-untitled story-

Glenn’s Grove was a small but elite New Jersey town, with intricate, hundred year old gates surrounding it. Everything in Glenn’s Grove was ancient, even if things had been painted over and new families had moved in or out. Everything was once something historic.

The people in Glenn’s Grove were all the same--rich, pristine, and small-minded. Well, everyone except for the Beauregards. On the corner of Laurel Street stood a tall building in which there was a shop called Herbal Remedies. On the second floor was an apartment. Everyone knew it was the Beauregard home.

Secretly, no one in Glenn’s Grove liked the Beauregards. They were middle class, eccentric, and believed in things the others would never even think about. They were different. And in a town like Glenn’s Grove, different was never good.

“Mom, I’m home,” Angelina Beauregard called, throwing open the front door to her mother’s shop. The inside smelled of fresh tea bags and healing herbs. That was the smell of home"at least to Angelina, anyway.

Her long skirt swished about her legs, brushing the tops of her one-of-a-kind cowboy boots. The shop was dim and full of dust, as it had been for a while. Angelina walked to the back of the shop, her boots clacking loudly, and opened the stairway door. It was dark, even with the little light bulb at the top of the stairs turned on.

“Mom?” She shouted again. Angelina slowly climbed the rickety stairs, every step creaking under her weight. She held onto the railing, white knuckled, and blew a cobweb out of her face. The light flickered. Angelina could hear the sound of footsteps above her.

The door at the top of the stairs crept open an increment but Angelina hadn’t touched it yet. “Is someone there?” she called. She wiped her clammy palms on her skirt and pushed the door all the way open.

“Hello!”

Angelina nearly jumped out of her skin. Her mother, Lillian Beauregard, stood before her in the doorway, holding a candle under her chin and smiling eerily. Her olive skin was illuminated and her dark hair hung down from under the scarf that was wrapped around her head.

“Mom! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” Angelina breathed, her heart pounding erratically. The house had always seemed a little creepy.

She laughed and blew out the candle. “Of course not, honey.  Let’s go have some tea and you can tell me about your day.”

Angelina was grateful for her mother’s kindness but she didn’t want to discuss her day. There wasn’t anything new, anyway. She’d gotten a bunch of dirty looks from girls who thought they were better than her. Of course they did--they lived in big Victorian houses or just mansions big enough to be Inns and Angelina lived in an apartment above her mother’s herb shop.

They all looked at her like she was crazy because she dressed up her uniform with boots and bangles and earrings and necklaces. They despised her because she dared to be different. But if she acted like them, how would anyone remember Angelina Beauregard?

 Angelina sat on her living room couch, blowing out a puff of air.

“How is that girl"oh, what is her name"Miranda?” Lillian asked.

“We haven’t talked since last year, mom. She’s too good for me now,” she scowled.

“Well than she’s not a good friend to begin with. I’m sure you’ll make some more new friends this year. But anyway, I have something for you.” Angelina looked up curiously as her mother shuffled through the beaded curtain in their living room doorway and came back with a small decorated box. She placed it on the tiny coffee table the sat in front of their sofa.

In the box lay an intricately woven bracelet. Angelina picked it up to examine it closely and saw that there was a miniature eye with crescent moon next to it in the middle of all the green, brown, and blue string. She could’ve sword that the miniscule green eye winked at her. “Wow, mom, it’s beautiful. What’s the occasion?”

“Well the charm is said to bring luck and safety. I thought you could use a little luck,” her mother smiled and hugged her tightly. She was known for her crafty style but Angelina had never received such a pretty handmade gift.

“Thanks. I love it,” Angelina smiled. Her mother grinned, an unreadable expression creeping across her face but quickly disappearing. They continued to sip their tea quietly.

 

Glenn’s Grove High School was a big, old age building in the center of Glenn’s Grove. Angelina walked through the tall gate that surrounded the school, adjusting her bracelet. The sound of her worn black ankle boots clacking against the cobblestone path seemed to drown out every other sound. Angelina felt vulnerable around all these perfect-looking students with their blue button downs pressed and their skirts or pants exactly as they should be.

Angelina pulled her blazer on as she walked into the school. It was required"for a reason she didn’t know"that they all wear their blazers indoors at all times. Her classroom was cool, gratefully, and Angelina settled down in a seat, smoothing down her navy blue and white plaid skirt.

Veronica Varner, a girl who automatically despised Angelina, was chuckling in a corner of the room at some private joke her and her followers shared. A bunch of guys stared at a group of girls with big chests who didn’t even glance at them.

“Hey.”

Angelina turned around in her seat. Behind her sat a boy with wide sapphire blue eyes, bed-head, and a crooked smile. “I’m Alex.” Angelina stared at him blankly for a moment, wondering why he was talking to her of all people.

“I-I’m Angelina,” she muttered, tripping over her words. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Alex before. “Are you new?”

“I’ve been here since school started but I guess I’m still new,” he grinned.

“Well I guess you haven’t heard that talking to me is social suicide.”

“I’ve heard. I don’t mind,” he said softly. Angelina glanced up at his blue eyes, feeling her own widen. He didn’t care? This boy was risking being popular to talk to her? Why would anyone do that?

“I wouldn’t talk to Angelina, Alex. Word is she kills every boy who she thinks likes her when he really doesn’t,” Veronica said, deliberately talking loudly.

“Who’s word? I’m guessing yours,” Alex smirked.

“Just warning you, Hun,” Veronica smiled her sickly sweet smile and turned away, her orange hair billowing. Angelina scowled and glared at the back of her shiny hair clad head.

“Please take your seats, class,” the teacher, Mrs. Hansen, said. Everyone sat almost at once and turned to face the front of the classroom in a drone-like manner. Angelina immediately noticed a tall and athletic-looking boy with slicked back blonde hair and green eyes standing next to Mrs. Hansen. He looked like every other Glenn’s Grove High School boy with his uniform perfectly press and his whole look in immaculate condition. And, of course, he was handsome.

Mrs. Hansen mumbled something to the new student and he slowly walked down the aisle next to Angelina, taking a seat right next to her. Angelina glanced over nervously and he smiled at her, making her heart pound. Angelina didn’t usually like any guy in her school. They were all too uppity or too plain or they thought they were too good for her. But whoever this boy was, Angelina was already falling for his emerald eyes.

But he was already striking up a conversation with Veronica. And once he was associated with her group, he would never talk to Angelina. “I transferred from Hensley Prep, a few towns over,” Angelina heard him telling Veronica.

“It must’ve been so much better than this dump,” Veronica said, giggling for no apparent reason. The new guy said something else that Angelina couldn’t hear. “You’re so funny, Dylan,” Veronica cooed, letting out one of her annoying high-pitched laughs.

Angelina rolled her eyes, wondering if Veronica knew how idiotic she sounded. She fiddled with the bracelet her mom made, trying to focus on the teacher.

“Where did you get that?”

Angelina nearly jumped at the low growl and looked over to see the new kid, Dylan, glaring at her, his dirty blonde eyebrows accentuating his anger. “W-What? This?” Angelina stammered, gesturing at her bracelet with sweating fingers. He stared at her, his green eyes losing their charm and seemingly turning darker. “My mom made it for me.”

He glared for a moment longer and then his face broke into a smile and he said, “It’s really nice.” But Angelina couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Although no one else had noticed the encounter"not even Alex who had been surprisingly quiet"Angelina kept seeing those seemingly charming forest green eyes turning so dark. She kept silent and took notes as a feeling like a cold finger running down her spine ran through her.

Author's Note

what do you think?