The Start Of Something New.

04.

"How's school been going so far for you, this year?" Mom asked as I sat at the table, staring at my notes as I scribbled little doodles next to them.
"It's going alright." I said softly.
Mom looked at me.
"Just alright? Lexi, you've barely said a word about this year, you had no problem talking about ninth grade." She pointed out.
I looked at her, blank for a moment.
"I've just been distracted, there's this guy at school and I-"

"I knew it." She smiled cutting me off.
I arched a brow at her.
"You knew what?" I asked her.
She smiled.
"You have been seeing a boy, I knew it wouldn't be long before you and one of those guy friends of yours got together--"
"What?" I asked her with knitted brows.
"Who is it? Monty, Bryce?" She grinned.
I groaned.
"It's not them, there's this kid named Carter and I just feel like he's misunderstood and I want him to be my partner for Biology." I told her.

Mom looked confused now.
"Carter? Who's that?" She asked.
"This guy that enrolled last fall, he showed up with two other kids, and they all seem misunderstood. But Bryce and the others think its a bad idea to mess around with him." I told her frowning.
Mom frowned softly.
"Is he a delinquent?" She asked me.
I looked at her with a shrug.
"No idea, he could be? But he won't let me in." I murmured.

Mom sighed softly.
"Pumpkin, when you cross guys like that. It's best to leave them be, the last thing you need is to stir up trouble." She told me.
"Where's dad at?" I asked changing the subject.
She blinked but frowned.
"He got called in, something about another case, nothing to worry about." She reassured me.

"What do you think killed that person, they found the other night?" I asked her now.
Mom studied me but smiled softly.
"It was probably another animal attack, you know those show up around here. The person was probably at the wrong time and place." She said.
"What animal could of done that though?" I questioned.
She frowned softly.
"I don't know, but your father will get to the bottom of it. Doesn't he always?" She asked me now.
I nodded with a smile.

Diary Entry 28.
Date: September 27th, 2018.

"Another body was found drained of blood, and my parents want to claim it as another animal attack. But what animal could possibly do that sort of damage here? The only animals that live in Crossroads were coyotes, bobcats and the occasional dear, rabbits and squirrels. But nothing that would kill someone, then leave the corpse there in broad daylight.
Maybe I was looking too into it, plus I had other problems.
Guy problems.
I wanted Carter Jensen to open up to me, I wanted to understand him and see how the world actually saw him. I wanted to get to know him, and see what's really hiding underneath the mask he wears when he comes to school..
But, because of the friends I have. I have a feeling, its going to be far from easy.
Until then.
Lexi."

I sighed leaning back in my chair, pulling my hair back.
It was almost six thirty, so I knew dad would be home any moment now.
Getting up, I grabbed my jacket as I walked out of the bedroom back into the kitchen.

"I'm going to head down to Grind House for a bit, is that okay?" I questioned.
Mom looked up from slicing the steak.
"That's fine, are you eating at the cafe or going to want left overs?" She asked me.
"What are we having?" I asked.
"Steak and rice." She told me.
I gave a thinking expression before smiling.
"Left overs is cool with me, see you later." I said heading out of the house.
Just in time for my dad to drive up in the driveway.

I let off a sigh as dad got out after removing his hat.
"Where you heading, Lexi?" He asked me.
I smiled.
"Just heading down to the coffee sh-"
"No you're not, get inside." He told me now.
I looked at him confused.
"What? But mom said-"
"Lexi, do not argue with me. I said no." He said.

Letting out a frustrated groan I stormed back inside of the house, attempting to slam the door but it was stopped by dad's hand.

"What's going on?" Mom came around the corner with her butcher knife until her eyes fell on her husband.
I stood in the hall with crossed arms.
"Dad said I can't go to grind house." I told her.
She looked to him confused.
"Why not?" She asked.

Dad's jaw ticked as he motioned us into the family room, sitting us down on the couch as he turned the t.v. on.

{"RECENT NEWS:: A young couple were found out back of the local, Grind House. Witnesses say they heard the girl screaming, and before anyone could see anything. Both the girl and boy, were drained of blood, the aut--"}
The screen went dark as mom sat there with furrowed brows.
"Another killing? Allen, what could this be from?" She asked him.
He just shrugged as his eyes fell on his lap.
"I don't know Michelle, but for now?" His eyes fell on me.
"I don't want you or your siblings walking around after dark, not until we can find out what the cause of this is." I sat there for the longest time, before nodding.
----
"Vampires." Sage teased.
"You're not funny." Monty told her.
"And you're not cute, what's your point?" She shot back.
"Funny, I was going to say the same thing about y-"
"Guys! Please?" I looked at them irritated at the lockers.
I shoved my books inside, slamming the locker door to only jump back finding Carter there, leaned against a closed one.

"I need to talk to you." He told me.
Before I could even respond, Monty was in the others face.
"Yeah? And if she says no?" He asked.
Carter frowned.
"Then she says no and I drop it." He said simply.
Monty blinked at that.
"Oh, well shit that stumped me. Alright, you may speak." He told the other.
Carter rolled his eyes then looked at me.
"Alone?" He requested.

I looked to Monty and Sage.
"I'll see you guys in homeroom." I told them.
They hesitated before vanishing in the crowd of students.
I leaned against my locker.
"What's up? Here to ask if I'm suicidal or stupid, or even judge me for the friends I have?" I asked him.

Carter frowned.
"I wasn't in the best place at that time-"
"Oh and now is the best time?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Do tell." I looked at him with knitted brows.
Carter's jaw ticked.
"My aunt just died." He told me and I felt my entire world pause.
I licked my dry lips before clearing my throat, sounding more awkward than before.

"W-Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that.. um, I-"
"It's fine." He looked away from me for a moment, before his eyes fell back on me.
"I wanted to reconsider your question about us being biology partners, if you haven't found a partner yet." He told me.
I blinked before shaking my head.
"No, not yet no.. I was actually going to tell Mrs.Lee today I'd work alone, so I could focus on that before I fail." I told him now.

He smiled softly at that.
"Well if you'll give me a second chance at redeeming myself, I'd like to be your partner. Ms.Grimes." He said now.
I studied him for the longest time.
"Lexi." I stated now.
He looked confused.
"M-My names, Lexi. Sorry, so you don't have to keep calling me by my last name, but yeah.. cool if you want to be partners. That works out." I agreed with my head nodding that wanted to bobble like a lame'o.

Carter let out a soft chuckle as the bell rang.
"Well, I'll see you next period then, bye Lexi." He told me.

I stood there feeling like I was in a daze, before blinking as I rushed to class.

"So he basically asked you to be his partner, after denying you the first time?" Sage questioned inside of homeroom.
I nodded listening to Mr.Warren teach the class and going over what we'd need to know, before next Friday's test.
"And what did you say?"

"I'm sorry, Ms.Ellison, is my teaching interrupting your conversation?" Mr.Warren questioned out loud with crossed arms, eyes locked on her.
Sage shrunk in her seat.
"No sir." She told him.
He frowned.
"Then stop visiting with Ms.Grimes, and pay attention." He told her as he turned his back, which got the middle finger to his back.

"Sage just flipped you off, Mr.Warren!" Ambree announced.
Sage looked at her with wide eyes as Ambree looked to her smug.

Mr.Warren turned back around.
"I have had no coffee this morning, ladies. If you're going to flip me off, do it to my face. I would apologize that my lesson isn't as important than the boys you're talking about, Ms.Ellison but the class and myself do not care. If you want to fail this test next Friday, by all means. There's the door, and best of luck. But if you care to know this knowledge I am sharing with you all," he walked up to her desk with his arms crossed.
"I suggest you move desks, and keep your mouth shut. Any other teacher would of booted you out, for childish behavior but I'm not any teacher. I am your homeroom teacher, who cares about if you pass or not. Whatever is so important you have to gossip about it with, Ms.Grimes. It can wait, okay?" He asked her.

Sage remained quiet as he turned from her.
"I'm expecting a yes sir, thank you Mr.Warren for not booting me out, Ms.Ellison." He said now.
Sage rolled her eyes.
"Yes, thank you for not booting me out." She said.
Mr.Warren hesitated before walking back to the front of the class, to resume his speech.

"That attitude is going to get you in trouble, Sage. I'd be careful." I told her as we walked out of homeroom.
Sage rolled her eyes.
"He lets Ambree and Abby both run their mouths, but as soon as someone else does it that's not dropping their pants for him, its not okay." She said.
"Do you have proof?" I asked.
"Well no."
"Then you can't exactly say shit like that, Sage." I told her.
"Don't give Mr.Warren that image where he has sex with his students." I added.

Sage rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, whatever. See you in third period." She said leaving without another word.

"That looked like all kinds of friendly." Bryce stated.
I turned to him.
"She's just in a mood today, you saw how Mr.Warren was." I told him.
Bryce shrugged.
"Sage knows not to talk during his lessons." He said.
"But Abby and Ambree do it." I argued.
"Abby and Ambree are also two dumb ass girls, and Abby is a cheerleader so she takes advantage of that. Sage shouldn't let girls like that, get under her skin." He told me.

"Speaking of under the skin." I said now.
Bryce made a face.
"Oh no, what did you do?" He asked.
I raised my hands in defense.
"I didn't do anything, but I am fixing to prove your theory on Carter incorrect." I told him.
Bryce frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
"He asked me to be his biology partner."
"You told him no, right?" He looked frustrated now.
I bit my lip.
"Lexi, you told him no right?" He repeated.

"Bryce, look. I appreciate you're looking out for me, because Paul doesn't. But, no. I didn't tell Carter no, I said yes." I told him.
Bryce ran a hand through his hair, inhaling sharply as his hands balled into fists.
"Bryce, breathe. Don't hit anything." I told him.

"Damn it, Lexi!" He hissed sharply, earning kids to look our way.
He looked worried.
"What happens if he hurts you? I told you to stay away from him!" He hissed.
"And I know I can take care of myself, Bryce. I'm not that same little girl, who needed you to protect her as we grew up. But I can't judge Carter, just based off what everyone else says. This project will help prove that theory." I told him.
Bryce looked around as he took my wrist.
"Just--" his jaw ticked as he shut his eyes for a moment, before they opened more bluer this time.
"Be careful around him, okay? I don't trust him." He said letting my wrist go.

I smiled softly.
"I'll be fine, but I'd rather tell you now before someone else sees us and tells you a different story." I told him.
"Oh, you mean like Maggie?" He asked.
"Yes, exactly like Maggie." I confirmed as the second bell rang.
"I'll see you during lunch, okay?" I told him.
He looked bothered by the news I decided to share with him.
But he needed to know, before Maggie saw me around Carter then went and stretched the truth about what she thought was going on.

I walked into Biology to find Claire's desk empty.
Maybe she stayed home?
My attention fell on the one in the corner.
Carter's eyes were already on me.
And for some reason.
It felt like it was just us in the classroom, no one else.

I walked over taking the seat next to him.

Instantly, Jade Wells stormed up to me.
"You're in my desk, move." She demanded.
Carter looked at her.
"She's fine, go sit somewhere else." He told her.
Jade narrowed her eyes at him.
"Excuse me? This is my-"
Carter stood up, staring down at her as they held eye contact.
"Go sit in another desk, now." He told her.
Jade stared back at him.

Her eyes on me now.
"You know what? I'm going to sit somewhere else." She declared, taking my desk.
I looked to Carter confused.
"What was that? I could of moved." I told him.
He shrugged.
"We had a disagreement earlier, you taking her desk actually helps with the blackmail I have on her." He told me.
I looked to him interested.
"Blackmail on Jade Wells? No way." I told him unconvinced.
He smirked at that.
"She's been sleeping with Gage Kelley's best friend, Foster. I caught them in the parking lot." He told me.

My brows furrowed.
"She's cheating on Gage? Does he even know?" I asked.
Carter shrugged.
"That's the whole purpose of blackmail, she doesn't want Gage to know because she really likes him, yet has no problem opening her legs to Foster. But now the two of them know, I know their dirty little secret, and have no problem exploiting it. That's why she gave her desk up to you so easily, because she knows I can go to Gage anytime and tell him that his girlfriend's a skank." He told me.

I slowly nodded to that.
Carter leaned back in his desk.
"So, what plant were you even wanting to focus on growing?" He asked me.
"I was thinking about the berberis thunbergii." I told him now.
Carter looked interested.
"A thorn plant?" He asked.
I nodded.
"Well, its more than just a thorn plant. It has beautiful flowers attached to it, but because of the thorns it holds, much like a rose. People often judge it, and don't see the appeal to agreeing that its a nice plant." I explained.

Carter looked at me.
"You're after a misunderstood plant? Really?" He questioned.
I shrugged.
"I just thought it'd be different, the majority of the class will be going for something simple, and I wanted to go for a plant with meaning behind it." I told him.
He licked his lips but smiled softly.
"Sure, yeah okay. Let's work on the misunderstood flower." He said.

"Did you have a different preference?" I asked him.
He thought for a moment.
"I was thinking about the rose, just like the berberis thunbergii, roses are also a beautiful and misunderstood flower. People remove the thorns, for it to be held because without paying attention, they can get hurt and bleed." He said.
"Roses are meant to grow with their thorns, if you can't hold a rose with the thorns intact. You shouldn't involve yourself with them." He explained now.

I looked at him.
"Let's just do the rose project then, people know more about the rose than they would with the berberis thunbergii." I told him.
He frowned now.
"Is that okay with you?" He asked me.
I blinked.
"I mean, well yeah. We're partners, so we have to negotiate and come to an agreement. So we'll do roses." I said now.
He nodded.
"Roses it is." He said.
----
"I noticed you don't have your own ride, when it comes to school." Carter pointed out as we stood outside, students driving away as I held myself as I waited for Monty to pull up.
"Yeah no, my dad said he'd get me my first car when I turned eighteen, so just a few more years." I gave a weak thumbs up.
Carter smiled softly.
"What about you? Do you drive?" I asked him.
Carter shook his head.
"I'm more of a walker, I live just up the hill near that old saw mill." He said.
I nodded to that.

"So, have you been hearing about the murders that have been going around?" I questioned.
Carter fell silent for a moment.
"You mean those animal attacks?" He asked confused.
I frowned but nodded.
"I mean, that's what my dad and his guys are calling it. But it just seems odd to me." I confessed.
Carter looked away frowning.
"I'm sure its nothing to worry about." He said.

Fixing to speak, I felt a small amount of cold air hit me fast, and suddenly.
Carter was no where to be found. 

"So, one minute you're talking about murders, the next he's missing?" Monty questioned behind the wheel.
I bit my lip.
"I know it looks bad, but maybe he just ran back inside the building." I said trying to convince myself.
"Lexi, you would of seen that guy running away from you. Everyone would of." He told me.
I frowned leaning my head back.
"Just--don't tell Bryce, okay? He'll freak out." I told him.

Monty sighed as he rolled his eyes.
"Bryce can't tell you no about hanging out with murderers, its none of our business." He smirked.
"Monty, you're not helping." I hid my face in my hands.
"What do you want me to say? Lexi, him running off when you're on that subject, looks really bad on his part. Anyone would suspect him, even your old man." He told me.

"Shit." I hissed.
"What? What is it?" He asked.
"I invited Carter over for dinner tonight, so we could work on our project, I didn't even think about my dad." I told him.
Monty made a face.
"Maybe it will go over smoothly? Just don't mention the murders, and your killer friend won't vanish again like a cloud of smoke." He told me.
"Monty! Stop calling him a killer." I whined now.
"Alright, sorry." He said parking the truck.

"But seriously? Be careful." He said leaning over, hugging me.
I hugged him back.
"Yeah, yeah." I smiled getting out.
"See you in the morning." Monty said driving off.

It felt like an hour and after stress explaining for a billion times, that Carter was not a romantic interest.
My parents finally understood, he was just a classmate and was coming over to work on the project.

I was still in my school clothes, waiting for him to get here.
And five minutes to six.
There was a knock on the door.

Walking down the hall, I pulled the door open to find Carter there, smiling softly.
"Hi." He greeted.
"Hey." I smiled as he refused to move forward.
I stepped back.
"Well, come inside and after we eat we can get down to business  I told him." Walking back down the hall.

Carter studied the door frame, inhaling slowly as he brought his right foot through first, before stepping inside of the house.

Inviting him in.
Was possibly one of my many bad choices, that I make, while getting to know.
The silent bad boy.
Who turns out to be a lot more than what I thought he was.