Where Loyalties Lie

By Melda Gaskins

Families and their loyalties are what this world is all about. When everything else around you fails, there is always family. What if all of a sudden everything youve been loyal to -all your family ties,love and values- appear to be a lie. What would you do? How much should your loyalties hold? How deep do your loyalties lie? The Nordoff family is about to find out where their loyalties lie. Heather is different from the rest of the family. She was adopted and when she starts to find out the disturbing circumstances surrounding her adoption, her whole world starts turning upside down. People around her begin to disappear andwhos killing who becomes the mystery when Heathers boyfriend is murdered. Her friends start to disappear one by one and all the evidence seems to point to her. How much does Heather know and is her family a part of whats going on? Nothing is clear until Heather disappears and the family struggles with who did it and why.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 19, 2000
• ISBN: 9781462817092

Melda Gaskins

Melda Gaskins is the author of several books, Between the Lies and Pain, mystery,Twilight Sleeping/Troubled Youth, a short story collection and Where Loyalties Lie.

Book preview

WHERE

LOYALTIES

LIE

Melda Gaskins

Copyright © 1999 by Melda Gaskins.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-7-XLIBRIS

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

Contents

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Families and their loyalties are what this world is all about. When everything else around you fails, there is always family. What if all of a sudden everything you’ve been loyal to-all your family ties, love and togetherness—appear to be a lie. What would you do? How far do your loyalties go? How deep are the ties that bind? Where do the loyalties He?

This book is for Geneva H. Gaskins, my mother.

Whose heart is bigger than the sun and warmer than a good blanket on a cold night. I love you Mom.

CHAPTER ONE

Heather stared out the bedroom window, feeling sorry for her self. For most of the afternoon, she had been crying, wishing today was yesterday... or hoping she’d wake up tomorrow with everything back the way it use to be before she came to stay in Cucamonga. She hated living with her brother and sister-in-law but for now there was nothing she could do about it. The temporary bedroom her sister-in-law made up for her was small but comfortable and the window seat in the room more than made up for what she was use to—for that she was grateful. But being away from home and away from her mother bothered her more than she would have thought. She closed her eyes, gently squeezing them together, to force out the left over tears at the edge of her tear ducks—and at the same time—she was finding it increasingly difficult to ignore her young nephew who was pushing with both his small hands up against her back.

Heather, Heather, he repeated, over and over in his usual whining nature.

Her legs and backside didn’t sting as much anymore but she felt emotionally drained from the humiliation of having been chastised by her eldest brother for the second time in her whole life. All she could think about was her brother’s look she had dreaded. That look of disappointment, the look that said I trusted you, Heather and you let me down. He had trusted her up to now and in the wake of a day that trust had been descended. It wasn’t all her fault she wanted to say—but it was. this time, it was.

She wanted to turn away from young Davie, close her eyes, and just wish him away. But that was impossible, because the longer she pretended not to hear him, the longer he would commit to harassing and shaking her, wanting desperately to make her acknowledge him. Being around a four-year-old was pure hell, she thought to herself then she turned around to face him.

She spoke rather harshly, What do you want?

Daddy said come eat dinner with us, Davie said, wiggling his finger at her.

He has too much vocabulary for a four-year-old, she indicated, rolling her eyes. She hesitated at the thought of provoking him, thinking about-facing her brother’s wrath again. She really didn’t want to see anyone right now, much less sit with the family at dinner. She hated all of them, at that very moment, and wished that just by the twitch of her nose she could make them all go away. Her eldest brother was persistent with this family thing, especially at dinner and she knew she wouldn’t be able to say ‘I’m not hungry’ and not join them for dinner.

I’ll be there in a minute, she gave in, brushing her thick curly hair away from her face.

No, now! He whined loudly, pulling at her arm.

Just a minute, you little widget! She jerked her hand away, I said I’ll be there!

She looked firm-jawed at Davie, holding back what she really wanted to say. If I hurt his feelings, she thought to herself, he’ll go back ‘cryin’ and tellin’. And this just wasn’t the time for getting the whole house upset again from something she had initiated. Little Davie’s eyes grew wide and she noted the look on his face, that look that said I’m going to tell on you.

Don’t cry, she softened, I’m coming. I didn’t mean to call you that. She grabbed his hand, gently, pulling him back toward her. You don’t want to get me in trouble again, do you?

He shook his head and wiped away his one little tear. He loved his young aunt more than anything in the world.

Go tell them I’m coming.—Okay? she winked.

Davie smiled, happy to do anything for Heather. He ran down the stairs excited that he had accomplished what he was told to do and anxious to eat but Heather wasn’t so eager. She looked in themirror to see if all the puffiness had gone from her face and all the red was out of her eyes. Wetting her fingers, she wiped away the dried crystals still in the corners, then she stared at the face that looked back at her in the mirror. What was it? She thought to herself. What am I doing? What am I trying to prove?—But her thoughts came too late and the trouble she was in couldn’t be reversed.

Her brother, David, called up from the bottom of the stairs.

Yes, she answered and then sighed, more to herself, I’m coming. She wiped over her face one more time with the cold rag and then headed down the stairs.

Heather wasn’t quite certain how she made it through the evening. All she could think of, while she was eating, was how summer couldn’t get here fast enough. Surely her mother wasn’t going to make her stay with David the summer too. She really messed up this time, caught up into something she couldn’t talk her way out of. The judge had placed her on probation banning her from seeing, talking or going places that Carlos Hernandez would even frequent and she had to report to her probation officer every other Thursday to boot. She hadn’t really been a part of the robbery and if facts were ever taken into consideration, she hadn’t even known about it. Carlos hadn’t bothered to tell her about his plans when he picked her up that day.

She was being forced to stay with her eldest brother since her mother had to leave the states for a while on a business trip. She hated staying with him, not because she didn’t love him but because he was always so over protective. David was nearly thirteen years older and most of the time he acted more like her father than a brother. Being the youngest in the family, was more like a curse to Heather than a blessing. David was smart, married a nice girl, went to college and never talked back. Damian, who was nine years younger than David, was practically a genius, in college on a scholarship and very out spoken. It was hard trying to live up to those standards. Her mother was proud of both her brothers andbragged about them often. Her brothers possessed all the characteristics her mother admired and she harbored none—or at least that was the way Heather saw it.

She felt like an only child most of the time without any of the benefits. Her only escape from herself and the world was to write in her diary. It was the only thing that would listen...

Dear Diary,

When Mom gets back I’m going to be good this time. I’m not going to talk back and I’m going to make a conscious effort not to get on her nerves. That’s what she wants. That’s what they all want from me and maybe I should just give in and do it. Maybe we could actually sit down and talk. I miss her. I miss my room. I miss my friends. Oh hell, what does it matter anyway. I’m always the bad guy. None of them (the good guys) give a dam about the way I feel. I’m suppose to accept whatever is said without question. I’m not suppose to hurt inside because I’m a teenager and I don’t have a worry in the world but what they don’t know or feel is that I’m human too. I feel pain just the way they all do, even if I am a bastard or whatever it is you call an illegitimate female. She’s the one who took me in. I didn’t have a choice. She knew what I would feel and she didn’t care. She wants me to pay for his sins but I could never make up for what he did to her—never. All the sorries in the world couldn’t do that. Even if I wrote it a thousand and one times. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.

I wish my grandmother had told me. I thought she told me everything—everything—why not that. Nobody is totally honest. How could I have been so stupid to think it?

Heather closed the diary and shoved it back underneath the mattress. None of this made her feel better. She didn’t want to cry anymore and the more she wrote, the worse she felt. She knew she was different from the rest of her family. It was obvious when she looked in the mirror or walked in a mall or parents night at school. All her life people would stare at her when she was with them and ask silly questions like ‘What are you?’ or ‘Is that your real mother?’. Things like that use to bother her but after a while it really didn’t matter. She got use to the attention. Maybe if the tables were turned, she thought to herself, I would ask the same questions. She could live with the questions and the stares but all her life she wondered whom her father was and finding out didn’t make it all better.

The knock at the door startled her. She wiped the moisture from around her eyes. Come in, she said softly.

It was David. She had been expecting him. The only thing that had surprised her was the fact that he had waited so long.

You and I need to talk, he said with that stern look in his eyes and heavy, ‘you will listen’ tone in his voice.

Heather couldn’t and didn’t want to look him in the eyes. It was a thing with him and she knew he would ask her to anyway. It would only remind her of how disappointed he was at her and how disappointed she was at herself. She hated that look, the look she knew he would give her. Not only would she feel bad about everything she had done but she would feel sorry too. The punishment he gave her wasn’t so bad. She could get over that but the look on his face, as if he had never expected her to ever do anything that wasn’t perfect, was more devastating than she had imagined.

What’s going on with you? he asked, pulling up a chair to sit directly in front of her. He wasn’t really looking for an answer. He just wanted her to think—if nothing else. "You know. I don’t like acting like your father—but I’m the only thing you’ve got that’s remotely close to it.—And if you ever pull a stunt like this again. I’m going to kick your butt from the school—to here and back again. Do you understand? he threatened, waiting for ananswer and when she didn’t he said it again, more abrupt than the first time. Do you understand?"

Heather was quiet. Her nostrils flared and jaws tightened, trying to hold on to her own personal dignity and angered emotions. She had already said she was sorry many, many times. She couldn’t imagine what else he wanted her to do or say, so she listened with caution. David got up and looked out the window, turning his back to her. He was tired of being angry but he wanted there to be a clear understanding between them. He waited before he started up again. Maybe hoping she’d say something that would help what ever it was he was going through, but Heather wasn’t going to make anything easy—he could see that. She wasn’t in the mood to talk and she had summarized that he wasn’t in the mood for listening.

Look I hate doing this but you leave me no other choice. He paused, taking his time to stew to the right frame of mind. Do you know what could have happened if that cop had checked on your records?—Do you have any idea what he could do to you or make happen? He waited for her to answer and when she didn’t, he answered it for her. They could send you away—Is that what you want?—You want out of here, that bad?—You think being in juvenile hall would be better than being here?

No, Heather said feeling completely mortified.

You have no clue, do you? You wouldn’t know how to survive in a place like that. It would be like putting a baby chicken in a snake pit. You have it too good here and you can’t even see it. He sat down on the bed beside her, frustrated by everything and even more by her don’t care attitude. You’re grounded, he sighed and said with finality.

And what does that mean? she asked.

That means, you’re to come straight home after school. No dances, no field trips, no phone and no company.

I might as well be in prison. What about my Journalism class? I go to journalism on Wednesdays and I don’t get out until five-thirty or six, sometimes.

I’ll pick you up or Janet will. You are not to ride in anyone else’s car unless Janet or I know about it.—Am I making myself clear? He asked with demand. "Is there any part of what I just said to you that you don’t understand?"

Heather hesitated to answer only out of spite. It was the only way she knew how to get back at him. She wanted to feel she had some power even if it was but a small one.

"I asked you a question and I want an answer, " he said, angrily.

Yes, sir, Heather muttered, giving in. How long am I locked in for? she asked, sarcastically.

He got up to leave. ... until I say you’re not.

What does that mean? Heather was beside herself. She was doing all she could to hold on to her inherited temper that was boiling over inside. It was bad enough that she had to accept being disciplined by her brother but now he was placing the icing on an already top heavy cake. You’re not being fair. she swallowed.

Fair? he questioned. A month is the minimum. a year could be the maximum. And if I were you I wouldn’t push too far. I feel like I’m on a roll.

She took in a deep breath, rolled her eyes and worked at not letting him see her;—pouting, at this point, was her only relief. She turned away, buttoned her lip, tightened her jaw and blocked her tongue with the grip of her teeth. She wanted to cry out words that would make him feel as if his heart were being ripped out of his chest. She could try to make herself feel better if she could grab at everything that would make him feel all the humiliation, shame and anger she was feeling. But that was impossible. He was better at it than she was—and he could do more damage. She could tell by the tone in his voice that he had already thought this through and his mind was made up. She held on to her silence, hoping he’d go away quicker and leave her alone.

He stood over her for a second or two not knowing himselfwhat he wanted from her or how he would have wanted her to respond.

Why? he blurted out suddenly, breaking the thick silence that filled the room and space between them. He paced the floor in front of her, throwing his hands in the air, shaking his head at the thoughts that were running through him. He breathed out a loud sigh of frustration. Why?! What’s going on with you?! Did I do something? Did Mom? What?!—Answer me! He felt like the situation was hopeless and for the first time since he agreed to keep his younger sister, he felt like he had taken on more than he could handle.

There is nothing going on with me. I’m normal—okay? I’m not perfect, she said, coldly, looking at the floor.

No one expects you to be—especially me. But I do expect you to think.—Look at me, he ordered. If not a lot—just a little.

They had had this conversation before and Heather was beginning to think it was getting old. She didn’t want to hear it anymore. David wasn’t in the habit of listening to anything she had to say anyway.

"This is Carlos’s number isn’t it?" He pulled out the piece of paper from his back pocket.

Heather looked at the number he had circled. It looks like it, she said, wrinkling her forehead.

I thought you said you didn’t call him?

I didn’t, she answered, not sure of what he was getting at.

This is the kind of stuff I’m talking about, David said accusingly. He threw the bill on the bed. "Then who else would have called this number besides you in this house?"

I don’t know but it wasn’t me! she said, defended. I’m not the only person in this house who could dial that number.

But you’re the only person that would!

David was beside himself with anger and so sputtered to a halt. He stormed out the room and Heather was left wondering herself who could have made the call.

It was late by the time she felt like doing anything. She wastoo angry to cry anymore and too alone to care. She moved the furniture around in the room and hung up a few posters she had bought with her from home and had never bother to hang. Her sister-in-law was always telling her to do what she wanted to the room to make it feel like home. Heather knew Janet was making an all out effort to make her feel comfortable, despite the fact it showed all over her face that she wasn’t happy about her being there. But what did it matter? Heather thought to herself. There was nothing either one of them could do about it.

Heather settled back onto the bed, staring out the window hoping a hurricane would come or an unexpected tornado, anything so that she wouldn’t have to go back to school. But that was like wishing for money to fall from the sky. She didn’t look forward to going to back to school and becoming the center of gossip; trying to explain to most of her friends and other students why she was accompanied to school by the police the day before. She was sure, somewhere in the back of her head, it was the event of the week, the focus point of the month and she had become, in her short time at school, part of the gossip for the rest of the semester.

CHAPTER TWO

Being at school the next day was worse than she had imagined. Just about everyone she knew had heard or seen what had happened. There were different versions of the story circulating about, none very accurate. Heather hated the gossip and she kept quiet about all of it, never confirming or denying any of the rumors or close resemblances of the truth. She tried to avoid most of the small circle of friends she had gathered in her little time at the school. She was in her classes on time and quiet during the lectures. It was the most popular she had been since she had started at the school. She could feel the eyes on her as she walked the halls from one class to the other and even the teachers looked at her differently. Troubles seem to always be in her back pocket and no matter how she tried to get rid of it—it was never far behind her. If it wasn’t one thing—then it was another.

‘Trouble’ was the reason she was with her brother and not her mother. Her mother had complained that they needed time away from each other. The promotion, her mother received on the job, sent her away to Sweden for a year. It was a good excuse to get away from each other since her probation wouldn’t allow her to leave the state, let alone the country. Heather tried to persuade her mother to go to the courts and get special permission for her to leave the country but her mother wouldn’t hear of it. She said ‘Heather, you made your own bed and now you will have to lie in it. ‘

The conditions of Heather’s probation didn’t allow her out past eight p. m. without proper authorization. She had to show her grades every semester for the next two years to a probation officer and she had to work on the weekends at a community service facility for six months. The conditions she thought were ratherharsh. Her whole family blamed Carlos but she realized she made her own choices, good or bad.

Carlos wasn’t on her mind as much, lately, but she thought about him before she closed her eyes to sleep. He had caused her nothing but grief and heartache so far. She defied her mother, often, sneaking out of the house to be with Carlos and each time she went out with him she had gotten into trouble, not only with her Mother, but also with the law. Now that her mother was a million miles away, she had plenty of time to think about Carlos. She had all the time in the world.

This will be the last time I’ll ever go out with Carlos, she thought to herself, the same way she had thought plenty of times before. He was too much trouble even if he was the best looking guy in San Rafael. He was tall, dark and handsome—all the ingredients that made other girls envious. He was one of the best looking boys at Le Beck High School. She liked the way he dressed and the way he walked, like he was carrying his pride with every stride. Most of the girls in the school would swoon at the mention of his name. And she was the one he was going out with. My mother never gave him a chance, she mumbled under her breath.

She cried herself to sleep, feeling like she was at war with her whole family. And that’s not what she wanted to accomplish when she had decided to go out with Carlos. She just wanted her school year to be different—better somehow than it had been the year before. She wanted to make a statement of some sort—what kind of statement she wasn’t sure but she was certain she wanted to be different or feel different about herself. She had always been the baby—in everything. At school she was the baby (youngest) in her class and at home she was the baby (youngest) child. Most of the girls in her class were going out on dates and she never even had a boyfriend. Her mother wouldn’t allow it and her brothers made sure of it. She just wanted to be noticed as being a little more grown up.

When Carlos started talking to her everything started to changeat school. People noticed her in a way they hadn’t before. The older girls talked with her and not at her like a child. Her mother didn’t understand her changes and she didn’t know how to explain it to her. They started to argue more about what she could do and what she couldn’t do. Nothing was as clear as it had been—and the sudden changes around her—inside of her—and on the outside of her—only set fuel to the fire. She didn’t hate David, Damian or her mother. She just wanted to be left alone. She wanted to be trusted at making her own decisions and not be told what to do all the time.

Heather turned in the bed to look at her clock on the night table beside her. It was a little past two a. m. She was thinking too much and too many things were bothering her to sleep. She closed her eyes, sinking her head deeper into the pillow, focusing on the sound of water. kicking up against the shores and the waves splashing down on the surface. She practiced what little she knew about yoga, clearing her mind first, then working the waves down from her neck to her fingers and then to her toes. She worked her way into letting go of all the garbage. letting go of all the things that held her back from letting all of it go—letting go. of all. the things.

The sound of the phone ringing in the distance distracted her. It was too early in the morning for a casual call, she thought. She prayed it wasn’t some nut calling for her. The timing would only put more ‘dust in the bag’ or ‘logs on an already sizzling fire’ between David and her. And she hoped it wasn’t her mother. David hadn’t told her mother about the trouble she was in and she was hoping he wouldn’t.

Heather turned over in the bed and threw the covers over her head. If someone did come to her door she could pretend she was asleep and not answer. The knot that was already tightly wound in her stomach began to twist tighter and her teeth were beginning to hurt from the tight grip she had locked on them. Her body tensed at the sound of footsteps coming in her direction.

Yes, she whispered, answering the knock at her door.

It was Janet. She stood almost frozen in the doorway with a look of confusion and shock on her face. Carlos’s mother just called, she swallowed. She said, she said, he’s dead.

The whole room went black and the world seemed empty. Heather could feel the blood rushing through her face and the tension rolling through her hands and fingers. She felt lost in a place she didn’t understand or know. And she felt numb as if she could pretend she hadn’t heard a thing. She struggled inside herself trying to deal with reality and her mind played around with the thoughts that she might be dreaming. She wanted to close the book she was reading and start from the beginning again as if she could erase the parts she didn’t want to hear. Carlos was too young to die. And death was suddenly too close to home. Her father and birth mother were killed right after she was born but that didn’t count because she never knew them.

Janet sat down on the edge of the bed, close to Heather. She leaned over. Honey, are you okay? Did you hear what I said?—Carlos—is—dead? she repeated, slowly. He died early this morning. I’m sorry honey, she whispered.

Heather started to cry, uncontrollably. It was just a few moments ago when she had decided not to see him. Not nearly long enough to get over him. It’s not true. It can’t be true. She shouted. What happened?—Who? The words didn’t come out easy between the sobs.

I don’t know, Janet answered sympathetically. His mother couldn’t tell me anything. She could hardly talk. Maybe tomorrow, she breathed. Maybe tomorrow we’ll be able to find out more.

Janet stayed in the room for a few moments more, not saying anything. She wasn’t certain what to do. She wasn’t that close to Heather and now she felt awkward being in the room with her. She wished she had let David go tell her like he wanted to do in the first place but she thought that maybe. just maybe, she could start something or begin to get closer to her young sister-in-law.

She stared at the brown skinned girl on the bed and she held back touching her. She didn’t seem so much different from herself, except for her skin color and hair. Janet wanted so much to like her but Heather was so different from what she was use to. David had left out the part about his little sister being different from the rest of his family. It wasn’t until the day of the wedding, when she met Heather for the first time, face to face that she knew. Now here she was living with them. Having a teenager living with them even for a short while was not Janet’s preferred choice but she was David’s baby sister and according to him, family. Janet stayed with Heather until she fell asleep or until she thought she had.

The alarm didn’t go off but Heather’s biological clock was working just fine. She woke up but closed her eyes again, lying back on the pillow, to think about the rest of day. She held her breath, if only for a few seconds, hoping the world would stop spinning and time would come to an end. She wished today was yesterday and the night hadn’t taken over her life. Her heart ached inside and the tears came easily.

David tried to talk his little sister into staying home one more day but she insisted on going to school. It wasn’t a big deal—she said to him. No one at school knew what had happened and it would be better than just sitting at home thinking about it. She felt weak emotionally and staying at home with Janet and the boys didn’t make anything better. She spent most of her time in the room or talking to her young nephew who wanted to do nothing else but play. He didn’t understand her mood and she didn’t know how to explain it to him.

She didn’t want to reminisce about Carlos or remember the things they use to do. She didn’t want to remember the last time she had seen him and all the circumstances that had followed. She pulled his picture from out of her top dresser drawer, remembering his large deep set brown eyes and his jet black hair that looked like the color of pure rich black oil. She smiled to herself when she thought

about his intense dimples that show more when he smiled or laughed. He was big in size and statue, over six feet three. His shoulders were broad and his muscles fully developed. He treated her like royalty and all the girls at the school would look on in envy. He pursued her at first but she ended up liking him more than she cared to admit and she liked all the attention that came with being around him.

She washed her face in the sink and stared at the girl in the mirror. Who am I? She said to herself. What do I want to be?—Whose side am I playing on? Did he love me? Did I love him? All of her thoughts focused on the last time she saw him. What he looked like, what he smelled like and what they talked about in the car.

The questions in her mind kept rolling around over and over in her head, making it impossible to think about anything else. A chill ran down her spine thinking about it. She splashed the cold water in her face to stop herself from dreaming. Carlos was alive the day before yesterday and now he was dead. It could have been a dream, she told herself. Maybe I’m still sleeping and I’ve got to wake up. This is only a nightmare and I’ll soon wake up.—Where I’ll be home once more, asleep in my own bed…

Heather—Heather, Janet yelled out from the bottom of the stairs. Get-up! Get breakfast and get dressed.

Janet’s voice bought her back to reality. She finished washing her face and called down the stairs to let Janet know she was awake and coming. She was still trying to adjust to her new surroundings, her sister-in-law, nephews and older brother who was now officially her legal guardian.

Are you sure you don’t want to stay home today? David asked, passing by her door.

I’m sure, she answered softly. She was already behind in her schoolwork. And she didn’t want to stay home and think anymore about the days that had passed and the things that were probably part of life’s destiny.

CHAPTER THREE

School is full of crap, Heather reasoned to herself. It occupied a large portion of the day when she would rather be doing something else. In most of her classes, the teachers lectured, rambling off the same material straight from the book. She felt capable enough to set her own reading time and not be read to like a child. School is just a big government controlled, baby-sitting, money making, monopoly.

Heather’s grades were never a problem and at the age of fifteen she was already one of the student who scored the highest on the SAT exam. The only part she didn’t like about being smart was that everyone thought that meant being perfect too. Her mother never expected her to rebel against anything and her brothers always thought she was naive and sweet. Now how do you live down an image like that! ‘Image was everything’, her mother would say.

Hey! Hey you! a voice called out from behind her.

She didn’t look at first, she hadn’t been expecting anybody and she was use to walking home alone.

Hey! Hey you! the voice persisted.

Heather finally looked out of curiosity.

Wait a minute. Wait! he shouted again with his hand waving from side to side.

Heather waited, against her better judgment, but he looked perfectly harmless from where she was standing. What do you want? she finally asked when he was closer.

He slowed down his pace, bringing himself to a walking stop. He grabbed his knees and sucked in a huge amount of air.

Are you calling me? she asked, when he stopped a few feet away from her.

His whole upper body was nodding ‘yes’ while he continued to try to catch his breath.

Do I know you? she questioned, more to herself and not him.

He held up his hand as if to tell her time out. Catching his breath was taking longer than he had anticipated. He tried to talk between breaths. Yes. and no. We go. to the same. school

Heather started to walk away. She wasn’t sure whether he was just trying to be funny or what?

Hey, wait a minute. Give me a chance here. Just let me catch my breath. and I’ll explain.

She stared at him, impatiently.

Whew!—I need to start working out again. That run almost killed me. He chuckled.

Heather wasn’t amused at all and he could see