Untitled Pt 2

Bevery Ophilia Anderson goes to school for the first time and meets a few people one of them being the protagonist from part 1 Austin McGregor. She tells her tale of her life in Avris so far.

(Beverly)

Fall 1984

I remember walking into the room full of strangers, strangers who one day would become friends, and then one day later on back to strangers. It felt strange having to walk into this room full of people I have yet to meet and at the time someone I would come to love.

I've been home schooled for the past 10 years including preschool and kindergarten and today was my first ever day in public school. The first time i'd have to go in groups of strangers and work on Chemistry, Algebra and other subjects that awaited my day. The first time I'd ever have to say “Hello, my name is Beverly Ophilia Anderson and I am 15 years old 16 in December. My father is Gabriel Anderson; he is an aggressive drunk and on the side he works at the police department. My mother, her name was Rose Angela Anderson and she died when I was three by a chamber and a hard place. My grandmother on my mother's side is 53 years old and holds the name of Margaret Foxworth, she has been raising me since I was four, she also has Alzheimer's. The doctors said she's progressing at a much faster rate than the average patient, just last year it was mild and now it's very moderate. My hobbies include painting, writing, and I particularly enjoy learning about things I won't need and don't enjoy learning about things i will need. I hope too one day be a graphic designer and a happy mother of one.”

My right foot moved through the door before my left. I blow my bangs out of my face before I enter the room and am forced to make eye contact with everyone in there.

“Ah, class I forgot to mention,” Ms. Caldwell the English teacher began, “we have ourselves a new student today. Please step up in front of the class and introduce yourself.”

I look too my left at the class and then at the ground. I feel my chest start pounding and I find myself having a lack of breath. I step towards the middle of the room and face all those faces who are soon going to be my classmates.

“H-hello,” I begin, far too shy for who I actually am, “ my name is Beverly Anderson.”

“What's your middle name?” a voice interrupts.

“O-ophilia. Beverly Ophilia Anderson” I answer without any hesitance.

“My, that is a gorgeous name.” Ms. Caldwell says. “Go find yourself an empty desk, as a matter of fact there's one right there on the left next to Austin.” She points to the back of the class right next to the windows and I see a lonesome boy sitting there with his head up. His eyes are a light brown and can be classified as Amber. His hair is straight and jet black, a few stands fall over his eyes while the rest is combed slick back. He sits there gawking at me, smiling, and playing with his thumbs. His teeth are straight and white, he has a big grin. I give a shy smile back and I start walking towards the desk on his left right next to the windows. I place my things on my desk and then sit down.

I look too my left at the windows. There’s only two, two really big windows and the view is simple. Two big aspen trees rest right too each other, the grass is green with more tints of yellow coming out from the time of season. Leafs, stray branches and rain hit the windows with light thumps. The fog this morning is great and dense like god had been chain smoking cigarettes and blowing all the smoke in our town, then covering the smoke with a bubble not letting any of it escape. Ms. Caldwell looks like the type of lady who loves the sound of silence, at the same time she looks like the kind of lady who enjoys sharing a laugh with a group of people she just came to meet. She has glasses with circle rims and long grey hair that's braided going over her left shoulder. Shes no taller than I am and I am quite short, she wears a pink vintage dress with exactly two roses on it. She also, if I may add, has a very sweet smile.

“Hello,” a confident and crackly voice too my right says. I look over and it's the unfamiliar boy named Austin, holding his hand out waiting for me to accept it. I put my hand out and smile, “Hello.”

“My name, Ms. Beverly Ophilia Anderson, is Austin McGregor. Nice to meet you.” I laugh at the greeting, it's not goofy or anything close it idiotic, it was just simply too random and sudden. My smile grows too a grin and I shake his hand. “Nice to meet you too.” he doesn't lose eye contact with me but he doesn't say a thing. He loosens his grip and looks forward with a smirk. Austin Mcgregor, the boy who at first impression seems sweet and innocent, but it's not til you get to know him and his past until you realize how insanely vile he truly is.~

The school I was going to had two floors. The ninth and tenth graders shared the first floor and the eleventh and twelfth graders shared the second. The hallways were hard, tiled, and the lockers were all a golden bronze that only had the length of a few feet which was only enough to put your bag and a few books.

My schedule includes the classes:

1st period which goes from 7:45- 8:45 is English

2nd period which goes from 8:50- 9:50 is Art

3rd period is P.E, which goes from 9:55- 10:55

Algebra is the class right before lunch which goes from 11:00- 12:00

Then lunch from 12:05 P.M. too 1:00 P.M.

I have Anatomy immediately after lunch and that goes from 1:05-2:05

6th period is History which goes from 2:10- 3:00

And then my last class which is Art 2 goes from 3:05- 4:00 P.M. Sharp.

All in all my schedule includes four hours of pointless topics and three hours of something Ill need.

Everyone in the halls between class walks in groups or walks alone, there is no inbetween. Each group I pass I hear phrases like ‘Eat my shorts’, ‘Becca has a rockin bod’, and my most favorite ‘last night's party was Raaaadical bro,’. I've never heard any of those slangs, after all my grandmother who raised me was born in 1931. The first half of school went by fairly quick and I was without a clue what to do at lunch when two kids my age came up too me and introduced themselves. I was sitting by myself eating an apple staring out the window at the restless rain when they approached me. I was thinking of what my life was going to become by the time I will be graduating. So much can change in a year, imagine how much will change after four years in this place. Every person I’m going to meet, every moment i'm going to inevitably f**k up and then get over. Life is tricky, and it's not any easier when you have no idea what the hell you're doing. And unfortunately I was put in the place of a lost girl who had no f*****g idea what in the hell I was doing.

I was also thinking of Austin McGregor, and how he resembled that boy at the park five years ago. Five years ago things were quite simpler. My grandma wasn't bad five years ago, my father, who still drank, wasn't as much of a drinker as he is now. He and my mother had been in a domestic relationship that involved both mental and physical abuse. They were madly in love as young adults and then soon (my father told me) her bipolar disorder kept getting the best of her. Shed have days of pure joy and glee, which she would make everyone around her smile. She would clean for hours without being asked, go spend money on things she didn't need, and cook like there was no tomorrow, like she was cooking a feast as a final meal. She would also have days (weeks) where she would stay in bed, become hostile and not eat or talk. My father didn't understand what her problem was and he admits that, and unfortunately he wasn't there for her. He left her for her problems but he promised to stick around, for his first and only child, a daughter, would soon be born. After I was born my father was around more often and my mother was trying to get passed her problem one day at a time. Soon though it began to consume the two of them, my father went to the booze, she went to her gun.

A blonde, beautiful girl in coveralls with golden locks and blue eyes comes over to me with a tall boy with short hair and dark brown eyes. He's wearing a ‘The Smiths’ T-shirt and has a few holes at the knees in his jeans.

“Hello,” the blonde begins, “my name is Kristen and this is my friend Daniel. We wanted to introduce ourselves too the new girl.” Daniel says hi to me once Kristen is done talking.

“Hey, my name is Beverly Anderson.” I smile.

“We noticed you were sitting here alone we wanted to invite you to go to lunch with us?” Daniel asks raising his voice at the end. I look forward out of the window and see the reflection of them two against the rain. “I'd love too.” I respond.~

Daniel Carter is originally from Colorado, he moved here with both his parents after his father found some work. He came out as gay when he was 12 years old and his parents were shocked, his father was of course unsupportive. Daniel doesn't care too hide who he is and even goes so far as to wear Harvey Milk t-shirts to school and hats that have swirls of pink and purple that blend together to form the word ‘love’. He wants to be a police officer and to help people, his dream he told me, has always been too help someone in someway.  Kristen Blakely was born and raised in Averis Oregon. She was raised by only her mother who left her abusive father when she was still in the womb. Averis was the furthest place from her father they could go, it just so happens to be the only place they could quickly adapt too and call home. When she grows up she wants to be a fashion designer, from what she showed me, with what she wore and what she drew I truly believed she could do it.

We talked all throughout lunch about who I was, who I wanted to be and why I had been homeschooled so long. There was really no logical answer to that, just that we never got around to putting me in public school until now. Once the bell rang and we had to go back to our classes the day ended just as quickly a*s it began. I said so long too Kristen and Daniel and then began to head home. On my walk home I took in all the new views I had never been able to witness being home schooled. The scent of the wind and the rain put me in a place close to nirvana. One foot after the other I walked, minding my business and enjoying the nature as much as I could before I would have to return home and help my grandmother as much as I must.

I looked around at all the kids my age walking with friends too a destination or riding their bikes wherever they felt too ride. My eye caught a boy who was holding an advanced chemistry book, he was walking incredibly fast in the opposite direction, the direction of the park. I couldn't make out who it was, but my mind kept on moving back to Austin. What’s he doing? Where’s he going? Questions I would one day find out.

Police lights turned on behind me and I twirl around. My hair goes in front of my face and falls, I look at the car a block away. The boy walking in the direction towards the cop opens his book swiftly making it seem like he was reading. The car passed and the boy looks back at the cop car making it's way in my direction, before closing his book and heading on his way. What was the purpose of that? I think to myself.

The cops almost too me and begins to slow down, it's non other than my father, Gabriel, otherwise known as Officer Anderson.

“Where are you going little girl?”

“Hey dad, I was just on my way back to Grandmas. School just got out.” I look around at all the kids and he follows my gaze.

“Let me give you a ride?” He offers. I say nothing, I go around the hood of the car and pull open the door. I sit down, put on my seatbelt and then slam my door shut before my father locks it. I look over at him and his eyes are forward, he looks distressed as if something had been bothering him.

“Are you ok-” I begin. “How was school?” he cuts me off, “Your first day huh? Did you make any friends?”

“Yeah my first day, it wasn't very eventful just basic go to class take some notes and repeat. I made two, three friends you can say today, two of their names are Kristen Blakley and Daniel Carter, they invited me out too lunch.”

“Thats nice of them two, and the third?” he asks

“His name is Austin McGregor.” I respond almost too quick as if i knew he was going to ask.

“McGregor, where have I heard that name before..” he begins, “Nevertheless I hope they're all good kids and they don't betray your friendship.”

“They are great kids, the only three to introduce themselves willingly today, as a matter of fact.” I feel proud about my first day of school and the outcome of it. I'm sure not all days will be great but at least the introduction was.

“Is that so? I’m glad too hear you had an alright day and you made some friends.” he smiles. “Listen honey we need to talk.” he says cutting off the 5 seconds of silence.

“Okay dad.” I reply with slight uneasiness. What could this be about? Him? My grandmother? Did something go terribly wrong? Tons of thoughts begin to invade my head until he cuts them off with: “Did you hear about what happened this morning?”

“N-no.” I say shaking my head. “What happened this morning?” I ask slightly sitting up.

“There was this wheel, a very big wheel at least a story tall, made out of reinforcing steel, for buildings and stuff. I have no idea where the hell it came from, I have no idea what the purpose of this wheel could have been, for god's sakes no one needs a wheel like that made of that s**t too build a building. Anyways, the disaster it was in the middle of the road up by Darius Street on 55. This morning when the fog came in no one could see the damn thing because well, you know how the fog is in Avris, ain't no seeing a damn thing until at least nine, ten o’clock. Around 5 o’clock there was a pile up, not too major but still pretty major. Two cars and a semi collided, the driver and the passenger in the semi survived (besides going to the hospital) but everyone else in the two other vehicles died. A family of four and two brothers.

“There was no way this wheel could have moved on it's own or by the weather. The weathers been s****y believe me I know and so has the wind, but when I went too the scene this morning I tried moving the wheel myself and it felt like it weighed at least a couple hundred pounds…” He stops talking too take a left down the street my grandma and I live, he slows down too a cruz to finish our conversation. “I don't understand if you know what this means but someone had too have pushed it in the middle of the road on purpose. There was no motive, because the cars and vehicles are random down that street. For people who don't live in Avris, this place is just a place for passing through to get too your actual destination. No motive, no purpose, whoever did that simply did it for the hell of it.”

“Why would somebody do that?” I respond, “Surely they could have figured someone was going to pass on the road before anyone moved it. I wonder who did that.”

“That's what we're trying to figure out. No one knows, the department has talked too many people already today but no one knows a damn thing. The facial expressions and answers of each person were honest, no one knows a damn things and it's frustrating. My guess is, that it must be a person who doesn't talk about what they're doing or where they're going. Someone who minds their own business.”

“That makes sense, but dad Avris is not that big, everyone seems to know everyone but yet not a single person had a clue to what might have happened? That just doesn't make sense to me.”

“Yeah dear, that's why I said it has to be someone who doesn't talk too anyone, someone who minds their own business. Anyone that does something like this, simple reckless behavior, usually brags too a close friend or something, but no one knows a thing. A disaster like this doesn't just happen in Avris, jesus last time a random tragedy like this happened was when the house of the Cunninghams burned down. Same with that one, no purpose, no motive, no evidence anyone besides them was there. Yet we found shards of a gas tank that burst in the backyard but what did that do for us? Not a damn thing.”

I didn't really know what to say, there wasn't much I could say.

“Anyway dear, I'm telling you all of this because it might not be a casual adult who did this but someone in your school or the other schools around Avris. We can't limit ourselves to look for adults when it could have been a group of teens f*****g around. So if you hear anything at school Beverly, please let me know.”

“I will dad, I promise.” I look forward and I see the house slowly approaching.

“Alright, thank you Beverly.” He pulls up and parks the car. I open the door and look back at my father, “I love you dad. Thank you for the ride home.”

“I love you too daughter of mine. Stay out of trouble alright, i'd hate to have a call and show up not knowing i'm gonna have to arrest my own daughter.”

I laugh and I look down, “I promise, I’ll stay out of trouble.”

“Alright good, I'll talk to you later then.” he says. I step out of the car and close the door.

“I'll see you later dad.” I smile back. He begins to drive off and i'm left here holding an algebra book i'll never open and thinking about who might have done the unintentional (perhaps) dreadful actions of last night.~

Author's Note

This (just like part one) is only half of the chapter. This is not the final draft (again like part one) and will be looked over many many tmes by myself and whoever else ends up looking over it.