The Unbreakable Bond

Everyone knew me as Alma, or just 'new girl'. I moved what felt like halfway across the world to stay with my widowed Aunt Lucy in Burlington, Vermont, USA from Alma, New Brunkwick, Canada. My home town had a population of 250 during tourist season, Burlington had over 40,000 people. Talk about culture shock, between the busy city and the crazy American food and habits, I felt lost. I missed my old town where everyone knew everyone, although when I was there hated how the old ladies needed to know what everyone was up to all the time. Now my school had three times the population of my entire town growing up. No one could seem to remember my name here either, Annaliese June Denton. Although I preferred even the title of 'new girl' over being called 'Anna'. That was my mom's name, the reason I was here. I had no clue where she was, she told me she was going to get milk and never came home, rumor had it back home that she hopped on the back of a motorcycle and took off. I had gotten the odd picture sent to me from her travels and her wedding to the biker, 'Big Mike' they called him, when she ended up in Vegas. But if I ever sent a text message to her, I never received a reply. Looking in the mirror was hard, I was the spitting image of her, light brown poker straight hair that fell halfway down my back, green eyes, soft facial features and full lips. I wasn't overly tall standing only 5'6", but I had legs for days, that definitely made me look much taller than I was especially if I put on a pair of heels. Just like my mom, even if I wasn't dressed up I could make heads turn. It was a silent curse, I liked being in the shadows, unnoticed. I managed to get away with being home alone for almost two years, grades 9 and 10. Then my dad's sister came to visit this summer, dad never had time for me and since Aunt Lucy's husband Uncle Frank passed away years ago in the war after 9/11, she was alone too. So away I went, no option given. Both dad and Aunt Lucy figured it was what was best for everyone. Starting grade 11 in not only a new city, but in a new country and in a school this big, I could not seem to stay in the shadows. I had five hundred eyes on me when I would walk down the hall. Today was no different. I had only been at the school for a week, and in that week I had the head cheerleader Jess hating me because her 'amazing football playing boyfriend, Josh' got caught looking at me by her. Aunt Lucy kept telling me that I should join some extra circulars, even said I should try out for the cheerleading squad, but I didn't want the attention, or the stress. So far I had made a couple friends. Jude was the quiet, easy going guy that seemed to know everyone. He was popular and into seemingly everything. I have no clue how we had become friends to be honest. He was just nice, and not snooty like the other rich popular kids here. Jude had beach bum hair in a dirty blonde colour, bright blue eyes and strong wide shoulders. He was one of the most beautiful men I had ever seen honestly. Sam was my locker neighbor, she was bubbly and outgoing, everything I wasn't. Sam had bleach blonde hair, that she claimed was 'natural', and hazel eyes that seemed to sparkle. She was chair of student council and event coordinator for the dances and festivities at the school. She was kind and caring, she had helped me find all my classes, and continued redirecting me when I would start heading down the wrong hall almost every class change. This school was build like a darn labyrinth. Between second and third periods we would all meet in the rotunda, this area was like the belly of the beast, hallways heading off of this centralized room like the legs of a spider. "What are you doing for lunch today?" Jude asked. "I have to study." Said Sam, "one week in and we already have a history test on Wednesday! Can you believe it? Mr. Thompson is going to be the death of me this year!" "What about you Liese?" Jude asked me. Both Sam and Jude had started calling me Liese after I told them I hated the name Anna, I rather liked the nickname I'd been given by them. "I will probably just go to the library." I said quite matter of factly. Sam looked at me, "You can't keep hiding in that library Liese, eventually you have to talk to people!" "I talk to you guys!" I protested. Jude was not having it, "Your coming to have lunch with my cousin and I today." I looked at Jude, I couldn't do that. Judes cousin was the quarterback of the football team and I did not want to be associated with any of them, except Jude, since my blow out with Jess on day number two at this school. I had kept my distance and things were actually going good. "Zane won't stop asking me to introduce you two." Jude said. "All the more reason to stay further away, I don't need more drama with Jess, she already wants me gone Jude!" I said. Jude, ignoring me, grabbed his cell phone and started texting, about three seconds later it dinged. Jude read the message and looked up at me with a smirk on his face. "There, it's resolved. No drama." Said Jude, rather proudly. "Whats resolved!?" I snapped, hand on my hip while my other arm held my books. "Meet me at my car when the bell rings." He said, and he walked away to class. I glanced at Sam, not entirely sure what the look on my face even meant. "What just happened?" I asked her. "I think you just got set up on a lunch date." She responded. I stood there, mouth agape. I dont know how long I stood there when the bell rang. "Crap!, I'm late for class." I said, and took off towards a hallway. "Wrong way!" Sam hollered. "Over here, this way!" I followed Sam to our English class together. What was I going to do, what had Jude done!?