1 - Freak

Freak

The date was September 2^nd 2008. It was the first day of my senior year of high school. Just one more year and I was going to be free. Free from the tied down family I was unfortunately part of. Free from the boring, god-forsaken small town that I was forced to move to two weeks ago. Free from the conformities of my everyday life. I hated my life. I hated my family. I hated the small school I was being forced to spend my last year in. Just one more year and my plan could finally take effect. It was a simple plan, but it was the easiest to carry out. Once June came around, I was off to Washington State for college. I picked Washington because it was on the other side of the country; sufficient miles away from my family.

“Tyler Taylor! Get your a*s up and down here now!” the annoying, squawking voice of my mother rang through the house.

She was calling me. Tyler Taylor. I was seventeen years old, six feet three inches, jet-black hair that hung down to my shoulder, and dark gray eyes. I was lean and muscular from years of playing soccer. I hate seafood and I love reading. I am different to most people, in more ways than one.

“Tyler, if I have to call you one more time, I’ll come up there myself!” my mother yelled up the stairs to my room.

I groaned and climbed off the bed. I walked into the bathroom that I shared with my brother and caught him spiking his hair with gel. As expected, Nathan was dressed I his designer jeans, Aeropostal t-shirt and converse sneakers. My brother was hot, and he knew it. He was two inches shorter than me, athletic in size, light brown hair that was always short and spiked. His eyes were deep emerald green like our mother.

I rolled my eyes at him as I grabbed my toothbrush. Nathan glanced at me through the mirror and smirked.

“I get to drive myself to school this year. You are still stuck driving Lexi to school. Ha! Ha!” he laughed his way out the bathroom just as I snapped the toothbrush in half.

Lexi was my baby sister and probably the only person and reason I stayed with my family after the accident. She was short, only five feet. Her hair was long and black. It was straight and fell to waist. She was quiet and shy most of the time. She confided in me and only me. She had the same eyes as my mother and brother.

She was a wreck after the accident. She would not talk to anyone. Not even me. She had lost something dear to her that night. Something that she needed at her age. She was only twelve when our father died. Two years have passed since then, and she was now beginning to talk to everyone.

Our mother still blamed me for our father’s death. Even after the two years, she still could not look into my eyes. I was the splitting image of my father, besides, I was the only one who had his eyes. She blamed me after the funeral. Sometimes . . . I blame myself. I was the one who had begged him for the cola after all. Maybe if I had not begged him so much he wouldn’t have stopped by the Quicke-Mart . . . then he would not have gotten shot in the on-going robbery.

“Tyler?”

That soft innocent voice pulled me out of my memory flashback start. I turned my head to my sister slowly.

“Yes, Lexi? What is it?” I asked, keeping my previous anger in check.

“Um . . . is it possible to leave now? I want to find all my classes before school starts . . .” Lexi had her eyes lowered to the floor.

“Of course.” I whispered soothingly.

She gave me a heart-melting smile before gliding out the room. I ran my fingers through my hair quickly, shook it and stepped into my room again. I pulled on my jeans and t-shirt, slipped into my Nikes and jumped over the balcony to the first floor. I landed without a sound, grabbed my backpack from the living room and entered the kitchen.

“You better eat before you go.” My mother warned. “You might not like what the school offers.”

I glanced at Lexi, sitting quietly, picking at her eggs. My brother was eating everything on the table he could get his hands on.

“Lexi! Stop picking at your food!” my mother snapped.

“I’m not very hungry . . .” Lexi said sadly.

“Then don’t waste it. Give it to Nathan.” My mother growled.

Lexi didn’t have enough time before Nathan grabbed the plate himself. Lexi gasped in shock and stared at her lap in silence. My anger began building up again.

“Mmm . . . bacon and eggs.” Peter grinned as he walked into the kitchen.

He slid over to my mother and gave her a long silencing kiss. My mother blushed and fanned herself as I turned my head in disgust. As you probably already guessed, Peter is my stepfather. My mother married him three months ago. He was the reason we had moved to Alabama. Peter was a jackass. He was aggressive and violent. But, of course, no one saw that but me. He was the perfect gentleman around my mother.

My eyes darted back to Lexi. A tear had already fallen from her eye. She always felt uncomfortable whenever Peter was around. My anger had reached a boiling point as I saw her tear.

“Lexi, let’s go!” I ordered as I opened the back door.

Lexi flew out of her seat and zipped through the back door. I grabbed an apple and quickly followed her. She was already seated in the passenger side of my black Camero. She was wiping her tears, thinking I hadn’t seen them. I growled to myself as I got in the driver’s side.

I’ll admit, I’m a fast driver. I go to her school in less than five minutes. Lexi looked over to me as I stopped the car.

“Would you like me to help you find the classes?” I reached across to brush a few strands of hair behind her ear.

“Um . . . I’d be lying if I said I don’t want you to . . . but I think I’ll be ok.” She opened the door and climbed out. I watched her walk up the stairs to the building, stop, turn, and run towards my car.

“What is it?” I asked, my voice revealing my concern.

“I forgot something . . .” she muttered.

“What?”

She slowly brushed her lips against my cheeks. My face must have revealed my startled expression, because she was suddenly smiling at me.

“I love you, Tyler.” She whispered before scurrying away.

My sister had never said that to me before. In fact, I had only heard those words from my father.

“Lexi!” I called.

She spun around quickly and stared at me, concerned.

“I love you too!”

I watched her smile brightly as she turned and continued walking into the building. I drove off and headed for my school that was twenty minutes away. I parked in the student parking lot and walked into the administrative office. A woman in her early forties greeted me.

“I’m Tyler Taylor. Transferred from New York. I came for my class schedule.” I said in my deep voice.

The woman couldn’t stop staring at my eyes.

“I’m sorry.” She said sheepishly as she looked at the computer. “Ah, yes! Mr. Taylor. Welcome to Forest Green! Here’s your schedule and a map. It’s a small school, so you should find everything easily. Good luck with your last year.”

I grabbed the stuff she gave me and walked out the office. My first class was AP English. I found the classroom easily and say down in the back of the class.

The students began filing in, no one taking notice of me. I kept my head down as I glanced through the reading list for the class. The classic ‘Pride and Prejudice’ by Jane Austen was the first on the list. I glanced up as the talkative students became silent. The teacher walked in. His name was Mr. Granger. He went through the roll list quickly, but stopped at my name.

“Mr. Taylor, welcome.” He said.

All eyes were on me, I could tell. I looked up and glared at everyone. It was always the same thing. I looked different and people knew it. They always stared at me as if I was a freak. Some winced at my glare, the more courageous students smirked, and girls just batted their eyelashes. Every girl was the same in my opinion.

“Would you all stop staring at him like he’s a new toy! Give him some air, gosh!”

I looked up at the door. The girl who spoke stood at the door, giving everyone the coldest look I’d ever seen. Even with her cold look, I still saw her beauty.

She had long wavy dark brown hair that was tied into a single ponytail. He body was curvy and slender. Her skin was a perfect suntan. But her eyes startled me the most. They were bright purple and shiny. She was short, only 5’3.

“Miss Wilson, late again. What’s the excuse this time?” Mr. Granger said tiredly.

“Sorry sir. My father . . . he . . .” she tried to explain.

“Don’t bother. It’s a new year. Try to change some things please.”

The girl nodded and walked down the aisle quickly and took the seat next to mine. She pulled her books out as the teacher began his lesson. It surprised me every time she raised her hand to answer a question. She was obviously the smartest one in the class.

I surprisingly got angry every time one of the kids in the class turned and snickered at her. She was the one that they all picked on. I stared at her as they continued their brutality. Her eyes were lowered, but they weren’t purple anymore. They were black with anger.

“Great, another storm.” The boy in front of me mumbled. “No practice today.”

I glanced out the window at the blackened sky. I remembered the weather report last night claimed that today was supposed to be hot and sunny. My eyes darted back to the girl, just as the bell rand. She packed her books and disappeared just as the kid in front of me threw a balled up piece of paper at her. I grabbed the kid by his throat and growled.

“Why did you do that? Why did you throw it at her?” my bottled up anger was ready to come out.

“Dude! What the hell is wrong with you? Everyone picks on her. She’s a freak! And it looks like you’re one too!” the boy yelled.

“Let him go, please.”

Her voice was gentle and intoxicating. I released the boy and watched him grab his stuff and leave as he muttered freak.

“Thank you.” She whispered as she grabbed the book she had left behind.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Trista.” She replied as she glanced at her watch. “Sorry, but I have to go.”

“Right, class.” I grabbed my bag and threw it behind my back.

“Um . . . yeah . . . class. See you later.” She was out the door before I could respond.

I shook my head quickly. She was more confusing than I thought. Maybe she was a freak. But then again, I was technically a freak too. Her eyes still surprised me. Before she walked out, her eyes were purple again. Maybe . . . they had not change . . . maybe . . . I was just seeing things.

I checked my schedule and rolled my eyes. AP chemistry. I hated chemistry. They never let us blow anything up. I walked into the already filled class and took my seat at the back. The teacher walked in and began taking roll.

“Miss Wilson?” the teacher called.

No one answered.

“Trista?” the scanned the room. “Like this year was going to be any different. Chad Young?”

I stared out the window and frowned. Where had she disappeared? I tried not to think about it as the day progressed. I went through the rest of my classes like normal. Once the first day was over, I could not wait to get home. I walked quickly to the parking lot and saw Nathan standing by his blue mustang. He was already surrounded by a group of friends.

I shook my head and drove off. I parked in front of Lexi’s school. I climbed out the car and leaned against it, waiting for her.

“I guess I’m seeing you sooner than tomorrow.”

I spun around quickly and stared at her. I don’t understand why I responded to her voice so quickly.

“What are you doing here?” I glared at her.

I was angry at her, but I didn’t know why. Her mouth broke into a smile. Her smile melted my anger.

“I’m here to get my brother. He goes here. You?” she looked up at me with those perfect purple eyes of hers.

“Um . . . my sister goes here.” I mumbled. “Where were you today?”

“Nowhere.” She said bluntly.

“Look, if you skipped, I’m cool with it. Just don’t lie. I hate liars.” I growled surprisingly.

“I had stuff to do, so I left.” She shrugged as her eyes brightened.

I looked up as the doors opened. The kids came running out in groups. I quickly scanned for Lexi and found her walking out slowly with her head down. I let out a low growl in my throat as a young boy grabbed Lexi’s arm from behind. He handed her a book and a smile and walked alongside her. I didn’t like that brown haired boy.

Lexi looked up and caught my eye. She must have seen my anger because she quickly stepped away from the boy.

“Jasper!” Trista yelled.

I blinked in surprise as the brown haired boy sprinted into Trista’s arms. Trista ruffled the boy’s hair, nodded to me and walked off. I stared after her. I could not stop staring at her.

“Tyler.” Lexi tugged on my shirt to get my attention.

“Oh, Lexi.” I looked down at her eyes, revealing unshed tears. “Did that boy hurt you? What happened?”

“I . . . I don’t want to go home.” She choked out.

“I know.”

I pulled her towards me and quickly wrapped an arm around her. I knew why she did not want to go home. Peter was home. I wish I knew why she feared him so much.

“I’ll take you for something to eat. Get in.” I whispered soothingly.

We drove off slowly, before Lexi spotted Trista and Jasper. I pulled up next to them.

“Hi again. Is this the infamous Lexi? My goodness . . . you are pretty! You’ve smitten my brother. He can’t stop talking about you!” Trista said quickly.

“Trista!” Jasper groaned as his face reddened.

“Where’s your car?”I asked, saving the kids further embarrassment.

“I don’t have one.” Trista’s smile still hadn’t left her face.

“Where do you live? Maybe we can drop you off.” I stared at her.

“Um . . . well . . . we live on Season Lane . . . the last house.” Her smile disappeared.

“What! That’s fifty minutes walking!” I growled.

“Oh! We don’t walk all the way! We �" ” Jasper began.

“Jasper! Shh!” Trista snapped.

“Ah, I see . . . bus.” I nodded. “Come on. I’ll drop you off.”

“It’s ok. We usually walk.” Trista smiled again.

“Trista, get in.” I snapped.

She jumped slightly and quickly got into the car. I drove off quickly and raced towards Season Lane. I sped down the street and looked over at Trista.  The street was completely deserted. The houses were dilapidated and broken.

“Um . . . it’s a dead end street. We’re at the end.” She pointed forward.

I sped down to the end and parked in front of the smallest, run down house I’d ever seen.

“Trista . . .” I began.

“Thanks!” she exclaimed as she quickly climbed out the car, pulling her brother with her.

“Trista!”I yelled.

She stopped in her tracks and faced me. Tears were running down her cheeks wildly. I wanted to hug her, but I stayed in the car.

“We’ll pick you two up tomorrow morning.” I mumbled.

She nodded her head and continued running to the house. I turned the car around and drove out of the street to the main road.

Trista was becoming more and more interesting to me. First her eyes had changed, she had cut school, she lived in an odd area, and she had cut her brother off earlier in the conversation as if he was about to reveal a secret. I shook my head of all thoughts of Trista for now.

“So . . . Sonic?” I glanced across at my sister who was nodding her head happily.

Reviews

[Dutch Jr.]

Great narrating and storytelling ability, will certainly read the rest of this.

[ChristianM]

I really enjoyed this. You really know how to develop a story. You get the reader to connect with Tyler and the bond he and Lexi shares is shown very well throughout this chapter. A few typos here and there, but I'm sure going over the story again will take care of those.
I'm very curious to know Christa's secret, and am really loving the setting of the story. The animosity and anger Lexi and Tyler have against Peter is good conflict material for further chapters, almost seems like it's them against the rest of their family.
Great first chapter.
Well done.