CHAPTER NINE
It was all over the school, Emily Downings, the quiet girl who spent all her time in the library, was missing.
Teachers were suffocating in the same “I’m just so upset about Emily we used to be so close…” excuse that at least half the school had used at some point
Kera was one of the few who admitted they didn’t actually know Emily, one of the few who preferred to tell the truth than to be quoted in a low budget newspaper or two.
Kera’s project wasn’t going to well. She was way too embarrassed to meet Tarns eyes let alone talk to him!
But something there was wrong.
The few times she summoned enough courage to glance across the lunchroom, she saw him staring at the ceiling, not taking a bite of his lunch.
Something was troubling him, he looked freaked out, like he was bursting to say something but there was no one to say it to…
It was then that Kera made up her mind.
After school that day, Kera stood outside the main building. People yelled farewells to her as the school rapidly emptied.
Then she saw Tarn, he was one of the last people to leave.
She ran up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around looking a mix of anger, surprise and, could it be? Fear.
“Oh…hi” He mumbled and continued walking. Kera rolled her eyes in frustration and ran after him. He pretended not to notice her
“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” She asked him between breaths.
Tarn glanced at her “Not really” He replied and sped up, determined to get rid of her.
Kera wouldn’t give up that easily, “Oh so you’re to good for us New Oak folk?” She accused. Tarn stopped in his tracks “I didn’t say that…” He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time, “Who are you anyway?”
Good, she thought, that means he doesn’t recognize me from the cafeteria.
Kera smiled at him; at last she got him to talk” Kera Hunter”
They walked out the school gates and turned onto Corner Street.
“Are you like those other girls?” Tarn asked suddenly
Kera flinched in surprise “What other girls?” She replied curiously
Tarn lowered his gaze slightly “I don’t know…Stacy was the leader I think…”
Kera snorted with laughter at this “Do I look like i'd be one of those other girls to you?”
Tarn paused to study her face. No make up, hair its natural colour and tied in a simple ponytail.
He grinned at her “No not really”. His smile fell as he realized he was nearly home.
“Umm I just remembered I have to be home as fast as possible to help my dad with something…” He trailed off. He was telling the truth, his dad did need him to help him with something…
Kera stared at him, if he was telling the truth he wouldn’t have been one of the last out of school. She decided to leave him alone; one wrong move might blow a whole afternoon of progress.
“Ok I’ll see you on Monday…” She watched him run up the street and turn onto a no end road.
In a burst of inspiration she rushed up to the corner just in time to see him sneak behind the back of a modern looking house.
“Least I know where he lives now” She whispered and wrote down the address.
Teachers were suffocating in the same “I’m just so upset about Emily we used to be so close…” excuse that at least half the school had used at some point
Kera was one of the few who admitted they didn’t actually know Emily, one of the few who preferred to tell the truth than to be quoted in a low budget newspaper or two.
Kera’s project wasn’t going to well. She was way too embarrassed to meet Tarns eyes let alone talk to him!
But something there was wrong.
The few times she summoned enough courage to glance across the lunchroom, she saw him staring at the ceiling, not taking a bite of his lunch.
Something was troubling him, he looked freaked out, like he was bursting to say something but there was no one to say it to…
It was then that Kera made up her mind.
After school that day, Kera stood outside the main building. People yelled farewells to her as the school rapidly emptied.
Then she saw Tarn, he was one of the last people to leave.
She ran up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around looking a mix of anger, surprise and, could it be? Fear.
“Oh…hi” He mumbled and continued walking. Kera rolled her eyes in frustration and ran after him. He pretended not to notice her
“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” She asked him between breaths.
Tarn glanced at her “Not really” He replied and sped up, determined to get rid of her.
Kera wouldn’t give up that easily, “Oh so you’re to good for us New Oak folk?” She accused. Tarn stopped in his tracks “I didn’t say that…” He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time, “Who are you anyway?”
Good, she thought, that means he doesn’t recognize me from the cafeteria.
Kera smiled at him; at last she got him to talk” Kera Hunter”
They walked out the school gates and turned onto Corner Street.
“Are you like those other girls?” Tarn asked suddenly
Kera flinched in surprise “What other girls?” She replied curiously
Tarn lowered his gaze slightly “I don’t know…Stacy was the leader I think…”
Kera snorted with laughter at this “Do I look like i'd be one of those other girls to you?”
Tarn paused to study her face. No make up, hair its natural colour and tied in a simple ponytail.
He grinned at her “No not really”. His smile fell as he realized he was nearly home.
“Umm I just remembered I have to be home as fast as possible to help my dad with something…” He trailed off. He was telling the truth, his dad did need him to help him with something…
Kera stared at him, if he was telling the truth he wouldn’t have been one of the last out of school. She decided to leave him alone; one wrong move might blow a whole afternoon of progress.
“Ok I’ll see you on Monday…” She watched him run up the street and turn onto a no end road.
In a burst of inspiration she rushed up to the corner just in time to see him sneak behind the back of a modern looking house.
“Least I know where he lives now” She whispered and wrote down the address.