Chapter 5

        It was another two uneventful days after the bonfire that I finally registered in the community high school, East WhiSare. The snow storm had swept in unannounced yesterday morning, making school or any other outdoor activity nearly impossible. After a breakfast of piping hot chocolate and mom's deliciously buttered toast, I laced my boots and put on another sweater ready for school. The doorbell rang downstairs and moments later I heard voices. Mom's and Cara Evan's.

Talking to Cara yesterday was a lot to handle. She's like a living paradox. Shy, one moment, outspoken the next, especially when she spoke against Sam and her friends. The most amusing of all is how red her face became every time our hands brush even the slightest. She is attractive and all but my mind's made up, to avoid the same mistake I made with Camille I need to keep my raging hormones under control. I know it's not the same thing but this is a new start for me, I am walking on eggshells here. 

"I'll call him, sweetie," I heard mom say.

Her footsteps echoed softly, stopping in front of my door and she knocked softly.

"Come in, mom."

She pushed the door open an inch, hovering behind the small opening as though allowing me a few moments of privacy. When she convinced herself it was safe to enter she came in.

"Cara is here now, are you ready?".

Mom sat on my bed and pulled my bag towards her to fiddle with the straps. I notice it's something she does when she's nervous and I know she is nervous about my reaction to school. For some reason I could not fathom mom was very worried that I might be displeased with WhiSare or something and just pack up and leave. I get it, I'm the son of Jackson Hunter, one of the richest men out there but she's my mom and home is wherever is she.

As I slipped the last button of my sweater in place mom held my bag up. The motherly action made me laugh.

"I feel like a fucking 7-year-old".

Mom raised a brow at me. "I never got the chance to take care of you like a 'fucking'  7-year-old because you were taken away from me so you will have to deal with my fusing over you now. Who knows I might even try feeding you someday."

I laughed. It was amazing how close mom and I got over four days and not even dad's frequent calls could dampen the joy of having my mother fuse over my hair, my health, and my well-being in general. It was a feeling I loved and something I could get used to.

She smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. Then she glanced down and her eyes fell on the keys a few inches from where she sat. She looked up at me.

"What are you doing with my keys?"

I reached down to pick up the keys and in one swift movement, she did the same and grabbed the keys before me.

"Shawn, Jackson wants you to use the car in the drive and the last thing I want right now is him sending a troop to know if you are using that car or not".

"But mom..." I started. Dad can be so intrusive at times.

"But nothing Shawn. Look Cara is waiting downstairs and you do not want to be late on your first day of school so no arguments, just go down there and use your car, okay? Some other time I will let you use mine," she said in a firm voice that brook no argument.

She stood up and moved towards the door. I swung my bag over my shoulders and followed her.

"I thought you didn't care about anything dad says or does,"  I muttered under my breath.

She chuckled "If that's an attempt to change my mind you're failing miserably".

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It was worth the try. Still, I will have to deal with standing out and riding a brand new car to school in addition to being the new kid.

We got downstairs and I picked up my Eastern Whisare application letter from the table. Cara was sitting on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. Her fingers were buried under a single layer of sweater. Most of the people didn't care much about the cold as they went about with thin sweaters and Cara probably wasn't feeling the shock of the cold with as much intensity as I was.

She looked up and very predictably turned as red as her sweater. I kissed mom on the cheek and told Cara I was ready to leave. She stood up and handed mom the empty cup of chocolate.

"Before you go," mom called out hastily as Cara and I started making our way towards the door. She hurried to the kitchen and came back with two wrapped foils. The aroma of heated pie wafted from them. "School lets out a little late here and lunch is terrible at the cafeteria." She pressed the foils into both our hands and reached up to kiss my cheek.

Back at San Frease, dad's influence made admissions easy for me at top schools.

The idea of having a full belly, a nervous-wrecked mind and sweaty, or frozen palms, while seating in front of some administrator on my own was terrifying so I tried returning the pie to her. But she wasn't having it.

"I'm good, mom," I said to her when she became persistent. With a chiding brow, she closed my fingers over the pie and waved me off.

"Have a great time at school," she gave Cara a meaningful look. "And be careful."

Cara and I got out and she started heading towards mom's van.

"We are taking this one, Cara," I told her indicating the SUV with my finger. She nodded briskly and started to open the back door.

 "You can seat in front with me, Cara, I don't bite." 

 She laughed and opened the door to the front passenger side. 

Weird and quirky. It's cute. Too cute.

She almost stumbled at the foot of the car and held the door support with an embarrassed laugh. I waited for her to get her bearing before getting into the car and turning on the heater on full blast, almost sighing in relief when the warmth seeped into my bones. 

  Mom waved at us and mouthed 'Be good'.

  As I backed out of the drive I turned on the GPS and noticed immediately the poor signal. Cara provided directions to school.  Though the roads were covered in ice, new my tires were new so I had no trouble maneuvering the car through twists and turns.

With my eyes trained on the road, I thought about mom's warning and the pointed look she gave Cara before we left. No doubt it has something to do with the missing Tessa. The news on the radio confirmed that. The presenter was announcing again for anyone with a clue to her whereabouts. I thought about asking Cara about it but changed my mind. Besides pointing out the roads she wasn't paying any attention to the radio, she was more focused on her notes and the assignments she had missed.

A few minutes later we arrived at school. East WhiSare high was nothing like the private schools at San Frease. The buildings were unforgiving white and gray structures arranged in a half square and there were a lot of trees covered in ice behind each block. A hedge ran from one side of the half square to the other, needle-sized leaves grew on almost bare decorative plants. A flower or two opened to the cold air. In front of this was a black tarred road covered with melting snow that led to the car park.

  A lone building stood at one side and Cara pointed it out as the administrative building.

  "That's where you go with your letter," she said.

  I looked up at the building with frosted glass and two glass doors that were so frosted over so thickly they looked like they were painted white. 

"Do you need my help? " Cara asked almost blushing to the root of her hair.

"You have classes to attend I don't want to stop you " I replied with my most patronizing smile. "I can manage just fine ".

"Ok, good luck," she said softly.

"Thanks."  The parking space was half full. I found a nice space beside two huge Harleys, cut the engine and unlocked the doors. Cara opened the door and stepped out. I stepped out too with my letter in my hand and my bag on my back.

  "I will see you later," I said to Cara who nodded quickly and hurried off.