The Unbreakable Bond

Chapter 6

When Zane walks into our class and hands Mrs. Rogers a pink piece of paper I didn't think too much about it until out of the corner of my eye I see our teacher point to a spot at the work table behind Jude and I.

"Fuck." I mutter under my breath as Zane comes walking down the isle towards me.

Jude gives me a reassuring little smile, "it's fine, Zane doesn't bite" he chuckles, and when he gets a little half hearted smile from me adds, "hard".

I glare at Jude and he winks at me. Chuckling to himself.

I frown at him and try to concentrate on my work.

As the class drags on it becomes increasingly difficult as I can feel his gaze on my back.

I am just about to spin around and ask him what his damn problem is, when the bell rings.

'Thank gawd!' I mutter to myself.

I quickly close up my books and head out the door, I hear Mrs. Rogers ask Zane to come and speak with her for a second.

Hopefully that occupies him long enough so I can get out of here.

I make it to my locker before even Sam, put away my Chemistry textbook, shove my History and Calculus books into my bag and turn to leave just as she comes running up.

"Did you hear?" Sam asks me, eyes wide with excitement.

"Hear what?" I ask, uncertain of what she is even speaking about.

"Zane is having a party this weekend, your going right?" She asks raising her eyebrows.

"Not likely", I state with an uninterested tone.

"But you have to go", Sam whines, "otherwise I'll be all alone, plus he obviously likes you, he invited you for lunch today!"

"yeah, so?" I ask, eyebrows raised. "I'm sure he's done that with lots of girl, he pretty much has the entire school full of girls chasing him!" I say.

"actually" Sam hesitates "I've never seen him with any girl ever, unless it's for a hook up after practice" she says

"Call me later", I quickly state when I see Zane at the other end of the hallway heading towards me. "I gotta go, Bye Sam!". I grab my bag and make a mad dash for the door to the parking lot.

I walk around the side of the school and start making my way down the sidewalk, my Aunt Lucy had said I could take her car a 1980 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme to school, but number one, I don't think that big car could fit into one of the schools parking spaces and number two, she only lived just over two blocks away from the school. Plus I didn't mind walking, especially right now while the weather was nice. Today it was 50°F, blue skies and a light breeze. Perfect sweater weather, and perfect to be able to get lost in my own thoughts and process everything that had happened today.

I walk in the front door of my Aunt Lucy's house, my new house.

First think I can smell is that Aunt Lucy has been baking fresh bread.

"Mmm" I state out loud, unable to contain my salivating taste buds "Aunt Lucy, I'm home, it smells wonderful in here!" I add.

Aunt Lucy comes over and gives me a big hug, "welcome ho.. you smell like a dog!" She says turning up her nose, she looks at me a bit worried.

"You go take a shower dear, you've had a long week at school, but don't take too long I could use your help with supper" she states.

I put my bag down on the bench by the door and head upstairs to my room to grab a change of clothes and head to the bathroom.

After my shower I quickly dress and head straight to the kitchen to see what I can help my Aunt Lucy with.

"All clean!" I sing as I enter the room, laughing.

Aunt Lucy smiles at me and gestures towards the counter beside the sink. "Can you finish cutting those veggies for me please dear, we are going to have chili for dinner, I made fresh buns!"

"Of course", I say. Heading towards the cutting board already waiting for me. "That sounds amazing!"

Aunt Lucy is busy at the stove, frying the ground beef, adding the odd other ingredient and either muttering something under her breath or humming a tune to herself.

She looks very at ease and natural in the kitchen, but part of me also thinks that she kinda looks like a witch stirring her cauldron, like in the movies.

I chuckle to myself and continue chopping the veggies.

"How was school?" Aunt Lucy asks. She had been asking me this same question everyday since I had come here, and just like every other day, I gave her the same one worded answer. "Fine".

"Did you make any new friends?"

"Do anything different than usual?"

"Go with anyone for lunch, perhaps?"

This last question caught me by surprise, Aunt Lucy had never asked anything like this before. She must have seen me in Josh's car, it was the only logical explanation.

But it wasn't like I had done anything wrong, we didn't have to stay on school property during our breaks.

"I went out for lunch with a friend today" I stated. I wasn't lying after all, Jude was there and he is the only friend of mine out of that group.

"That's nice" Aunt Lucy replied. "It's nice to hear that you are starting to get out of that library a bit".

Out of the library? How does she know all this? I wonder.

I am trying to think if I had ever told her about my lunch hours in the library when my thoughts are interrupted.

"I'm ready for the veggies, are you done chopping them dear?"

I hand Aunt Lucy the cutting board piled high with peppers, celery, onions and mushrooms.

"I'm going to go and get started on some of my homework" I tell her.

"Sounds good dear, dinner will be ready as soon as these veggies cook, give it about a half hour" she smiles at me and turns to do up a few dishes before I leave the room and grab my books.