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Silence

Hypnotic

Bright lights radiated into the mall area just outside the boisterous cafeteria. Small chatter arose about when the last of the Dead Drills would transpire, or, if it was possible to finish them before the end of the day. There were only two classes left and the end of the day was nearing fast. It being Friday, most of us wanted to speed the day off to an early end, which only meant, time would speed by fast. Especially since it’s the last first Friday for every senior that have plans on graduating in May.

Spreading like wildfire was the news of how the day would end. Our underclassman were still hyped up from the fire drill and could or would not stop gossiping over the supposed prep rally during seventh period. The first assembly of the year was usually right before Homecoming, not the first week of school. However, due to the odd functions of how today had already progressed, I wouldn’t be surprised if something out of the norm continued to occur.

 

“That’s odd.” Chance spoke when he returned from the cafeteria. Riza and I scooted further down the spirit case to allow Chance to hop into the elongated box and make himself comfortable.

 

“What?” she questioned, taking her portion of lunch from Chance before handing me my own.

 

“Today’s lunch special is different from what the announcements said.” Chance said. Staring up in thought for a moment, he shrugged aloofly before returning his undivided attention to his lunch. “Eh, it’s better than having those chili cheese dogs and fruit salads.”

Riza jerked her plastic fork up at our testosterone friend at that comment. “I happen to like Donna’s fruit salad. She makes it better than Matilda.”

 

I slowly took a bite out of the roast beef sub sandwich as cerulean blue eyes narrowed in slits towards a pair of challenging gray café ones. As Riza was about to give way to her victory smirk, Chance sat back so he leant his weight against the mini wall to the spirit case. “I miss that ol’ Irish woman. She knew the exact amount of pepper to use on my spaghetti.”

Twirling his fork into the baked potato loaded with every little topping there was, he took a solemn bite out of the massive portion of carbs. Riza and I shared a look before continuing on with our lunch.

 

“Why you like pepper on pasta is an odd fetish, but I do too miss her affection to making our food.” I spoke up, shrugging when Chance gave me a curious look. “You know where she went?”

He shook his head, sliding his left leg up to rest his chin on his knee. “Nah, but before she told me she was quitting last year, she said her granddaughter was involved in some mess in Chicago and that Mattie was the only one left to get her out of the rut.”

 

“That’s unfortunate.” Riza sympathized.

 

“If that’s where Mattie is, at least she left for a good reason. Unlike that lady who took Mattie’s place.” Chance hushed the last part before going back to slowly forking his potato between his lips.

 

“There’s a new replacement already?”

Chance nodded, obviously just as surprised as I was. Fallbrooke may be well off on faculty, but whenever we lost a member of the Falcons, it took a while to recruit someone new. Major factor was how shunned the school was from society and grace. Other, was those who qualified to teach here, were mesmerized by the school for the wrong reasons.

 

“She must be one hell of a cook lady then.” we turned to Riza who shrugged. “Only once has a lunch lady left us, and that was in our freshman year. It took almost a month to replace her, and Donna was her replacement. And, let’s face it, she isn’t the best.”

“Didn’t you just say you loved her fruit salad?” Chance accused behind a smirk.

“Her fruit salad.” she clarified. “Not any of those creations she has fun experimenting with.”

“Touché.”

A rush of students swarmed by us, gossiping voices giving way to their destination. Craning my head over my shoulder, I watched as most of them crowded around the gymnasium’s doors to catch any confirmation of there being a prep rally before the end of the day. Some of those students ignored the crowd and continued their way until they were outside, settling for eating their lunch at the tables under the shade or laying around on the grass. Personally, I didn’t like eating lunch outside until early Winter and Spring. Temperatures were crisp around those times and the scenery was perfect. Unlike having to sit under the scorching sun and complain about sunburns.

 

Turning away from the students hording around the doors further down the mall area of the school, I looked back to my friends silently eating. Riza’s eyes were cast in the opposite direction mine were once in, an auburn haze overcastting the dark hue to her eyes. She definitely had something on her mind from her tasteless bites at the food in her palms. Chance was, however, solely concentrated on taking huge chunks of bites out of his platter.

“But hey, Chance, what does the new one look like?”

 

Pausing midway to place his overloaded fork into his mouth, his eyes flickered to mine before shrugging, shoveling the fork in his mouth. “She’s kinda homely, if I had to say anything. Pale, black hair, and weird green eyes. But, enticing, in a way, ya know?”

 

“You gonna dig this old lady now?” Riza teased, the haze disappearing from her eyes in a nanosecond.

Rolling his eyes, Chance looked back to his food and shook his head. “This one’s fresh outta college or something. She looks kinda young, like, mid-twenties or something.”

“Wow.” both Riza and I awed, lips parted from the other. “Seriously?”

“Yep, she ain’t no old hag who’s a five star chef. She must really be good. But, the way she looked at me kinda made me avoid her food.”

 

We burst out laughing at him reenacting the stink eye he claimed she gave him. As curious as I was towards the new lunch lady, I wouldn’t make it my priority number one to see her. Chance was more friendly with the lunch ladies than Riza and I, and had taken it upon himself to get us lunch everyday unless we felt like ditching and going out for food. But seeing as it’s the first week of school, deeming us three no transportation anywhere, we stuck it out with the school lunch.

Wiping my hands off on the other, I swallowed the last of my sandwich before hopping down from the spirit case. Gathering my trash, I held my hand out to Riza. “You done?”

 

She nodded, dropping her remains into my open palm. Just as I was about to grab Chance’s empty portions, he slowly slid from the case and onto his feet. “Here, I’ll get the trash--”

“Nah, I’ll do it.” Chance interrupted, grabbing the small pile of trash from me.

 

Without as so much as a smile, Chance took the trash and his backpack before hurrying off behind me. I turned around to see him gracefully walking towards a trash can further down the mall area. Arching my eyebrow, I crossed my arms. There was a trash can not even ten feet from us.

“Rora.” Riza sounded amused, tapping my shoulder to turn around. “Look.”

As soon as I turned around, I chuckled along with Riza. Walking towards us was Jessica Speare, otherwise known as, Chance Embley’s off-limits crush. When she walked by us, she gave us a friendly smile to which we returned with waves. We all had known her since we started our high school career, and only after he and Riza dated did he suddenly obtain feelings for the humble girl. No reason to question why. She was pretty, smart, extremely friendly, but extremely timid. She didn’t seem to associate with the male population at Fallbrooke, of course, making it harder on Chance to rob the poor girl of her innocence.

 

“Yeah, and my crush is unhealthy.” I chuckled as we watched Jessica head towards a group of girls near the gymnasium, trace of Chance’s whereabouts fading.

 

“Ooh, Aurora Deneuve’s got a crush on someone?” a voice crept up my spine and whispered into my ear, causing me to whirl around and almost faint at the godly aura around the boy. “Do enlighten me.”

Hopping down from the spirit case, Riza grabbed our bags before smirking at me and tossing me mine, circling around the group of boys that had surrounded us. “See ya later girl.” she smiled at me - winking slyly - before weaving her way out of the crowd.

Flustered, I looked back to Taylor who quickly stole my attention away from anything else. With that smile, it was impossible to ignore him. “U-um, no one?”

 

Taylor chuckled, melting my heart within seconds which worsened its growing condition. “Oh come on, don’t be so naïve. Maybe I know him?” he pried, tossing an arm around my shoulders as the bell rang to head to sixth period.

We bid farewell to his friends heading in a different direction than us, stealing my attention away from his hypnotizing glare for only moments. “Uh, no, it’s fine. I don’t--”

“So it’s one of those girl things.” Taylor concluded, frowning with a sigh. “And here I thought, us two best friends, never keeping secrets from one another. Especially something as persistent as one heart’s desire.”

Slumping my shoulders, I lazily stared him in the eye while he grinned at me. “Guilt tripping me Landry?”

“If I get a secret or two out of you, Deneuve.” he shot back. “And if you think pulling the last names out on me will get to me, you are wrongly mistaken.”

 

I gasped, snapping my fingers with a tsk. “And here I thought, that I was distracting you.”

Taylor smiled, opening the door leading to the theater for me. The immediate drop of temperature rushed over us, my hair falling down the sides of my face. The coolest part of the school had always been the theater, every room backstage or the seating arena. And always the warmest in the winter, even though, living in Southern California it was always warm year round.

 

“Your entrancing eyes are always distracting Aurora.” Taylor said softly, drawing my attention towards him.

Quite unlike most of the odd fluttering going on inside my chest whenever physical contact surfaced between us, a shiver raced through my chest making it hard to swallow the lump sitting in the back of my throat. Though students walked passed us not paying a sliver of attention to us, our eyes stayed glued to each other’s. In moments like this, I almost feared blinking. The trance he held me under every time we were together always clouded my mind, deeming it useless to use it. Not that I minded. It was one of the best feelings in the world.

 

“They seem a bit saffron today.” he continued speaking in that low sultry voice considered whispering.

My breathing hitched when he raised a hand to my face, goose bumps trailing on the back of my neck as the tender skin to his hand brushed across my cheek. I was pretty sure my eyes were glossing over since they couldn’t control the flustered blinks they were currently under. From the stares Taylor launched into my more anxious ones, it was almost a shock when he creased my fallen hair behind my ear.

 

“A little piece of plastic.” he said, his voice so normal now it made my mind do a whiplash.

Blinking out of my entrancement, I looked to his hand to see he was holding a piece of gray plastic. He flicked it away which brought my attention back to his face, a heartwarming smile adorning his lips.

 

Though he linked his arm through mine and told me about his strenuous lacrosse practice the previous night, all I could think about was why this boy could tell me to walk in front of a moving truck and I wouldn’t argue. I had the entire sixth period to wash my mind of Taylor’s touch and the odd spell he put me under. No matter how minor it was, it still was enough to lull me into any request he may have for me. If he would’ve asked me to rob a local convenient store for him, I would have done it. If he asked me to blow up a hospital Joker-style, I would have done it. If he asked me to perform sexual favors for him, you’re goddamn right I would have done it.

By the time seventh period rolled around, and Taylor’s mind control had faded into oblivion - though that could be debatable, since he is constantly on my mind every second of the day - I was patiently sitting alone in Mr. Baker’s science room. Since Monday when school began, a substitute teacher was in his place. It was unclear as to why Mr. Baker wasn’t here and we could only assume that he was still on vacation somewhere. It was his business and his alone as to where he was, even if his little fan girl club begged to differ.

 

Seeing Mr. Baker behind his desk in full-swing to organize things was such a shocker, that I wasn’t the only one to stare silently at him. Even as the more rambunctious students of the class fell silent in his presence. The only thing that snapped me out of my stupid daze, was watching his fan girl club waltz in with pure fanatic hazes in their eyes. It was almost sickening how in love the small group of girls was with him. Apparently, to them, he was a musician before a teaching authority figure. Which meant, in their logic, they still had a good chance of sleeping with him.

Yeah… like that’s believable.

Propping my elbows onto the black marble table, I rested my chin in my palms and looked around. The substitute had forewarned us that when our regular teacher returned, we would face the normal strenuous details of science. More importantly, picking lab partners for the semester. Since I knew absolutely no one in this class, I had to rely on looks. Who looked the smartest, less laziest, and dependable skills with handling lab-ware to level out my dull skills. After a week of getting to know my classmates, I would be lucky if I got someone who knew how to turn on a Bunsen burner. Without a joint behind their ear.

 

As soon as the bell rang, the footsteps in the hall decreased to a minimum. Mr. Baker took this moment to shut his door and fix his composure, to which I noticed was a bit flustered. When he stood in front of the class behind his large science table, his piercing chartreuse eyes locked with mine and I swear, I forgot how to breathe.

“Most of you may be wondering,” he spoke when he released his gaze. Maybe, that eye lock was a ploy of my imagination? “where I have been for the past week?”

 

“Mhmm!” a girl I recognized as an obsessed fan to his fan girl club nodded furiously.

He barely acknowledged her as his eyes slowly swam over each student. “I was away for emergency family matters, for those who wish to know everything about me.” he noted with a smirk to a group of girls who were writing viciously in notebooks. “And to explain the bruises,” he faintly gestured to his black eye and cut up lip, smiling lightly which accentuated his fat cheeks. “I was in a minor car accident while away.”

 

A shrewd of gasps and “oh no’s” hovered over the class. Mr. Baker nodded to the sympathy and smiled warily. “But, now that I’m here, it’s time to actually get down to business.”

He removed himself from behind his table/desk and walked to the left side of the room to where the lab stations were, picking a handful of textbooks up. As he turned to face the class, everyone moaned and groaned at the sight of the horrendous books. Mr. Baker only smiled at the chorus of displeasure.

 

“As the course entitles, this is a Physiology and Physics Honors class.” our teacher started as he began passing out books. “Now, why is Physiology and Physics being combined? As most of you know, who went to Fallbrooke last year, Mr. Snullz retired a year early last year, leaving a course unavailable to take this year. In order to be in this class, you have to have taken Physics I or Anatomy Honors either your freshman, sophomore, or junior year attending Fallbrooke. Since Physiology is just so easy and not much to go over, according to Principal Stanton, she decided to combine the Physics two Honors class with the Advanced Physiology class.”

 

“Not a surprise that she of all people would make things more difficult.” a student spoke, evoking a few snorts of agreement to his statement.

“Couldn’t agree more.” Mr. Baker tsk’d, shaking his head. “Also, if you are not taking Gov with Christ and Calculus with Shadows, then you’re obviously in the wrong class.”

 

Ahh. That’s right. In order to take Mr. Baker’s Physics II Honors class, you would normally have to be enrolled into Mr. Sanders’ Calculus Honors class. That, and Mr. Seward’s AP Government class or Mr. Haner’s Literature class. It was a package deal, so more than likely if you had one of the Power Five teachers teaching a core course, you’d have another. Leaving it to that, most students strived for higher standards in their first three years of high school so they would be eligible to be in one of the Power Five teachers’ classes their senior year. Due to that our school’s percentage rate on passing standardized tests have increased exponentially.

All with the shallow encouragement to be within legalized personal space of a once star-ridden rock group with hopes of bedding them. That’s what Fallbrooke’s teen population has come to.

 

“What about Mr. Sullivan’s class?” asked a timid voice.

 

Mr. Baker shook his head, grabbing another set of books to continue passing out. “Only if you’re taking another one of the Power Five teachers’ classes. If you’re not, then please, put your textbook on the front desk on your way out to the counselor’s office to have your wronged schedule changed.”

“What if you’re only taking Mr. Haner’s class? Are you still allowed to be in this class?”

Once again, Mr. Baker shook his head. “In order to be in this class, you MUST be in Shadows’ class. If you’re not in his class, then in order to be in this class, you MUST be taking both Christ’s and Gates’ class. If none of that applies to any of you, then please do as I requested seconds ago.”

A few students looked to each other before pushing themselves away from their marble two-sitter desks. I watched as fifteen students left the class, some of them whom already received textbooks, placing their books on the front desk/table before exiting. Without showing grief for losing some of his students, Mr. Baker walked up to the front desk and picked up the now vacant textbooks before going back to his place and passing out books to those of us who were still here. Which, by the way, now looked like a decent sized class instead of overflowing with a few students hording around in the back on spare chairs.

 

“Now, usually I’m a carefree person, but with this I’m strictly professional with.” Mr. Baker spoke as he walked towards my table’s area, which only sat me. A loner, all alone in the back. But it didn’t bother me, it just meant I didn’t have to inhale some person’s funk of a stench for the remaining hour of the day for five days a week. “As far as teaching goes.”

I looked up when Mr. Baker placed a rather thick textbook in front of me. Those eyes that hypnotized me to forget how to breathe just moments ago once again overwhelmed my fragile brain. I couldn’t see anything but various shades of mesmerizing green, hazed over by a shadow of silver. It was as if a pleasant humming was invading my thoughts, numbing out every other sound there was echoing in the room. If my heart could talk to me, it was now. Beating rhythmically to the whispered lulls in my head, being ever so careful to not speak too loud over the wondrous whispers.

 

Yet, the sound was oddly familiar. A lullaby charmed by hypnotic ticks and tocks to an ancient grandfather clock. That fruition was the only thing that pulled me free from the stare, yet I was still drawn to just look at his eyes. I’d be lying if I said I saw something unrecognizable in those green orbs of his.

“Any questions?” his question was so pleasant and carefree, it was as if that stare was just a blink. Maybe, it was a ploy of my imagination?

 

I quickly shook my head so he wouldn’t think of me as the slow kind. All he did in response was smile and nod, continuing on with passing out books as if he hadn’t stopped. When he began to swim deep within the course’s synopsis for the year, all I could ponder over, was why my thoughts were so loud now? How come they couldn’t be as melodic as before when I stared into Mr. Baker’s eyes? Now, that alone sounds suspicious. Asking myself to stare into my science teacher’s eyes? I almost chuckled at the thought of the fan girl club having those type of thoughts on a regular day-to-day basis. Condemn me if those thoughts ever swarm my mind.

I finally started paying attention when he mentioned projects and earning sufficient credit. Last year I was barely able to keep my nose above water in my Physics I Honors class. I even had Chance and Riza helping me out in that class. How I was suppose to survive this class all on my own, would surprise me in the end. How I ended up in this class, alone baffled me. But I wouldn’t complain if I felt this weightless everyday in this class.

 

At the thought, I looked down to my chest and placed my hand over my heart. It was beating rather slowly. Almost back to normal, how it was all those years ago before anything started to happen. All week I’ve had minor attacks at least twice a day. Once during the first half of the day, and one in the privacy of my own home, where it struck more dominantly. Only yesterday did I experience the attacks both at school, once in Mr. Sanders’ class and in Mr. Warren’s. Luckily I could entrust Mr. Warren with my health issues and he knew what to do when I almost passed out.

Whenever I fell victim of one of my heart spasms, I felt the most carefree and high-spirited. As if I could do anything with limited harm. It was amazing, but it only lasted seconds before I did pass out, if the attack was enough to render me. I’ve only experienced the feeling four times. And I’m not proud to admit it. Just before I feel that high, I experience such excruciating pain it’s almost inhuman. Almost. It can almost match up to the pain when I broke my arm when I was seven. Even if that was a freak accident, to even which I can’t remember fully. I blame my careless child antics of being in an Indiana Jones phase. Everyone around that age wished they were Mr. Jones, and half of that everyone injured some part of them reenacting one of the movies. I was part of that odd half. Now that, I am proud to admit.

 

Shrieking through the careless whispers in my head, causing me to jump in my seat, was the intercom with a message from Principal Stanton. “Teachers, please escort your students to the gymnasium for the pep rally.”

A tiny buzz beeped when she disconnected the frequency. All of our eyes focused in on Mr. Baker who had his hands poised on the shiny glaze of the marble to his elongated table of a desk, head bowed down to the face of his hands. With one shake of the head, he rose his gaze to meet our expectant ones and sighed.

 

“There would be a dismissal of class when I need to start teaching.” he said and stood up to his full height. “Okay, grab your shit and head down to the gym. You’re all seniors, so I can only hope you don’t need an escort.”

 

The smirk he gave us deterred the colorful tinge of language he used. But as instructed, we gathered our shit and left his classroom in a dismantled group. I was somewhere in the middle, staring off into space as we chose to walk down the back hallways to the second floor to avoid the boisterous groups hording towards the main staircases. The entire wall to our right, was made of glass portraying the enormous acre of fields we had for our sports department and swimming pool. Also, the teacher’s parking lot was located on this side of the school, along with those who rode bikes to school. There usually wasn’t anything nice to look at from this view, unless the boys were out for practice. Though, I never stayed late after school for any particular reasons unless I needed to make up a test.

For some odd reason, I felt like that was going to change this year.

 

Shrugging off the ominous feeling, I followed my peers out of the empty corridor and meshed into the group slowly heading down the stairs. Everything was a mess to get to the gym, and I would only be lucky if I found a seat before the thing started. Not like I was actually looking forward to this. Our state-champion cheer squad would perform a number before our principal would welcome us to a new year, followed by some sports awareness speech. Every rally was the same, even if the themes were different.

As soon as the mass of people I was stuck with entered the gym, my eyes widened at the crowd. Sure, Fallbrooke was a pretty nicely built school and had room to spare for any requirements, but I couldn’t believe how many newcomers there were.

 

“RORA!”

 

My head snapped so far to the left I swore I felt a tendon snap from the whiplash. I saw no one, but that same voice continued to scream out my name. When a hand grabbed me from my right, I whip-lashed once again which made another tendon snapping-like pain tingle in my neck.

“Geez, I’ve been trying to get your attention.” Chance gave me a reproachful look at the displeasure on my face from the whiplash.

I pointed behind me as he dragged me through the crowd and led me towards the bleachers on the east side of the gym. “But, I thought you were over there.”

“No. Riza and I were waving our hands like crazy.”

“You didn’t call my name?” I questioned, tilting my head at his back.

“Nah. Why?”

He didn’t turn around which meant he was just concerned on getting me up the bleachers in one piece. Shrugging my shoulders, I climbed the flight of steps allowing him to lead me near the top where I saw my giddy friend sitting anxiously. “No reason. I just would’ve thought if you were trying to get my attention, you would’ve tried calling my name.”

 

His hand slid into mine as he weaved our way through the people already sitting down until we reached a very impatient Riza whom pouted when Chance sat in between us. “You know I wouldn’t waste my breath when you clearly wouldn’t have heard me in this mess.” he lazily waved his hand below us to the Falcons in a mess on the floor.

I nodded in agreement, staring down at our fellow classmates scurrying around to find their friends or a vacant spot somewhere in the bleachers on either side of the gym.

 

“But, this here is Loriel.” I looked back to Chance who was looking beyond Riza, who was staring down the empty spaces in between her and a timid looking blonde. “Loriel! What are you doing over there?” he laughed, shaking his head and gesturing for her to scoot closer to us.

She cast a few weary glances around her before scooting herself closer to Riza, who politely scooted closer to Chance so we all could be close-knit with each other. “I knew she looked familiar and at lunch, I just saw her standing all by her lonesome. She’s in our English class,” Chance glanced briefly at me before nodding to Riza. “and she’s in our seventh period.”

 

“She’s from France!” Riza exclaimed, smiling giddily. She turned to look at Loriel who looked frightened out of her mind when Riza draped an arm over her shoulders. “She’s a bit shy, but I think I can fix that.”

Chance scoffed before pulling Riza’s arm off her. “You’ll give her a heart attack.”

Loriel looked to me and gave me a feeble smile while the two bickered. “Hi.” she whispered.

I pushed Chance aside and stuck out my hand. “Hi, I’m Aurora. It’s a shame you had to meet him first before Riza and I. Normally, Riza isn’t this delusional. I swear.”

Underneath her timid-ness rested a bubbly giggle. If I had my way, as well as Riza, we wouldn’t rest until her giggle became a full-blown laugh. And if Chance had any say so in the matter, she’d become the fourth amigo to our minor group of teenage rebellion.

 

Chatter didn’t stop when all the doors leading to the gymnasium closed. After the third attempt from Principal Stanton to shut everyone up did everyone in fact, shut up. I could vouch for eighty percent of the school’s population, including teachers and faculty, that no one was paying any mind to her little welcoming speech. If we all had our way, none of us would be sitting in the bleachers wasting away precious time that could be used for ‘homework’ or hours spent at the beach.

I think the only person near us that was paying any attention, was Loriel. Riza and Chance were still sending each other discreet glares with Chance’s hand still wrapped around mine. Choosing to opt out of their minor dispute, my eyes wandered to where I thought I heard my name being shouted, and it only led me to the section set off for the teachers and administration on the opposite side of the gym. All of the teachers weren’t looking in my direction, so obviously, it couldn’t be any of them. Yet, why would they want to be calling my name in the first place. Let alone, my nickname.

Maybe, it was just a ploy of my imagination?

Comments

*tilts head to side* wat? What ever still love this story. Your writing is amazing!!!

BabyBat124 BabyBat124
1/2/14
Dude... you gotta fix this chapters! I'm dying here!!!
Nia_Flores Nia_Flores
3/8/13
WHOA Um, okay, I don't know what's happening to the chapters 6 & 7 and why they're being cut off, but I'll try to fix it!
Zarina Rhei Zarina Rhei
10/27/12
Patron? Lol. Can't wait for more :)
AvengedXLover AvengedXLover
10/27/12
Very good updates. I loved them.
synyster gates; synyster gates;
10/24/12