My Dead Sister and The New Boy

Chapter Three

The next morning. School. I wake to the sound of the dogs across the road barking. I swear they must still see Pumpkin's ghost every morning as she used to go for a walk around the block, maybe her ghost still does.

I roll out of bed and quickly get changed into my school uniform. A blue skirt, white shirt and black tights. I hurry out of my room, sliding with my tights down the hallway before hurrying down stairs, trying not to slip. When I get to the bottom I grab the cold toast from the toaster, spreading raspberry jam over it. I sit at the table, eating it, while tapping my foot.

Today before school, I've already decided I'll go around the block to find out who the new people are. Then I'll go to school.

"You're happy today," my mother says, coming into the kitchen, handing me my lunch and forcing a smile. I don't think I've seen her properly smile since my sister died.

"Someone's moving in around the corner," I say, quickly consuming my toast. When I'm finished, I grab my bag and pull on my black leather shoes, hurrying out of the house and down the road.

I reach the house with the moving truck outside. It's a large house, much bigger than mine. I want to knock on the door, but I can't bring myself to. I look through the large front windows and see a boy my age, and his mother. I turn and run off, before they see me.

~~

When the bell for lunch break rings I go out into the eating area, taking my seat on the bench. I sigh, watching everyone sit down in their groups of friends. I wonder about the new boy, I wonder if he's already made new friends.

As I start eating my lunch I watch the trickle of people coming through the doors turn into a flood, then a trickle again. Eventually the new boy walks through the doors. He has dark hair and a black backpack. I carefully watch him, to see who he sits with. But he doesn't sit with anyone, he walks past everyone and into the trees just behind our eating area.

Where is he going? Why?

Acting on impulse, I spring to my feet and grab my bag, heading after him. I enter into the trees, careful not to pass the school borderline and I look around for him, but I can't see him. Until I hear a zip being undone, coming from in one of the trees near me. I look up and see him sitting in the tree.

"Who are you?" he looks down at me, his bag, open, in a branch beside him.

"You're off the school grounds," I comment, after noticing the line of school grounds and that the tree he's sitting in is on the wrong side.

"I'm new here," he shrugs.

"I know," I say. "Can I come up?" I ask, nodding to a branch near him.

"I thought it was off school grounds," he grins.

I shrug. "You have to break rules sometimes."

"Okay sure, come up."

I climb the branches and sit in one near him, slinging my backpack off a branch.

"What's your name?" I ask, looking over at him.

"Hayden," he says. I notice he's not wearing the right uniform. He's wearing a hoodie over his school shirt. "Now your turn to tell me who you are."

"I'm Kacey," I say with a small smile.

He holds his hand out and I take it and we shake hands.

"Nice to meet you," he says.

~~

Hayden's family moved because he didn't have any friends and his parents wanted him to have a fresh start and try again. He said he didn't want to try.

I told him my sister said "if you have to try too hard, it's not worth it". He said he'd like to meet my sister. I told him she died eight years ago.

He was quiet and apologized.

I told him it was alright and that I didn't have many friends since she died. That people avoided me because they thought I was cursed.

He said that was stupid.

Not long after, the bell went and we had to climb down the tree and go off to class. He told me that I could hang out with him tomorrow.

~~

On my walk home I find a piece of paper blowing down the road. I quickly pick it up like I do every time I find litter.

When I get home my parents are out at work, so I let myself in and walk inside. As I'm about to throw the paper in the bin I notice it has writing on it. The writing is messy and I can barely read it.

But it's there.

3T pfQ