Taming the Darkness

by Sarah Carter

  “Shut up, Kayla,” the guy retorts. “We can’t all be super geniuses.”

  “Obviously,” a deep voice says from the front of the room. Everyone looks at Jackson. He snidely remarks, “It was an astute observation that I am not of Chinese descent. I have no idea how you figured that out so quickly.”

  Kayla snorts and laughs at the same time. The guy turns his gaze to her. She is taken aback because of the annoyed look he gives her. Shocked, Kayla stares back at him.

  “Jackson, you can sit in the empty seat next to Miss Hendrickson,” her teacher says, pointing to the desk next to Kayla.

  Jackson walks over and drops into the chair. He puts his backpack down and leans back. Kayla watches him out of the corner of her eye and sees him look at her. She starts scribbling in her notebook, acting like she wasn’t paying him any attention.

  When the bell rings, Jackson nearly sprints out of the classroom. Kayla shakes her head and follows everyone out the door. She throws her cup into the garbage on her way to Honors World History.

  When Kayla arrives, she frowns at the sight of Jackson taking the seat behind hers. Standing in the doorway, she tries to think of what to do before finally deciding to be the diplomat. With her head held high, she crosses the room and sits in her seat.

  Turning around, she says, “Hi, I’m Kayla. I wanted to introduce myself and apologize for earlier. I swear I’m not a bitch.”

  “I wouldn't care if you were,” Jackson replies with a dead stare.

  Kayla opens her mouth and then shuts it. After a second, she says, “I wanted to at least say I’m sorry.”

  “Okay,” Jackson sighs with a rather blasé attitude.

  “Yeah, anyway, I thought maybe you’d want to talk to someone with IQ points higher than a caveman’s.”

  Jackson stares at her. “What if I like talking to people from prehistoric eras?”

  “Then you’ll fit in well here.”

  Jackson snorts. They sit in silence, just kind of staring at each other. Kayla feels uneasy because she senses him studying her. Finally, Jackson says, “You aren’t what I expected.”

  “What?” Kayla asks, confused.

  Jackson shakes his head like he’s trying to redirect his thoughts. “As a student at this school, you aren’t what I expected.”

  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

  Withholding emotion, he murmurs, “I don’t know yet.”

  The bell rings, forcing Kayla to turn around. Her teacher claps his hands to get everyone’s attention. “Today, class, we continue our study of East Asia, specifically Japan. Did everyone do their homework?” Grumbling erupts around the room. The teacher sighs and then looks at Kayla. “I bet you did your homework, Miss Hendrickson.”

  “Of course,” Kayla chirps back. Behind her, Jackson gives an audible snort. She slowly turns and looks at him. He matches her intense stare. Annoyed, she turns back to her teacher. “Yes, Mr. Finley, I did the homework.”

  “Good, then can you tell me when the first inhabitants occupied that island area?”

  Smiling, Kayla answers, “20,000 B.C.”

  “Actually,” Jackson says, “It was 30,000 B.C.”

  “Very good, Mr. Blakely,” the teacher responds. “Now, what was the first written history of the Japanese people?”

  Kayla is about to answer, but Jackson says, “The Book of Han,” before Kayla can open her mouth.

  “Mr. Blakely, you seem very knowledgeable. Did you read the assignment?” the teacher asks.

  “No, he lived in China,” Kayla declares sharply.

  Mr. Finley nods his head. “Then maybe you can give us more information on the history of the Eastern Asian countries as we go along.” With a smile, he starts his lecture.

  Startled, Kayla jumps when she hears, “I knew all that stuff before I moved to China,” whispered behind her. She glances over her shoulder at Jackson. He relaxes in his chair and smirks. For some reason, that one action rubs Kayla the wrong way. Returning her focus to the front of the classroom, she crosses her arms and pays attention to Mr. Finley, though she swears she can feel Jackson staring at the back of her head the entire time.

  When the bell rings, Kayla grabs her stuff and practically runs out of the room. She has calculus next and needs to prepare for the big test. When she arrives, she takes her seat and grabs her notes for one last look. Kayla tries to concentrate, but Jackson keeps popping up in her head. Grumbling, she is relieved when class starts and he doesn’t show up. The hour flies by, and Kayla breezes through the test.

  After class, she blissfully walks to her locker where she finds Tracy waiting for her. When Kayla is finally within ear shot, Tracy exclaims, “Oh my gosh! Have you seen the new guy?”

  “Yeah,” Kayla mumbles. “He's in my first two classes and sits by me. His name is Jackson.”

  “Dude, he’s hot!”

  Kayla rolls her eyes. “I guess.”

  “I guess? There is no guessing. He’s hot.”

  “Aren’t you interested in Bradley right now?”

  “Well, yeah, but I can still admire other guys. So what’s he like?”

  “I don’t know,” Kayla exhales. “I can’t say yet.”

  Tracy leans against the lockers. “Have you talked to him?”

  “Yeah, he’s kind of cold.”

  “Whatever you say. He was just in advanced calculus and corrected Mr. Smith.”

  With a tug, Kayla opens her locker. “He’s in advanced calc? Good for him.”

  “Hey, he’s an intelligent and attractive guy. Maybe I shouldn’t be the one curious about him,” Tracy quips as she playfully elbows her. Kayla shoves her books in her locker and ignores her friend.

  “Watch out, here comes Jude,” Tracy whispers.

  Kayla stiffens and closes her eyes. She shuts her locker door and turns around to watch Jude approach her.

  “Good morning, Kayla,” Jude says.

  “What not-so-charming platitude do you have to bore me with today?” she asks.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Jude replies with a cocky attitude and an evil smirk.

  Kayla crosses her arms. “What do you want?”

  “I heard you got corrected in class today. That doesn’t happen very often, huh? Maybe the smartest girl in school really isn’t that smart.”

  Narrowing her eyes, Kayla says, “I never said I was perfect.”

  “That’s obvious.”

  “Why don’t you go jump off a bridge?” Kayla suggests with a smile.

  Jude smirks. “That would make you happy, wouldn’t it?”

  “Do you know what would make me happy? Kicking you between the legs.”

  “If you really want to get him, take the inside of your shoe and shove it down his shin. You have hard soles on; it’ll leave a mark.” Kayla turns toward the voice to see Jackson standing behind her. “And if you are going to kick him between the legs, do it from behind him, that hurts more, but it may also keep him from reproducing.” He shifts his eyes to Jude. “Not that that doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

  Tracy laughs. Kayla can’t even move her lips.

  “Dude,” Jude says. “Who in the hell do you think you are?”

  “Your worst nightmare if you aren’t careful,” Jackson replies. He glares at Jude for a second and then brushes past him, but not before shoving him into the lockers with his shoulder.

  “That was awesome!” Tracy exclaims as she laughs harder.

  Jude growls. “I’m surprised to see a guy defend you. I didn’t even think you liked guys.”

  “I like guys,” Kayla retorts. “Just not pigheaded losers with small…minds.” Tracy doubles over laughing as a large smile spreads across Kayla’s face.

  “Whatever,” Jude spits out before storming away.

  Tracy steps in front of Kayla. “Whatever you said to the new guy must have left an impression.”

  “I guess,” Kayla whispers, staring down the hall where Jackson disappeared into the crowd,
confused by why he stood up for her.

  The girls look for Jackson in the cafeteria at noon, but they don’t see him. Tracy can’t keep quiet and immediately tells their friends what happened with Jude. Kayla is lost in her thoughts and eats her lunch quietly. She can’t seem to get Jackson off her mind, and everyone talking about him isn’t helping.

  Her next two classes pass without incident, and she totally forgets about the new guy. Finally, she heads off to last period, creative writing. Kayla takes her seat by the windows. She fishes out her notebook and sighs. Writing just isn’t her thing. She always feels like her ideas are way too out there and weird, and Kayla doesn’t want to be judged.

  When someone sits in front of her, she looks up and then straightens in her chair. Kayla instantly recognizes the figure. “Jackson,” she barely breathes out.

  Jackson slowly turns in his seat and looks at her. “Yes?”

  Totally embarrassed, Kayla’s eyes widen. “Nothing, sorry…I sometimes blurt things out.”

  “That could make for some interesting situations. Do you like to just yell things out, like, Tourette’s style?”

  Kayla’s jaw drops. “No!”

  He gets a devilish grin on his face. “Wow, I didn’t think someone could get that red.”

  Kayla slaps her hands over her face. “Shut up.”

  “You blush really easily. Why are you so embarrassed? I thought you were stronger than that.”

  “Why would you think I was strong?”

  Shrugging, Jackson gives her a stone expression. “By the way you spoke to Jude, but maybe I’m wrong.”

  She studies him for a second. “Why did you stand up for me?”

  “Is that what I did?” he replies with almost no feeling.

  “That’s what it seemed like.”

  Jackson shrugs again. “If you’re going to hurt someone, you may as well do it effectively.”

  “That guy is an idiot. Total jerk.”

  “So am I, most of the time.”

  “You don’t seem to be.”

  The corner of Jackson’s mouth turns up. “Oh, just wait.”

  “I’m sure you’re still familiarizing yourself with everything, so if you need anything, just ask.”

  The smirk on Jackson’s face disappears. “I think I’ll pass.”

  Kayla is so shocked by his attitude that she can’t form a reply before Jackson turns back around. She stares at the back of his head with her mouth gaping open. The rest of class goes by without any more interaction with him, but Kayla can’t get past his rudeness.

  After class, Kayla finds Tracy and says, “Let’s get out of here.”

  “Oh my God.” Tracy giggles. “I told everyone about Jackson.”

  “I don’t think you should talk about him,” Kayla whispers harshly. “He’s kind of a jerk, and I don’t think he would like it.”

  Tracy raises her eyebrows. “Did he talk to you again?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to talk about it. He’s just…I don’t know…kind of mean.”

  “Still hot in my book,” Tracy sighs as she opens the door for her friend.

  When they get back to Kayla’s house, Kayla asks, “Are you coming in?”

  “Sure, for a few minutes.”

  They go inside and Kayla yells, “Mom? Dad?”

  No one answers. Tracy inquires, “Are they off hiking again?”

  “Probably. I swear, that’s all they do and then they come back a mess. I don’t even want to know what they do out there.”

  “Ewww, gross.”

  Kayla shoves her hands out. “Sometimes they come back practically covered in dirt. It’s weird!”

  “Okay, let’s stop talking about that before I puke on your floor.”

  “Do you want a soda?”

  “Sure.”

  Kayla opens the fridge, but doesn’t see any soda. “I have to get some from downstairs.”

  “I’ll come with,” Tracy says, following Kayla down the basement steps. When they pass the basement side room, Tracy stops. “I swear your parents are growing drugs.”

  “Those aren’t pot plants, Tracy. They’re herbs.”

  Tracy points to all the plants. “Kayla, I’ve never seen those plants before.”

  “Yeah, that’s because it’s a rare plant from somewhere in China. Supposedly, it’s not even allowed in the U.S.”

  “Breaking the law.” Tracy laughs. “It’s probably a drug, Kayla.”

  Rolling her eyes, Kayla says, “My parents have been putting it on our food every day since I was a kid.”

  “What does it taste like?”

  “I don’t know. Good. It doesn’t taste like anything I can compare it to.”

  Tracy steps forward. “I want to try it.”

  “No!” Kayla yells. “My parents said it could have a really bad reaction in people, and it could be dangerous. That’s why it’s so rare. We don’t give it to anyone.”

  “And they gave it to you when you were a kid?”

  Kayla shrugs. “What can I say? My parents are weird.”

  “Yeah, I’m starting to think they are,” Tracy says with a laugh. “Let’s get some soda; I’m thirsty.”

  “Okay.”

  Tracy sighs. “I still think it’s a drug.”

  “Tracy!” Kayla exclaims, laughing.

  A couple of hours later, Kayla is at her computer doing her homework when she hears, “Kayla? Are you home?”

  “Yeah,” she yells toward her door.

  She hears footsteps coming up the stairs and then her mom appears at the door. “Hey, honey, we’re having company over for dinner.”

  “Okay,” Kayla mumbles, not really caring. “What are we eating?”

  “Lasagna. These are old friends of your father’s and mine.”

  “Whatever,” Kayla retorts, not paying her mom any attention. Kayla scans the computer screen in search of an excerpt for her paper.

  Her mom sighs. “Are you going to be able to pull yourself away from the computer?”

  “Homework, Mom. I’m working on a paper about Thailand.”

  “Okay, but I want you to at least meet them.”

  Kayla shrugs. “Okay.”

  “Kayla.”

  She turns around. “I’ll obviously meet your friends if we're eating dinner together.”

  “You can be difficult sometimes.”

  “I’m a teenager, Mom. It’s my job.”

  “Be down in an hour.”

  Kayla rolls her eyes. “I will.” When her mom walks away, Kayla turns back to her paper.

  Roughly an hour later, the doorbell rings. The sound is followed by voices. Kayla groans but continues her research. A few minutes later she hears, “Kayla!”

  “Coming,” she yells back. Happy about her work so far, she saves her paper and turns off her computer. Kayla runs down the stairs, and when she turns the corner, she smacks into someone. Looking up, she exclaims, “What in the hell.”

  Jackson towers over her. “I was looking for your bathroom.”

  “My bathroom? What are you doing in my house?”

  “My parents brought me here…for dinner,” he replies.

  Kayla shakes her head. “You’re the old friends of my parents?”

  “I’m not, but my parents are.” Narrowing his eyes, he asks, “You’ve really never heard of us?”

  “No. Why? Have you heard of us?”

  An odd look crosses Jackson’s face. “Yeah, actually, I know who you are.”

  Kayla gasps in shock. “Did you know earlier today?”

  “Maybe. Now, where is the bathroom, because I’m about to pee on your wall if I don’t find it.”

  She points around the corner. “It’s around there. Second door on your left.”

  “Thanks,” Jackson says, brushing past her.

  She stares at him until he turns the corner. She races to find her mom. Kayla finds her parents in the living room talking with another couple around their same age. “Oh good,” her mom says. “Kayla, th
is is Mr. and Mrs. Blakely.”

  “You can call me George, and this is my wife, Emma,” Mr. Blakely says.

  “Hi,” Kayla squeaks.

  Mrs. Blakely looks around. “Our son seems to have disappeared.”

  “Jackson, yeah, he’s in the bathroom.”

  “Did you meet?” Mr. Blakely asks.

  Trying not to snort, Kayla answers, “Yeah, we have three classes together.”

  “Oh, that’s good,” Mrs. Blakely states. “Jackson doesn’t know anyone here. We just moved here from China.”

  “Yeah, that’s what our teacher said.”

  Mrs. Blakely smiles. “I hope Jackson made a good impression.”

  “He made an impression, that’s for sure,” Kayla mumbles.

  “Let’s go sit down. Dinner is ready,” Kayla’s dad says. He gestures everyone into the dining room.

  Kayla takes a seat and puts her napkin on her lap. The adults start talking to each other and pouring wine into their glasses. It’s a wine that her mom makes. Kayla has always wanted to try it, but she hasn’t had the nerve to do it. She opens her soda instead and takes a sip as Jackson walks into the room. She stares at him as he sits in the seat across from her and places his napkin in his lap. Jackson moves his gaze to her and they lock eyes.

  After an extended silence, Mr. Blakely says, “I’m glad you two met. We weren’t sure if you guys would have any classes together.”

  “Yeah, we have sociology, world history, and creative writing together,” Kayla states nicely.

  “That will be good for Jackson,” Mrs. Blakely says. “His school was pretty tough in China. I hope the academy is comparable.”

  Kayla nods. “Our courses are designed to prepare us for college.”

  “Kayla is in the running for valedictorian,” her mom says proudly.

  “Really,” Jackson draws out.

  Kayla glares at him. “Yeah, as of right now, I have the highest GPA.”

  Jackson raises an eyebrow and says, “I see.”

  “Do you like it here so far?” Kayla’s dad asks.

  Turning to him, Jackson replies, “We’ve only been here for a week, so I can’t really say. It’s a lot different from where we lived before. I was born in the U.S., but we haven’t lived here since I was two.”

  “Where else have you lived?” Kayla asks.