II. The Letter

Cara

THE WEEKEND practically flew away for me. It seriously felt like I blinked on Friday and on opening my eyes it was Sunday evening, the next day being school.

I was dreading going to school especially since I was the new girl for the umpteenth time and I was now in my senior year. Who in hell starts at a new school in their senior year? Me.

I counter checked my bag for all the requirements for the thousandth time. I didn't want to forget anything then have to ask a borrow a complete stranger. Plus this was California and as I'd heard , the kids here weren't exactly welcoming.

"Here is your lunch money," said Dad handing me fifteen dollars.

"Thanks,"

"If anything bad happens call me...immediately and I'll come...OK sweetie." I hugged him tightly.

We left the house, not forgetting to lock it.

I got into my car. I loved my car. It had been a birthday present from my dad.

The car was a convertible red Audi TT. It was a two seater and dad had told me that part of the reason he got it for me was that I couldn't do 'God knows what', as he put it in the backseat . The he had put it was extremely gross and uncomfortable. But he of all people very well that I didn't have a boyfriend and frankly, I didn't want one.

Pulling out of the drive way, I took the deepest of breaths before beginning the drive to my new school, West Wood High School.

I started the drive to school. It was only fifteen minutes to eight. I had time.

By the time I was at school it was a quarter past eight. Classes began at eight thirty.

I had trouble finding the students' parking lot so I just parked at a random space. I quickly grabbed my bag, took another deep breath and got out of the car and locked it.

You can do this. Don't panic.

Everyone was still hanging out outside. It relieved me because I thought I was late.

Looking at the students, I slightly felt underdressed. I looked down at my outfit. I was in a dark red shirt with a black skater skirt, black tights and black wedge heels and a grey oversized cardigan, what I considered appropriate for school. And of course, my mother's necklace hang around my neck. I had had it since she left.

You look fine ,I encouraged myself.

The student body had divided itself into groups. Jocks, skater, gamers, cheerleaders, the spiritual ones and the popular kids. It didn't take a genius to notice. This happened in most school and the characteristics of each group were the same in every school I went.

The popular girls were always extremely overdressed and around them were boys who almost very time had a football or basketball depending on what sport was popular in the school.

The skater kids had their skateboards doing tricks I could not imagine doing myself.

I couldn't help but wonder what group I would fit into. In my former schools on the social hierarchy I lay in the middle, not low enough to be picked on but also not high enough to have to pick on others to stay at the top. Most of the time I was just their with the one or two friends I'd made or alone.

Hurrying up the stairs and into what I had identified as the main building, I tried to find the registration office. My dad had called the school and had everything prepared I just needed to get my lesson plan and a few other papers.

Luckily, it did not take me long to find the office.

At the front desk sat a middle aged woman. She wore eyeglasses with dark frames and had auburn hair.

"May I help you?" She inquired staring at me through her spectacles. Up until I was in the fifth grade and I got reading glasses people who wore eyeglasses creeped me out.

"Yeah...I am new here."

"Name?" She asked turning to the desktop on her left.

"Cara....Elizabeth Matthews..."

"Oh...sit there while I grab your lesson plan and the other papers," she instructed me gesturing to the seats next to the wall. I took as seat and waited anxiously. I took the time to study the place.

The school was quite large. It had a few decorations on the walls. The posters on the wall gave a lot of information about the school. For one, I had learned that this was the 'home of the wolves'.

My thoughts were interrupted by red-haired lady, " Miss Matthews...here are your papers."

"Oh...thank you." I received them and promptly looked over them. As I was busy reading through the lesson plan and the school schedule a girl walked into the registration office.

She had raven hair and beautiful green orbs. She wore blue denim jeans and a simple black shirt with a picture of a cupcake on it. Around her waist, she had tied a red flannel shirt.

"Oh...you're here..." the woman said looking at the girl who had just walked in. She redirected her attention to me ," Miss Matthews, Alice here will show you around the school during your homeroom session."

"Let's go," Alice said.

Alice took me around the school showing me all the facilities. She mentioned that the school had many game but popular games were football among the boys and lacrosse among girls. She told me that she was actually on the girl's lacrosse team, insisting that I try out for the team.

"Let me warm you beforehand...I am not at all good at Lacrosse... I tried once but failed miserably. The only sport I'm not completely terrible at is soccer."

"You don't need to be a pro, Cara. Just show up at try-outs and I guarantee you'll join the team.You just need to be able to catch a ball with a lacrosse stick and to throw the ball...with a lacrosse stick. I'll teach you. Ok?"

"Ok but if I completely blow it at practise don't say I didn't warn you."

The conversation just flowed between us. We soon found ourselves having gone round the entire school. We were done with the tour.

As fate would have it we both had math, biology and economics for our first,second and third periods.

We spent most of the day together. This school wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

Before I knew it, it was already three o'clock and the last period, History.

"Hello class..." the person I had identified as the principle walked into the classroom along with a tall lean male." Mr.Hoff will not be here for the lesson today and maybe the next lesson so Mr.Erikson will be taking over...for now."

The girls in the class looked disappointed.

"I stuffed my bra for nothing," I overheard the girl sitting in front of me whispering to her friend. I choked on my own saliva.

"Oh God," Alice complained next to me rolling her eyes," almost all the girl's in this classroom have the hots for him. It's disgusting."

"Exactly how hot is he?"

"Very. It's a given for his kind but that's one of the things that makes him dangerous."

"What do you mean 'his kind'?" I asked,curious.

"Ummh...Californian history teachers...just stay away from him."

"That won't be a problem...seeing as he isn't here."

"Well when he comes back stay away."

***

When I got home that evening the house empty. Not surprisingly, dad had not arrived. I could do whatever the hell I wanted.

I took a shower and freshened up. All I wanted to do was to get out of my clothes. They reeked of school.

I changed into a pair of grey short shorts and a pale pink tank top. On top I wore a slouchy grey sweater. I grabbed a small snack from the kitchen before getting started on my homework. I had a book report due at the end of the week. Seriously, who has homework on the first day of school?

I read for a while then decided to stop when I reached the second chapter. I was tired.

I checked the time on the clock. It was five forty five. Fifteen minutes to my favourite show.

Rushing downstairs, I went to the kitchen to grab another snack, maybe a sandwich or roll ups. It depended on how lazy I was feeling and how much time it would take to make. I decided on a sandwich.

As I was searching for the lettuce I noticed the note on the kitchen counter. I had not seen it earlier. It was from dad. He must have stopped by the house when I was at school.

In case I don't get home early, there is money in the home office. Check the drawer. You can order in.

Looking forward to hearing about your day.

Love,dad.♡

I decided it was best to get the money before I forgot. I went into his home office. I saw through the window there was still light out. It was only six 'clock.

I pulled open the top drawer and searched it for money. As expected there was a big wad of cash inside the first drawer. It was mostly hundreds and a few twenties.

I took a twenty dollar bill and closed the drawer. An envelope on the floor caught my attention as I was just about to leave. There was a letter sticking out of it. I picked it up.

I took a seat on dad's large wing-backed leather chair.

The sender's address was written on the letter. London,England.

I recognised the handwriting. It was my mother's. I hadn't heard from her since I was ten. She just left. I never got to know why. Sometimes I thought she abandoned me and my dad.

I opened the letter and began reading.

Dear Danny,

I hope you and our daughter are well. I am better now than the last time we spoke. I have better control of my urges now.

I know that we have argued about this again and again but I want to see my daughter. We agreed when I left that I was not to even come near her but I am begging you to reconsider. The photos you send aren't enough. I'd like to even hear her voice...

The paper fell out of my hands. The will to keep reading had left me. I was confused about some parts but understood most of it. I found the message unbelievable. Impossible.

My mom had been wanting to see me but dad had not told me. He'd been keeping this from me.

"Cara...I am home." Dad's voice broke through my thoughts.

His footsteps approached the home office. It was time for answers.