Elle and I did spend the rest of the week together like she promised, but our conversations were centered on what colleges she was going to apply to. Elle’s parents were trying to get her to focus on where she was going to college, which had become a very touchy subject with her. She wanted to stay close to home to be near me, but her parents, well, mostly her dad, wanted her to go away to school. I figured that I shouldn't talk about it because I didn’t know what the future held for me. I didn’t want to make any promises that I couldn’t keep. So I just listened to her talk about how her parents didn’t understand her anymore.
Elle didn’t want to be at her house, so she spent every hour she could at ours during that week. Even when she was going on about her parents, it was still wonderful to be around her. Even her darkest days were bright and cheerful for me. I would find myself staring at her, still in disbelief that she was mine. How could such an incredible girl be with me? It didn’t seem possible. I was nothing compared to her. Everything she did sparked my longing to be with her forever, free of all these secrets. But I would have to be content with what I had.
I increased my Tic Tac intake on the first morning back to school. My nerves were making me feel a little sick. It wasn’t as bad as it had been at the last five new schools, but the habit of popping Tic Tacs continued. Cora was up before me, drinking her coffee in the kitchen as usual.
“Nicholas, are you ready?” Cora yelled to me. I was brushing my teeth.
“Almost,” I said with a mouthful of toothpaste.
“Hurry, I have something to show you.”
I finished, grabbed my empty backpack from my room and walked down the stairs. Cora was standing by the front door. Without any words, she opened the door and walked outside. I followed. I couldn’t believe what I saw. Tears rolled down my cheeks instantly. I was looking at a ghost from my past.
“Nicholas, I’ve been waiting a long time to give this to you,” Cora said.
Behind our truck sat my dad’s orange 1973 Ford Bronco. It looked the same way it did on the day of the earthquake when I left for school.
“Cora, where did you get it?” My voice was broken and I was doing everything I could to fight back more tears.
“After the earthquake, I had all of your parents’ possessions stored away in a safe place. And this is something your dad would have passed on to you for sure. So I thought this was a perfect time for you to get it.”
I ran down to the truck to rub my hands on the hood to make sure it was real. The orange paint was still faded in all the right spots. The top still showed some small spots of rust. I opened the door and found my dad’s old black flashlight and maps in the driver’s side door just as he had left it. In the back seat was the old Nerf football that we used to toss back and forth. The inside smelled of oil and leather; it was incredible. Cora gave me a couple of minutes before she walked over to the truck. I wiped away my tears.
“Cora, I don’t know what to say.” I gave her a big hug.
She held on to me tightly and said, “Your dad would have been so proud of the man you are becoming.” She handed me the keys. “Now, this is not a license for you to come and go as you please. We still have rules.”
“I know, Cora.” I smiled.
She smiled back and laughed. “Have a good day at school.”
I got in and sat on the worn, black leather seat, still in shock. I loosened my grip on the keys so I could start the truck. The engine choked, then roared to life. I checked all of the mirrors and they were perfect, no need for any adjustments. I put on my seat belt and backed out of the driveway. Cora had said that I could use the truck for driving to school this year. I had no idea she meant this truck. The drive to Elle’s house was filled with incredible memories of my mom, dad and I taking different trips in the Bronco. I always knew when we were going to go somewhere because Dad would be washing and polishing it.
I pulled into Elle’s driveway. I didn’t need to go get her; she was waiting outside. She walked down the driveway slowly, making sure it was me. When she saw me she hurried to the truck. She opened the door and got in. I totally forgot to get out and open the door for her.
“Elle, I’m sorry for not getting the door for you.”
“Don’t be silly. My hand works just fine. Where did you get this truck?” She looked over at me and asked, “Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. Everything is perfect.” I’m sure I looked like I had been crying. “Cora got the truck for me. I mean, she got it from where she had stored my parents’ stuff. This surprise was waiting for me earlier. This was my dad’s Bronco. He got it from my grandpa when he was old enough to drive.”
“Nicholas, I love it.”
Elle didn’t say anything on the ride to school. She just held my hand tight.
I felt invincible driving my dad’s truck and having the girl of my dreams right by my side. At school, there were no cameras or reporters, no one trying to take a picture of me, no reason to hide. I was relieved. I guess the radio interviews I had done worked, keeping the media away.
My dad’s truck was by far the oldest vehicle in the lot, surrounded by every kind of nice car imaginable, but mine was the best. I got out before Elle and opened her door. We walked into school together, hand in hand.
“Nicholas, I have to hurry to the guidance office for new student orientation, okay? I’ll see you at lunch.” She kissed me on the cheek and hurried toward the office.
Elle never ceased to amaze me. She started a new-student program this year to help all the new students find their way around the school to their classes. She was just too good to believe. I wished they’d had that program last year. I would have gotten to know Elle a lot quicker.
I was greeted by Eric and Livi. They were linked together, arm in arm. I had to laugh because they looked like the Odd Couple. She was so proper, dressed in clothes she had probably picked out weeks ago just for the first day of school. Eric’s clothes looked like he had picked up whatever was closest to him on the floor when he woke up. I guess opposites do attract.
“Hey, Nicky, my boy, I love what you’ve done with the place.”
I shook my head and walked over to them. “Eric, you know I have no idea who did this to the school. So, how does your schedule look? Are we in any of the same classes?”
Livi answered, “I doubt it because somehow, Eric has volleyball, water polo and outdoor recreation all in a row. How you were able to get three gym classes in the same semester, I will never know.”
“We have a pool?” I asked, not sure where it was.
“I got three gym classes because of my good looks, my dear, and of course we have a pool, Nicholas. Where have you been?” he said. At least school would be about the same as last year with Eric around.
“So what are you guys waiting around for?” I asked.
Livi answered again. “Mr. Moore to walk by on his way to class.”
“Coach Riley Moore?”
“Yes, all of the women at the school have been talking about him. I overheard Joy Lemmins saying how gorgeous he is, in a rugged, real-man way.”
“But Eric, why are you waiting with Livi? Shouldn’t she be here with her girlfriends, not her boyfriend?” I asked.
“Her friends are all more interested in Bryce Adams, the new kid, you know, the wide receiver from the team. They think he looks like a young Johnny Depp. So I am standing in for them. Anyway, Coach Moore has a smokin’ hot wife for me to check out later, and Livi will stand with me when I want to catch a glimpse of her.”
Livi dropped his arm immediately, gave him a dirty look and stormed off.
He shrugged his shoulders. “What did I say?” He chased her down the hall.
School was as good as I had hoped it would be. It was normal, nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing that I was bracing myself for was the earthquake drill like the beginning of school last year, but after the first four classes, it still hadn’t happened. I hoped that Cora or Ester had somehow made it so there wouldn?
??t be one at all this year.
When Elle and I got to lunch, I had to bite my tongue. The revamped and newly-remodeled interior of the school had not bothered me much after the initial shock, but when I saw the new lunch options, I nearly lost it. I almost grabbed Elle’s hand and led her back under the stairs, away from all this.
The lunchroom had most of the same types of food as last year, but it had been transformed into five actual restaurants, each having its own unique sitting area. Instead of lunch ladies, each had its own staff dressed in the theme of their restaurant. I couldn’t believe it. It was like we had five different restaurants that had set up right where the food court used to be. Off to the side were different food carts selling everything from hot pretzels to ice cream. Right in the center of the lunchroom, hanging on its own stand-alone pillar, was a plaque saying that the lunchroom was dedicated to me. I knew that this was a nice thing, but it was making my day a little less normal than I had wanted it to be.
Elle got her food from the Greek restaurant. Everywhere we went, people were staring at us. I couldn’t tell if it was because I was officially with Elle or because of the new décor in my honor.
“Nicholas, don’t worry about the people staring. They are just envious of you,” she said with compassion, because she knew it was making me uncomfortable.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Bryce. He was sitting in a corner eating his food, reading a book by himself. A couple groups of girls were eyeing him from different tables, but he was completely unaware of the attention he was getting. I remembered how I was feeling the first couple of days of school, not really knowing where to sit or what to do.
“Elle, I’ll be right back.”
I walked over to Bryce, who looked stunned to see me, knocking over his milk in front of him.
“Hey, Bryce, do you want to sit with Elle and me?” I asked.
“Nicholas, that would be great,” he said, trying to clean up his milk while gathering his things.
To the dismay of the girls staring at him, he followed me over to where Elle was sitting away from their view. We sat down.
“Elle, this is Bryce. He’s a—”
“Nicholas, I know Bryce. I took him and a couple of other new students around the school today for a tour.”
“I knew that. I was going to tell you that Bryce is a Scorpio and loves long walks on a beach,” I said with a grin. She hit me.
Elle then started to ask Bryce a bunch of questions. Before she asked too many, I kicked her under the table. She smiled and realized what she was doing and stopped.
We were eventually joined by Amber, Chad, Livi and Eric. Livi must have forgiven Eric for his comment earlier, because they were joined at the hip again. Amber walked around the table and gave everyone hugs except for Bryce; she just shook his hand before she sat down.
The guys talked about the upcoming football season. Elle and the girls were already busy talking about Homecoming. Every so often Elle would reach over and squeeze my hand just to let me know she was still thinking of me, which sent much-welcomed electricity charging through me.
Sitting there, I realized that I had part of the normal life that I longed for—friends and a girlfriend.
With about five minutes left of lunch, Riley walked over behind me. At first I didn’t know he was there, until all of the girls at the table got quiet and began staring right behind me.
“Hey, Coach, how’s your first day of school? Do you need help finding your class?” Eric asked, laughing at his joke.
“Actually, I’m here for Nicholas. We are having a short coaches’ meeting now. And next time, Eric, respect your coaches more or you will be the one who needs help finding your playing time,” he emphasized.
Eric went silent. That was twice in one day he had gotten in trouble for something he said. I had to hand it to Eric. He was definitely entertaining, even when he was not trying to be.
I followed Riley out of the lunchroom and down to the locker room. There was no one in there, not even Coach Miller.
“So, how’s your first day?” Riley asked.
“Okay,” I responded. “How’s yours?”
“Fine, but I forgot how much I hate waking up early. Football is one thing, but teaching is another. I nearly fell asleep in my first two classes. I should have been a P.E. teacher, not a history teacher. The running around would have done me some good.
“The reason I called you down here is that I need to get an idea of who could be the one we’re looking for. Do you have any other possible leads yet?”
“Riley, it’s only the first day back,” I pointed out.
“I know, but start looking at your friends. What about Bryce or Chad?”
“Not sure. This is only the second time I’ve talked to Bryce. I haven’t really had much time to get to know him yet, and for some reason I don’t think it’s Chad.”
“Remember, Nicholas, the Seekers are also looking for the 4th. And if they get the opportunity, they will kill whoever it is. And if Xavier can get one of us to sacrifice ourselves as well, he will, so we need to work together and be extremely careful.”
I started to feel like I had another Cora here at school.
“If you ever need me, come to my classroom, 211. If I’m not there or down here, find Coach Miller. Even though he doesn’t know about the Thusians, he is still someone we can trust.”
“You think Xavier is here looking for the 4th?” I asked, already knowing that he was.
“Absolutely. Xavier doesn’t come out to play unless it’s for something big. That’s why he tried to kill you in person. I think he knew you were part of The 7. Also, one more thing, do you remember what Xavier looked like?”
“No. One minute I was walking in the park, then I felt a sharp pain and then I awoke lying on my back with my head in Genevieve’s lap. Why?”
“I was hoping you saw what Xavier or the others looked like, because when they saw us coming they took off. Neither Genevieve nor I got a good look at them.”
“No, I didn’t see a thing. You know I would have told you if I saw him.”
“I wasn’t sure if you would. I didn’t want to push it in front of Cora just in case you were keeping it a secret, because I know you do that from time to time to keep the people you love safe.”
“I do occasionally keep secrets, but not this time, Riley.”
He nodded.
“Riley, is Genevieve with Cora right now? You know how we are supposed to try to stay in pairs.” With all of this talk of Xavier, I was beginning to worry about Cora being home alone.
“No, Cora thinks she doesn’t need a babysitter, and Genevieve thinks she shouldn’t waste her time with someone who isn’t even part of the 4.”
I started to object but he put his hand up to stop me.
“Nicholas, Cora is part of the group. It will just take the two of them some time. Even with Genevieve acting nicer, she still is hardheaded.”
Riley pushed a pink piece of paper into my hand.
“Here’s a note to get you back to class. See you at practice.”