Ivory's Pov
I felt sick to the stomach, soon as I walked out of the airport, this was the last place I wanted to be. In the eastern end of Grays Harbor of Washington State. A small town named Aberdeen Reservoir exists under a near-constant cover of clouds. It rains on this inconsequential town more than any other place in the United States of America.
It irked me how my mother decided it was best for us to moved to her hometown. But was it?
Since Dad just up and left, she wanted nothing more than to get away from the city.
She didn't even asked if I was okay with it.
"Let's start anew." she said then the next thing I knew I was packing up my whole life.
Aberdeen Reservoir was beautiful, of course; I couldn't deny that. Everything was green: the trees, their trunks were covered with moss. Their branches hanging with a canopy of it, the ground covered with ferns. Even the air filtered down greenly through the leaves.
It was too green—an alien planet.
Aberdeen Reservior was a small town with the population of sixteen thousands people. And everyone seemed to know one another and that was exactly what I hated. I knew it was mandatory for people to gossip, but I don't want my life to become an open book.
The last time I'd been here was when grandpa had died, and I was ten years old.
Eventually, we made it to the house. The car came to a halt at a single-story bungalow set within a lawned garden.
"What do you think?" My mother asked excitedly, as she existed the vehicle.
"It's beautiful."
"Wow! I love our new house!" Nikki exclaimed.
Nikki was my six year old brother and the only one who seemed excited about living here.
"Let's go inside," She urged as she walked up to the front porch.
Lifting my duffle bag and box I strolled up the front porch while my mother unlocked the entrance door.
Everything was so modern.
The house had four bedrooms, three bathrooms, living room, and kitchen. With a porch and a open parking space. There was two bedrooms upstairs and mom had called dips to one leaving the other.
As expected the room was spacious than the ones on the lower floor. The walls were painted a soothing shade of light blue, providing coolness to the room. A lavender rug was rested on the wooden floor. Pink laced curtains were around the windows and a desk was stationed in the room with a computer. The room also had a white mini bookshelf, a white dresser drawer, and a closet.
It was nice to be alone, not to have to
smile and look pleased. A relief to stare out the window at the sheeting rain and let just a few tears escape. I wasn't in the mood to go on a real crying jag. I would save that for bedtime, when I would have to think about the coming morning.
would be the new girl from the big city, a curiosity, a freak.
Left with no choice I began to unpack. Maybe, if I looked like a girl from New Orleans should, I could work this to my advantage. But physically, I'd never fit in anywhere. I should be tan, sporty, blonde — a volleyball player, or a cheerleader. Perhaps — all the things that go with living in the valley of the sun.
Instead, I was ivory-skinned. Without even the excuse of blue eyes, despite the constant sunshine. I had always been slender, but soft somehow, not an athlete. I didn't have the necessary hand-eye coordination to play sports without humiliating myself. And harming both myself and anyone else who stood too close.
Reaching for my bag I took my toiletries and headed to the adjoin bathroom. After a well needed shower I looked at my face in the mirror as I brushed through my tangled, damp hair. Maybe it was the light, but already I looked sallower, unhealthy.
My skin could be pretty — it was very clear, almost translucent looking, but it all depends on color, I had no color here. Facing my pale reflection in the mirror, I was forced to admit that I was lying to myself. It wasn't just physically that I'd never fit in.
I didn't relate well to people my age. Maybe the truth was that I didn't relate well to people, period. Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things that the rest of the world was seeing. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain.
As if on cue, the moment I was done with unpacking was the same time my mom called me down for dinner.
It was late already making this our last meal for the day and as usual, mom had cooked a feast. All the food on the long rectangular table was healthy-looking. Not to mention mouth watering.
"This looks beautiful, mom." I complimented as I pulled out a seat and sat down.
"It taste delicious." Nikki mumbled as he loaded his mouth with spaghetti and meatballs.
"Thanks, you guys. I'm glad you like it." She smiled before raffling Nikki's hair.
Nikki was a replica of our mom, who was a beautiful petite brunette with warm blue eyes. I on the other hand had long reddish brown hair, brown eyes and full lips.
"May I be excused?" I asked.
"But you haven't even touch your dinner." Mom frowned.
"I'm not hungry." I murmured.
"But you hadn't eaten since we arrived in Aberdeen. Are you okay?" Mom asked with a concern expression.
"I'm fine." I answered but I wasn't, how could I? I wanted to screamed at her for being so selfish but instead I smiled. "I'm just tired."
"Okay. Goodnight, sweetie." Mom smiled.
"Goodnight." Nikki said, taking a sip from his juice.
"Goodnight." I mumbled, rising from my seat.
Upon entering my room I closed the door as my lip began quivering and the tears threatened to spill. Biting down on my lip I flopped down on my bed as the tears silently rolled down my cheeks.
***
I didn't sleep well that night, even after I was done crying. The constant whooshing of the rain and wind across the roof wouldn't fade into the background. I pulled the faded old quilt over my head, and later added the pillow, too. But I couldn't fall asleep until after midnight. When the rain finally settled into a quieter drizzle.
Thick fog was all I could see out my window in the morning, and I could feel the claustrophobia creeping up on me. You could never see the sky here; it was like a cage.
"Good morning," I greeted soon as I entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, how did you sleep?" Mom asked, handing me a cup of coffee.
"Fine." I lied, taking a sip of the warm liquid just then Nikki entered the kitchen.
"Good morning." He grinned.
"Good morning, bud. How'd you sleep?" Mom asked, handing him his breakfast.
"Great!" He answered with much enthusiasm.
We spent our breakfast taking about our new school.
"Aberdeen Reservoir is going to be a great experience for you guys." Mom gushed.
I didn't want to be too early to school, but I couldn't stay in the house anymore.
"I don't want to be late for my first day." I told mom as I stood to my feet.
"But go get your bag." Mom urged Nikki with a smile before she turned to look at me, her lip was in a thin line.
Ignoring her I reached for my jacket — which had the feel of a biohazard suit — and headed out into the rain.
It was just drizzling still, not enough to soak me through. The sloshing of my new waterproof boots was unnerving. I missed the normal crunch of gravel as I walked. I couldn't pause and admire the surrounding as I wanted. I was in a hurry to get out of the misty wet that swirled around my head and clung to my hair under my hood.
The school wasn't difficult to find, seeing that this was the school mom had went. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Aberdeen High School. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first.
Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically.
Where were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors?
"Have a great day." Mom encouraged.
"Thanks." I smiled as I climbed out of the car and headed to the administration office.
Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs. Orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls. With a big clock ticking loudly.
Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots. As if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers.
There were three desks behind the counter. One of which was manned by a large, dark-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a yellow t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed.
The dark-haired woman looked up. "Can I help you?"
"I'm Ivory Quinn." I informed her and saw the immediate awareness light her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. The Nurse had finally returned home with her children.
"Of course." She said as she dug through a stacked pile of documents, till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school." She brought several sheets to the counter.
She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map. And gave me a slip to have each teacher sign which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped, like Zoey, that I would like it here in Aberdeen. I smiled back as convincingly as I could.
I kept my face pulled back into my hood as I walked through the corridor, crowded with teenagers. My plain black jacket didn't stand out, I noticed with relief.
I felt my breathing gradually creeping toward hyperventilation as I approached the door. I tried holding my breath as I followed two unisex raincoats through the door.
The classroom was small. The people in front of me stopped just inside the door to hang up their coats on a long row of hooks. I copied them. They were two girls, one a porcelain-colored blonde, the other also pale, with light brown hair. At least my skin wouldn't be a standout here.
I took the slip up to the teacher, a tall, balding man whose desk had a nameplate identifying him as Mr. Green. He gawked at me when he saw my name—not an encouraging response—and of course, I flushed tomato red.
But at least he sent me to an empty desk at the back without introducing me to the class. It was harder for my new classmates to stare at me in the back, but somehow, they managed. I kept my eyes down on the reading list the teacher had given me. It was fairly basic: Bronte, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Faulkner.
I'd already read everything. That was comforting… and boring. I wondered about my Dad while the teacher droned on.
When the bell rang, a nasal buzzing sound, a boy with his hair black as an oil slick leaned across the aisle to talk to me.
"You're Ivory Quinn, aren't you?" He looked like the overly helpful, chess club type.
"Yes." I answered, everyone within a three-seat radius turned to look at me.
"Where's your next class?" He asked.
I had to check in my bag. "Um, History, with Anderson, in building four."
There was nowhere to look without meeting curious eyes.
"I'm headed toward building six, I could show you the way…" Definitely over-helpful. "I'm Luke," he added.
I smiled tentatively. "Thanks."
We got our jackets and headed out into the rain, which had picked up. I could have sworn several people behind us were walking close enough to eavesdrop. I hoped I wasn't getting paranoid.
when I bumped into a wall. The force of the unexpected collision made me unstable that I tripped. Almost falling to the ground had the wall not caught her at the waist.
And the moment our eyes met, it felt as if time as stopped for a mere second.
His eyes were silvery gray, akin to the bright moon, they were full of life as if many stars were swirling within them. Then there were his lashes... They were so indecently long for a man. His lips, his nose, his jaw... Every single part of him made me speechless.