Forbidden (A Luke Castellan Love Story)

Chapter 1

Avery’s POV
            Shouldering my white bag, I was about to walk out the door, like the rest of the kids in the orphanage, but a voice stopped me. “Be good today, brat!” Mrs. Gretcher sneered at me, her yellow teeth showing from her cracked lips. “You know we can’t afford to send you to another school!” She continued, pointing an accusing finger at me, “If you get kicked out of this one, you won’t be able to come back!”         
        I scoffed. If only. I thought to myself.
        About three months ago, I tried to run away but they caught me, brought me straight back and gave me a good punishment too. I was so close to finally leaving this place, so close to get away from the torture of a stupid orphanage in New York. Finally going to get away from Mrs. Gretcher!
        “I’m serious, girl. You had better not cause trouble or you will be getting a worse punishment than the last time.” Mrs. Gretcher spat with an evil look on her face.
        Turning around to face her, I forced a smile, “Wouldn’t dream of it Mrs. Gretcher.”
        She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m watching you, girl. Don’t think your problems go un-noticed.”
        “Yes, ma’am.” I said obediently. One thing that I’ve learned from being here my whole life is that it’s better not to question her, unless you want a punishment of course.  
        “Just get out of here. I don’t want to see your ugly face anymore. I’ve got enough problems in my life, without you!”
I nodded and practically ran out the door.
        Man I hate that place! I thought to myself as I walked to my new bus stop.
        Unfortunately, all I had ever known was the orphanage. I was brought in when I was about 5. My parents both die and I was too young to remember them. I do remember a warm smile from my mother but I can never make out her face in my memories. It’s just a warm feeling, not a face to go with it.
        Sighing I continued my walk while I thought to myself.
        I shoved my hands in my grey jacket and walked with my head down until I reached the bus stop where there were a bunch of kids all messing around. Some of the kids where trying to hit cars with wadded up pieces of paper while others were trying to steal each other’s backpacks and throw them into the streets. There was a group of girls that looked like the normal popular, snob, group that were laughing stupidly and smiling with the people in their group.
        They wore really fancy clothes and it made me feel uncomfortable with my appearance.
        I wore a halfway see through sparky silver shirt with a dark blue tank top underneath along with blue skinny jeans. I had on my grey shoes and with a silver owl necklace. My brown hair, with natural chestnut highlights, was tied up in a bun and had a blue tie around it. I had on blue and silver earrings and a blue and silver ring.    (polyvore.com/forbidden/set?id=112376123 )
         Even though I looked really good, I still always felt uncomfortable with my appearance.  
        I stood to the side while I waited. The other kids all had their own groups and stood by each other laughing and messing around but I sat alone waiting for the bus.
        Once again, I was the new kid. You’d think that after 23 different schools in my sixteen years I would be used to it but no, I’m not.
        While I waited I looked stared at the sidewalk. I would have brought my iPod that I bought but, of course, I had gotten that taken away from me.
        Now I know what you’re thinking, ‘how did she get money to buy an iPod if she’s in an orphanage?’ Well I inherited all of my parent’s money, which was a lot, but technically I couldn’t use it until I was 18.  I can use some of it but only if I clear it with Mrs. Gretcher first. Right now I’m only 17 and my birthday is coming up soon but not fast enough. It's about a six months' away until I turn 18 and finally get out of this place.
        Suddenly kids started to yell, “Hey! You’re actually coming back this year?” “Should have just been homeschooled! Then we wouldn’t have to see your ugly face!” “He’s so short we won’t even know he’s here!” “Why the funny walk? Something wrong with your feet?”
        I looked up and saw that every single kid was yelling at a boy that was walking towards the bus stop. He had a baseball cap on top of his head that hid his curly brown hair and a red shirt on with jeans and sneakers. The only thing that was different about the kid was that he was extremely short for a teenage boy of the age 16 or 17. He was about 5 feet 2 inches and every single kid was taller than him, including the girls. Along with being short he walked kinda funny, almost like every step hurt him
        The kids that were throwing the wadded up papers in the road, switched targets and started to throw them at the kid while the group of girls took out their gum and threw it at him.
        Anger started to course through me. What they heck were they doing?
        While everyone taunted the kid, he kept his head down and kept walking with the kids yelling at him and throwing things at him.
         One of the kids was bold enough to step forward and pushed him down into a puddle from last night’s rain. The group of kids laughed while he stumbled to get up. The bus arrived just after the kid was shoved down and everyone started to file into the bus still laughing.
        I glared at the boy who shoved the kid down but he just smirked at me and winked. I rolled my eyes. Cuz hurting someone was so attractive. I thought bitterly to myself.
        While everyone was boarding the bus I walked over to the kid and held a hand out to him.
        At first, he flinched like he was expecting to get hit by someone. He shielded his face with his arms and trembled. When he finally realized nothing was happening, he slowly undid his arms from his face.
        I gave him a worried look and held out my hand a little more.
        He looked at my hand as if it was going to eat him. He quickly glanced at my hand, then my face, then my hand again. Finally he seemed to realize I was trying to help him and took my hand.
        When he was back on both of his feet I bent down and picked his backpack up from the puddle and brushed it off. 
        I handed the backpack back to him and smiled sympathetically then walked over to the bus to have him trailing behind me.
        When I boarded the bus I sat in the middle next to a window. The guy that had pushed the kid down got up from his seat in the back and sat down next to me. “Hey.” He said flirtatiously.
        I gave him a weak smiled then turned to the window to avoid talking to him.
        The bus bounced up and down a little while the usual chatter of kids surrounded the bus. I sat looking out the window, watching everything zoom by. The boy must have not been able to take a hint because I heard him say, “Are you new here?” I turned to him and he kept talking but he wasn’t looking directly at me, “Sorry, I mean, of course you are. I would have remembered a pretty girl like you.”
        Even though the guy seemed like a jerk I blushed at his compliment. “Um… Yeah I’m new here.” I said trying to force down the blush.
        “That’s cool.” He said and put his arm around the back of my chair. “I’ve been going here for a while. My name’s Rick, by the way.” He said and held out his right hand, still not removing his left hand from the back of my chair.
        “Avery.” I said taking his hand politely and shaking it but I didn’t make eye contact. I was just praying that he would take a hint.
        “Cute name. I like it.”
        I tried to force myself not to blush again but I failed miserably. “Thanks.” I said shyly and looked down at my hands in my lap.
        Thankfully Rick didn’t talk to me for the rest of the ride. He was too busy talking to his friends which I silently thanked the heavens.
        When the bus finally came to a stop Rick turned to me again. “I’ll see you around, Avery.” He winked then got up and filed out of the bus.