Three

 

The next day, I woke up and literally fell out of bed. Empty boxes were overturned around me and my room was finally coming together. I had put up white linen curtains above my large window that overlooked the forest in the back of the property. I could even make out a faint lake, though it was hard to see with new snow on the ground. My bed was very modern with a heavy quilt for a comforter. I had only a closet and a small vanity and except for my desk, that was it.

I dressed for the day and put on my best perfume. I was excited to see Chris today. But I don’t like him; I don’t need a boyfriend. I want to finish up my minor years and then move to Minnesota with my friend, Leah. It’s the perfect plan and I planned to get out of this boring place a.s.a.p.

“It smells great in here.” My mom lifted the door and dangled the keys above her head.

“Mom!” I screeched. She wasn’t supposed to be able to get in my room—that means that Kassia would eventually be able to and that was not good. If my little brothers were able to find the pantry keys to get some extra cookies, I’m pretty sure my sister could find the exclusively decorated key to my room. Mine was the only one that had brass swirls and silver stones.

“Calm down, you just left it downstairs. I can’t stand the yelling when you and your sister get into it. Anyway, your father just left for work.”

Cursed work. The work that made us move closer to our grandparents. Well, we were going to move anyway but the sealed deal was when my parents heard my dad’s work was moving to Des Moines. Wonderful, isn’t it? My life in ruins?

“Second day in this wrenched town and I’m already hating it more than Kassia,” I muttered.

My mom’s eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. “I never want to hear those words again, Katja! Understand!?”

I glared at my reflection in the vanity. “Yeah.” It was all I could say to orders like that. I stared at myself in the mirror, wishing I could at least be a supermodel. Or tall. I could be tall. Maybe people would notice me as the girl, not the short girl with the long ringlet hair. Or the amber eyes against the super pale skin.

My mom set my keys on the floor and climbed back down the stairs. “Oh, I’m leaving for work. See you later. Love you!”

She expected me to say it back every single time and if I didn’t I would get the mom-ly grunt and the mom-ly glare. “Love you too,” I managed to sputter quietly. Not that I really meant it. I hated when my mom knew I was mad at her, but she still continued to act like nothing was wrong. Ugh.

I started out my day with a cup of completely black coffee—unsweetened, just the way I liked it. I picked up my car keys and jingled them for a minute, trying to remember the way to school. I grabbed my backpack and headed out the door with my coffee mug. Thankfully my parents had thought to unpack the most important items first—like the coffeemaker and my mug.

When I parked at the school and got out, I was greeted by Rosie.

“Hey Katja.”

“Hey Rosie. Um, I know this might seem like way off topic, but do you think you could stop calling me elf? It might help with um…friends, I guess.” I looked down at my black snow boots. I felt kind of awkward coming out and saying all this, but it needed to be addressed.

“Sure,” Rosie said, agreeably. She seemed like an easygoing person, although a little hyper and annoying sometimes. “So do you like it here?”

I looked up at her like Are you serious? I mean, who would ever like it here? “Not really.”

“Well, I guess you’re not the first. I remember when Chris moved here he absolutely hated it. Couldn’t stand the place. Now he kind of tolerates it. But his twin…Anna…ugh. Scum of the earth. Now what kind of friends you planning on makin’ ‘round here?”

I thought of the girl in the bathroom named Gretta and how she was totally different than Rosie. I think Gretta was a sophomore, though.

“I don’t know. Good friends, I guess.”

“Well, look no further!” Nathan appeared by Rosie’s side and she pushed him out of the way.

“Shut up, Nerd-than.”

“I can make friends, too, Sarah.”

So Sarah was Rosie’s real name. Sarah Regan. It sounded better than Rosie Regan. Though I’m sure every name in the book sounds better than Katja Witte.

Rosie pushed Nathan to the ground, though they were clearly just playing. “Nathaniel!”

“Sarah.”

“Stop calling me that!” Rosie yelled, laughing a little bit.

“Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, Sarah!”

This was actually quite enjoyable. I liked these people and I think I wanted friends like this, though I didn’t want any serious tie-downs here. Because next year, around this time, I was so leaving. I was going to finish up my senior year in Minnesota. Leave everyone behind…

“Stop it you two.” Chris came up between the bickering friends and pried them apart. We were still in the parking lot and we had about twenty minutes to get to our homerooms and I still had to consult the map and schedule. I didn’t know who I had classes with because the first day I started out in fifth hour.

“Knock it off, Chris!” Rosie said, lashing at him. “We’re just kidding around.”

“Rosie…” Chris looked like he was in a pain for a brief moment. Then he turned towards me.

“Hi Chris.”

“Hey snow princess.” I loved Chris’s light gray eyes. They were like a midnight moon, a first-fallen snow, a silver river of warmth that kept me captivated in him as much as I was in getting out of this wretched place.

“Charles, she doesn’t want to be called that anymore.”

I blushed, thinking of what I had told Rosie earlier. I liked what Chris called me, though I would never admit it. I didn’t want a boyfriend, didn’t need a boyfriend, didn’t think I wanted to need a boyfriend.

I went to homeroom with Mr. Goggler, (funniest name ever) and had an okay time. I made some new acquaintances. Jenna Mathews, Kip Nattens, and Hanna Ferne. They were all really nice and pretty (minus Kip who was a little on the…less prettier side). Jenna’s parents owned a farm a few miles from Main Street and Hanna lived down the road from me. Although, where our house was, it was about a quarter of a mile down the road to the Ferne Farm. Kip was a nice guy. He wasn’t a farmer, his parents actually lived in Des Moines and his grandparents had taken him in when he was little because they didn’t want him to have a “city life”. It was a great conversation. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad here.

Then again, when first hour rolled around with Mr. Cannon, I had Anna in my class. She did not acknowledge me with anything else other than a glare. I didn’t know why she had hated me so much. After all, I didn’t even know her and it was only my second day hanging out with her brother. And that didn’t so much as qualify us as friends. I think that Rosie and I could barely qualify, but anyone else didn’t so much as make it onto the list.

Second hour came and I was already fed up with this. Thank goodness Rosie was in that class. Thank goodness the only seat unassigned was by her. I don’t think I could have lasted that hour without her. Mrs. Prepper eyed me suspiciously as Rosie and I talked the whole hour. I really felt like I knew Sarah Regan. Though I didn’t get a chance that hour to ask about her name.

The rest of the day rolled on and the only class I had with Chris was seventh hour, biology with Mr. Johnson. It wasn’t really all that exciting and I sat by Rosie instead, which was the third class I had with her.

“So.”

I nodded. She didn’t have anything else to say, obviously.

“Oh! Oh em gee! I totally forgot to tell you—Chris said something about you yesterday.” She wiggled her eyebrows and laughed. “I’m probably freaking out the new kid.” Rosie smiled.

As eager as I was to hear about it, I wasn’t going to let myself fall into all that stuff again. Not since Aiden. Stupid idiot.

“Well anyway, I think he totally likes you, Katy.”

I blinked and willed myself into the present and shook my head, trying to dismiss Rosie’s ignorant rants. I tried not to talk too much and tried not to get into the conversation, but when I looked over at Chris, I couldn’t help but to wonder. He looked like John Mayer in every way possible, just a little younger and with blond hair. And the beautiful gray snow eyes. I guess more like Paul Wesley, either one was good for me. He was adorable.

“Katy?”

“Huh?”

“Oh you were totally staring at him!” She clapped her hands. I never knew someone could be so obsessed with the new girl before, but Rosie succeeded in breaking that judgment.

“Hey Rosie why don’t you like people to call you Sarah?” The question had slipped out a little uncontrollably.

“Are we friends, Katja?” she asked, a little more quietly. She leaned in and put her arms on her side of the science desk. Her bright blue eyes grew suddenly somber and darkened. It didn’t look right on the flamboyant Rosie Regan with the wild, bright, crazy-fun red hair that ran in all directions like static.

“Sure.” Oh God. Did I just make a friend in this god forsaken place? Oh good God…

“Well, my Dad, before he was sent to prison, used to beat me and my mom. He called me that every time he beat me. ‘Sarah Lynn!’ he’d say. Anyway, that’s my story. Nathan knows not to call me that, and I know he was just kidding, but I still get chills.” She seemed to shake.

I didn’t have a chance to reply because the bell rung and Rosie got up and simply left. She had told practically a stranger everything and then just—left.

“Hey Katja.”

The voice made me jump. It was from behind me as I was getting up to leave. I turned to see Chris—adorable John-Wesley Chris. I had misjudged the amount of space between us, so there were only mere centimeters separating our bodies. I scooted away quickly and bent down to grab my bag from the floor.

“Hi Chris.” I meant to be careful, meant to be careful about friends and ties. But if I had already slipped once, why not do it again?

“I see you and Rosie are getting along pretty good.” He smiled warmly. It reminded me of a sunset—beautiful, pure, and natural in every way humanly possible. His smooth, gray, silver eyes seemed warm and inviting. I couldn’t help but to shiver with desire or whatever it was called. We just walked side-by-side down the hall to homeroom.

“Yeah, we are,” I said casually, fumbling through my book bag. “Shoot,” I muttered, realizing I had forgotten my only pencil back in the classroom. “I left my pencil in biology.” I frowned and fingered through my bag once more before attempting to turn and go get it.

“It’s okay. I have an extra.” Chris caught my arm gently and handed a pencil to me. “See you around, Katja.”

I smiled and took the pencil. “Thanks.” I guess it wouldn’t hurt a lot if I made friends. I mean, after all, I was gonna be here for the next year and a half, so why not make it a little more enjoyable?

 

“Kat!”

My mom called me downstairs to eat dinner, but I was busy. Facebook was an important matter. So was downloading the new album The Resistance from Muse. Deadly serious stuff, here.

“Katja!”

“Oh my god,” I muttered, pleading for two more seconds. “Just a second!” I called, as calmly as I could manage. I typed in some random updates before being assaulted by an IM on Windows Live from Leah back in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Leah Willis: Ohemgee! Why haven’t you called!?

Me: Busy, I guess. Lol. How’re things back there in Pauly?

Leah Willis: Okay, I guess. Desi’s been asking about you a lot and I had to try and figure out what was up! Is it cool down there? I heard Iowa’s the place to be.

Were we talking about the same state?

Me: Nah, not really. It’s quite contrasting to what you heard. Very boring. Bland. Cows everywhere. I hate it! No Hollister or Starbuck’s for MILES! Speaking of Miles, how is he?

Leah Willis: He’s okay I guess. Aiden’s pretty down. Haha!

Me: Whatever. So is everything okay?

Leah Willis: Yeah. I guess so. What do you mean by “okay”?

“Katja Stephanie!”

“I said in a second! I’m talking to Leah!” I yelled, not even trying to conceal my irritation with my pushy mother, Echo. Echo…what kind of a parent names their kid Echo? Probably one drugged up on LSD in the 70’s. Sounds like the experimental Russian grandma.

Me: Hey, Leah, sorry I know we haven’t talked long, but I gtg. Dinner. Ugh. Anyway, ttyl.

Leah Willis: ily Kat! Everyone misses you! Even Aiden, though he won’t openly admit it.

I logged off and shut the lid to my laptop. I was reluctant to walk down the stairs and risk being hit by the door-hole again. I grazed my fingers where the mean little hole in the ceiling had manifested a nice little bump on my head. And, of course, as I was doing this, I ran right into my floor lamp, scrambling to catch it before it hit the ground. I went down with it.

“Katja, what in the world is going on up there!?” my mother called, her voice impatient and angry.

“Nothing!” I disavowed.

Nothing but the clumsy new klutz from St. Paul with two new unwanted, but possibly needed friends from the most boring hill on earth. That just happens to be named after some weird whoever. Whoever would want a freaking hill in the middle of the most boring state on earth would have to be named Vera…