Obsidian: Tryss (Book 1) (The Reaver Chronicles Spin Off Series)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I decided I needed to cool off. The stares of pity emanating from everyone as the teacher walked me from the school were just annoying. We had done this apparently 27 times before, you’d think those assholes would be used to it by now.

We made it to the edge of the school property, which was a sidewalk, before the teacher spoke. “Rae, I wish you luck in your new school. I think you will find that there are more kids there… Like you.” He said with a twinkle in his eye.

I raised one eyebrow at him. “Oh so you mean the kids with anger issues and who are always in fights? Sounds like my kind of place.” I said sarcastically. Then I turned around and walked away towards the river.

My mind drifted to my new school. I had never even heard of Obsidian. I wasn't allowed to go across the river, it was private property there and no one was allowed on it. It had me wondering just how I was supposed to get to it if I wasn't allowed on it.

Plus how far of a walk was it? And what did my teacher mean, more kids like me? What was I like? I mean besides angry at the world, and cocky mouthed?

The first motherfucker that mouths off to me is gonna regret it. I had so many questions reeling through my mind that I didn't even realize when I got to the clearing by the river where I loved to sit.

Well, even in my most messed up state of mind I still knew where to go to cool off.

I set my flip flops to the side and rolled up my jeans as far as they would go. Then I took a seat on the edge and dipped my feet in the cool river water. Something about the forest just calmed me. It was like it called to me, or to my subconscious.

I can't even count how many times in a fit of blind fury when all I could see was red, that I found myself here, in this exact same spot doing this exact same thing.

I had no idea why it happened but I was grateful it did. There were times when I had no idea who I even was, I was completely blacked out with rage and when I woke up I was here, alone and calmed down. It was a reprieve I needed often.

I looked down at my arm and traced the spot where it used to have the hand shaped bruise. I still couldn't explain it. It was like the twins just healed me. But that’s not possible, people can’t heal other people, not like that. I pushed my sunglasses back up where they belonged.

I knew they were doing an alright job at hiding my face but come Monday if I still had a shiner I would probably just have to deal with it and make up some story. I would tell them I fell into the river and the current swept me into a rock.

That was believable with how much time I spent out here anyways. Plus what do they know? A whole new school of people I have never met. This could be a blessing or a curse.

‘Trystan?’ I heard a voice that wasn’t mine say to me in my head. What in the good hell is going on here? I thought. ‘You know, you have a wall the size of Texas up in here…’ The voice said back.

Great, now I'm talking to myself. Andy must have hit me harder than I remember and that’s the second time I've thought this so it definitely must be true.

I shook my head trying to shake the voice from it, but it didn’t work. How do you know my name anyways? Well not my actual name, but the name I chose for myself.

I have never spoken a word of that to anyone, ever. I thought, feeling like I was getting more crazy by the second. After a few seconds my mind was still, no more strange voice.

“Thank god.” I said out loud. I was beginning to think I had gone full on batshit crazy.

Not that it was outside of the realm of possibilities, but I was definitely on the verge it seemed. I touched my swollen eye to see if it had gone down at all. I still couldn’t open it so I figured it hadn’t but it couldn't hurt to check.

Not to my surprise it was the same as it was hours before. I mean who needed two eyes anyways?

I was lost staring into the rushing waves crashing against each other when my mind flickered to the twins from last night.

That strange feeling I got when I locked eyes with the one twin replayed through my mind. It was like a pull, more than a physical attraction. Something more.

I just didn’t know how to explain it. A small part of me hoped I would see them back swimming in the river again, but they never came.

I spent the last few remaining hours sitting at the river just thinking and contemplating my life. I had the whole weekend ahead of me before I had to start at my new school, but I still didn’t know anything about the place.

Obsidian, what the hell kind of name is that anyways for a charter school? I was dreading the switch.

If I'm being honest it was easier for me to stick with the place I knew. It was easier to avoid the people I didn’t want to see, because I already knew who they all were.

In a new school I was basically a moving target until I got to know everyone. And, I'm sure, got into a couple of fights. I wouldn’t know anything about anyone, leaving me very vulnerable, a feeling which I hated.

Once it was nightfall I decided I better head home and try to sneak into my room hoping and praying that Andy wouldn’t notice. I was almost to the road my house sits on when I heard a rustling in the trees. I wasn’t afraid of the dark, or anything that lurked inside it.

I was well equipped to take care of myself in any situation, at least that’s what I always told myself. Fear was a wasted emotion for me, one that I wasted too much time with. Once I turned 16 I swore that fear would never rule my life, and it hasn’t. It wasn’t about to start now.

I ignored the rustling and just kept heading in the direction towards my house. I was only about a block away. if that. I just needed to make it to my window and I was almost there.

The rustling in the trees had stopped and I could see my window from where I was walking. I was in the homestretch and had long forgotten about the creatures lurking in the woods at this hour.

Once I got to my window I attempted to slide it open but it wouldn't budge. Pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a loud sigh.

This is what Andy would do when he wanted to ‘talk’ to me. He would lock my window from the inside, forcing me to have to use the front door to get inside.

Thus blessing him with my oh so lovely presence. I stood there for a moment contemplating what I would say when I went inside.

How I would explain my 27th fight, and getting expelled from the high school. I’m sure they knew the whole story by now, but they were going to want an explanation.

I took my sunglasses off and placed them on top of my head to get a better view of what I was planning. That’s how it works, right?

I was so torn in thought trying to come up with the perfect story to appease them that I didn’t even hear the footsteps behind me.

I jumped back when a large arm reached over me and yanked my window up effortlessly, busting the lock from the frame.

I turned to see who was behind me and I locked eyes with one of the twins. Both of them were standing there wearing matching sleeveless tank top shirts and levis.

I could see their bulging muscles cascading down their arms. Their dark chocolate hair was deliciously tousled. Almost in the same exact way, making me wonder just how they pulled that off.

But what really caught my attention were their eyes. It was still dark but the light emanating from the street light in front of my house was just enough light to illuminate their faces.

I was staring into two pairs of eyes that were the same exact color as my own.

I gasped when I noticed, but it seemed like they both already knew about my eyes… Which was impossible, they had only ever seen me with sunglasses on.

I had purposefully bought the darkest pair I could find for cover up purposes. No one was seeing s**t through them.

I sat there torn for what seemed like forever just looking back and forth between the twins. It seemed like they were communicating with each other, but I couldn't hear them talking at all. Then one of them took a step back.

“I'm Jace.” He said. His voice tantalized my ears, it was husky and silky at the same time. It tickled my senses in ways I never knew were possible.

“I’m Alec.” The other twin said. His voice had the same effect on me, but it was more silky than husky.

“Um, hi. Thank you for opening my window.” I said awkwardly. Once again, all my witty comments seemed to leave me when I needed them the most. The twins both smiled at the same time showing off two sets of perfect teeth.

“What’s your name?” They both said to me in unison which caught me off guard. Look I wasn’t really a people person… This was too much people for me.

‘Tell them your real name, Trystan.’ That voice from earlier suddenly popped into my head. I rolled my eyes at myself. Yea, I'm definitely going to do that. Or how about no? I thought back.

But then it was like I had no control over myself, I was just sitting back watching the whole thing unfold. “I’m Trystan.” I said with a smile.

What in the f**k was going on? Why did I just tell them that? ‘See that wasn’t so hard, now was it?’ The strange voice cooed.

I was in an internal battle with my own self, and I was definitely going crazy when the twins distracted me. “Trystan.” They both said my name which sent chills running down my spine.

Alec took a few steps closer to me. “Do you mind?” He asked while pointing at my swollen eye. I raised one eyebrow at him.

‘Don’t be scared, they are here to help’ the strange voice in my head purred, and for some reason it helped me. I didn’t feel like I was in danger at all so what could it hurt?

I shrugged my shoulders and Alec took a few more steps towards me. He got close enough to touch my face with his hand. He cupped it over my eye for a brief second and then he removed his hand.

I didn’t feel any different but by the time he had moved back behind his brother where he originally stood, I was looking at the twins with both eyes rather than just one.

“It was nice to meet you, we will see you around.” Jace said to me, then he and Alec bounded off into the forest towards the river. Before I could comprehend what had happened I realized my window was still wide open. “Yessss!” I sighed as I climbed inside and shut the window.

I had escaped another night of ruthless terror at the hands of my foster parents, thanks to Jace and Alec. Now to manage two more days. The thoughts of my new school and the twins chased each other in my mind until I drifted off to sleep.