Half an hour later, Isa left the nurse’s office to meet Dylan who had been standing beside the door.
“You okay?” He asked as soon as he saw her.
“Yeah…” She replied. With a few patches here and there, she didn’t look so bad. “Tell me what happened” asked Dylan.
“Oh nothing much; just got pushed into a shelf and got beat up by some crazy janitor, but hey, I’m still alive” Isa said, sarcasm dripping from her tongue. Dylan’s brows shot up as he frowned “you met crazy Charlie?”
“Say who now?”
“Crazy Charlie’s the school janitor” he stated matter of factly. Leaning tiredly on the wall, she looked flatly and said “elaborate please”
Dylan scanned Isa’s body for a moment and said “let’s get somewhere to sit first. You’re tired and school’s almost over anyway. C’mon”
Slowly, they left the building, walking side by side and scanning the area for a nice place to continue their conversation.
They found a bench under a nice shade and headed for it. As soon as they sat, Dylan began;
“Crazy Charlie has been the school janitor for years now. My dad went to school here and even my granddad did and he was still here. Believe it or not, he’s even crazier than he was at that time but that’s just because the poor man was bullied”
“Bullied?” Isa sat straighter and looked at Dylan in confusion.
“Yes. Bullied” he looked back at her.
“He was bullied by bad kids, my granddad told me. They littered the halls on purpose, stole his pants a couple of times; then he started wearing overalls so they stole his spare and ruined the one he put on, hung him in the basketball hoop…”
“What?! That’s so awfully” Isa suddenly felt great pity on the old man.
“They also stole his broom from him and whacked him…”
Isa thought of her encounter with Charlie in the hall and her pity significantly diminished. He had whacked her like a psycho so…
But she was suddenly overcome with guilt and shame.
No. He didn’t deserve that. Hell! It wasn’t even his fault but those bad kids. I’m such a bad person for thinking that way…
They played a lot of dirty pranks on him so that’s why he became so violent to anyone and everyone, and I don’t blame him; the kids that go to school here can make anyone lose their minds”
Isa scoffed “not just the kids that go to school here but possibly the entire town. You’ve got mad people living among you” she folded her arms and leaned back.
“I wasn’t prepared to be in this kind of situation” Isa sulked.
Dylan smiled slyly and ruffled her hair and Isa slapped it off annoyed.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get used to the madness”
Just then the bell went off for dismissal so the two sat in silence and watched the students pour out of the building. Some even stole glances at them and some straight out gawked. Obviously, the new girl vibe hadn’t gone down yet. Nevertheless, Isa looked back at them daring them to look back. She didn’t care anymore.
Headed their way we’re Campbell, Cole and Ciara. When they got to them Campbell spoke “I couldn’t find any of in the library or the bathroom…”
“You went to the boy’s bathroom?” Cole asked in mock disgust.
“No, Cole!” Campbell breathed out an irritated sigh.
Looking back at Isa she stated “spill, don’t leave out any details”
So she told them everything that happened as detailed as she could. At the end of her narration, they were not in good moods; solely because of Heather.
“Ugh… I just really hate that girl. I hate her so much. Always getting away with her crimes and no one ever does anything about it” Campbell stomped her foot in frustration.
“I’ve said it before and I’m saying it again… the girl is off her rockers. She’s more than just a bully and the principal?… huh, he acts like a sucked up father instead of a school owner” Cole pointed out.
“Is it even possible to ignore that girl for like… forever or something?” Campbell asked and Cole scoffed.
“Ignoring her is like letting an animal eat up your ass slowly. It won’t stop until it’s satisfied and it’s damn painful” Cole replied.
“Obviously. She just keeps coming even when no one wants her. I was studying and she pushed me into a shelf” Isa rolled her eyes.
“I agree. I ignore her almost every time but she’s still persistent” Ciara voiced out, then after a moment she said “but it’s the best solution for now. We’ve got better things to do like study for exams and prepare our college applications”
Isa chuckled lightly as the others groaned. Rolling her eyes, Ciara picked up her backpack, turned away from the others and said “whatever. As I’m the only serious person here and most certainly the only one to make it to college, I’ll be heading back home to study and not waste my precious time on people who aren’t worth being a subject of discussion. If you wish to join me, then the road is clear”
With that she walked away.
“So serious…” Cole mumbled and followed her.
Smiling Campbell looked ahead and said “I’m not sure if this is a good thing but… that’s probably the longest sentence she’s made”
She turned to Dylan and Isa and said “but the part about her being the only one to make it to college… it hurt a bit. Now I feel dumb”
They laughed and a moment later, Dylan stood up and offered his hands “well ladies, shall we be on our way?”
Isa waved Campbell goodbye and entered her home. She shut the door, leaned against it and closed her eyes hard against the sudden crashing of emotions from today.
She’d wondered what kind of town she’d moved into, and what kind of people she’d had the ill fate to meet. She hadn’t had a moment’s rest from the emotional torture inflicted on her since she’d started school here.
Sure she was bound to have enemies and all that but this was just too much and she hadn’t been here up to a week!
She had started to slide down the door and enter her shell of despair and hopelessness when Lucky came running to her.
She’d opened her eyes just as Lucky jumped into her body and gave her a heartfelt bark. She chuckled softly and hugged her best friend in the world. He had somehow managed to clear the bad thoughts she’d harboured in her head. Always happy when Lucky was around.
He had that effect on people.
“Ah, I thought I heard the door shut,” Aaron said, coming down the stairs. His hair was dripping with water from the shower he’d just taken and he hung a small white towel. His naked torso was shiny and wet and he had on black baggy pants.
He flashed Isa his million dollars smile and asked “how was school today? Hope you didn’t turn into a panicking mess and freak out, did you?”
Isa bent down on one knee and searched her bag for her leftover sandwich. Lucky however, snatched it and sped off to dig into his hard earned and very much stolen snack.
Rolling her eyes, she stood up with her bag only to throw it at Aaron. Aaron caught it and smirked “that was a weak and sloppy throw Isa. Do better next time”
He tossed her bag on the couch and dried his hair with his towel as Isa stuck out her tongue at him.
“Quit making silly faces and get over here” he gestured to himself.
“Nuh-uh, I’m not hugging your baby chest” she frowned and remained put. ” Baby chest?!” Aaron looked affronted.
“This chest is to die for” he flexed his chest and muscles.
Any other girl would swoon at that but that made Isa want to puke.
“Eewww, stop that. It’s so gro…” She stopped as the most delicious aroma hit her nose.
How did that end up in their kitchen?
Pulling off her mittens, Mrs Huerta emerged from the kitchen with a stern face but amusement in her eyes.
Wait… she’s back for dinner?!
“Now you two, enough of your squabble and get ready for dinner. Welcome home Isa dear, dinner will be ready in ten minutes. Now you go have your shower. Aaron, don’t you go troubling Isa like that, and come help me set the table”
“Mrs Huerta… hi” breathed Isa “i didn’t know you were around”
Isa glanced at Aaron and back “how long have you been listening?”
Flashing her a smile she replied “not very long. Now scurry on honey” Mrs Huerta shooed Isa up the stairs and dragged Aaron with her to the kitchen.
Entering her room, Isa flopped down on her bed and began to wonder about Mrs Huerta. She didn’t remember much about her, only that she visited them occasionally and normally chatted with her parents.
She had talked to Isa a few times and bought her toys but she was always closer to Aaron.
Even now.
She was also the one who took care of Aaron and her a few days after their parent’s death, before the orphanage came for them.
She wondered if Mrs Huerta would be cooking for them from now on. Isa didn’t know how to cook but Aaron was pretty decent at it.
She patted her stomach absentmindedly.
She wouldn’t mind as she got food in her stomach and the aroma was making her stomach grumble.
Isa stuffed a forkful of chicken lasagna in her mouth and chewed loudly.
She had never tasted lasagna that was that good. After she had swallowed some, she commented “this is sooo good, Mrs Huerta. Really, really delicious”
“And the creamed celery is just too good Martha” said Aaron as he helped himself to a third serving “it was nice of you to cook dinner for us again, thanks Martha”
She chuckled and waved him off saying, “don’t thank me dear, I just really love to cook, and with Campbell cooking most of the time, I simply can’t lose the opportunity to cook for you. Sorry if it’s too frequent”
“Who’s complaining” Aaron said with a stuffed mouth “you can come cook anytime”
Um… whatever
After a while, Mrs Huerta asked Isa, “Isa dear, Aaron’s told me you’ve been having nightmares lately, want to talk about it?”
Isa’s fork stopped in mid-air as she looked in confusion at Mrs Huerta and then Aaron. She lowered her fork, glared at Aaron and mumbled “it was just once”
“Hmm” touching her chin, she looked at Isa “what happened?”
Isa mentally sighed and said “I saw my mum. Sort of. But it wasn’t her”
“Who was it?”
O I don’t know, just some really scary demon thing that impersonated my mother.
“I don’t know” Isa breathed, feeling exasperated.
“What did it look like?” Mrs Huerta pressed on.
Shutting her eyes she replied “I… don’t really know”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, no… I don’t know, maybe” she rubbed her forehead tiredly and wished that she could just disappear.
Mrs Huerta started to say something when she was interrupted by a displeased growl. Everyone looked down in surprise to see Lucky growling at none other than Mrs Huerta. He wasn’t happy with the way she made Isa uncomfortable.
Aaron rolled his eyes at Lucky and scolded “what are you doing Lucky. Bad dog!”
“Don’t bad dog my dog!” Isa fired.
Lucky had saved her from a series of uncomfortable questions so she would have no one scold him.
Raising both her hands Mrs Huerta smiled “sorry dearest Lucky. I won’t push it, I swear”
She made a sign of crossing her heart as amusement danced in her eyes.
All the while, Isa glared daggers at her brother who in turn smiled apologetically at her. He didn’t mean to make her uncomfortable; it just slipped out when he was talking to Mrs Huerta.
After dinner was over and Mrs Huerta had left. Isa retired to her parents’ library. She didn’t feel like going to bed anytime soon for fear of what her brilliant head might conjure in her dream.
Settling in her now favorite chair, Isa resumed her examination of the desk drawers. There were more photos of her parents from highschool, loose worksheets and paper clips. Opening up a news paper, she read the headline:
OFFICIAL OPENING OF REDWOOD COVE LIBRARY
“Today marked the opening of Redwood Cove’s first community library with the mayor, mayor Arnold Wiseman and chief organizer of the library, Mr Ezra White…”
“Dad helped build the town library?” Isa asked herself.
“The project had been on for the past seven months and is now a proudly finished library; fully stocked with books and furnished with facilities. The mayor was interviewed on his feelings about the new library “I’m so proud I tell ya. Very proud that our town has officially got its own public library. It cost a lot yes, but seeing it now, every last penny was worth it”
Following our interview with the chief organiser and the brain behind the project, he tells us his own feelings as well. “I’m very happy that the town has its own library and to tell you the truth; I wasn’t entirely behind this project. A few colleagues of mine had it in mind even before I did. But I was indeed honored to head the project and bring it to reality. Now, our children can have a comfortable place to read and study without restraint. I know it will benefit us all” April 1965.
Isa stood up to stretch, still thinking about what she’d just read. She walked around absentmindedly until she stumbled on something and fell.
Oowww…
She slowly got up and glared at the object that tripped her.
It looked like a small wooden chest and she wondered how it had gotten there. She picked it up and sat on the floor. Placing it in her lap she tried the lock.
Locked?
She tried to pry it open but it was as good as super glued shut.
Isa shook her head and touched the lock, wondering where the key could be. Turning it over, she brought it to her ear and shook.
Something’s in here alright…
Something was in there and she was gonna find out what.
But first, she had to find the key.
She sighed “yippee”