Secrets in Saintfour

i gazed silently out the window the entire ride, thinking about how I have to spend at least a couple of years here. Mom was also silent, thinking it's better not to disturb me now.

Arriving at school, she turned in my direction, waiting for me to say something. When I didn't, she asked: "Are you worried?"

"Not at all!" I lied even though my heart is beating a little to fast at the moment.

"That's great! I'm glad you've got that fighting spirit. Good luck honey!"

"Thanks mom."

The school yard was crowded in the morning. All the voices and the noises from the approaching cars merged into a single cacophony.

"Who's the new girl?" I heard some remarks like this but ignores it. I slowly walk towards the main entrance, taking everything in. But suddenly I ran into some kind of gorilla who appeared abruptly in front of me. Almost losing my balance, I dropped my bag, and all my notebooks scattered right in front of the school entrance.

And he still have the audacity to say. "Hey, watch where you are going!"

"Pay attention yourself, ya freak!" I responded sharply drowning down the thought to apologize.

The boy turned around abruptly, look at me for a couple of seconds in silence. That's even more annoying. "And quit starting at me!" I said sharply again.

I nervously started collecting the scattered notebooks back into the backpack.

"First day at school, and you're already making enemies? Yeah... you'd do fine. But seriously that kind of behavior won't you any favors here. You need to know who is worth talking to, and who is really not."

I turned around to that annoying kid again and sneered. "I think I'll manage without your advice, thanks."

"My name's Michael."

I tried to pick up the last fallen notebook, but he beat me to it.

"Remember my name, baby. You'll be saying it more than once.

"I doubt that ." I sneered again.

"We'll see,..."

Thankfully, the bell rang. Michael held out my notebook, and disappeared into the crowd, rushing into school. Gathering my thoughts, I followed him.

By the time I reached my class, the teacher has not yet arrived, so the class was very chaotic. Someone was laughing loudly, others sitting on their desks. I froze in the aisle, looking intensely for a place where I could sit.

"Oh-oh! Another victim!" I heard someone said. There were some chuckles...I didn't really understand how that was funny.

Among the taken desk, I noticed a free place. I didn't even have time to take the seat before the mocking began again. "What's up, newbie? Such a grumpy face...are you afraid of us?"

The whole class began to laugh, their nasty giggles made me feel sick, but I could not show my weakness. I wanted to just let it go but..

"This is just how my face gets when I'm around people that look like you..." In response to my comment, someone laughed.

The tension dispersed. I still felt people glancing over at me, but the pressure was off for the moment. As soon as I say down on the desk, my desk neighbor stretched out her hand. "I'm Candy, nice to meet you! Well done, pulling that off on him. He likes to tease, so he deserves it."

"Miss baker's coming!" That annoying boy shouted to everyone. They all sat down, and the noise subsided.

The teacher came into the classroom. She stopped at her desk, looked at Candy, giving her a long inspectung look, and then slowly turned her eyes to me.

Her face flinched, she shook her head, looking around the room as if afraid, and then sat down.

"What's the matter with her?" I whispered quietly at Candy.

"Don't pay attention to that. She's...strange. Maybe she has a nervous tic or something. Miss Baker just arrived in town a week before you did, by the way.

******

(Present day)

"Actually, she arrived long before that." Candy said with a small laugh.

"Well, you told me so."

"I couldn't say that!"

Seeing this, Bobby decided to butt in. "What difference does it make? She lived for a long time in Saintfour, but she started to work as a teacher only a couple of weeks before that day."

"Yes, exactly!" Candy exclaimed happily that Bobby backed her up.

"Did we clear that up? Can I continue?"

*****

"Sarah, right?" Miss Baker asked me.

"Yes..."

"Welcome to Saintfour, Sarah..."

The teacher shook her head afain, dictated the assignment, and began to walk around the desks giving out papers. "The teachers were told to give each student some of this, so you can pass them on to your friend. If anyone's seen sam, they should contact Sheriff Nixon. Is everyone clear?"

"The who school is already plastered with them, but we are given a few more copies to take back home, as if that will help." Candy whispered to me.

"Psst, Derek! What's the news, by the way?" The annoying student asked a short boy.

"With what?"

"Nobody washed ashore, did your dad say anything?"

"God! You're such a jerk!" Candy, seemingly cannot take it anymore said to him.

The short boy looked a bit annoyed, but still answered: "He didn't say anything, and that none of your business.

"How is it not? We all live here?"

I also got slightly curious and asked: "How did this guy disappear?"

I turned to Candy, but from the next roll up, Derek interjected. "Don't pay it any mind. It's just an isolated case—first of its kind in Saintfour."

"First of its kind what?"

Derek fell silent. Candy squirmed a bit on her chair. I looked around and noticed everyone whispering. I felt an odd feeling that something was being omitted for my benefit... something was obviously bothering everyone , and that made me uneasy.

"He disappeared a couple of days ago, when..." Candy started but she was stopped by the teacher's voice: Sarah, Candy, did you finish the assignment?"

I obviously have not but I decided to lie. "Yes."

"If so, don't distract the rest of the students...And I'll be calling you first.."