Part One
Chapter One
“Please don’t make me go!” I wail, clutching Xavier’s shirt.
“Señorita, do not make me do this.” Xavier pries my fingers off his neatly pressed top and takes a step back.
Lacey gingerly takes my hand, leading me towards the exit gate, “C’mon Echo. It’s just boarding school. I’ll be there too…out of my own free will, mind you.”
I sigh dramatically, glaring at Xavier, “I blame you. Why can’t you look after me until we find my mother?”
“I have my own children, Echo,” Xavier’s heavy Latino accent is flowing into his words, “I cannot watch over you as well.”
I should probably give you all a reality check on what’s going on in Hell – a.k.a, my life. See, my dad died when I was little, and my mother fled from our house only a month ago – she’s a major alcoholic and smoker, so I think she fled while stoned drunk or on some crazy whim. I’ve been living with Xavier, but he decided that until we find my mother, I should go to boarding school.
Xavier is a very close family friend; he took over my dad’s company after he died. Also, I refuse to go to boarding school. Even if my best friend is coming along – thank God for Lacey – because I can’t take dorm rooms…and cockroaches.
Xavier shakes his head solemnly at me and points one scraggly, long finger to the exit gate. I glance over, a frown forming along my lips. My iPhone rings quietly in my Cheetah print Kate Spade tote bag and I fish around for it while Lacey taps her foot impatiently on the floors of the airport.
Lacey and I will be starting our junior year at the Ballingdon Boarding School (BBS for short) located in North Carolina. Okay, all I know about North Carolina is that (1) it’s a state and (2) it’s right above South Carolina. Don’t peg me for one of those ditsy rich girls who just float through life with their credit card, because I’m not.
I’m actually really smart in school…I just happen to suck at History.
“Echo! Let’s go!” Lacey glances nervously at her diamond-studded Rolex watch that her parents gave her for her sixteenth birthday over the summer. We’ll be starting at BBS right when everyone else does, at the beginning of the year. Luckily, Lacey and I scored the same dorm room.
I check my iPhone quickly, seeing a new text message from my boyfriend – Jamie – and I bite my bottom lip nervously. I’ve never done a long-distance relationship, and I hate leaving Jamie in San Fran all by himself. I know he’ll be fine, but I can’t help but wonder if he’ll cheat on me. Jamie’s been faithful, don’t get me wrong, but I totally saw Trisha Cornwall eying him when she found out I was going across the country for boarding school. And Trisha is not bad looking. Although, I mean…Jamie was fretting about me leaving. He’s convinced I’m going to get torn apart by bears. Do bears even live in North Carolina? I’m thinking about checking it up on my phone when Xavier clears his throat to get my attention.
I give him one last hug, taking in his familiar clean scent and I let Lacey grab my wrist in a clench of death and drag me to the terminal. Shoving my phone in my tote, I make a mental note to text Jamie once we’ve landed at the airport in NC. Lacey plops down in one of the hard blue plastic chairs in the terminal. I glance at the carpet, studying it as though it’s the most interesting thing in the world.
“Lacey, I don’t want to go.” I complain for the billionth time.
I think Lacey’s almost had it with my complaining, but she’s my best friend so she kind of has to put up with me. She sighs and pats my shoulder, “C’mon Echo, think of this as a…learning experience.”
I scoff and make myself busy in checking my nail polish while I wait for our flight number to be called.
Eventually the announcer gets onto the intercom and says that Flight 72, passengers in seats 13-27 are ready to board. Lacey and I stand and walk dutifully towards the exiting area and walk aboard the plane.
I roll my eyes as Lacey grabs the seat by the window, leaving me in the middle and for some random stranger to sit next to me on the isle. Luckily (Ha ha, yeah right) some dude about his mid-forties sits next to me and eyes me for a few moments too long. I shudder and lean onto Lacey’s shoulder, who is busy looking excitedly out the window.
Pulling my small compact mirror from my tote and checking my makeup comforts me. Through the compact mirror I see mid-forties dude still staring at me. I look at him, my gaze hard, and my expression unreadable and blank.
“I’m Greg,” he holds out his large meaty looking hand. I stare at it for a moment before turning away in disgust. Greg takes back his hand and mumbles something like “Fine. I was just tryin’ to be nice.”
Okay, Ha ha, no. Here’s a little tip. Guys like Greg, guys in their mid-whatever’s who check out innocent sixteen year old girls like me, are not just ‘tryin’ to be nice’.
I pick up conversation with Lacey about the latest gossip we had heard about what happened over the summer with people at our – now – old high school.
“And you know Kelsey did it with Doug right?” Lacey lowers her voice and looks cautiously around, as if someone from our school is on the plane.
I gape at her, “No, I did not know that!”
And we chat carelessly all the way to NC. When we land, I’m so proud to be on land after a four and a half hour flight that I stumble gladly off the plane into the NC terminal. Lacey and I grab our bags and head outside, spotting the van to pick us up and take us to Ballingdon.
The ride there is profusely boring; I absently pick my nails – a habit I’ve really wanted to quit. Lacey grabs my hand as we near the campus of Ballingdon. Right in the middle of the campus is an astounding marble fountain in the shape of a lion, the Ballingdon mascot. There at the fountain a few students are situated casually. Behind the fountain is an over-sized mansion, where I guess all the classes are held. Scattered everywhere else are the dorm buildings and I tell Lacey that we’re in the Poppy Dorm. Sadly, yes, the dorms are named after flowers. How cliché can you get anyway?
Lacey and I jump from the van and grab our bags, thanking the driver. We walk to the Poppy Dorm, finding it easily. I hitch my tote further up onto my shoulder and hold the door for Lacey. The inside is regal and takes my breath away at the sight of it; smooth crème colored stone tiles line the floor of the lobby area. To the right is a rather comfy looking lounge spot, a large flat screen TV perched above a cozy fireplace.
A beautifully curved staircase leads to the upstairs area, where rooms are, and I motion to Lacey to follow me. We say ‘hi’ to a few of the girls we pass, being friendly never did have any harm.
I find our dorm, number 12, and I unlock the door with the key I’ve been keeping in my jeans pocket. The room isn’t as fancy as the lobby area, but it leaves plenty of elbowroom. I grab the bed at the back of the room, by the window and let Lacey take the one by the door.
Two desks are situated in the room, one right next to my bed and one at the foot of hers. The bathroom is right near my bed and next to it is a small walk-in closet. Lacey leaves the door to the room open and pokes her head out, looking around. She looks back at me and says, “I’m going to look around the rest of the lobby, care to join?”
I fish through one of my bags before finding my swimsuit, “No thanks, I’ll catch up with you later. I’m going to change; it’s too warm here for my jeans. Also, I heard that this is on the beach. I want to check that out.”
Lacey nods and says, “I’ll be back after checking the lobby, then we can head to the beach.” I smile and she walks out the room.
A shiver passes through me as I slip off my jeans and underwear, pulling on my royal blue bikini bottoms. I lift my short-sleeved shirt over my head and fish out my blue bikini top, taking off my bra. I’m about to pull on the bikini top when a low cough sounds from the doorway. Shoot, I forgot I left the door open. I look over my shoulder and gasp as a see a (very, very attractive) guy standing in the doorway.
“Oh my god,” I shout, embarrassment shooting through my body, and I clasp the bikini behind my back. I glare at the guy standing in the doorway, “Who the hell are you? And why are you in my doorway watching me get changed?”
“Okay, first off, I don’t like being yelled at. Second off, I wasn’t watching you get changed, you had the door open and I saw you taking off your shirt so I was going to tell you to close it when…” he trails off. I roll my eyes, already he seems like the typical guy.
“When I took off my shirt and bra,” I finish for him, raising an eyebrow.
He shrugs and a grin tugs at his lips, “I’m Nate.”
“Echo,” I answer, taking in Nate. He has light blond hair, streaks of a caramel color striking through the short spiky style. He’s taller than me, but I’m pretty tall so it’s not saying much. His white shirt hugs his body, showing off his thin waist and very toned body. Nate’s eyes are a deep green; so dark they give off a mysterious vibe that makes me want to spill every secret I know to him. His jaw is chiseled, his cheeks high, and I swear he looks like he walked out of an Abercrombie ad.
“Echo, unique name. I like it.” He smiles, showing off pearly whites.
“Thanks,” I answer, nodding. I briefly note that I’m still wearing only a bikini and I walk back to my bed, grabbing a yellow and white sundress from my opened bag. I look back at Nate, who’s still standing in my doorway and I can tell he’s totally checking me out. What a guy. Nate’s eyes meet mine and he grins sheepishly before someone behind him calls his name.
“Hey, Derek,” Nate calls, lifting a hand as a wave and then turns back to me, “real nice meetin’ you Echo,” He winks, “But I have to get going. I hope to see you around.”
“Yeah,” I mumble as he disappears from the door. I walk to the bathroom in Lacey and mine’s room. It’s small with a toilet, shower and sink cramped inside. I take myself in looking at the mirror. My wavy dark blond hair falls around my shoulders, and I’m thankful that I straightened my side bangs that morning. My eyes probe at me through the mirror and I smile, showing off my own white teeth. I twirl my waves, and examine my peach colored skin, hoping it’ll tan when I go to the beach.
“Echo?” Lacey’s voice calls to me and I walk out of the bathroom.
“Hey babe,” I smile at Lacey, pulling my black Gucci sunglasses from my tote and perching them in my hair in case I need to pull them onto my eyes.
“Ready to head to the beach?” Lacey eyes my sundress approvingly before she turns to her own suitcase to unzip it and get dressed. I shut the door to our dorm room so while Lacey is changing no creeper guys watch her dress.
Lacey pulls on her lime green bikini and a dark purple dress to go over it. We both slip on our flip-flops and head out the door. I pull my iPhone out of the small pocket in my sundress and check the text Jamie sent me.
“Aw, so cute!” I coo, looking at the text.
Lacey looks over her shoulder at me and giggles, “What’d he say?”
“That he misses me and he can’t wait to visit me for Thanksgiving Break,” I smile and stuff the phone back in the small pocket. We walk out the front door of the Poppy Dorm, saying ‘hi’ to a few people.
Just behind a few of the dorm buildings I spy a large beach and a smile breaks across my lips. Perfect for me to suntan.
The beach is one of those amazing white beaches with blue-green waters that lap gently at your feet and tickle your toes. The breeze is just right, sending the fresh smell of salt from the ocean to us, and I glance at Lacey, laughing.
“You glad we came?” She muses.
“Only because of the beach,” I shove my toes into the sand, letting it encompass my feet and I glance to the clear blue skies.
Maybe this was going to be an okay school after all, and so far I haven’t even seen one bear.
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