The Secret
Chapter 1
It’s a well known fact that I suffer from bouts of Insomnia, and last night was no exception. And so, after a measly two hours of sleep, my wonderful brother comes in and jumps on my bed with a cheerful “Wake up, dummy!!!” With a sigh, I lifted my head to look at my clock. OH SNAP! School starts in 10 minutes!
I pushed Alec out of my room, threw on the first things I saw (which happened to be black jeans and my Green Day band tee) and ran down the stairs while brushing my hair and teeth. I grabbed a pair of red Converse on my way out the door and ran the whole route to school.
When I arrived at my destination, no one was outside. Not a soul in the downstairs hallways. With a groan, I walked to the secretary’s office to get a tardy-slip. I trudged to my locker on the second floor, only to realize that I had forgotten my school bag at home. I checked my pockets. No money.
As I walked the rest of the way to my locker, I bumped into a very lost-looking…erm, make that a very HOT lost-looking, boy. I guess I must have been staring, because he was waving his hand in front of my face.
“Hello? You with us?” he was asking.
I snapped back to the real world. “Oh, um, hi…” I said, sounding really shy. The name’s Carmine. I’m the new kid, but I guess you already knew that.” he laughed. Wow, even his laugh was hot.
“Yeah…I’m Rebecca, but my friends call me Bear…So, you look a little lost. Where are you headed to?” What? I’m just trying to make friendly conversation!
“Um…I’m looking for room number…” he looked at a paper in his hand “273. I think that would be…Mr. O’Hare’s classroom?” Yup. Definitely lost.
“Well, it’s one or the other. O’Hare is room 272. 273 is Mrs. McMaster’s classroom. So, which is it?” I said, trying to sound smarter and regain my composure at the same time. Not an easy feat.
“273. For sure.”
“Aren’t you lucky? That’s my homeroom, so I’ll be going there as soon as I get my books. Just follow me!”
*****
When we got to McMaster’s classroom, everyone else was gone. I went in first to give her my tardy-slip and to explain why I didn’t have my school bag. She’s not exactly the kindest person on Earth, and most definitely not in this school. Then in walks Carmine. McMaster puts on her sickeningly sweet, totally fake smile she always uses when greeting a new student. Carmine gave me a please-save-me-from-this-crazy-woman kind of look. I told him I would see him at lunch.
But as we all know, there is no escaping Mrs. Lillian McMaster. She turned to look at me and with a sticky, sugary voice, said: “Oh! Ms. LeFort. Would you be so kind as to show Mr. Duchesne around the school?” One more thing about Mrs. McMaster: no one says no to her. Because if you do, you feel her wrath for a long time…and boy, can she hold a grudge! But I said “Yes m’am”, simply, yet happily.
*****
Carmine and I toured the school. For the first time in a while, I felt truly happy. And he seemed to be, too. It doesn’t hurt that he was drop-dead gorgeous. I couldn’t help but melt whenever he spoke, no matter how small the comment.
By the time we finished exploring every single one of the five floors in this God forsaken school, it was lunch time. It’s a great school and all, and touring it with him made it that much better. As his unofficial “tour guide”, I informed him of many of the different classes we had at the school. He didn’t seem to be concentrating that hard. Maybe it was just me and my love-struck fantasies, but I think he was actually looking at ME instead of listening to my “tour”…ha. I wish. As we made our way to the cafeteria, I couldn’t help but sigh. Crap! One more thing I forgot to grab on my way out the door this morning. Money! Ugh…and I didn’t eat any breakfast either…I’m sooooooooo hungry. If I weren’t a vegetarian, I’d be willing to eat a horse right about now. No, FIVE horses! But they’re just so damn cute! Hopefully, my hunger didn’t show. I didn’t want him to feel like he had to buy me lunch. I mean, we just met this morning!
With no warning, as though he had been reading my mind, Carmine said: “You know, you’ve been really great since I’ve been here. Why don’t I buy you lunch?”
“No, don’t worry. I’m not all that hungry.” HA! Yeah, right.
As we entered the cafeteria, Carmine headed toward the lunch line, headed towards the back of the cafeteria to sit at my usual table with Beckey. I plopped down on the chair beside her, making her jump and drop her sketch book. As much as I tried not to, I had to laugh.
“oh, um…Hi Bear.” She muttered, trying to compose herself.
“How you doin’'” I replied in my usual way. I looked around and saw her lunch tray, off to the side, containing nothing but three empty bottles of chocolate milk. Typical.
“So, watcha drawin’” I asked. I was in an unusually good mood today, considering the lack of sleep and food in my system.
But before Beckey could show me the latest chapter of her comic, Carmine walked up to us. He had bought my lunch anyway. Two veggie-burgers, a salad and a big bowl of Mac & Cheese for me. A big bowl of chili for him.
“Hey Becca.” He said, putting down our lunch trays, which earned him a classic Bear Glare, as Luc calls it. “And who might this be?” this time he pointed at Beckey.
“Oh, right! Carmine, this is Rebecca Dawn.” I said.
“Call me Beckey…” added Little Miss Shy.
We ended up spending the rest of the lunch hour chatting, getting to know each other. Beckey was actually being kind of cool and funny, which is weird for her when it comes to new people. But the whole time, I couldn’t help but stare at Carmine. Oh, and as for the lunch he bought me, I tried really hard to avoid it, picking at the Mac & Cheese, but I ended up devouring it. Beckey and Carmine just laughed. Luckily, I know how to laugh at myself.
*****
At the sound of the final bell, I ran out the door. I decided to walk home instead of take the bus. I really needed to think things through. Who is this new kid? Why has he taken such an interest in me? What makes me so special? Questions zoomed around in my brain, so much so that I couldn’t think straight.
I got to my front door in what seemed like mere minutes. I fished around in my pockets for my house key. Great! One more thing I left in the house this morning. I checked my watch. 3:15. Luc and Alec won’t be home for another half hour Dad’s gone to Halifax for the week and Mom doesn’t finish work until 5:00. I went around to the back door. Maybe Mom left it open… no luck.
I searched for an open window, and sure enough, the back window of the basement was open a crack. I slid my fingers through the gap and pushed it open. It was just big enough for me to squeeze through. After many failed attempts, my feet finally managed to make contact with the floor.
As I made my way upstairs to the kitchen for a snack, I heard Banana Phone playing from inside my back pocket. Oh great, what now? I reached in my back pocket for my cell phone, which had stopped ringing. I flipped it open. “You have 1 new message.” I checked my text messages, and sure enough, there was a new one.
“Hey Bear, meet me at the mall at 6. –Miner”
Ohmigosh! Miner wants to hang out with me! Ha-ha! I never thought I could ever be this excited, nervous, happy and scared all at once.
I ran to my room and jumped on my bed. But I missed. I landed on the floor instead. I crawled around the floor, looking for my long-lost back-pack, which I found in the back of my closet. I got up, dropped it on the bed, and then dropped myself on the bed. HA! I didn’t miss this time! I searched for my math book and looked for the page we were supposed to do for homework. I got to work on some algebra problem, but math isn’t my strong point and I had a lot on my mind. I eventually gave up and through all my school work in my bag, which ended up on the floor. I lay back on my bed and drifted to sleep…*Wait, did I just say that I fell asleep? NO WAY! Wow…and I didn’t even need sleeping pills!*
I woke up to two fingers poking me. I opened my eyes to see my brothers looking down at me. How do they keep getting into my room? I could have sworn I locked the door… “What do you want?” I snapped at them. “Mom brought supper. It’s downstairs.” was Smart-Alec’s reply. Wha- if mom’s home that made it at least 5:00…I looked at that oh-so-useful clock of mine. 5:10. I still had just under an hour to get ready. I sprinted down the hall to the bathroom. I took a quick, but good hot shower, and after 15 minutes, I was back in my room. I trudged over to my closet. What to wear…”It’s a good thing we’re going to the mall, ‘because I am in desperate need of some new clothes.” I said to no one in particular.
I decided on a pair of dark jeans and a red tank top with black lace straps and a guitar silk-screened onto the back. I went to my mirror and sorted through my small selection of makeup. I ended up with thick, dark red eye shadow, thick black eyeliner and a bit of mascara. I added a little bit of lip gloss and I was once again on my way to the bathroom. Thank God for flat irons, because without it, my hair is a big ball of frizz.
When I was done, I checked the clock on the front of my cell phone: 5:45. That gives me 15 minutes to get to the mall. I ran downstairs.
“Hey honey, want some supper?” Mom said without looking up. But when she did look up, she gave me a look as if to say “Where are you going dressed like that?”
“I’m going to the mall with Beckey and Claudelle.” I lied. Mom doesn’t like me hanging out with boys. She’s way too over-protective.
“Don’t lie to me, missy. You never bother “dressing up” when you’re with your friends. At least, not this much.” That’s the thing about moms. They always know when you’re lying.
“Fine. You caught me. I’m going to the mall with Carmine. And I need to be there in 15 minutes.” If I know my mother as well as I think I do, we probably won’t make it in 15 minutes…more like 50 minutes.
“Well…Luc has guitar lessons. And Alec has Tae Kwon Doe. I suppose I could drop you off on our way in…” she said. She was trying to waste as much time as possible.
“Mom! I need to go NOW!” I yelled over my shoulder as I walked to the front porch to get my shoes.
I pushed Alec out of my room, threw on the first things I saw (which happened to be black jeans and my Green Day band tee) and ran down the stairs while brushing my hair and teeth. I grabbed a pair of red Converse on my way out the door and ran the whole route to school.
When I arrived at my destination, no one was outside. Not a soul in the downstairs hallways. With a groan, I walked to the secretary’s office to get a tardy-slip. I trudged to my locker on the second floor, only to realize that I had forgotten my school bag at home. I checked my pockets. No money.
As I walked the rest of the way to my locker, I bumped into a very lost-looking…erm, make that a very HOT lost-looking, boy. I guess I must have been staring, because he was waving his hand in front of my face.
“Hello? You with us?” he was asking.
I snapped back to the real world. “Oh, um, hi…” I said, sounding really shy. The name’s Carmine. I’m the new kid, but I guess you already knew that.” he laughed. Wow, even his laugh was hot.
“Yeah…I’m Rebecca, but my friends call me Bear…So, you look a little lost. Where are you headed to?” What? I’m just trying to make friendly conversation!
“Um…I’m looking for room number…” he looked at a paper in his hand “273. I think that would be…Mr. O’Hare’s classroom?” Yup. Definitely lost.
“Well, it’s one or the other. O’Hare is room 272. 273 is Mrs. McMaster’s classroom. So, which is it?” I said, trying to sound smarter and regain my composure at the same time. Not an easy feat.
“273. For sure.”
“Aren’t you lucky? That’s my homeroom, so I’ll be going there as soon as I get my books. Just follow me!”
*****
When we got to McMaster’s classroom, everyone else was gone. I went in first to give her my tardy-slip and to explain why I didn’t have my school bag. She’s not exactly the kindest person on Earth, and most definitely not in this school. Then in walks Carmine. McMaster puts on her sickeningly sweet, totally fake smile she always uses when greeting a new student. Carmine gave me a please-save-me-from-this-crazy-woman kind of look. I told him I would see him at lunch.
But as we all know, there is no escaping Mrs. Lillian McMaster. She turned to look at me and with a sticky, sugary voice, said: “Oh! Ms. LeFort. Would you be so kind as to show Mr. Duchesne around the school?” One more thing about Mrs. McMaster: no one says no to her. Because if you do, you feel her wrath for a long time…and boy, can she hold a grudge! But I said “Yes m’am”, simply, yet happily.
*****
Carmine and I toured the school. For the first time in a while, I felt truly happy. And he seemed to be, too. It doesn’t hurt that he was drop-dead gorgeous. I couldn’t help but melt whenever he spoke, no matter how small the comment.
By the time we finished exploring every single one of the five floors in this God forsaken school, it was lunch time. It’s a great school and all, and touring it with him made it that much better. As his unofficial “tour guide”, I informed him of many of the different classes we had at the school. He didn’t seem to be concentrating that hard. Maybe it was just me and my love-struck fantasies, but I think he was actually looking at ME instead of listening to my “tour”…ha. I wish. As we made our way to the cafeteria, I couldn’t help but sigh. Crap! One more thing I forgot to grab on my way out the door this morning. Money! Ugh…and I didn’t eat any breakfast either…I’m sooooooooo hungry. If I weren’t a vegetarian, I’d be willing to eat a horse right about now. No, FIVE horses! But they’re just so damn cute! Hopefully, my hunger didn’t show. I didn’t want him to feel like he had to buy me lunch. I mean, we just met this morning!
With no warning, as though he had been reading my mind, Carmine said: “You know, you’ve been really great since I’ve been here. Why don’t I buy you lunch?”
“No, don’t worry. I’m not all that hungry.” HA! Yeah, right.
As we entered the cafeteria, Carmine headed toward the lunch line, headed towards the back of the cafeteria to sit at my usual table with Beckey. I plopped down on the chair beside her, making her jump and drop her sketch book. As much as I tried not to, I had to laugh.
“oh, um…Hi Bear.” She muttered, trying to compose herself.
“How you doin’'” I replied in my usual way. I looked around and saw her lunch tray, off to the side, containing nothing but three empty bottles of chocolate milk. Typical.
“So, watcha drawin’” I asked. I was in an unusually good mood today, considering the lack of sleep and food in my system.
But before Beckey could show me the latest chapter of her comic, Carmine walked up to us. He had bought my lunch anyway. Two veggie-burgers, a salad and a big bowl of Mac & Cheese for me. A big bowl of chili for him.
“Hey Becca.” He said, putting down our lunch trays, which earned him a classic Bear Glare, as Luc calls it. “And who might this be?” this time he pointed at Beckey.
“Oh, right! Carmine, this is Rebecca Dawn.” I said.
“Call me Beckey…” added Little Miss Shy.
We ended up spending the rest of the lunch hour chatting, getting to know each other. Beckey was actually being kind of cool and funny, which is weird for her when it comes to new people. But the whole time, I couldn’t help but stare at Carmine. Oh, and as for the lunch he bought me, I tried really hard to avoid it, picking at the Mac & Cheese, but I ended up devouring it. Beckey and Carmine just laughed. Luckily, I know how to laugh at myself.
*****
At the sound of the final bell, I ran out the door. I decided to walk home instead of take the bus. I really needed to think things through. Who is this new kid? Why has he taken such an interest in me? What makes me so special? Questions zoomed around in my brain, so much so that I couldn’t think straight.
I got to my front door in what seemed like mere minutes. I fished around in my pockets for my house key. Great! One more thing I left in the house this morning. I checked my watch. 3:15. Luc and Alec won’t be home for another half hour Dad’s gone to Halifax for the week and Mom doesn’t finish work until 5:00. I went around to the back door. Maybe Mom left it open… no luck.
I searched for an open window, and sure enough, the back window of the basement was open a crack. I slid my fingers through the gap and pushed it open. It was just big enough for me to squeeze through. After many failed attempts, my feet finally managed to make contact with the floor.
As I made my way upstairs to the kitchen for a snack, I heard Banana Phone playing from inside my back pocket. Oh great, what now? I reached in my back pocket for my cell phone, which had stopped ringing. I flipped it open. “You have 1 new message.” I checked my text messages, and sure enough, there was a new one.
“Hey Bear, meet me at the mall at 6. –Miner”
Ohmigosh! Miner wants to hang out with me! Ha-ha! I never thought I could ever be this excited, nervous, happy and scared all at once.
I ran to my room and jumped on my bed. But I missed. I landed on the floor instead. I crawled around the floor, looking for my long-lost back-pack, which I found in the back of my closet. I got up, dropped it on the bed, and then dropped myself on the bed. HA! I didn’t miss this time! I searched for my math book and looked for the page we were supposed to do for homework. I got to work on some algebra problem, but math isn’t my strong point and I had a lot on my mind. I eventually gave up and through all my school work in my bag, which ended up on the floor. I lay back on my bed and drifted to sleep…*Wait, did I just say that I fell asleep? NO WAY! Wow…and I didn’t even need sleeping pills!*
I woke up to two fingers poking me. I opened my eyes to see my brothers looking down at me. How do they keep getting into my room? I could have sworn I locked the door… “What do you want?” I snapped at them. “Mom brought supper. It’s downstairs.” was Smart-Alec’s reply. Wha- if mom’s home that made it at least 5:00…I looked at that oh-so-useful clock of mine. 5:10. I still had just under an hour to get ready. I sprinted down the hall to the bathroom. I took a quick, but good hot shower, and after 15 minutes, I was back in my room. I trudged over to my closet. What to wear…”It’s a good thing we’re going to the mall, ‘because I am in desperate need of some new clothes.” I said to no one in particular.
I decided on a pair of dark jeans and a red tank top with black lace straps and a guitar silk-screened onto the back. I went to my mirror and sorted through my small selection of makeup. I ended up with thick, dark red eye shadow, thick black eyeliner and a bit of mascara. I added a little bit of lip gloss and I was once again on my way to the bathroom. Thank God for flat irons, because without it, my hair is a big ball of frizz.
When I was done, I checked the clock on the front of my cell phone: 5:45. That gives me 15 minutes to get to the mall. I ran downstairs.
“Hey honey, want some supper?” Mom said without looking up. But when she did look up, she gave me a look as if to say “Where are you going dressed like that?”
“I’m going to the mall with Beckey and Claudelle.” I lied. Mom doesn’t like me hanging out with boys. She’s way too over-protective.
“Don’t lie to me, missy. You never bother “dressing up” when you’re with your friends. At least, not this much.” That’s the thing about moms. They always know when you’re lying.
“Fine. You caught me. I’m going to the mall with Carmine. And I need to be there in 15 minutes.” If I know my mother as well as I think I do, we probably won’t make it in 15 minutes…more like 50 minutes.
“Well…Luc has guitar lessons. And Alec has Tae Kwon Doe. I suppose I could drop you off on our way in…” she said. She was trying to waste as much time as possible.
“Mom! I need to go NOW!” I yelled over my shoulder as I walked to the front porch to get my shoes.