Darlings Page 3

  “Nannie, no!” Gwen yelled. “Come here, big girl.” Awaiting the return of her friend, Gwen shivered. It wasn’t like Nannie to run away, disobeying a command. Well it wasn’t like Nannie to run much at all. Gwen decided she’d better follow. Rounding the garage, she found the big dog whimpering at the garden gate.

  “No big girl, it’s too late to play we’re going inside.” She told the dog while grabbing Nannies collar but she wouldn’t budge. Planting her feet she pulled harder. No use. Soon she gave into the idea that it was useless to try and pull the 160-pound dog anywhere especially when she was a measly 120.

  “Ok, ok Just for a little bit.” Gwen gave in reluctantly as she unlocked the garden gate. Quickly, Nannie ran around sniffing everything. What had gotten into the dog? Nan acted like she hadn’t ever been in the garden before. Gwen opened the sliding door to the house, grabbed a sweatshirt and slid it over her head as she made her way to a stone bench in the middle. Fine. She would appease the dog and let her explore a few minutes. Gwen figured she wouldn’t be able to sleep anyways with the odd happenings in the forest lingering in her thoughts.

  The sky was so beautiful. She’d always loved the garden. It was a huge square outside the back of her home encased by a black rod iron fence and a second fortress of bushes and flowers. The yard was completely isolated from the outside world. Stars sparkled like glitter blown from the sweet lips of an angel. The night air mixed with the smell of smoldering leaf piles reminded her it was fall. Her admiration was interrupted by Nannie’s loud bark.

  “Nannie! Hush girl. You’re going to wake-” Nannie was barking at something. Gwen moved closer. It seemed the dog had spotted something in the fountain. Probably a squirrel Gwen assumed. As she walked closer, she saw something positioned on one edge of the cement side. The water feature was a large circle about ten feet in diameter. Walking around the opposite side, she saw what looked to be a small pumpkin. Odd. It was October in Iowa. There were a ton of pumpkins around, but something was different about this.

  Holding it closer to examine the smooth orange flesh, she noticed a shoe carved into the side. A shoe she pondered. Her heart skipped a beat. Pumpkin plus a shoe…a familiar fairytale came to mind. Huh. He had been calling her Cinderella all night. She stopped herself. There was no way he could have made it to her house before her. He was busy with his other obligation. Shaking

  her head, she set the fruit down. She was delusional from lack of sleep. Yes this had to be something Mike made at school or Jonah left outside.

  “Come on Nan. We’re going in now or no treat.” Gwen walked deliberately to the house challenging the dog not to follow and lose her nibble of reward. “Now, Nan!” she added firmly. Sweet old Nannie unenthusiastically began to slowly follow Gwen. Just before the dog reached the door, Nannie turned around and glanced at the fountain. What had gotten into this dog Gwen demanded to herself? Startling the furry animal, she cleared her throat and Nannie scurried into the house the rest of the way.

  Chapter 2

  “Gwennyyy, I’m hungry!” Mike whined, his head propped up with his little fist at the dinner table. He was fidgeting while swinging two bootless feet back and forth in his oversized chair.

  “I’m coming Mike, be patient.” Gwen retorted. “Damn,” she cursed after dropping the two eggs she had whipped out of the fridge to quickly scramble up for Mike before school. As she reached for a towel, she felt the slimy snot like egg beneath her foot. Great.

  Mike gasped. “Bad word, Gwen!” he said excitedly, a twinkle in his eye.

  “Yah, bad word Gwen,” Jonah smirked as he sauntered into the kitchen adorned with his usual iPod and skater tee.

  Gwen bent down to clean up the eggs.

  “Thank you captain of all words foul,” Gwen responded with just a pinch of sarcasm. Forcefully tucking her Auburn waves behind her ear, she scrubbed up her unintentional mess and poured Mike a bowl of cereal. “Here,” she said placing the brightly colored sugary o’s in front of the hungry boy.

  “Yay!” Mike shouted. “I love these!” He grabbed the spoon with his chunky fingers and dug in, a giant smile across his face. Gwen hated to give Mike empty calorie filled cereal in the morning but had no choice when there was no time to fix him anything else. She threw the dishes in the sink and looked at the clock. Seven fifty. School began at eight twenty. Great, she thought still in her bright pink pajama pants and tank top.

  “Jonah, walk Mike to the bus if Mom doesn’t wake up for me?” Gwen pleaded already dashing out of the kitchen.

  “Yup,” she heard Jonah groggily answer from inside the fridge no doubt looking for the unhealthiest thing he could find to call breakfast.

  She made her way to her luxurious bathroom. The self-warming travertine tile was heaven on her freezing, bare feet. Gwen undressed quickly, her pant leg getting stuck on her ankle as she hopped on one foot attempting to multitask by turning on the enormous shower at the same time.

  Finally, she tore off her tank and got in. She hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before. Thoughts of Pete consumed her. It was almost if he was now a permanent fixture in her brain. Something about him intrigued her to the point it was bordering on all consuming. She poured the silky coconut body wash into her palm and rubbed it frantically over her ivory skin. She’d remembered the pumpkin. The pumpkin. The thump. She stopped washing. Was it a dream?

  The thump on her French doors had woken her from a restless sleep. Gwen had gotten up and opened them, walking tentatively out onto her balcony. After looking around, she found no evidence of the something that caused the noise again. Peering down at the fountain she had noticed the pumpkin was now gone. Her pajama pants whipped in the wind as she leaned over the balcony and strained harder. The sharp night air filled her lungs while she brushed thrashing hair out of her eyes. No pumpkin.

  Dismissing the thought, she vigorously scrubbed her long hair and turned off the shower. Grabbing a fluffy white towel she dried off, wrapped her body in the soft fabric, and scampered to her bedroom. Conveniently, her favorite pair of worn jeans lay on the back of her vanity chair. She threw them on over her pink lacey undergarments and grabbed an oversized sweater from her closet. Wet hair day today she thought. Thankfully her hair dried in perfect beach babe waves even when she didn’t have time to blow dry. Pulling the slimy wet hair from beneath her sweater, she let it flop to her mid back. Eight ten. She would be late. Gwen ran down the stairs smelling the coffee her dad was brewing. She saw him sitting at the kitchen table rambling over the newspaper to her mother, who seemed not to care, still in her robe.

  “Bye,” Gwen muttered as she made her way to her jeep. The drive to school was a fast and furious one. She pulled into the already filled parking lot. Eight nineteen. Throwing her book bag over her shoulder she headed into the building.

  Parks Point was decent sized school with around two hundred in her class. Everyone still somewhat knew everyone but it was large enough to keep un-noticed if one wanted. Of course this wasn’t really true for Gwen. With a father in such a high-profile position, it was nearly impossible for someone not to know her every move. It also made it difficult for Gwen to have many close friends, for which for now, she was thankful. Friends ask too many questions.

  She walked in just in time to hear the bell. Ugh, the center of attention was never her favorite position to be in, which she surely would be walking into her first class late. She took her time at her locker figuring there was no point in rushing to be met with her nightmarish entrance. Grabbing her English Lit book, Gwen made her way down the hall and prepared herself for uncomfortable stares. Thankfully a seat by her friend Ashton was still open in the middle. Head down and books held to her chest, Gwen attempted an inconspicuous entry but was stopped short of her destination.

  “Hold it, Ms. Darling,” her English teacher, Mrs. Jenkins stated in an unpleasant scratchy voice. Mrs. Jenkins peered over her huge thick plastic glasses positioned on the tip of her large nose. Oh, this day keeps getting better she thoug
ht before turning around to meet the disapproving eyes

  of the graying, middle-aged instructor. Gwen could feel her body begin to sweat as her classmates peered into her as if awaiting the juicy part of a horror movie. She turned to meet her disastrous fate.

  “Correct me if I’m wrong, Gwendolyn, but you do know what time class begins? Am I wrong?”

  Of course, Gwen knew what time class started she’d not been late one day in her whole high school career especially to any of Mrs. Jenkins classes. Having witnessed the mortifying scene, in which she had not been the main character before, Gwen knew it was no position she’d wished to be in. Too late now. Her cheeks were going to burst into flames in seconds, she knew it. At that moment, being burnt to death didn’t sound so bad.

  “Yes, I, err- I do know what time class starts, sorry.” Okay, maybe that was the worst of it and the old bat would go on with today’s lecture and let it go she thought. She couldn’t be so lucky.

  “Why don’t you inform the class as to why you decided to disrupt these fine eager students learning by gracing us with your presence now six minutes late?” She tapped her watch impatiently. Gwen swore she had to be in hell.

  Just before Gwen could think of an excuse, any excuse, someone in the back piped up. “Mrs. Jenkins. Gwendolyn here was helping me with my schedule before class.” Gwen turned to meet the devious grin of Pete. He continued flashing Mrs. Jenkins that boyish smile. Positioning his elbows on his desk he continued, talking with his sexy thick hands. “She was kind enough to explain directions to all of my classes for the day. I’m new here so it really was nice to have someone as sweet as Gwen help a guy out.” Gwen was sure her heart had stopped beating. Did he just call her sweet? Surely for effect, she thought. After all, Gwen was the only person Pete knew there aside from his cousins. A smile came over the pompous instructors face. Gwen swore she saw Mrs. Jenkins bat her beady eyes.

  Pushing her bulky glasses up on her nose as if to get a better look she continued, “You must be Mr. Pancast?” the rather large instructor waddled nearer to the front rows of desks as if to get as close as she could to Pete without seeming to obvious. Ha. Too late.

  “Yes ma’am, I’m Pete. It’s very nice to meet you and I am pleased to be in your class…Mrs. Jenkins.” His voice was smooth and seductive. Gwen was sure every girl in the room was melting in their seats just listening to him, not to mention looking at him.

  “Sit down, Gwendolyn,” Mrs. Jenkins waved as she scoured Gwen’s way. In awe Pete’s tactics had worked, she sat down. Embarrassed, Gwen rummaged through her back pack attempting to look busy and avoiding eye contact with Pete. She was humiliated. Not that it mattered now she though, every girl in the class was swooning over Pete. He’d have his pick of anyone here, and Gwen was not anyone.

  “Pete why don’t you tell us a little about yourself,” the old woman prodded. Gwen wondered why Mrs. Jenkins didn’t just come out and say, Pete, I’m a middle aged awful woman who really would love to know more about you, but know I can’t ask such a thing, so I will force you to tell everyone your life story to satisfy my curiosity. Yuck. Gwen was curious and felt her cheeks redden again as she realized she was just as interested as old Mrs. Jenkins.

  “I’m Pete.” He said. Still smiling. “I’m from Baltimore. Here with my cousins. Love outdoors and…love…English.” He said it in almost a whisper. Mrs. Jenkins, obviously more flattered than she should have been took a deep self-conscious breath and sat down behind her desk.

  “Well it is wonderful to have such an...eager…student in our class,” Mrs. Jenkins stated in her best flirtatious voice. Gross. Yet Gwen was still thankful.

  “You better dish after class,” Gwen heard Ashton whisper from her right. Ashton Johnson and Gwen had been friends since they were in diapers. Her father, a big-time scientist, and Gwen’s father attended high school together and both ended up in Parks Point. Ashton was a short extremely tan girl with plump pink lips and long blond silky hair, well long blond silky hair extensions. For being so short, Ashton was extremely proportional, curvaceous, and not lacking in the chest department, an area Gwen had always wished she could trade her. Nail salons and lip glosses were no stranger to Ash. Perky and adventurous pretty much summed her up, a far cry from Gwen, but as they say opposites must attract.

  Class seemed to drag on. Gwen could feel Pete’s eyes on her the whole time. What an idiot he must think she was. She noticed some of her female class mates attempting to take nonchalant peeks at the handsome new boy. Even the guys would catch a glimpse and flex their muscles, trying not to be outdone.

  The bell rang and Gwen rushed for the door. She looked back and realized she forgot her notebook. Damn. Thankfully, Mrs. Jenkins was on her way out to satisfy her coffee fix. As Gwen turned around to retrieve the book, she noticed Pete, cornered by a group of the schools most popular girls. Mostly cheerleaders, Gwen’s ex-posse. Figured. Who was she to think she could get a guy like Pete in the first place. He belonged with girls like them. Perfect Barbies with perfect figures and perfect lives. Fighting back tears, she grabbed her notebook and began to walk to her next class.

  “Gwen. Wait up,” Pete caught her just before she reached the door. He gently pushed aside his mob of adoring estrogen. Shocked, the girls stomped out of the room, clearly offended. A whiff of perfume lingered in an invisible smoky trail behind them.

  “Hey,” Gwen began. “Thanks for coming to my rescue, well again.”

  Pete grinned. “What class do you have next?”

  His scent was intoxicating. “Gym,” Gwen groaned. “You?”

  “Lucky for you I am P.E. bound as well. Flying balls, flag football, archery? You’re bound to need some rescuing there.” He winked. Little did he know, Gwen was horrible at sports.

  “Really, why are you being so nice to me?” she asked blue eyes slanted.

  “What do you mean?” Pete looked honestly concerned opposed to his normal cool demeanor.

  “I just don’t get it. You find me bawling my eyes out in the woods, and you don’t even ask why and even manage to make me feel better. Most people just don’t do things like that,” she explained.

  “Well, I guess I’m not most people.” Pete shrugged. Gwen was so confused. No one had ever given this much attention to her. Sadly, her thoughts were interrupted.

  Tina appeared in the doorway. Wonderful. The day was just not going to get any better. Noticing Gwen, Tina still managed to take an aggravated breath through her look of urgency. “Pete. We have a...” she looked down the hallway behind her. “Problem,” she finished. Just then Ashton walked in behind Tina holding her own pink sparkly gym bag as well as Gwen’s muted black and white plaid one.

  “Hey, we’re going to be late, you ready?” she asked, eyeing Pete.

  “Ash, this is-” “Pete, from Baltimore who loves outdoors and…loves English, yah I heard,” Ashton interrupted with a giggle.

  “Sorry to interrupt this friendly get-together but seriously Pete, I need to talk to you.” Tina looked nervous, almost scared for a split second as she peered behind her once more, brushing her bright blond bangs out of her stunningly vibrant, blue cat-like eyes, adorned with a delicate diamond eye brow piercing. Ashton turned to meet Tina’s gaze. They were exactly the same height.

  “Who are you?” Ashton asked with a tough girl tone.

  Tina rolled her eyes, “Pete?” she prodded.

  “Listen here miss thing-,” Ashton began. Great. A battle of the short people.

  Gwen intervened, “We don’t really have time for any more introductions Ash, let’s go before Mrs. I think I’m greater than thou returns and gives us all detentions.”

  “Ms. Darling!” the scratchy voice boomed. Gwen flinched. “Greater than thou has returned, sadly you will indeed be spending the rest of the day in detention and your parents will be called.” Mrs. Jenkins huffed as she made her way back to her desk to set down her large coffee mug. “The rest of you get to your next class before you find a seat right next t
o her.” Gwen shuttered. How. Extremely. Embarrassing. Detention was served in the administration’s office, right in front of a large window enabling all who pass through the main hallway to the cafeteria to witness who has found themselves incarcerated.

  “Let’s go Gwendolyn, follow me,” Mrs. Jenkins barked. Gwen grabbed her things and reluctantly followed the old grouch down the walk of shame to the office. Thankfully the bell rang and most of the other students were scuttling into their next classes. She’d be safe from degradation for now. She turned and saw the others circle down the opposite hallway toward the gym, Pete, looking over his shoulder the whole way. Gwen swore she saw him say “be careful.”

  “Here, sit down and I will notify them you are here.” Mrs. Jenkins pointed to a line of small wooden desks. Gwen chose the one closest to the door so she could at least have the entertainment of watching people come and go through the front entrance. The small desks were completely empty. Nice, Gwen thought. First one of the day. She looked at the big institutional clock on the wall in front of her. Nine thirty. Ugh. Six more hours of detention. At least she’d get a lunch break soon.

  Gwen rummaged through her bag and took out some already completed math homework. She’d better look busy. Aside from the occasional student in to see the guidance counselor or loud ring of the phone, the office was pretty quiet. Profanities covered the top of the shiny wooden desk. Classy. As she ran her finger across the etched curses, she heard the front door open and shut. Huh. Act two. She cheated a glance at the front desk.

  A boy walked in who looked to be around her age. His skin was deep bronze, well from what Gwen could see from under his gray thermal shirt. His jet black hair, cut short, was barley seen from beneath a low billed maroon ball cap. He was huge. She thought Pete was pretty jacked until she saw him. Almost oddly large and tall. Woah, she thought to herself. The football team’s going to rock this year. He stood at the desk, a slip of paper in his large hand. His face was baby skin smooth with a brown mole on one side, some could consider a flaw, but somehow it added character. As he walked up to the desk, Gwen couldn’t help but to think somehow he looked familiar, though she couldn’t place how. He cleared his throat to get the young receptionists attention. She was a flashy woman with short bright red hair, chunky neon jewelry, and an even more flamboyant personality.