Pure (Book 1, Pure Series) (8 page)

           
I went into the classroom.

           
I was surprised to see a strange man sitting at Mr. Del Gatto's desk – but it was not the one I'd feared seeing.
 
The man at the desk was clearly a substitute.
 
He was young and his hair was so sleek and flattened with gel that it was hard to tell what color it was.
 
He had a deep tan and wore a large, ostentatious ring with a red stone in it.
 
I had a feeling a lot of the girls in the class would find him good-looking, but to me he was just a little too sleek and glossy.

           
Looking at him, I felt my heart sink further.
 
If he was indeed a substitute for Mr. Del Gatto, not only were we going to finish out the play – which wouldn't last the entire period – we might even start another movie, so he wouldn't have to teach anything.
 
I wasn't going to be free of the TV screen for the entire period.

           
As I sat down at my desk, the sub looked up at me and flashed me a bright white smile.
 
I looked away.
 
The man was giving off a decidedly oily vibe.

           
I glanced around the room.
 
Charisse and Branden hadn't arrived yet.
 
I figured that the two of them would come very close to being late again, and I wondered if the sub was the forgiving type or the kind who gave out detentions to let everybody know there would be no hijinks just because he was a sub.
 
Theoretically, teachers were supposed to give detentions automatically to students who were late.
 
Was this sub a stickler?

           
I glanced over at him and found he was staring at me.
 
I looked away again quickly.

           
I became very interested in the rest of the classroom again.

           
Turning in my seat I saw Irina standing by the door, making a show of talking to her two best friends, Bryony and Annamaria, and playing with the silky white scarf that she wore.
 
I thought for a moment that they might be talking about me, but they glanced at the teacher's desk several times and giggled.
 
I realized that they were enamored of the sub.

           
For his part, the sub was still looking at me.

           
I turned back around in my seat, feeling the sub's eyes on me, and I opened a book and hid myself behind it.
 
I couldn't wait for English class to be over.

           
Eventually, the bell rang, and the sub got up and closed the door.
 
I sneaked a look around.
 
Charisse and Branden had made it in on time.

           
The sub walked up to the board at the front of the room and wrote 'MR. HIGHTOWER,' while his big red ring winked at the class.
 
Then he turned to face the room.
 
He smiled, revealing his gleaming teeth.

           
"Folks, as you can see, I'm Mr. Hightower.
 
I'll be subbing for Mr. Del Gatto for the next few days.
 
He's going to be out for a little while."

           
I felt my spirits sink.
 
Mr. Del Gatto must be really sick, and we would be stuck with the shiny Mr. Hightower.

           
"Now, unfortunately, I'm going to have to ask you to call me Mr. Hightower.
 
School rules.
 
But if you guys were in college, you could call me 'Tim.'
 
And honestly, you guys look a lot more like college students than high school kids to me."

           
An appreciative murmur rippled through the class.

           
Mr. Hightower continued.
 
"Since you guys are so sophisticated, I'm going to skip taking roll – they don't always take it in college.
 
And just so you know, I'm likely to skip it tomorrow, too."
 
He winked at the class.
 
"I understand from Mr. Del Gatto's notes that you're finishing up watching a play for the first part of class today.
 
I have to say, you're making it really easy on the new guy."

           
The class laughed.

           
Mr. Hightower wheeled the TV and DVD player to the front of the room in one swift, fluid movement.
 
Then he flicked on the play and glided to the back of the room to turn out the lights.

           
I braced myself for what I might see in the screen.

           
I could feel my heart pounding as the action resumed, and the actors recited their lines.

           
I waited, on edge, and watched.
 
But no shadow appeared, and there were no faces that did not belong.

           
As time passed, I began to relax.
 
Before I knew it, the play was over, and Mr. Hightower had turned the lights on again.

           
I blinked in the sudden brightness and took a deep breath.
 
I hadn't seen a single thing in the TV screen that shouldn't have been there.
 
I was unbelievably relieved.
 
I had even been able to enjoy the end of the play.

           
Mr. Hightower addressed the class.
 
"Folks, we still have some time remaining together, but I have no specific instructions for the rest of this class.
 
So, I propose that we make the rest of the period a free period.
 
But you guys have to promise to keep the noise level down to a dull roar."

           
A ripple of laughter ran through the class.

           
I got out my Social Studies book and began to read.
 
I had a feeling we wouldn't be doing much work in English class for the next few days.

           
At long last the bell rang, and I jumped up and swept my stuff into my backpack.

           
Mr. Hightower's voice rose above the clamor of the class as everyone packed up.
 
"Katie Wickliff, can I see you for a moment?"

           
I froze.
 
The last thing I wanted to do was talk to the unctuous Mr. Hightower.
 
I pulled on my backpack, fixed a polite smile on my face, and approached his desk.

           
"You wanted to see me, Mr. Hightower?"

           
Mr. Hightower gave me another of his blinding smiles.
 
"Don't worry, Katie.
 
It's something good.
 
Mr. Del Gatto told me that you're one of his favorite students."

           
Inwardly, I doubted it.
 
If Mr. Del Gatto were sick enough that he was going to be out for several days, I wouldn't think his students would be on his mind much.

           
Mr. Hightower went on.
 
"You're one of his favorite students because you're one of the best."
 
He leaned forward in his seat and rested his elbows on the desk, lowering his voice confidentially.
 
"In fact, he said you're one of his best ever.
 
Since we'll have a few days without Mr. Del Gatto, how would you like to do some extra credit?"

           
I eyed the man in front of me carefully.
 
His voice was friendly, flattering, but there was something watchful about him.
 
I folded my arms in front of me.
 
"What kind of extra credit?"

           
Mr. Hightower turned his red-stone ring on his finger in a complete revolution.
 
I watched as the red stone disappeared from view and then made its reappearance.

           
"You live with your grandmother, right?" Mr. Hightower asked.

           
I nodded, but the question made me feel uneasy.
 
How did he know that?

           
"Anna Rost?"

           
I nodded again.
 
I really didn't want to answer the questions.
 
Nodding was easier than speaking.

           
"Well, everyone knows your lovely grandmother is from Russia.
 
Since your class is doing a unit on local writers and stories, why don't you ask her if there are any old stories from her hometown that she remembers.
 
You could write an essay on that.
 
Does that sound like fun?"

           
Mr. Hightower was staring at me without blinking.

           
I was growing more uncomfortable by the second.
 
"I don't think so, Mr. Hightower."

           
Mr. Hightower nodded and smiled – this time concealing his dazzling teeth.
 
"A great student like you must have a pretty packed schedule.
 
Let me know if you change your mind.
 
The offer's open all week."

           
I nodded again, and Mr. Hightower unleashed his brilliant grin.
 
"I always like to encourage the brightest students, kiddo."

           
I turned to go.
 
Charisse was waiting for me by my desk.
 
Irina was standing just behind her, glaring at me.

           
As I walked toward Charisse, Irina sailed past me, flinging her scarf over her shoulder.

           
"Oh, Mr. Hightower," Irina said.
 
"I have a question for you."

           
"Shoot, kiddo," he replied amiably.

           
"What did Mr. Hightower want?" Charisse asked.

           
"Let's just get out of here," I said, walking toward the door.
 
Charisse followed.

           
Feeling someone's eyes on me, I glanced over my shoulder.

           
Mr. Hightower was watching me as he listened to Irina.

           
I walked faster.

           
As we moved out into the hall, Charisse touched my arm.
 
"Katie, you seem freaked out.
 
What happened with Mr. Hightower?"

           
Now that we were out with the chattering mass of students, I began to feel a bit silly.
 
"Nothing really.
 
Mr. Hightower offered me some extra credit.
 
He just seems a little creepy to me."

           
Charisse giggled.
 
"He is a little over-gelled, isn't he?"
 
She gave me a playful tap on the arm.
 
"Why did he offer you extra credit?
 
Why not me?
 
I'm the one who could use it."

           
"I don't know.
 
It was weird," I replied.
 
Suddenly I realized what was bothering me, and I drew in my breath sharply.
 
"How did Mr. Hightower know my name?
 
I've never seen him in my life.
 
How did he even know who I was?"

           
Charisse blinked in surprise.
 
"What do you mean, 'how did he know'?
 
He's a teacher.
 
You're a student in his class.
 
Of course he knows who you are."

           
My uneasiness was growing.
 
"But Mr. Hightower never called roll.
 
He said we were too cool for it or something – so he doesn't know who any of us are.
 
He also said Mr. Del Gatto told him what a great student I am."

           
"That must be how he knew you, then."

           
I shook my head.
 
"Can you imagine Mr. Del Gatto bragging about any of us?"

           
"Hmmmmm.
 
Now that you mention it, not really, no."

           
I went on in a rush.
 
"And Mr. Hightower knew I lived with my grandmother."

           
"A lot of people know that," Charisse said.
 
"Maybe he knows her.
 
Maybe she told him about you."

           
"I-I.
 
Maybe.
 
I don't know."

           
Charisse gave me a concerned look.
 
"What is it that worries you about Mr. Hightower?"

           
I sighed.
 
Maybe I was overreacting.
 
Maybe I was just tired from seeing strange men all over the place.
 
"I'm not sure.
 
It's probably nothing.
 
Things have just been weird lately.
 
Sorry I've been rambling on about this.
 
How are you?
 
When are you going to tell me what your big secret is?"

           
Charisse gave me a conspirator's smile.
 
"I'll tell you tomorrow.
 
I promise.
 
Branden will be ready for everyone to know by then."

           
I glanced behind us.
 
"Speaking of Branden, where is he?
 
I haven't seen either one of you without the other in ages."