A Love To Kill

Senior Year

‘Jenna... Jenna...’

  She ran as she felt the man getting near her. She ran fast, but then her feet began to slow down. And before she knows it, she was stuck in the same place, and she couldn’t even move.

‘Jenna... Jenna...”

  She tried to leave but it was no use, her feet were glued to the ground and her heart began to hammer against her chest. And then a man with a mask jumped in front of her.

‘Got ya!’

“Aaaaaahh!”

  Jenna screamed as she shot up from the bed into a sitting position. She was panting and beads of sweat rolled down her forehead. Her hand went to her chest feeling the fast beating of her heart.

  She sighed in relief as it was just a dream, a nightmare rather that has been plaguing her mind since the day it happened. She had to calm herself up and remind herself that that nightmare happened last year. That the devil was long gone and she is safe.

  Then the blaring of her alarm clock pulled her out of her thoughts. She wiped the sweat on her face, and stretched up her arms, before she grabbed the alarm clock and turned it off.

  Jenna got out of bed and went towards the bathroom to take a shower. Today is her first day of senior year, and she’s looking forward to a different year.

  After getting ready, she went down towards the kitchen to have her breakfast before going to school. She placed her backpack on the kitchen top and sat on one of the chairs. Her mother, Joy placed a plate of toasts and eggs in front of her.

“Are you excited for senior year?”Joy asked her daughter.

“Yeah.”Jenna said, with less enthusiasm, and it didn’t go unnoticed by her mother.

“What’s wrong?”Joy asked her daughter.

   Jenna sighed.

“Nothing mom, it’s just I want an exciting year, exciting in a more positive way.”Jenna said  

 And then their backdoor opened and Anthony, Jenna’s best friend came in like he owned the place.

“Good morning beautiful people.”Anthony greeted with his usual beaming face.

“Good morning Anthony. Can you spare my daughter some of your energy since she seems low of that?”Joy joked.

   Anthony Colin is a tall guy with dirty blonde hair and green eyes who lived next door, and he’s been best friends with Jenna since the very beginning. He’s a little ball of sunshine and literally the boy next door type.

  Anthony sat beside Jenna and took the toast she was eating.

“I am eating that.”Jenna said.

“So are you excited for senior year?”Anthony asked her, ignoring her remark about the toast.

  Jenna sighed.

“I am excited.”She said.

  Anthony looked at her.

“You don’t look excited.”He said, and Jenna sighed.

“I’m just nervous. You know what happened last year, and I just want a fresh start.”Jenna said.

  Anthony gave her a tight lip smile and patted her head. Something he has been doing since they were kids.

“I understand you. But trust me, we made it out junior year, we’ll make it out senior year. Besides we have prom to think about, and we have college to worry about.”Anthony told her, smiling widely.

  Jenna smiled at him and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you so much for everything Ant.”She said, and Anthony smiled at her.

“If the two of you are done being sappy, go to school.”Joy said.

“We’ll go ahead mom.”Jenna said, then she grabbed her bag and they went out of the house.

  They get into Anthony’s car and drove towards school. On the way there, Jenna still feels nervous. Anthony must’ve sensed her nervousness that he grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  So all the way to school, Jenna held unto Anthony’s hand.

****************************.

  When they got to school, Anthony grabbed her hand once again after they got out of the car. Jenna looked down as they walk pass the sea of students giving them different kinds of look.

  There was a look of disgust coming from those who think so highly of themselves. Look of horror from those who has a weak stomach, and looks of sympathy from those who felt Jenna doesn’t deserve something so cruel. But there also some who has the audacity to laugh at Jenna’s misfortune.

   Anthony wrapped his arm around Jenna in a protective manner, the same time he kept glaring at the people around them.

  Once they are finally inside the school building, Anthony took their schedule before they proceed to their classroom. Once inside, Jenna chose to sit at the back of the class. Anthony joined her even though his jock friends are at the front row.

“You know you can sit with them.”Jenna said.

“Nah, I’d rather sit here with you. Besides, who would let me copy during the exams?”Anthony joked, and it made Jenna chuckle.

  And then their classmates flood in the classroom, as their teacher came in last. There was a roll call for their attendance, and after checking them all the teacher put down his class record.

“Okay class welcome to your senior year. I know some of you had a terrible junior year.”The teacher said, and Jenna automatically looked down.

“We may have lost some friends, classmates, but this senior year I hope everyone will rise back up, forget the past and look forward to a more exciting and fruitful senior year.”The teacher said.

“And to welcome senior year, we have a new kid in town.”The teacher paused and then he motioned someone to get in.

  Then a tall and slightly muscular guy came in the classroom. He has a black hair that looked like he just rolled out of bed; his dark brown eyes went to scan the whole class until it fell on Jenna.

“Class, this is Paul Richards. He’s a transfer student from Seattle. I want all of you to be nice to him okay.”The teacher said to the class, and then he turned towards the new student.

“You may take the vacant seat.”The teacher said, and Paul nodded.

  Paul walked towards the vacant seat, just right in front of Jenna. His eyes remained on her until he was able to sit on his chair, but it made Jenna feel uncomfortable.

  Their class started, and Jenna tried to focus on the lesson despite having the uncomfortable feeling towards the new student.

*************************************.

  During lunch break in the cafeteria, Jenna was alone in one table at the back corner. She kept her head back down as she can feel everyone’s eyes on her, and she knows they were talking about her.

  She was startled when someone came in and sits with her. When she looked up, it was the new student Paul.

“Don’t you have any friends that you had to sit here alone?”Paul asked her.

“Why are you here?”She asked him.

“Everywhere else is full. Why? Am I not allowed to sit here?”He asked.

  Jenna looked down and shook her head.

“Sorry about that.”

  Then Anthony came with two trays of food, and sat beside Jenna.

“She’s not really into introduction part.”Anthony said, and then he smiled at Paul and held his hand out.

“My name is Anthony, and this is Jenna.”Anthony said.

“Paul.”He said, shaking Anthony’s hand.

“Where you from before you moved here?”Anthony asked after he pulled away his hand.

“Seattle.”Paul answered.

“Why did your family moved here?”Anthony asked again.

“My mom got a job here as the Mayor’s image stylist.”Paul answered.

“How about your dad?”Anthony asked again while munching his fries.

“Don’t have one.”Paul answered, opening his bottled water.

“Same here, but who cares. I have an awesome mom and best friend.”Anthony chirped and pulled Jenna to his side.

  Paul looked at Jenna as she eats her sandwich.

“Your friend doesn’t talk much.”He said.

  Anthony looked at Jenna while he took a bit of his own sandwich. He swallowed it and drank his soda.

“Nah, she’ll warm up to you as soon as she got used to your presence. When we were in first grade, I had to bug her every day until she had no choice but to talk to me. And since then we’re inseparable.”Anthony said, grinning.

“Ant, you’re like the annoying bee that I cannot swat away.”Jenna said.

“See? She loves me so much.”Anthony said chuckling.

  Jenna looked at Paul.

“Welcome to Bradshaw High by the way.”She said, giving Paul a small smile.

“Thanks.”Paul said with a smirk.