Just like the star

5. The close call

January 17-18

My eyes snapped open, and my room stood before me. I was lying in my bed. Blinking away the sleep in my eyes, i noticed my room was cold, i quickly stood up locating the source of the coldness, i noticed my bedroom window was wide open, the curtins blowing as the breeze drifted them further inside my room. Groaning i paddled over the window. Then i heard a knock at the door i quickly close the window and open the door.

    " Alison, how are you doing?" Grandma asked walking into the room.

     " I'm fine, good morning grandma," i greeted and kissed her.

      " come closer my darling," she said indicating a chair behind her with her hand, i sat on it feeling even more sleepy.

    " your mum called," she muttered.

      " mum called?"

      " yes," she began carefully.

     " ok what did she say?"

"She asked if your okay, and by the way,  Alison dear, how is your new school,"

    " fine grandma," i replied. I glanced at the clock, noticing that i was late; i had to be at school in an hour. Cursing the alarm clock for not working for the umpteenth time.

    " Oh... Oh my gosh I'm late," i shouted running into the bathroom, lingering in the waterfall of warmth a bit shorter than Normal; the chilled air still hadn't gone completely away in the room, i thought my grandma would have noticed, but she didn't. When i came out of the bathroom  grandma had already arrange the clothes i was to wear.

    " thanks, Grandma, you even know what i like." I said giving grandma a kiss on her cheeks. I picked up the blue jeans skirt, green turtle neck sweater and sneakers.

    " Don't worry about your breakfast diana will bring it up to your bedroom." Grandma said. Holding fluffy, who was still fast asleep.

     My dark brown hair was pulled back from my face, leaving my eyes to lay back a little in the expanse of it. I had never been short, always on the tall side, my belt kept my jeans from sliding off my hips. I had long gotten sick of having to pull them up every three seconds, and went through the uncomfortable of wearing a bulk belt, but atleast i wasn't always having to discreetly yank my jeans back up. Grandma gave me my back pack and we walked together down the stairs. but i was a little bit faster than her. I couldnt wait for diana to bring my breakfast, i walked into the kitchen, i looked toward the driveway but the school bus was not there.

      " Diana, my school bus, did they...diana didnt allow me to finish what i was saying.

     " your school bus." She chuckled. " they came i told them your not yet ready so they left."

      " oh, my God, how am i suppose to go to school today?" I grabbed a mug out of the cupboard, Diana poured coffee on the mug i took some sandwich. And walked to the sitting- room. I checked my watch, and figured out i had a few minutes before i would have to start up the car. Actually i thought my grand parents where going to allow me to take one of the cars, but they didnt allow me instead they told sophine to drive me off to school.

    After i finshed my sandwich and coffee, i threw the mug in the sink and went outside grandma was already there with fluffy. I kissed fluffy and pat him on the head.

     "where did she put the keys ?" Sophine hissed walking toward the garage, she pressed the garage door opener. When diana finally brought the keys she snapped it from her hand and hissed. we got into the car and she drove off.

      As she drove down the street, i tried to make myself remember the name of one of the stranger. I tried to remember the house i saw them walked into.

        " Alison, get it to get it together, " i scoffed as, she pulled into the high school parking lot. Cars were already filling up the small parking Area, she managed to snatch a decent spot that wasn't too far away from the door. Slipping out of the car with a smile on my face but a liitle worried, she didn't even bother to talk to me, instead she threw the keys at me i catched it and immmediately she walked away.

   I put the keys into my school bag and walked into the hallway, when i entered the class mr james was already in the class.

  " I'm sorry," i said as i walked to my seat. Mr james drawled, slightly more animate than yesterday, but at least the students were pratically buzzing in their seats, as if the excitement of knowing this year assignment was too much.

There was chattering behind me, and i quickly glanced my eyes skimming over toward where justin usually sit down but wasnt there. A guy next to me, passed me a packet apart from the rest i looked over the list, and soon got caught up on the excitement that had passed over the room; the projects we were making were not easy in the least. A dresser would be taking up most of the marking period and i read through the schedule, all the student have been group in four each. Pratically ignoring the whole overview mr james was giving to the class on this year's project, i turned over to the next page, what i saw made me angry, Alissa, wilson, justin and i where in the same group.

   The bell came on all to soon for me, and i collected my backpack, which was steadily filling with textbooks from various classes, and papers that where collected in them. We filed out of the room, everyone eager to get to lunch, the time where you could always count on knowing atleast one familar face.

     I stuffed the book bag into the locker of mine with all my might,  struggling to close the door with both hands pressed tightly aganist the metal, and my feet slowly sliding down the linoleum floor in a flash another hand appeared and the locker clicked as they gave a little effort to close the stupid contraption. I whirled around to see my helper, but locked on the steely eyes.

    " oh, hmn thank you." I murmured reality crashing down on me.

Justin smirked. " Hello, Alison." His voice was calm.

  " yeah." I said walking away he ran toward me.

     " can we eat lunch together?' He stated simply and indicated with a nod of his head toward the lunch room.

    " No, my friends are waiting for me I'm eating lunch with them as usual," i replied walking toward the lunch line.

   " we need to talk." He said as he walked into the lunch room. The  noise seemed to be dulled in the croweded lunch room today, and giving a glance outside i noticed that it was raining, So glad we drove here.

   " About?" I inquired walking towards the lunch line, that was moving slower than normal, not caring if he followed or not, but he did.

     "Our project," he murmured, i could feel his presence behind me, sensing the fact that he was taller than me, his body radiated heat and i felt like snuggling up closer to him in the cold of the cafeteria the thought had me taking a steo further down the line, away from him, my cheeks blushing furiously as i snatched up a plate of whatever they were serving not bothering to check.

      " i know, i saw your name as part of the people in my group, but we where four so where are the rest?" I asked.

     We settled ourselves in the table of the farthest corner, i look to check,  if my friends where sitting at our usual spot, thats was when i realised that each student where sitting according to their group members. It was close to the window as the rain pelted the side walk outside, making everything turn a darker color than before. No one sat arround this corner, preferring to stay closer to the other side, looking at the passing cars and such;

     He was starring at me, his tray as untouched as mine was at the moment, but left my gaze on the fork,  acting as if it had a sudden draw towards me, he sighed heavily, before running a hand through his black hair, making it stand up on end further before slowly settling back down into its gentle curls.

    " I really dont know where to start," he chuckled nervously.

     I smirked, still not looking up fully, toying with the napkin now.

   " Mr james hasn't told us yet, what we are going to do," he said slowly,  "we Alissa and wilson feel less concerned on this project," he said.

       "Birds... Of the same feathers," i said sarcastically, finally taking one bread that resembled rolled up pancakes filled with cheese and dunking it in a cup of strawberry jam.

    "Of course they are..." He scoffed with a roll of his eyes.

     " so what are going to do about this project?" I said, taking a bite of the cheese stick.

    " I dont know, but atleast we are the only one serious with this poject in our group," he said with a small smile.

      I smiled a little, but went along with my lunch, thats when he started eating.

      " can we get to know each other," he said with a mouthful.

    I raised an eyebrow as the conversation continued. We talked about all the aspect of our life, just the basics on my part; i wasn't going to tell him anything that might give myself away. He seemed pleasant to know. I had found myself actually enjoying his part of the story, no matter how few it was, but his words were drawing me in.

     All too i found the bell ringing, and me with an empty tray; one of the first ive had since i came to school. Sighing,  i guess i wouldn't eat as much for dinner tonight.

    We got up and dumped the remainats of our meal into the trash can before walking out together to hallways.