The Fire Starter (3 page)

"Us, Mr. Landover," Spencer spoke, raising his hand. "And there are three of us, though I don't know if Asher will actually show up."

"Right, Ms. Woodcomb, sit with Mr. Michaelis and Ms. Longchamp," the teacher--Mr. Landover--spat.

Spencer pointed to an empty seat beside him and I noticed the red-haired girl sitting on his other side who was giving me a once-over. I smiled at her, but she didn't return the favor and instead rolled her eyes at me. I sat in the chair offered to me and turned my book to the page the teacher mentioned, listening to him instead of the sensuous voice Ms. Longchamp was using on Spencer.

"Honey, you need to loosen up a bit," she was saying, her hand snaking its way to his shirt, attempting to unbutton it.

"Could you take your hands off me, please?" Spencer asked politely. It irritated me that he was politely asking her, though he knew well enough that she wanted him. It was as plain as that. The girl didn't respond, but instead continued trying to unbutton his shirt. Without even looking at her, Spencer reprimanded in a steely voice. "Alice."

"Alright, alright," was her only answer, irritation evident on her beautiful face. "But you can come to my room later, if you want…" She then whispered something in his ear that I was thankful I couldn't hear.

Spencer looked scandalized for a second, but he resumed his composed stance and acted like nothing happened. Beside him, Alice had resorted to making small circles on his forearm, trying to catch his attention.

I couldn't help but snicker at her pathetic personality. She must have heard, since she looked at me with dagger looks, her gray eyes menacing. "Do you have a problem?"

"Oh nothing," I snorted. "Do continue making a fool of yourself, will you? It's quite entertaining."

After that, she kept her body--that means all parts of it--to herself and pretended to listen to Mr. Landover drone on and on, but I know deep down that she's planning to kill me already. I glanced beside me to notice Spencer throwing me a curious glance, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

"Kayleigh! Wait up!" I turned around to see that Kyle was running towards me. Physics had just ended and though she was my classmate too, she was in a separate group and wasn't able to speak to me.

I smiled and stopped walking, waiting for her.

She reached me in no time, though she was panting from exertion. "Is it true?" she asked, her eyes dancing with delight. "Is it true what they say?"

"What?" I asked, unaware of what she was pertaining to.

"That you outsmarted that bitch Alice," she whispered the name, but she was more than happy to repeat the word that came before it. We had resumed walking but she was still chanting it repeatedly. Apparently, she liked how it rhymed with the name.

"Oh, I didn't really outsmart her. I didn't think she was smart anyway," I joked, and Kyle laughed boisterously. "I mean, no smart person would throw herself onto a guy who clearly isn't interested, right?" She nodded, her eyes tearing up from too much laughing. "Anyway, who told you?"

"Spencer," she answered, gulping down another wave of laughter as we reached the dining table. "You must sit with us and tell us what happened."

"There really isn't anything to tell…" I trailed as she pulled me to a chair in front of Evan and Spencer, who seemed to be teasing each other good naturedly. When I sat down, both of them straightened up like two children caught red-handed.

"There she is," Blake shouted, and Kyle shushed him quickly. "So what happened?"

"I…" I looked at Spencer, seeking rescue. He caught my eye and pursed his lips. I didn't speak, thinking that he didn't want me to.

Evan and Blake were looking at me with interest, waiting for me to speak. Evan made a cutesy face, which looked adorable, only I was imagining his brother doing it. They looked so much alike that it wasn't hard to mistake one for the other except that Spencer's hair wouldn't be caught in a mess that was Evan's.

"I don't think we should talk about it," I replied, much to their disappointment.

"What's happening?" Reid asked just as he sat down with a loaded plate. I forgot that mine was still empty.

"Nothing," I answered before anyone else could tell on me. I stood up, making an excuse to get my lunch. No one protested and I dashed off to the buffet table, a heavy plate in my hand.

I didn't notice that someone had come up to me, his shadow blocking my view momentarily. "Thanks for earlier," Spencer whispered, scooping spoonfuls of mashed potato into his plate inconspicuously.

"For what?" I questioned, not knowing which part of the conversation with or about Alice he was referring to.

"Alice needs someone who can show her how irrational she is. Thank you for doing it," he clarified.

"It's nothing," I shrugged. "I just hate people who act like that. They're disgraceful." I winced at the word, since it could have applied to me just a few months ago. But not now, not anymore.

"Me too," Spencer muttered, already done filling his plate. But he didn't leave yet. He hovered, waiting for me to finish. "Here, you should try this," he took a serving spoon filled with what looked like potato salad and scooped some onto my plate. He had to lean forward across from me to reach the dish, causing his arm to hover in front of me, and I resisted the urge to touch his strong forearms, wanting to know how it felt against my skin.

"Kayleigh?" I was pulled back from my daydream when he was done spooning the salad to my plate. He was already looking at me curiously. I must have looked like a stupid person, staring at his arm like a zombie.

"Sorry," I mumbled, turning away from him back to the table. We returned to the table without further ado, and I attacked my food silently, trying to clear my mind off Spencer. But it was hard, since my senses were aware of his movements beside me, and I was straining to smell his cologne. It was an invigorating smell; I stopped myself from leaning over, suppressing all of my instincts.

How many guys had I seduced before? Countless. But none of them ever resisted. It was all just a game, a game I always won in the end. They were just too hormonal to resist a girl who was giving them the go signal. But Spencer, he was different. He didn't seem interested, not even with Alice who was blatantly telling him to sleep with her. I highly doubt he had any interest in any girls at all.

"Alice deserved what Kayleigh did earlier," Kyle was commenting, the conversation unforgotten. "I really can't believe you went out with her, Spence."

That made me cock my head up and look at Spencer with surprise. "Did you really date her?"

He looked at me quizzically, and I realized I must have asked the question like a possessive girlfriend. "Yes," he answered, causing me to stop breathing for a few seconds.

That means he does have an interest in girls, and he had liked being with Alice once before. Her innuendoes weren't empty. He had been hers. It was a disgusting sight in my head, one I couldn't comprehend. Thinking how unreceptive he had been, I knew he didn't have any more feelings for her, but the thought of him kissing her in the past made my stomach churn violently. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"See? Even she's revolted," Blake laughed, a clear, intoxicating laugh to most girls, but highly irritating to me. He had this air of arrogance around him that suffocated me, but he also had this friendly aura that drew me closer. He had an extreme personality, I guess.

"Guys, give Spencer a break. As intelligent as he is, he commits mistakes too," Kyle guffawed. "But it's over, right?"

Spencer nodded his head slowly. "Yes, it is."

I sighed at the beauty that was unfolding before my very eyes, with the sun setting in the horizon and the skies changing color. I was supposed to have a class this Friday afternoon, but it had been cancelled due to a teacher's meeting. I looked overhead, the huge full moon greeting me like an old friend, making me sigh with content. I stood just outside the door of the castle, wondering if the bridge was pulled up at night, thinking if I should go out and explore. I needed all the change that this offered.

I took a hesitant step towards the bridge, then another, and before I knew it, I had already crossed past the moat and reached the land on the other side. I could see the moon being masked by some dark clouds and I walked, trying to find a better view.

There was a crack; I looked down and realized I had stepped on something, probably a twig, as I walked towards the side of the castle, meaning to see the entrance to the forest at the back. I could already imagine a clear path running inside the forest back up to the road beyond the bushes--a longer, probably winding path--that would ultimately lead outside without having to pass the gates. All around me, everything was already darkening, giving in to a chilly evening. I hugged myself, cursing as I realized I had not put on a warm jacket. The wind was biting at my bare arms and I wasn't even wearing proper boots.

Maybe I should go back, I thought again. I twirled around, my arms swinging on either side of my small body, eager to get back to the comfort of my room. But that was when I felt something touch my back. Not a physical touch, but I looked around to check, scanning the darkened forest to see if someone was hiding and looking at me. I could feel goosebumps running down my arms and at the base of my neck. From somewhere in the distance, I heard a weird sound, somewhat similar to a howling. I gasped, practically scared. I could feel my own heartbeat quickening and my mind telling me to get to safety. But then again, there was another side of me that wanted to see what it was that had caused the sound. I gingerly took a step forward, looking all around me with extreme caution.

There was another howl and I almost jumped from surprise. The feeling that someone was watching me from deep in the forest still hasn't abated. I felt more determined to know who it was. With another step, I noticed a dark shadow looming near me. I faced the source, but not in time.

"What are you doing here?"

I almost had a heart attack when I heard someone speak just before I could see the tall lean figure standing near me. It was already so dark that I had difficulty identifying his face, especially since his hair was dark and he was wearing only a black t-shirt despite the chill.

"Blake. You scared me!" At first I thought it was Xander, but when I saw that there was a lopsided grin on his face and one of his eyebrows was raised in question, I dispelled that first guess. It was definitely Blake, and he was asking me a question.

"What are you doing here?" he repeated, his voice grim.

"I just wanted to look around. Did you hear the howl?" I asked back with one quick glance at the forest just in case I catch sight of something. The dreadful feeling of being watched closely had gone. I breathed deeply with relief.

"What?" Blake's face broke into a full-on grin, his eyes twinkling maniacally. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Nothing," I dismissed the topic and headed back in front of the castle, Blake following closely behind, whistling a familiar tune. The last thing I wanted was for him to consider me a lunatic. But, seeing as my interest in the forest hasn't been satisfied yet, I asked instead. "Have you ever been to the forest?"

We had crossed the bridge and opened the heavy door, the coldness from outside defeated by the warm temperature inside. Blake threw me a suspicious look, but shook his head. "Nobody goes in there," he replied, but I wasn't convinced.

"I think there's a path there to the gate. An alternate path, that is, considering that it's easy to get out through the bushes," I observed.

"Mm," he replied without any hint of interest, but I wasn't convinced no one has tried to explore that part yet. It was just so tempting and it was so open, easily accessible. I made a mental note to spend my weekend out there and find that path.

I didn't realize that I had walked with him to the cafeteria near the mess hall, but it was too late to back out. Kyle and the others had seen me already.

"Look who I found frolicking outside, looking at the forest," Blake whispered around the table with enough malice as though I had been caught making out with someone. It was weird, though, that he looked at Reid and Spencer slightly longer than everyone else.

I sat down on one of the circular chairs, still thoughtful. "Has anyone of you ever been in the forest?"

There was silence around the table, which was odd considering this bunch was usually the loudest wherever they went.

I was about to apologize for bringing it up when Kyle spoke. "I did."

"Really?" I asked with disbelief. I thought the guys would be the ones exploring all around.

"Yeah. I got lost one day." She chuckled, downing her hot cocoa without wincing at its hot temperature.

I decided I would drop the subject for now. I noticed that there were some books scattered on the table and they had their notebooks out, pens at the ready. "Oh. I'm sorry, were you having a study session?"

"Not us," Kyle answered with horror, as if she would be caught dead studying. "It's just them. Spencer and Reid are study buddies--can't let the other students get to the top!"

I smiled politely, noting how the books were all about advanced chemistry, one of my weaker subjects. I didn't realize I had swallowed noisily.

"Yup. Another one who hates Chemistry," Evan chimed in as he sat down with a tray full of French fries and sodas.

"What took you so long?" Blake questioned, his hands already reaching out for some of the steaming crunchy fries.

Evan slapped Blake's hand away, only to notice that Kyle had already stolen a portion of his snacks. "No fair! Get your own, Kyle!"

Kyle stuck her tongue at him and devoured his snack quickly.

Admitting defeat, Evan took to protecting his remaining fries, which had notably decreased to almost half. One quick look around the room told me that Xander was the culprit, but he was munching undetectably and I was somehow enjoying seeing Evan eye everyone else to initiate a confession. Resigning, he said. "Anyway, I was held up by Alice. She said she was looking for you by the way, Spence."