keep that between us”. Everyone filed into the class room including a mob of fan girls that followed Dean into the room. He looked less than impressed until his eyes fixed on me, then I noticed him smile like he was suddenly looking forward to class. Sliding into the seat behind mine Dean made himself at home leaning back with his hands behind his head. Mister Rusk took roll and then explained why he was subbing and what we’d be working on.
“Mrs. Connors is having her baby soon so I’ve been asked to step in”.
Mister Rusk explained as he started to write on the white board in black marker. He looked back towards the room.

“Your first assignment is going to be getting to know a fellow classmate. What makes them who they are, it will be due at the end of the month”.
Rusk continued. The girls all around the room squealed with delight looking towards Dean who ignored them completely. I didn’t know any guy on the planet that could ignore a group of pretty and very desperate girls longing to be with them. Rusk turned back to the room.

“So, who’s first?”
He said ready to take down the first two names on the section of the board reserved for the list of partners. Dean rose his hand and all the girls were holding their breath. Rusk nodded to him.
“Dean who will you be working with?”
Rusk asked. With a confidant smile Dean spoke.
“Krissi”.
The way he said my name made my heart flutter and I whirled around in my seat looking at him. Dean smiled at me as the other girls all glared and wished horrible things would happen to me.

“That is if you’re ok with that”.
Dean continued that same confidant smile on his lips. I swallowed hard turning back in my seat and nodding to Mister Rusk. He put mine and Dean’s names down at the top and then because the other girls were all pouting now, he assigned everyone else to teams. As class continued and the girls in the room continued to glare hatefully at me I kept my eyes down. The bell rang and everyone started to file out of the room. I lifted my head as his shadow cast over me.
Dean smirked at me.

“Guess we should talk”.
He said, a lump formed in my throat as I nodded gathering up my things and filing out of the class room. Dean walked on the other side of me, as I looked up at him I noticed his eyes weren’t the same brilliant gold as his family’s eyes. One of his eyes was a brilliant blue and the other eye was brown. He smirked at me as we reached my locker which I almost walked right into.
“Something on my face?”
Dean asked with a grin. I put in my combination with trembling hands.

“No”.
I said in a whisper that I was sure was almost impossible to hear. Dean smirked like he was admiring me. Crossing his arms he leaned back on the lockers next to mine.
“So I’ll come by your house after school, I’d drive you but you have your grandmother’s car”.
Dean continued as I pretended to get things out of my locker. I looked sideways at him giving a shy closed mouth smile.

“Kay”.
I said almost loud enough to hear. Dean pushed off the lockers looking down at me.
“I look forward to getting to know you Krissi, and you shouldn’t let these people intimidate you, your way cooler than they are”.
He said with that same heart melting smile then he walked towards his brothers who were waiting for him. I looked back over my shoulder watching him walk away. I didn’t know what the world was coming to. Dean Wilder wanted to get to know me better, he picked me over every pretty popular girl in class. I was expecting the world to come to an end in that moment.

The rest of the day was a complete and total blur to me. I arrived home rushing up the porch steps.
“Grandma! Grandma!”
I called out unable to contain my excitement. She poked her head out of the kitchen.
“Calm yourself girl, what’s going on?”
I beamed at her taking her hands in mine.
“Dean Wilder is coming over! “
I announced. Grandma laughed lightly as I took her into a hug.

“Sounds like my girl has a date with a movie star”.
Grandma said. I smiled at her blushing modestly giving my head a shake.
“No, it’s no date. We’re doing a school project together”.
I said stepping back from her. Grandma nodded to me.
“Sounds like the beginning of a wonderful romance”.
Grandma said as she went back to cooking. I blushed at the idea of Dean Wilder in some sort of romance with me and quickly shook the thoughts away. I grabbed a juice.
“It’s just a project. But he picked me over all the other girls in class”.
I said turning towards Grandma. She smiled at me.
“Well I’m very happy to hear your finally communicating with someone other than me and your father”.

Grandma said as she turned to me.
“Speaking of which”.
She handed me an envelope and I smiled seeing dads writing on it. I made my way upstairs to my room. I had some time before Dean would be arriving. Sitting on the bed I opened the envelope. I pulled out the letter that had some photos with it, pictures of Dad and his team with the families of the people they’d saved. I unfolded the three page letter and began to read.

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Dear Kristen

Your Grandmother tells me schools starting soon. I’m sorry it’s been so long since we last talked. Work has been crazy lately. There have been strange infections braking out with demonic properties.

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I lifted my eyes from the letter when I heard my grandmother call me downstairs for dinner. I folded the letter up and slipped it inside the note book on my desk. After dinner, I changed clothes a couple hundred times before Dean arrived. I was wearing my black tank top and a pair of jeans I’d pulled out of the closet. Dean was standing in the kitchen talking with Grandma.

“Well here she is”.
Grandma smiled at me. Dean turned to me giving a smile.
“It’s about time, I thought you were hiding from me”.
Dean said in a teasing tone with that grin of his. I blushed looking away from him fidgeting again.
“I think we should go to the living room”.
I said not able to look him in the eye. Grandma smiled between us.
“Have fun”.
Dean walked at my side towards the living room, his hands shoved in his pockets. We sat down together on the couch. Dean turned to me as I sat looking forward keeping my hands folded in my lap.

“So, what’s the reason for your social anxiety”?
Dean asked right off the bat. Nervously I tucked my hair behind my ear keeping my eyes forwards.
“People never really cared what I’ve had to say”.
I explained the best I could. Dean snickered to himself.
“You actually care what those mundane people think about you?”
Dean asked sounding shocked by this. I shifted my eyes towards him but they stopped at his chest.
“I think I’m the mundane one. There’s nothing exciting about me at all. I am probably the least interesting person in the world”.

Dean laughed shaking his head.
“You’re oblivious”.
I looked at him nervously finally meeting his eyes. I wasn’t sure what he was talking about.
“Oblivious to what?”
Dean smirked at me as if I should already know what it was he meant. He sat forwards resting his elbows on his knees.
“Your like, that one speck of light in a room full of impending doom and darkness”.
He said looking back at me.
“At least that’s what I see, and I’d rather get to know that speck of light then blend in with the shadows”.

I blushed diverting my gaze. Dean pulled a note pad and pen from his book bag turning back to me.
“So, tell me about yourself”.
He said changing the subject before I lost the ability to speak. I sighed lightly not knowing where to start. Dean tapped his pen to the notepad before speaking again.

“Ok tell me about your family, you live with your grandmother but where are your parents?”
Dean asked helping me along by giving me questions to answer.
“My dad travels a lot for his job, He’s an exorcist and a demonologist, I don’t know anything about my mom other than the fact she ran out when I was three days old”.
I explained, Dean took notes but frowned at the news about my mother. I hugged my knees to my chest as I sat facing him now.

“I’m kind of shocked you didn’t hear that already. This town isn’t very kind to Grandma and I”.
I continued not sure how I was managing to let my guard down around someone other than Grandma. Dean made more notes looking back to me and smiling. I felt my heart clutch in my chest when he smiled and our eyes met. I quickly looked away from him. Before Dean could ask another question his cell rang. Dean rummaged in his backpack for it taking it out he stood.

“What?”
He said sounding a little annoyed. I frowned at him as I watched him become tense for the first time since meeting him. His eyes shifted slightly from side to side as if he was taking in information.
“Ok, I’m coming, don’t let him do anything stupid”.
Dean said turning back to me as he hung up. He plastered that smile of his back on his face.
“I gotta go, my brother’s in trouble”.
He said packing up his things quickly. I stood giving a nod.

“Ok”.
I said not sure why I felt so worried for him. Dean looked back at ne and smiled.
“You know, I think we almost had a conversation just now”.
He teased. I smiled at him as he put my worries at ease. He walked out the front door and I felt the world around me go cold again. Still that lasting impression that Dean left in his wake was alive inside of me. I couldn’t wait until I got to see him again.