I had the notion of making a book. A physiological thriller of a mass murdering substitute, killing the students by the seat order in the class room.
PLEASE read and critique. Tell me if I should continue the book.
Chapter 1: Reindeer, Real Love, and Randy
I am holding in my hands a crocheted scarf, a pair of pink flip flops, half a heart necklace, and a corny Christmas card from Walgreen’s. Oh yeah, Santa really brought his A game this Christmas. Seriously, who wears open-toed shoes in the winter time? There were an excruciatingly drab three days left in Christmas break of junior year, and I’m sitting here thinking about what I’m not doing that everyone else is.
I’ve had my share of lackluster holidays. Thanksgiving with my parents and older brother, Freddie, sitting in front of two bottles of wine, a bowl of Stove Top, and a turkey that sat around for so long I named him Lance. Lance’s relatives and I seem to hang out a lot during harvest time. I couldn’t really complain about Christmases though. No one got me much of anything because they didn’t know exactly what to get me. I made all my own clothes, rocked only specialty shoes and my parent gave me every gadget in order for them to communicate with me. You could say I had a hand for hemming, a cranium for creation, or thimble-covered thumb, rather. I sighed at another failed attempt at blending in with society’s conventional holiday. While throwing myself on the bed, I flipped out my cell and called the only person I knew that could rescue me from the unreal discomfort of boredom.
“Caileigh? Merry Christmas!”
“Yeah, hey. Merry Christmas to you too! What’s on your agenda for the rest of the day?” “You mean besides doing whatever you’re doing? Nothing at all.”
“Perfect. Meet me at the spot. See you in ten! Bye babe.”
”For sure! Bye Leigh!”
I smiled in great relief. Nathan was my best friend in the entire world. Our mothers met at a Lamaze session and became really close. Then, after we were both born, they set up play dates whenever they could. I’ve seen friendships before. Empty promises, stupid handshakes, lame fights, and ugly matching Halloween costumes. Nathan and I were nothing like that. He was the guy you can cry in front of and wont run away, one that will share his secrets with you before you confide him, and the only person who will truly tell you if you look fat in that outfit or not. I’m the girl that will help you hide the hole in your pants after you get a rip, assist you in piercing any part of your body, and then make alterations to the clothes that will adequately cover the piercing so that you don’t get busted by your parents. We were real friends, and as far as I was concerned, everyone else was doing it wrong. It isn’t a coincidence that Nathan is also the friend that saved me from the bad end of a coma on Christmas Day. When I ran downstairs in my blue jean skirt, knit top, and foot mittens, my mom didn’t even question where I was going. I shouted, “Love you mom. I’m going to be with Nathan at the spot. Call me if you need anything in town. Bye!” I walked for about five minutes. My eyes followed the usual scenery. Moe’s Donut Shop, Ms.Daisy’s Flowers, Fred and Landry: Attorney’s at law, the usual. Though, this time I saw his red, knit sweater before I heard his booming voice. Nathan leaned up against a tree in front of the park we pronounced ours. We had met each other there, talked to each other there, and when one of us ran away, found each other there. As soon as I got close enough for him to see my smile, he stood up straight with his long limbs, jet black hair, and built physique.
“Caileigh! Merry Christmas!” He waved wide with one hand, while the other held a medium-sized box. I finally reached him and he showed me all the white teeth in his mouth. I returned a less than enthusiastic grin. Nathan pushed the box towards me and mouthed the words “Merry Christmas. Open it.” I smiled at him, embarrassed that I had left his gift at home. I slowly unpeeled the green, metallic, reindeer-printed paper off the box, lifted the lid of the box and pulled out a book. It was an album with the words “Nathan and Caileigh” on the front. I smiled again as I used my fingertips to peel each page. Each page had a collage of old photos, caption clips and designs all around. Like, the third grade field trip to Waterworld, my eleventh birthday party, our first freshman dance, and every national holiday on the calendar. It was defiantly thoughtful. I turned, hugged his broad shoulders and caught the smell of his cologne.
“Thanks so much Nath. I love it, really. I didn’t even know you kept up with this stuff.” I swung my arms off his shoulder, but he clung still. “Caileigh there something I have to tell you. I waited to tell you today, because I thought it would be more special.” I waited. “I wanted to tell you that I love you and not just as a best friend anymore. Every time I think of you, I can’t see myself in the friend zone forever. I really like you and want to know if you would consider us dating.”
He was all red by this time. I felt my pupils enlarge. Whoa, I didn’t know that the album wasn’t his only gift. It wasn’t like I never thought of him and I being an item. I’d always thought about it as a possibility. Those thoughts danced along with him being my maid of honor. We’d been friends for so long; I didn’t want to screw it up with commitment. But, who could I kid? I loved this guy just as much as he loved me. We just had a lot of things to lose if we didn’t do this dating thing right. I took a deep breath, “Nathan, I accept your offer.” He exhaled, smiled, and took both of my hands. “I thought you would run away.” I laughed. What am I in, second grade? His large hand took my clammy, pink hand, and he walked me to a bench. Silence was great right then. Could this possibly be the best Christmas present ever?! I felt him smiling at me. He put his arm around me and held me close; I smelled the cologne again, this time, it smelt different. I didn’t smell it as his best friend. I was inhaling it as his new girlfriend.
The next two day’s flew by. Nathan and I hung out constantly since we declared our official courtship to our parents. Of course they were pleased; they predicted it. A few hours after we started dating, Nathan wanted to go everywhere; to a new Italian restaurant, on a canoe ride, and salsa dancing. I told him that if he didn’t slow down, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy us. He laughed and we just ended up walking around everywhere and talking, just like old times; like I was dating my best friend. It was hard to tell him goodbye at dark when he had to go home. The night before school started, I walked him down the sidewalk. He stopped and stared into my eyes and held my face in his hands. I stared back down into his big brown eyes. He brought my face down to his and stepped towards me. I closed my eyes and our lips met. His lips smelled of Carmex and Winterfresh gum, and were warm against mines. Cliché enough, my leg lifted from the ground and I put my hands through his thick curls.
Our lips unlocked, I took a deep breath, and he whispered to me, “Goodnight sweetheart. I love you.” Then he kissed my forehead and walked down the street, only lit by the streetlights and now, my smile. I stood breathless for a minute, waltzed for the front door, ran up to my room; body slammed my bed, took a pillow, and screamed into it. I now officially had the best boyfriend in the world!
My dreams that night were sweet like watermelons in the heat of the summer. The sun rose before I did. It invited its rays into my room and proceeded into my wincing eyes. I did a yoga stretch and shuffled for the bathroom for a shower. My body wash woke me up instantly. I lathered, rinsed, toweled dry, and then tore my room apart for clothes. I decided on a pink turtle neck, my new scarf, dark blue skinny jeans, and hot pink, zebra-stripped high-tops. To top it all off, I styled my hair in a messy bun and put a pink hat on the top, following the 45 degree angle rule. I found my favorite perfume and did a few sprays on the hot spots; ankle, wrist, neck, and back. I grabbed my school stuff, swiped a muffin from the kitchen table, kissed mom on the cheek and jetted out the door. The walk to school wasn’t an entire drag for the first time.
Midway, Nathan appeared, snuck a kiss, and then grabbed my hand. “Ready for school, love?” I grinned and replied, “I don’t know one person who is.”
As we approached the school’s front yard, Nathan slipped one hand around the small of my back. He had obviously used that as a sign that I was now his girl. I knew he was probably nervous about other guys trying to hit on me. It figures. I was tall, lean, perky, sun kissed, with striking blue eyes, reddish-blonde hair, and puckering, pink lips. Not to mention I was ridiculously stylish. My mother is an interior decorator; I guess I inherited her eye for colors. I could totally understand Nathan’s nervousness. He pushed one of the double doors open for me. The school looked, felt, and smelled the same. I lived in a small town where the population was a bit higher than the schools. We walked down the hall to the locker we shared. He picked out a History and English book. While I pulled out an Algebra book and a library book that was due. Nathan closed the locker, gave me a quick peck on the cheek, and jogged to his class. The bell rung and I paced to first period.
In Algebra, we talked about what we got for Christmas. Some kids in the class had gotten cars and new clothes and such. I lied and said I had gotten money. I figured that the lie was better than nothing.
Word had gotten around about me and Nathan. Helen from two rows away congratulated me and wished me luck. It made me happy that Nathan and I were together now; he’s the only one I could ever be myself around. He’s the only one who knows the brand of ponytail holder I use, and that I don’t eat breakfast on Sundays, or that I don’t like socks because I like my toes to be free, and the he’s also the only one who really knows about my ugly facial expressions when I get deep in conversation. I feel a little selfish for my Nathan so soon, when some people don’t ever find their Nathan for a lifetime. The bell rung and I got up form my chair and made my way for the door. Joey Tirino stepped in front of the doorway and his lips were moving at the speed of light. “I heard you and Nathan are official. That’s great, I mean. I remember in third grade when you told me you would fix me up with Sindy Grady and then she told me she thought I was icky. Oh, well, I have to go. Bye Caileigh.” Woah, that guy had a gab on him. The walkway finally cleared, I walked to my locker, where Nathan already waited for me. His smiled warmed me from the cold classroom.
“Hey there Nate. Baby, how was History?” “Oh, it was fine. A bit dry, thought. But I got a good laugh out of Mr. Zingerman’s new hair cut. He gave a new meaning to the bowl cut.” He laughed. I hugged him and inhaled his scent. His arms gave a little more squeeze as he muttered in my ear, “Try to have a good day, babe. I’ll take you for pizza after school.” He sealed the promise with another kiss. I grinned all the way to home room.
Homeroom was my favorite part of the day. I caught up on sleep, homework, and the mostly moist gossip. Today I had some winter work to finish up. I had spent so much time with Nathan; I didn’t get to all of my papers. When I walked through the door I didn’t see Mr. Transler anywhere. I figured he had gotten too much vacation and decided not to come back. I sat towards the back, since we had a substitute. Helen from Algebra, Gaby, and Yecinia got up and sat on the same row I was sitting on. Their faces were eager. These three girls weren’t as close as Nathan and I, but our relationship was pretty solid. In the third grade we had all gotten our cootie shots at the same time, when someone gave one of us a hard time; we would egg their house, and when one us got dumped; we trash talked the boy, ate every snack on God’s green Earth, and watched reruns of “One Tree Hill”.
Helen spoke first. ”Hey Leigh! Mr. Transler is sick with the stomach flu and won’t be back for a week. I’m trying to lose some hefty holiday weight; I need that stomach flu more than he does.” She giggled. I immediately felt bad for the too much vacation comment. I guessed he’d rather be here, than sick. Yecinia and Gaby talked on about how they just knew that Nathan and I would be an item by graduation. I smiled sarcastically. I’m glad you were right.
I was in and out of conversation, as I always had been. Though, when something sounded good enough to key into, I picked my head up from my work. “Yeah,” Gaby was in the beginning of a new rant, “the classes are totally changing. I heard when you get your new schedule, that none of your classes would be the same. I won’t even be able to sit next to that cute Pacific Islander boy anymore.” She did a small shriek.
I blurred her voice out once again. Awh, that means I might lose homeroom with my girls. School had always been a slight drag. The curriculum was so easy; you could get an entire night sleep during the school day.
Someone cleared their throat. I looked up and the substitute spoke. “I’m Mr. Paulson, you can call me Randy. I know you all have heard about your teacher, and I am terribly sorry for his sickness.” His voice showed no sympathy, but a hint of humor. “I’ll call roll now.” Naturally no one sits in their right seats when the regular teacher isn’t around.
He got down the list to me. “Caileigh Sineburg?!”
“Here!”
Mr.Paulson paced back and forth in front of the room. He was kind of tall, had a hunch, and sported a dingy hairstyle that appeared dirty blonde, chin length, and greasy. His face gave him an age of about 25 or so. Facial wise, he had a sharp nose, strong chin, and deep gloomy eyes, framed by pale white skin and adult acne; defiantly a 9.5 on the give-me-the-creeps scale. I felt the bell about to ring, so I took out my mirror to touch up my make up. As I was applying my eye liner, the corner of my eye caught a glimps of something shiny. I looked, and it wasn’t anything too major.
I finished up, and just as I was about to stand to put on my back pack, the bell rung. Hoorah! Another timely victory for Ms. Sineburg! We all got up to walk towards the door. Bobby, a muscle-head football player, got to the door first. I figured he was in a rush to get to athletics. He pressed down the lever at the door and then again. Bobby made a face like he was trying to crack a code or something. Helen went up towards the door and took authority. “Come on man! How hard could it be?” She tried the lever. Again, she pushed and pulled, jiggled and pounded on the door. She did a snuff of defeat. “Yo! What’s up with this? I got to get to class, today!” Terii Henderson, number five in our class, was always on top of her game. She could do calculations better than any machine and she almost still had time to dress as well as I did.
Mr. Paulson’s voice came like smoke under a crack in the door.
“I’m glad you all have noticed my nifty little trick. The door swings closed, and then lock closed. I’m the only one with a key. Now students, classes are the least of your worries, please take a seat.”
