Paraconscious - Chapter 2

( NOTE TO READER!: I know this chapter may seem "long", but really it's only a few pages in real life. I enjoy creating full chapters so that my readers will potentially come to understand what I'm trying to build here instead of feeling as if I've left out a lot of things. But I do take criticism well and hope to hear some great feedback once you've finished reading! I hope you enjoy it! Here's chapter two. . .)

It was a normal, middle of the week Wednesday evening. My dad had just gotten home from the hospital. He was a pediatric cardiologist. His work shifts were a little demanding especially much now that he was the towns' best; having graduated from Stanford medical. We're all proud of him for what he does, but the past few months it's been more like we all await him coming home so that we can all be together again. Separation anxiety I suppose. It's not as bad with me, -or so I should hope- but my little brothers have a harder time with it. It's a good thing we have my grandparents around 24/7. At least the house here never gets lonely.

I was up in my bedroom now, finishing up my homework for the night. I had quite a bit of it this week. Being a junior in high school can be so demanding, even in a town as small as this. Right now I was busy with my laptop in front of me, trying to think up a good enough conclusion to my thesis on To Kill A Mockingbird. I finally caught writers block right at the tail end of my whole report. Now I wondered if I'd ever finish.

I heard a small knock at my door. "Leiken, can I come in?" It was Alex.

"Go ahead," I said.

He let himself in and was now walking over to me with his little Houghten Mifflin math book; his paper and pencil squeezed in the middle of the page he was on. "Can you help me? I don't get this," he said frowning slightly.

"Lex, you know I have my own homework. I'm kind of busy, too." He stopped in the center of my room with a sad face. "Can't you get Mikey to help you? He's good in math."

He shook his head no at me. "I'm too confused already. And when Mikey signs numbers I just get more confused."

I sighed to myself once as I closed my laptop screen down. "Alright, fine... I'll help." He smiled and jogged over to lay on my bed with his math book opened up in front of him. "What's confusing you?"

"My times tables. I can't do my sixes... or sevens."

"Have you been practicing your flashcards?" He shook his head slowly no. "Lex, you gotta practice if you want to remember them. That's the only way."

"I try to practice, but it's boring."

"Math is boring," I said, despite the fact I was so great at it, "but the more you practice what you learn the easier it'll be for you to remember stuff. Then you can do it all without having to practice so much."

"Can you just help me?" He was throwing his big brown eyes my way. Being so stressed with my own work, I could have almost said no. But when either of the twins threw that look at me it changed my motive. Maybe that was their motive. Curse their childish innocence.

"Okay... Which problem are you on?" He pointed with his pencil to problem nine and from there is where we got started.

It was sort of difficult keeping him on track though with the work when he continued to go off subject with his chit chat. Alex was the most talkative person I knew. I guess with Michael being deaf he made up for his speech disability.

"What homework do you have?" he asked at one point.

"I have a report that's due tomorrow that I'm trying to finish. So I need you to pay attention so we can get your homework done. That way I can go back to finishing mine."

"Who helps you with your homework, Leik?" He was counting on his index fingers in order to find the answer to the number he was working on while he asked me this.

"No one, Lex. I do it all on my own."

He scribbled down his answer then looked back up at me. "What about when you get confused? Who helps you then?"

"Nobody, I pay close attention in class. As you should, too."

He looked back down at his paper and started writing down the next problem. "I do pay attention. I have to help tell Mikey what the teacher's saying."

Of course. I forgot about that I guess. "Dad says they're working on bringing in an interpreter very soon. So you won't have to worry about that anymore."

"In class, do you have anybody who talks to you and helps you listen to what the teacher says?"

"I just told you. I do it all on my own," I answered.

"But do you have any friends? Like your friends at your old school?" I shook my head no at him, and he looked at me with another sad expression. "Me either..."

"You don't like anybody here either, huh?"

He shook his head no as he wrote down the correct answer to the problem he was working on. "Everyone here is mean. They pick on Mikey, so we don't talk to anyone else."

"What do you mean they pick on Mikey?"

He put down his pencil and got on his knees to demonstrate. "They always do weird things like this," he said as he started making funny hand gestures all around his body.

"They're just mad 'cause they don't understand. That's all." I tried extra hard to keep the bitterness in my tone from seeping out. Kids could be so mean...

"Yeah, but it's annoyin'. I don't like when they do that."

I got close so I could pat him once on the shoulder. "One day they'll get bored of it and won't do it anymore. Just give it time."

"We've already been here forever and no one likes us, Leik," he complained with a frustrated face.

I wasn't sure what to say. My own situation wasn't any different from his, so I didn't know what exactly there was that I could say that I could find enough truth in believing myself. "I'm sure in a few more weeks you'll make some new friends."

"You think so?" he asked hopefully.

I smiled and nodded my head yes. Though the smile did not come easy. "In fact, I promise you, if you try and make some new friends I'll try and make some new friends, too."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really."

He got back down to his laying position on my bed and relaxed again. "I bet you'll have lots of friends, Leik. Everyone likes you."

That made me smile inside. "Thanks, Lex..."

Although, I wish everyone could see me the way my brothers did. Maybe then it'd make my promise to him easier. No one spoke to me -the troubled new kid. That's not all of who I was though. Before, back at my old school, I had too many friends to count. I was the outgoing one... Joined the spirit clubs with all my friends, went to football games and all the pep rallies. School life here didn't seem to be as peppy. In fact, school life over there had soon lost its pep too as I remember it. I wondered if my school life could ever recover. I didn't want to have to wait till college for a fresh start. But the way things were going, and how I always seemed to feel inside, made it look as if that were the only direction I could take. And if even then it didn't work, well. . . let's just say there was no plan B for me...

When I got to first period biology, my lab partner Eric was already taking up the space at both our desk with a disapproving look. I could tell he was unhappy still at Mr. Lightner's most recent classroom arrangement. But it wasn't exactly my fault either that he and his old lab partner decided to make idiotic use of their class time. Along with the few other rambunctious kids in this class. They had to all be paired up all over again with more dependable students. I was included into that handful of students. Eric was the kid I now babysat through classwork. Lucky me.

I pushed through all my classes today partially unscathed. I had my moments of irritation toward some students. One girl in particular -Megan Saunders. If there was that superficial, mean-girl spot at the school, she definitely had that role covered.

During p.e today, as I was walking the track alone after having ran my mile, I came across her and her little followers. I kept my attention off of her and onto the track of course. That is, until I heard my name called. When I turned to look she threw me a smirky look directly my way. Irritated, I looked back away. Then again, I heard my name. Well -my wrong name. I glanced inconspicuously back her way. As I'm sure she wanted, she caught my eyes again. "What?" she giggled. "I didn't say I like you, did I?"

Again with the name thing. I was seriously beginning to consider a spell change. Maybe if I changed my name to Laken people wouldn't be so ignorant. It wasn't something I was working to hold a grudge to though. It wasn't Megan's or anyone else's fault they were so simple-minded. I'd be just as simple-minded if I made it a point to call her Meegan Sounders. Let my name be a focal point. At least I was getting recognized someway. Enough to keep me from completely drifting into that fateful nothingness I felt was demanding it's possession over me. No, I would try everything not to wither away. . .

After school, I hopped on the bus to go home. Or... was about to. Until I saw an all too familiar face waiting ready to hop on the bus herself. Megan, who was standing close to the swinging bus doors, had her eyes directly on me. She was sending a very harsh look my way. Not to say I'm the type to be intimidated by people like her, but I could tell she had something evil cooking in her brain. For me no doubt. I paused in place as she continued to stare my way, obviously trying extra hard to seem intimidating.

One of her friends stole her glance away, and began to pull her up onto the bus. It struck me as odd seeing her getting onto the bus that took me home. That obviously couldn't mean anything good at all. My stomach churned inside. Right then I knew I had two choices. I could get on the bus and ignore her completely, which would probably seem like the more intelligent thing to do. Or, I could try something new and really ignore her this time, by skipping the bus ride home and just walking. Both seemed like alright ways to go to me. After all, how many more times could she really be hopping on my bus home? She took a completely different route home than me on any normal day. One that went to the more populated parts of town. Whereas I lived in seclusion city.

Today I could try walking. After all, it wouldn't hurt. It was a nice day and I'd be home in plenty of time to start all my homework. I flipped around in my direction and started home another way. As I was walking near the fence line toward the gate to leave school, I caught sight of my bus. Once it left ahead of me, I found it okay to start making my way home.

I began following in the path I knew best, which was the path the bus obviously took me. It was pretty straight forward until I started putting into consideration all the other stops it made coming home. Then I knew there was one other way I could go. The question was, did I want to go that way?. . .

Ten minutes into my walk, I caught sight of the old town cemetery. Weird, right? Not too far off from where my school is there's a small little cemetery sitting by the woods. At first I walked mainly around the perimeter of the tall gates and stone wall. As I continued to look on though - into what at first seemed like an intimidating factor to me - something almost drew me in about the place. And I wasn't quite sure what it was. The cemetery just didn't seem... intimidating really. I could surely cut through it to get home faster. So why not?

I backtracked to the gate which I had too soon passed up, and crossed my way into it. Right at that moment I was surrounded by a whole new kind of environment. All around me were trees, with fall changing leaves. The ground was sort of uneven, and un-mowed. To tell the truth, there was more weeds and wild flowers here than grass itself. The headstones here were large and very old. You could only tell by the apparently misshapen and weathered look of the cold, gray rock.

It was all truly out of the ordinary to me from the kinds of cemeteries I was use to seeing, back in California - back where my mother was buried. . . The whole setting here looked like something out of a movie. And oddly still, something about it was strangely appealing; strangely charming. I couldn't put my finger on what though. It just all kind of struck me as weird.

I stayed near the gate line for a few yards, marveling at the still scene of the entirely empty town cemetery. I was the only one inside right now. To cross and make the short cut home I'd have to go in deeper. Past the trees and all the weathered down headstones. Past that point I wouldn't be very visible to anyone here. Not exactly safe. Was I that brave? Or was I the stupid girl that got killed here at the beginning of a horror movie?

I guess my humor always came at an appropriate time didn't it? I shrugged away the thoughts and started slowly venturing my way in. A few yards into the oddly set up grave site, and I started to notice some weird feelings coming over me. Particularly every time I passed a headstone. I figured mostly that the feelings were born off the crazy thoughts going through my head. But aside from all that, all I could keep thinking was, 'Stupid Megan. How could I let her get the best of me?'

When I passed by a new stone is when I acquired a new type of chill. There was a creepy breeze in the air I think. Cemeteries are probably breeding grounds for weird paranormal activity though. Activity such as drops in temperature and eerie mood changes. So far, I was feeling pretty. . . sad. But I knew it had nothing to do with the weirdness of walking through a cemetery to get home. No, I was just heavily reminded of my mother by the location. It was making me feel bad I left her. All alone, in California.

My head was held slightly down as I walked in solitude, and thought. I was sure I was alone where I was. That is, until I caught sight of a figure in the distance. I brought my eyes all the way focused and out so that I could see a large brick-stone well. And on top of it there was a boy, standing on the edge of it and facing my way with his back to the hole.

Was he stupid or was he about to just "accidentally" let himself fall back or something? Why else would someone just stand there like that for? My attention switched course into that way as I began to call out. "Hey... you."

As I got closer, I could see he saw me heading towards him. His eyes focused back onto me as mine were now on him. He scrunched down onto his knees then, but didn't get off the edge as he eyed me closing up the distance between us now. "Uh.. what are you doing? Out here, standing... there?"

He continued to stare at me like he was shocked I was even asking him such a question. Probably another boy from school. If he was, then that would answer the question why he was so standoffish now. He was probably in with the other kids on shunning the new girl, too. I spoke out barely again when he didn't answer.

"It's kind of dangerous... don't you think?"

After a minute he surprised me with a different look. A friendlier... smile. After that he hopped down and came to stand up in front of me. "Dangerous?" he repeated. "You could see me? -I mean you could see me from all the way over there?"

I looked at him sort of funny as I nodded my head yes. "Of course. You weren't that far away."

He kept his smile. "Well.. I just assumed you'd walk right by," he began. "I didn't think you'd stop to come up to me."

I stood there quietly pretty much; examining his queer appearance.

"I'm sorry. Where're my manners," he said sweetly then. "The name's Rhys. You are?"

He seemed about my age. Looked like someone who lived here. And yet, he was speaking to me? I was sure now he didn't go to my school. He couldn't if he wasn't aware of who I was. Almost everyone by now knew who I was. It was a small high school. But I also guessed a new face wouldn't hurt.

"Leiken," I answered back.

"Leiken," he repeated very eloquently. "Such a weird name. I've never heard of it before."

"It's also Leik, for short...," I said shyly -mostly for what he'd think.

"Leik... As in the lake you swim in? Beautiful. Nice to meet you," he responded, still with a friendly smile and now offering his hand out for a shake.

I took his hand shyly; baffled by his complete friendliness. "Nice.. to meet you?"

"Oh, believe me. You have no idea how nice."

I sort of smiled then. I knew boys. To me that sounded like flirting. But then again, I could be wrong. I looked again to the well in back of him and returned to my original place of thought. "Uh... if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing? Alone, and standing face back to that well?"

He spun his head back around to catch the sight of what I was now looking at. When his attention returned back to me, it was with easy eyes and a devilishly cool smile. "I could ask you the same thing. What were you doing walking all alone in a cemetery?"

"That wouldn't be fair, considering I asked you first," I countered. Now attempting to say it in just as friendly of a tone.

"Well, well. What a peculiar little one. Aren't you full of quippy remarks."

I smiled shyly again. Now taken quite aback by his easy attitude. "Me? Peculiar? I wasn't the one standing at the edge of a well in the middle of a cemetery. All alone I might add."

He let out a short laugh. "All's fair. You got me."

I settled with my winning point. He stared at me yet again through the same big, blue eyes of his. Clear, exactly like water. They were really very miraculous looking, I had to admit. Actually... all of him was. "Do you... ah."

He furrowed his brows at me. "Do I what?"

What was I going to ask? Do you go to the same terrible school as me with the same, nearly terrible people? All because he didn't seem so terrible at all? "I was just wondering.. how old you are."

He paused himself to smile for a second. Through a small peak in his lips, I could see his big white teeth. I sort of slid my tongue across my own without much noticing at first I was doing this. I guess that was my own queer way of knowing I was impressed. Impressed by his neatly appearance. "How old do I look?" He said it with almost a tease.

I bit down on my lip slightly as I tried to make a good enough guess. He looked definitely older than me. But hardly by much I assumed. "Seventeen maybe?"

"You're quite the guesser aren't you?"

I shrugged as I thought of the next obvious question I had wanted to ask first. "Do you go to my school?... I mean, do you go to Meyers?"

He looked to the distance past my shoulder for the briefest moment, then switched his attention back onto me. "No, I don't. But I'm assuming you do. Seeing as you called it your school."

I could tell he was teasing me now. "I didn't mean it that way. I was just curious though."

He smiled, then took a few steps back to lean against the circular stone wall of the open well. "As am I. very curious."

"Curious how?" I asked. He didn't answer with another word, just shrugged one of his shoulders again, slightly. I took a hesitant step forward. "If you don't go to Meyers, then does that mean you've already graduated?"

He shook his head in a negative direction. "I guess you could say... I dropped out early."

"Really...," I said, pondering at the idea even a little myself. "That's too bad."

He returned to me with a look of sympathy in himself. "Yes, it is... But you, how old are you? I'm assuming close in age with me." The way he said "with me", again, sounded as if it had its own twinge of flirtiness in it.

"I'm sixteen," I said back. "I just started my junior year here."

"I see," he began. "So you're... new here. To this town?"

"Yeah... a little," I admitted.

"How little?" he asked.

"Well-..." I was actually about to answer him. Then I snapped out of it and remembered I was only speaking to a complete stranger. "You know, I better get going. I missed my bus so now I'm even late walking home. It was nice meeting you though."

He pushed himself gently back off into a standing position. "Oh," he said. I wasn't sure if it was just me or my now growing ego from the occurance of someone actually speaking to me, but he sounded kind of... disappointed almost, in my sudden remark.

"Well, if you have to go, at least before hand could I ask you one more question?"

I guess I didn't see the harm in it. "Sure."

"Do you think there's a chance you might be missing your bus again tomorrow? That way I might run into you again."

I couldn't help but smile again. I welcomed it so. It seemed like an eternity since I'd been physically capable of smiling. This boy was really nice. In a completely harmless and unstrange way. I guess you could say pretty rare for me to have run into. Especially much now. I wasn't just going to let him pass me by if I had the chance for him not to.

"Do you come here a lot?" I asked.

He showed a teethy grin to one side of his face. "Maybe if I saw you here a little more often, I'd make it a point to be found here more often."

"So you do come by here often."

He kept focused with his previous question. "Do you think I might run into you again?"

I waited a second before answering, then nicely nodded my head yes.

"Then yeah. Guess you'll find me a regular here, Leik." Finally, someone who pronounced my name right. And it wasn't my family.

"Maybe, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Sure," he said back, almost satisfied sounding through that luminescent smile of his.

I started backing away, into the direction I had been walking toward to complete my shortcut. "Later, Rhys."

From where I was I caught his fresh new smile. "You remember my name." He sounded... what was it... -impressed?

"Of course," I assured sincerely. "You remembered mine." But only I could know how truly satisfying such a little thing as remembering a simple name could make a person feel. Remembering my name correctly. It showed he was genuinely interested in me. I held onto that. It simply made my whole day...