The Wanderers Beginning: The Wanderers, Reborn, & Unforgiven (70 page)

  
              “Well maybe if you didn’t scare me like that,” I said annoyed. He just shook his head and helped me pick up my books while I picked up my papers and what was left of my dignity. Dean went to hand me my books when I shot him a nasty look. “Don’t be a dick.” He rolled his eyes and carried them the rest of the way down the hall. I collected all of my papers and had a few out of reach when all of a sudden they blew right to me. I moved back a little, stunned. I slowly reached out to pick them up.

Nothing.

                 I shrugged it off and stuffed them in my bag. Dean had dropped one of my books on his way not noticing. I walked down the hall ready to pick it up when it slid across the floor and stopped right at my feet. “Dean!” I shrieked.

  
              He turned around so fast he almost dropped all the books. “What’s wrong?”

  
              “The books…they’re moving…on their own,” I said, thinking how crazy that sounded now that I said it out loud.

  
              “What the hell are you talking about?” He looked at me like I was nuts.

  
              “You dropped one of my books and then all of sudden it was at my feet.”

  
              “Are you taking drugs?” he asked in a stern brotherly tone.

  
              “What, no! Just forget it.” I picked up the book and met him at the door, unlocking it so I could let us in. He dumped all of my books on my bed and waited to walk me to lunch.

After lunch I had chemistry with Dixon, then powers beginners, and self-defense. Dixon and I walked to class together catching each other up on how our morning went. Luckily in chemistry we got to sit where we wanted and pick the partners we wanted. Of course it was a given that Dixon and I were partners. At first I didn’t understand why we had to take chemistry; I mean I already took it in high school. They explained this was a different kind of chemistry. This was where we learned how to mix potions.

  
              The class flew by without a hitch. We spent most of the time learning the rules of the class and what would be covered this semester. My next class, powers beginners, was all new students. Since it was something that needed more attention it was better to have a smaller class. Being that it was our first day, we just went around the room and introduced ourselves and our powers. I was the center of attention when I revealed I was a healer. Apparently this was not a common power. Another item on the list of why I was an outcast.

  
              Once the gawking stopped, they continued around the room. There were only about ten students total in the class. After the introductions the teacher let us talk amongst ourselves for a little. A short, curvy girl with thick, black framed glasses sat next to me. “Hi, I’m Riley,” she said softly.

  
              “Ella.”

  
              “I like your blue streak,” she said, adjusting the yellow headband she wore in her mousy brown hair.

  
              “Thanks.”

  
              “Where are you from?”

  
              “California.”

  
              “Wow, I always wanted to go there. Is it just like you see in the movies?”

  
              “Sure.”

  
              “Do you always talk in one word phrases?”

  
              “Sorry, lately I’ve been sticking my foot in my mouth so I figured the less I talk the better.”

  
              “Gotcha. I’ve done that lots of times. It’s probably because I tend to ramble on and don’t know when to shut up.”

  
              The teacher called the class to attention forcing Riley to be quiet and face forward. We spent the rest of class learning about what to expect over the next couple of months and the next class he said we would work on our breathing techniques. He also handed out a ton of paper work and two large books about the history of vampire powers. With all the books and paper work they’ve been giving me I’d need a wagon to cart all this stuff around.

  
              Once class was over, Riley automatically picked up the conversation.  I didn’t mind. I knew being new it wasn’t always easy to make friends so I thought I would give her a chance. “So where you off to next?” she asked.

  
              “Self-defense.”

  
              “Me too, mind if I walk with you?” she asked sheepishly.

  
              “No.”

  
              “So what do you think about the school so far? I was so excited when I found out I was coming here. I knew since I was born I was a vampire so it was no surprise about the school, but to come to a place with people like you where you didn’t have to hide what you are…” she went on and on. She talked all the way to the gym. I learned she had five siblings; three brothers, two sisters, and her parents had another on the way making this one lucky number seven as she called it. I thought having two older brothers was enough, but man I couldn’t imagine having three brothers plus two sisters. I also learned she was from Ohio so the cold weather didn’t bother her. They had three dogs, two cats, and a huge aquarium tank filled with exotic fish. Her favorite color was yellow and favorite music was pop. She told me her favorite TV show, movie, and even the type of car she wishes to buy in the future. She told me all of this in the short time it took us to walk to the gym. I half expected her to be out of breath at how fast she was talking. Not to mention her having to walk twice as fast to keep up with the stride of my long legs.

  
              I didn’t mind her chatter – too much. It helped keep me distracted and frankly she was kind of nice. I could tell despite her jabber jaw that she was shy and didn’t make friends easily. I didn’t know why, but in a way I felt sort of protective of her. It was strange this feeling I got, but I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I made a call to keep a close eye on her even though I somehow knew that wouldn’t be an issue. I could tell she was the type to get easily attached.

  
              We headed into the gym locker room to change and since I didn’t have my own lock, Riley offered to share hers with me. Rambling on about always being prepared and you could always count on her. Apparently the one thing I couldn’t count on her for was shutting up anytime soon. “So what kind of self-defense do you think they’re going to teach us?’ she asked.

  
              “I’m not sure, but I guess we’re about to find out,” I said as we joined the rest of our classmates on the bleachers.              

             
Two very large teachers in track pants and sweatshirts made their way out into the middle of the gym. The male teacher looked like he was over seven feet tall with short, light brown hair. He was big enough to be a pro wrestler and if his size wasn’t intimidating enough the serious scowl on his face would make anyone want to back down.

             
The female teacher had dark blond hair that was pulled back into a tight bun. Her face showed signs of wear and tear, probably from spending a lot of time in the sun. She was only about a foot shorter than the male teacher, but looked like she was built like a brick house. Her expression wasn’t any less frightening than the male teacher’s. I would definitely not want to bump into these two in a dark alley.

             
The male teacher blew his whistle quieting the class. “For those of you who are new I’m Mr. Miller and this is Mrs. Daniels. Now everybody up and let’s start stretching.”

             
After we all climbed down the bleachers and onto the gym floor I noticed Dean was in this class and so was Roman.

             
The teachers led us through a series of stretches then made us do ten laps around the gym. By my second lap I caught up to Dean who was lagging pathetically behind. “You should lay off the booze, maybe than you wouldn’t get so winded,” I teased.

             
“Whatever, I could beat you. I just don’t want to show off,” he said.

             
“Pick up the pace!” Mr. Miller yelled.

             
“Yeah come on McCallister, my grandmother can run faster than you,” Roman said to Dean.

             
“The only running your grandmother does is to the local Dunkin Doughnuts,” Dean laughed. Roman pushed Dean into the wall causing me to almost run into them. Annoyed with their goofing around, I rolled my eyes, and picked up the pace, passing them.

             
Roman caught up to me by the fifth lap. “If you’re as slow as your brother this will be an easy race to finish,” he said with a taunting smile.

             
“I wasn’t aware this was a race?”

             
“Care to make it one?”

             
“What do I get if I win?” I asked.

             
“Who says you’re going to win?” he smiled, picking up the pace.

             
I pushed a little harder and caught up to him. “Are you always like this?” I asked and he looked at me confused. “Confident?”

             
“Just offering some friendly competition,” he said, pushing himself in front of me again.

             
Friendly competition my ass.

             
I picked up the pace, passing him, and then it began. We raced each other for the last few laps. I even passed Riley and teased her about being a slow poke. She responded with a slow wheeze. “Are you okay?” I asked her.

             
“Asthma,” she replied.

             
“Giving up already?” Roman said, keeping stride with us. 

             
I looked over at Riley and she waved me away. “I was just slowing down to give you a chance to catch up,” I said, hoping he hadn’t noticed how out of breath I was. I was not a runner, but I could manage a few laps around a gym. It wouldn’t have been so bad if I hadn’t pushed myself to race Roman who was clearly in better shape than I was, but I needed to shut him up.

             
We kept pace with each other as we came up on the last lap. We were neck and neck until I passed Riley again. She looked worse than before. Her face was bright red and she was gasping for air. Roman flew by me when I stopped to check on Riley. She was walking and had her hand on the wall for balance.

             
“No stopping,” Mr. Miller yelled.

             
“Riley, you don’t look so good,” I said concerned.

             
“I’ll be…fine…I just…need…to…” her eyes rolled into the back of her head and I caught her before she hit the floor.

             
“Mr. Miller Mrs. Daniels!” I called.

             
Both of them came rushing over. “What happened?” Mrs. Daniels asked.

             
“She has asthma,” I said.              

             
The rest of the class came over to see what was going on. “Everyone back up! She needs air!” Mr. Miller shouted. “Does she have an inhaler?”

             
“Riley, where’s your inhaler?”

             
“Locker,” she whispered.

             
I hauled ass into the girls’ locker room, but it never occurred to me that I didn’t know the combination to the lock. “Shit!” I shouted as I tried number after number but was coming up empty.

             
“Move,” Roman said, pushing me out of the way. He put his hand on the lock and bent it back and forth until it broke.

             
I stared at him eyes wide. “How’d you?”

             
“Ask questions later,” he said, pointing to the locker.

             
I tore through Riley’s backpack and found her inhaler inside the small pocket. “Got it,” I said as we ran back out into the gym. I handed Riley her inhaler. She reached for it with a shaky hand and took two puffs. Her breathing started to come back slowly as they gently helped her up.

             
“Take her to the nurse’s office,” Mrs. Daniels said.

             
“I’m okay,” Riley breathed.

             
“Just to make sure you should go to the nurse’s office,” Mr. Miller said. I started to walk with her when Mr. Miller yelled at me. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked.

             
“I was helping her to the nurse’s office,” I said.

             
“It’s only down the hall. She’ll be fine getting there on her own.” I looked at Riley and she told me she would be okay so I headed back over to the rest of the class. Mr. Miller had two students set up mats on the gym floor and frankly I was a little worried as to what he would have us do next.