by Bear Matthew
Grams pulled out a large dish from the fridge and placed it on top of the stove. She turned the oven on and placed it inside it. She turned and looked at Savannah who had taken a seat at the counter. “Things have changed; it’s just not too noticeable. Change happens every moment of our lives, but it doesn’t mean we have to change with it.” Grams said. “But we have to adapt.”
Wise, thought Savannah. “But if we don’t change with change then aren’t we just staying the same, and isn’t the same… boring.”
Grams smiled at Savannah and sat down next to her. “Honey, the same isn’t always boring. I have lived in this house for almost forty years. I have lived here with your grandfather, we raised your mother here, and now I am raising you and your brother here. Why would I want to change more than I already have?”
“I guess when you put it like that.” Savannah said with a smile.
“Now, would you like to help me with dinner?” Grams asked Savannah. “Like old times?”
Savannah had not thought much about how much she missed her Grams, but as she sits here with her, she knows just how much. “I would love too.”
“Good, now go wash your hands and grab an apron.” Grams told Savannah.
Savannah and Grams had dinner almost done when a familiar face walked in through the back door. It was George, Savannah’s not so little brother. “What’s this?” George asked when he saw Savannah and Grams cooking dinner just like normal.
Savannah turned to look at her little brother. He was taller than she is, with short blonde hair and his ears pierced. He had lost his baby fat and turned into a good-looking young man. He was only a year younger than Savannah but he did not look it. Savannah went over to him; her hands dirty, and reached her arms around him for a hug. “I’ve missed you.” She told him. He gave her a quick hug and stepped back for her to let go. He seemed upset.
“What is it?” Grams asked George, as he looked at both of them and was just steaming.
“You’re kidding right?” George said. “You think you can just leave for two years and then come back and act like there is nothing different, like you did not even leave. News flash you left, you can’t just go back.” He quickly left the kitchen and stomped his way up to his room where Savannah and Grams heard him slam his door.
“Sweetie he didn’t mean it. He’s just…” Grams said as she tried to find a word to describe George.
“It’s fine. He is right; I should not just act as if nothing is different. I left and I can’t just come in and change things for him.” Savannah said. She took off her apron and set it on the counter. “I’m sorry but I’m just gonna go to my room.”
“Savannah you don’t have to do that. It is okay; he is just upset and missed you. He’s a teenage boy with emotions it’s typical.” Grams said.
“Yeah typical” Savannah said as she left the kitchen and went to her room. Things had changed and so far, Savannah did not like it.
The next morning Savannah woke up to a blaring alarm clock. The catch was it was not even hers. She tried to cover her ears with a pillow but that was not working. She sat up; her hair all messed up. It was not her normal straight blonde hair but a frizzy mess. She got out of bed and opened her door. The noise was coming from George’s room. She found herself walking towards it. She opened his door and looked at his bed. It was empty. George was not even in it. She went and turned off his alarm clock and headed to the bathroom. George and Savannah shared a bathroom down the hall – while Grams had her own in the master bedroom. She turned the old antique door handle and opened the bathroom. It was also empty.
Savannah flipped the light switch on and rubbed her eyes. She turned to look in the mirror and saw what she could only classify as a monster. It freaked her out for a quick moment and in that split-second she blinked. She did not know what was happening and it happened so fast it was hard to tell anything happened at all. One moment she was staring at herself in the mirror and the next, she was not even in the bathroom. Then as that second ended, she was back in the bathroom. It was as if she moved, blinked and poof. She did not see anything when it happened, just black. She felt light headed and so she gripped onto the bathroom counter to hold on to as she caught up with her mind. It was a head rush. She looked at herself again and nothing changed.
What the hell was that?, Savannah wondered. It freaked her out more than her hair did. She went back to her room slowly and grabbed some clothes. It was nothing; she forced herself to say in her thoughts repeatedly. She then was dressed and headed down stairs.
Grams was already in the kitchen – ready for the day –cooking breakfast, when Savannah walked in. The room filled with some of the most delicious smells. She looked at the table in the corner and saw every type of breakfast food there was to eat. “What’s all this?” Savannah asked Grams as she grabbed a piece of bacon and took a bite.
“It’s the first day of school and so I thought I would do something special.” Grams told Savannah. “Where’s George?”
“What do you mean?” Savannah asked as she piled food onto a plate.
“Is he almost done getting ready?” Grams wondered.
Savannah gave her a confused stare, “He’s not upstairs. I figured he got up early and went to school to avoid me.” She told Grams.
“He didn’t leave this house this morning.” Grams said. Savannah and Grams began to worry.
“Maybe he was just super quiet?” Savannah said.
“Not possible. I was sitting in the family room before I started breakfast and I did not see or hear anything. Not a peep.”
Grams began to worry. She sat down at the table next to Savannah and waited for something to happen. Savannah was not sure what he was doing or where he was but she was not worried. He probably just snuck out and has not come back home. Savannah did it all the time to meet up with the girls. They would sneak out and meet up at the twenty-four hour diner in town. They would order milkshakes and just talk. It was a rush to them, something to make them feel dangerous. It was probably just the same thing for George, but he did it for a girl.
The house was suspiciously quiet when they heard a loud thump upstairs. Grams and Savannah went upstairs to check it out and of course, Savannah took her bacon with her. It was delicious and her dad did not cook like this. Grams rushed into George’s room and saw him getting up from the floor, still wearing the clothes from last night.
“And what do you think you are doing young man?” Grams asked George. Her mean face was out or it was her worried face, Savannah could not really tell the difference.
“I just was, um… getting ready for school.” George said. Nice lie, thought Savannah.
“You are still wearing the same clothes as last night.” Grams said.
“Um… well I…” George could not even come up with a good excuse. Such amateur, Savannah thought.
“Don’t lie to me again young man.” Grams told him.
“Fine, you want to know where I was. I was out with friends. I was planning to get back before you got up or you noticed I was gone.” George said. It sounded like the truth because he was pissed off as he told Grams. “But let me guess, Savi went and told you I wasn’t in my room.”
“Don’t go and put the blame on your sister. She wasn’t the one who snuck out to meet friends all night.”
“That’s because she doesn’t have any. Her friends moved on, just as she did. So do not go and blame me for having a good time. I am back before school, safe, and sound. What’s the big deal?” George said.
“The big deal is that you’re grounded for one week. You will go from here, to school, and practice, that is it. In addition, give me your phone and computer. You are not allowed them back until your ungrounded.” Grams said as she took his phone and computer. “You never acted like this before. So if this is how you’re gonna act then I don’t like it.”
Grams stormed out of the room, passed Savannah who was standing in the doorway. George was angry. He looked at Savannah and said, “What’
s your problem?”
“Nothing, just wanted to let you know that there was breakfast downstairs. The bacon’s really good.” Savannah told him as she went back downstairs.
She reached the bottom of the stairs when the doorbell rang. “I got it.” Savannah said as she walked over to the front door. She opened it and standing on the front porch was an old friend, Parker Kim to be exact.
“Parker” Savannah said. She was surprised to see her old best friend at her house. Parker stood there, looking the same. She had her shoulder length brown hair, skinny body, and she looked great.
Parker looked at Savannah and gave her a big smile. She was not as surprised to see Savannah as Savannah was to see her. They hugged. “Savi, wow you look great.” Parker said.
They stopped hugging, “What, how did you know I was back?” Savannah asked Parker. That was a good question.
“I didn’t.” Parker said. It sounded like a lie but Savannah did not care. She was glad to see Parker. “I was actually coming by to… I guess I don’t remember now.”
Savannah smiled, “It’s great to see you. It’s been forever.”
“Two years last week.” Parker said.
Savannah remembered. The day still haunted her dreams and was the cause of most of her nightmares. Seeing Hayley lying there with blood all over the floor, she could not get that image out of her head. “Would you like to come in?” Savannah asked Parker.
“Yeah I’d love to.” Parker said as she stepped into the house. It felt the same for her as it did for Savannah. This house held so many memories of Hayley and all their friendships. She looked around; it had been two years since she had been here. Once Savannah moved, it did not seem okay to come by and hang out anymore. “So what are you doing back?”
“I moved back, yesterday actually.” Savannah told Parker. They walked to the middle of the house. It was weird for both of them to be here with each other.
“Really, you should have called. It would’ve been great to hear from you.” Parker told Savannah.
“I just figured since we hadn’t talked in two years that it would be weird to start now.” Savannah said. Just saying it sounded stupid. They had once been closer than sister, best friends forever they had said. Now they just felt like old acquaintances.
“Yeah I guess it would’ve been.” Parker said.
Grams came out of the kitchen looking for Savannah, “Savannah who was at the…” she saw Parker, “door”. She gave Parker a warm welcome smile and said, “I haven’t seen you in a while.” Parker and Grams hugged. Grams had been like all of the girl’s very own grandmother. They called her Grams and it felt right.
“Mrs. Turner, it’s great to see you.” Parker said.
“Oh honey you know you call me Grams.” Grams told her. Parker’s face lit up a bit. She had missed this.
“Grams, I’ve missed you.” Parker said. Savannah stood there, watching them and realizing she had too missed this. At least if she had to be back why it then could not be more like old times.
“We’ve missed you around here too.” Grams said. “You can stop by at anytime; I would love to see you.”
“I just might do that.” Parker told her.
“Would you like breakfast? I made a ton of food. Please come in and have some.” Grams invited her.
“I would love to but I really should be getting to school. I have to walk.” Parker said.
“Well I can drive you in, with Savannah.” Grams offered.
“Actually maybe I’ll just walk in with Parker.” Savannah said.
“That would be great.” Parker said. “I could use the company and this way we catch up.”
“Okay well you two have a nice walk.” Grams gave Savannah a hug and Parker one too.
Savannah and Parker headed for the front door and out they went.
Chapter 3-
“Let’s go gladiators, let’s go!” shouted all the girls – and the two males – on the Charm Harbor High cheer squad. They were in formation and began to perform their newest routine. Throughout the pack of cheerleaders, one sticks out. That would be Faye Duncan, It was not because of her half Native American heritage or because she was strikingly beautiful, but because she made her way to the top of the pyramid. She was on top and nothing was going to take her down.
She shouted out, “We are the gladiators we got this.” She stood on one foot and put her hand into a fist into the air. This was natural for her. She put her hand down and jumped backwards into a back flip. The job of catching her was Gavin and Mikes. They were the only two male cheerleaders on the team and that was enough of a qualification to catch the captain of the squad and, that is what they did. She bounced back out of their strong muscular arms and on to the ground. The other girls made their way down as well. They finished the routine with another cheer, “Let’s win, let’s fight, let’s kick their butts, because we are what?” some of the girls shouted.
The other half of the girls shouted, “Gladiators!”
Faye Duncan looked nothing like the Faye everyone in town once knew and loved. Her hair was long and wavy now, she had lost all the extra weight that Hayley had told her countless of times to lose, and became the girl in school known as the “queen bee”. It came with its own set of challenges though. She had not eaten a bad carb in a year, had not stopped working out either. She was the new and transformed Faye Duncan.
“Nice job Faye” the girls began to tell her. Coach Burton came up to the girls. She was a tiny woman with a whole head of blonde curly hair.
“Okay girls let’s go ahead and take a five.” Coach told them. Faye went over to the bench with her water bottle on it and took down a swig. “Faye, can I talk to you for a minute.”
“Sure,” Faye told coach.
“You did great up there.” Coach said.
“Thanks coach.” Faye said. “Is that it?”
“No actually I have decided for the next cheer to have Alyssa be on top.” Coach said. The words came out of her mouth but Faye was not fully taking them in.
“I’m sorry what?”
“I know you might not like it but I want to see Alyssa up there.”
“But coach that is… ridiculous. Who even is Alyssa?” Faye said.
“Alyssa, please come here.” Coach called over a new freshman who Faye thought about crushing with her long legs. “This is Alyssa. I want to see her up there.”
“That is… bullshit. I have worked my ass off to be on top. I’m not going to just let you or anyone take it away.” Faye shouted. The girls began to take notice.
“Don’t speak to me like that Faye. I understand you have worked hard, but I am coach and it is my final say on who goes up on top. Today Alyssa is going on top. End of story.” Coach said. “You may sit on the bench.”
Faye was fuming. She was so pissed. The girls began to huddle around coach as she told her. Some seemed shocked; others – Faye’s haters – did not mind it. Faye took a seat on the bench watching as her own squad was being ripped from her hands. All Faye could think about was how bad she wanted the girl to get off her spot.
Just fall, Faye thought. She stared at the girl as they lifted her up to the top. This was Faye’s demise.
Faye just stared at the girl, all her anger reaching a boiling point in her body and suddenly there went the girl. What should have been a simple back flip down to the guys was anything but. Faye watched as Alyssa somehow flew from the top of the pyramid to down the field. It was as if a gust of wind had just taken her. However, something in Faye knew it was her, she just knew it.
I just did that, Faye thought to herself. How?
The entire team gasped so loud it caused the football team practicing down field to take notice. Some of the girl’s began to scream as they all ran down to Alyssa. Faye just sat there, motionless, speechless, and freaked out.
“Someone call for help!” Coach shouted to the girls. They ran back towards the bench to grab their cells.
One of the girls coming back towards Faye
was Sam Mouson. She was one of Faye’s best friends and fellow ruler of Charm Harbor High. Everyone called her one of her minions. “Did you see what just happened?” Sam asked Faye.
Faye turned to look at Sam. She was a kind of short, with brown hair and a small little nose. For the first time since they had become friends in freshman biology class Faye could see why Hayley would call her “mousey”. It caused her to chuckle a little, easing the tension she was feeling. “I saw it. It looked like wind took her.” Faye lied. She was not about to tell her that it was caused by her mind or by magic.
“I can’t believe it.” Sam said. She grabbed her phone and went running back to everyone. By now football players and their coaches surrounded them.
Faye got up and instead of heading to them to see if Alyssa was okay, she went to the locker room. She hated this, this emotion of feeling like a freak. She had felt like a freak most of her life, but in the last two years she had only felt this way once in a while. Moments like this caused it. They seemed like freak accidents; a rival of her football player boyfriend fell on the field during a game letting her boyfriend get a touchdown, the light turning green when she waited in traffic – not that Charm Harbor had that much traffic – and when she wanted other flirty girls to get away from her boyfriend. They all had one common denominator besides Faye herself, it always happened when she was mad.
Faye stormed into the empty locker room, which smelt like sweat and perfume. Everybody used the same girl’s locker room in school. Faye stood there in the middle, steaming from her anger of feeling like a freak. She just wanted to feel normal again. She went over to her locked locker and tried opening it. She could not concentrate on her combination. She grabbed on the lock and just pulled but nothing. Why did I lock my locker?, Faye wondered. She stared at the lock and somehow it opened. Just popped up, unlocking.
“What the hell is going on?” Faye said to herself in an empty locker room. She took a seat on the concrete benches and placed her head in her hands. She hated this. She just wanted it over.
