School Days - Chapter 8
Amy is just living her life, getting by with little of any of consequence happening. That all changes when Jake moves to town...
Just realised I made a major typo at the end of the last chapter! :S Amy was meant to say she was babysitting for her parents the night of the rehearsal, not that night. Oops!
Anyway, just want to say thanks again for all those people who take the time to review - I really appreciate it! :D
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Amy hovered at the corner of the school car park where Jake had said to wait for him. She had told Tina and Ella that she was going to the dentist after school, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to get rid of them if they knew where she was really going.
Pierce, it seemed, had got hold of her mother fine and there were no issues there. Amy was once again glad that she had such easy-going parents. Her mobile buzzed in her bag at that point. Fishing it out, Amy read the text message from her mother, a rare occurrence in itself. Have fun 2night. Dont be back 2 late. xxx
Half smiling at her mother’s attempt at ‘text talk’ Amy glanced around again. School was nearly empty by this point but there was still no sign of Jake, Pierce, or the huge car belonging to Jake’s father. A small knot of worry began to form in Amy’s stomach. She had missed the only bus for another hour, and her dad wouldn’t be on his way past for another hour and a half. What if something had come up and Pierce had had to race off again with Jake in the bag?
Shaking her head to dispel these thought, Amy mentally admonished herself. Jake wouldn’t do that – he seemed to genuinely want to see her tonight. And besides, before they went to fourth period she had given him her number. He would, at least, text her to let her know if anything had got in the way of their plans.
Just as this thought passed through her head, Amy’s phone once again vibrated. The panic returned momentarily, until she saw that it was her mum sending the same message again. Smiling a little Amy replied, letting her mum know that she would have fun and would try to be back by 10:30. Sending the message and putting the phone back into her pocket, Amy looked up just in time to see Jake’s car pull into the car park.
It came smoothly to a stop just in front of her before the engine stopped and Pierce slid just as smoothly out from behind the wheel. She had to admit that he was really quite attractive, in an American-action-movie-hero kind of way. She would guess he was in his mid-20s, with huge square shoulders, a strong jaw line and chiseled features. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he was an actor rather than a chauffeur. His short blonde hair finished the look and, as he drew closer, she could see that he had piercing blue eyes, nearly sapphire in colour.
Wow.
"Miss Edwards?" he said.
Amy nodded mutely, still a little bowled over by the intense colour of his eyes. Pierce cleared his throat and Amy realised that she had been staring. Gawping over him probably wasn’t the best way to make a good first impression.
"Yes?" she squeaked in embarrassment, hurriedly diverting her gaze to anywhere but him. The ant scurrying towards the grass seemed like a good distraction.
"Jake asked me pick you up from here and take you back to the house. Is this correct?" Amy could have sworn she heard a hint of laughter in his voice when he started talking, but his face was as serious as ever by the time she plucked up the courage to look at him again. And what was with the formality? She almost felt as if she was in one of Jane Austen’s novels. Ruing the fact that she didn’t know him well enough to mock his style of speech - and didn’t know his last name had she felt comfortable doing so anyway - she nodded her head.
"He apologies for being unable to meet you and accompany you on the journey himself. Something came up."
As was often the case for this family, Amy realized. This was Jake’s second mysterious disappearance in a week and a half, and his father had had a sudden and seemingly incredible important change of plan only that morning.
"It’s okay," she squeaked once again, trying not to let panic over-run her body. Jake couldn’t have known about her cousin, and she would be perfectly safe with this man. Jake must trust him, or surely he would have been here himself, or put off their getting together or something.
Keeping tabs on her breathing she started towards the car, shock rippling through her as Pierce held the front passenger door open for her. She would have preferred to sit in the back given the option, but realised she would seem incredibly rude to say so.
Amy awkwardly clambered into the seat with Pierce patiently waiting until she had buckled her seatbelt until he shut her door. She watched him glide around the bonnet of the car and slide into his seat; definitely a far easier task when you were as tall as he was.
They were soon on their way and Amy came to the conclusion that it would be incredibly rude to read her book whilst sitting right next to this man. Clearing her throat and shuffling round a bit, she glanced around the interior, looking for something to distract her. Finding nothing, she resorted to watching the familiar roads slip past from an unfamiliar height.
Probably picking up her discomfort, Pierce asked her a few tentative questions about school, but no conversations really took off and he soon gave up, instead asking if she would like to put some music on.
Amy’s shoulder sagged in relief and she quickly said yes.
"There are some CDs in the glove compartment," Pierce informed her. She pulled it open and was surprised by the eclectic mix present. Her dad was a huge music fan and had hundreds of albums from the last 50 years, so Amy had a wider taste in music than most people her age. As soon as her eyes alighted on ‘Hormonally Yours’ by Shakespeare's Sister she grabbed it, her eyes shining.
"One of my favorites too," Pierce said as she slid the disk into the CD player. "What’s your favorite song on this album?" he inquired.
Amy pondered had to ponder this for a second before answering. "Definitely ‘Stay’, though I’m also incredibly partial to ‘Emotional Thing’." Pierce nodded in agreement.
"For me it’s got to be ‘Moonchild’. It’s just so haunting." Pierce happened to glance at Amy as she grimaced, causing him to laugh. "Not a fan, I’m guessing."
Shaking her head vehemently, Amy replied. "Not even a little bit. I listened to the album for the first time when I was like seven and for some reason that song really creeped me out. I refused to listen to it until a couple years ago, and even now I just can’t like it." This admission only caused Pierce to laugh more.
The rest of the journey to Jake’s house passed in easy conversation about music, and before Amy realized it they had been talking for 30 minutes are were in the middle of nowhere. Despite this, Amy felt perfectly safe - her and Pierce had bonded, which had the added bonus of making him drop the formality with which he addressed her.
"Where are we? Surely Jake doesn’t live this far out." Jake got on the bus after her, so where were they going?
Pierce must have guessed the reason behind her question. "The bus doesn’t run this far out. I give him a ride to the nearest stop and he grabs the bus from there." Amy nodded in comprehension. "We’re nearly there now."
A couple of minutes later they pulled up onto a graveled side-road bordered by huge oaks on either side.
Giggling a little, Amy asked half jokingly, "What, does he live in this like huge mansion or something?"
Pierce paused a little before answering. In this time, they rounded a corner and the vista opened up to a huge house.
"Yes," he said, "he does." Amy was sure there was laughter in his voice this time, but her eyes were glued to the magnificent house in front of her so she couldn’t check.
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This chapter didn't go the way I expected it to at all so sorry that nothing really happens. Not really sure why Amy and Pierce had to bond but I'm sure there'll be a reason... and Jake will be in the next chapter! Promise!
And sorry for not answering the questions I said I would. Guess that'll teach me for making promises before the chapter's actually been written...
Anyway, just want to say thanks again for all those people who take the time to review - I really appreciate it! :D
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Amy hovered at the corner of the school car park where Jake had said to wait for him. She had told Tina and Ella that she was going to the dentist after school, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to get rid of them if they knew where she was really going.
Pierce, it seemed, had got hold of her mother fine and there were no issues there. Amy was once again glad that she had such easy-going parents. Her mobile buzzed in her bag at that point. Fishing it out, Amy read the text message from her mother, a rare occurrence in itself. Have fun 2night. Dont be back 2 late. xxx
Half smiling at her mother’s attempt at ‘text talk’ Amy glanced around again. School was nearly empty by this point but there was still no sign of Jake, Pierce, or the huge car belonging to Jake’s father. A small knot of worry began to form in Amy’s stomach. She had missed the only bus for another hour, and her dad wouldn’t be on his way past for another hour and a half. What if something had come up and Pierce had had to race off again with Jake in the bag?
Shaking her head to dispel these thought, Amy mentally admonished herself. Jake wouldn’t do that – he seemed to genuinely want to see her tonight. And besides, before they went to fourth period she had given him her number. He would, at least, text her to let her know if anything had got in the way of their plans.
Just as this thought passed through her head, Amy’s phone once again vibrated. The panic returned momentarily, until she saw that it was her mum sending the same message again. Smiling a little Amy replied, letting her mum know that she would have fun and would try to be back by 10:30. Sending the message and putting the phone back into her pocket, Amy looked up just in time to see Jake’s car pull into the car park.
It came smoothly to a stop just in front of her before the engine stopped and Pierce slid just as smoothly out from behind the wheel. She had to admit that he was really quite attractive, in an American-action-movie-hero kind of way. She would guess he was in his mid-20s, with huge square shoulders, a strong jaw line and chiseled features. She wouldn’t have been surprised if he was an actor rather than a chauffeur. His short blonde hair finished the look and, as he drew closer, she could see that he had piercing blue eyes, nearly sapphire in colour.
Wow.
"Miss Edwards?" he said.
Amy nodded mutely, still a little bowled over by the intense colour of his eyes. Pierce cleared his throat and Amy realised that she had been staring. Gawping over him probably wasn’t the best way to make a good first impression.
"Yes?" she squeaked in embarrassment, hurriedly diverting her gaze to anywhere but him. The ant scurrying towards the grass seemed like a good distraction.
"Jake asked me pick you up from here and take you back to the house. Is this correct?" Amy could have sworn she heard a hint of laughter in his voice when he started talking, but his face was as serious as ever by the time she plucked up the courage to look at him again. And what was with the formality? She almost felt as if she was in one of Jane Austen’s novels. Ruing the fact that she didn’t know him well enough to mock his style of speech - and didn’t know his last name had she felt comfortable doing so anyway - she nodded her head.
"He apologies for being unable to meet you and accompany you on the journey himself. Something came up."
As was often the case for this family, Amy realized. This was Jake’s second mysterious disappearance in a week and a half, and his father had had a sudden and seemingly incredible important change of plan only that morning.
"It’s okay," she squeaked once again, trying not to let panic over-run her body. Jake couldn’t have known about her cousin, and she would be perfectly safe with this man. Jake must trust him, or surely he would have been here himself, or put off their getting together or something.
Keeping tabs on her breathing she started towards the car, shock rippling through her as Pierce held the front passenger door open for her. She would have preferred to sit in the back given the option, but realised she would seem incredibly rude to say so.
Amy awkwardly clambered into the seat with Pierce patiently waiting until she had buckled her seatbelt until he shut her door. She watched him glide around the bonnet of the car and slide into his seat; definitely a far easier task when you were as tall as he was.
They were soon on their way and Amy came to the conclusion that it would be incredibly rude to read her book whilst sitting right next to this man. Clearing her throat and shuffling round a bit, she glanced around the interior, looking for something to distract her. Finding nothing, she resorted to watching the familiar roads slip past from an unfamiliar height.
Probably picking up her discomfort, Pierce asked her a few tentative questions about school, but no conversations really took off and he soon gave up, instead asking if she would like to put some music on.
Amy’s shoulder sagged in relief and she quickly said yes.
"There are some CDs in the glove compartment," Pierce informed her. She pulled it open and was surprised by the eclectic mix present. Her dad was a huge music fan and had hundreds of albums from the last 50 years, so Amy had a wider taste in music than most people her age. As soon as her eyes alighted on ‘Hormonally Yours’ by Shakespeare's Sister she grabbed it, her eyes shining.
"One of my favorites too," Pierce said as she slid the disk into the CD player. "What’s your favorite song on this album?" he inquired.
Amy pondered had to ponder this for a second before answering. "Definitely ‘Stay’, though I’m also incredibly partial to ‘Emotional Thing’." Pierce nodded in agreement.
"For me it’s got to be ‘Moonchild’. It’s just so haunting." Pierce happened to glance at Amy as she grimaced, causing him to laugh. "Not a fan, I’m guessing."
Shaking her head vehemently, Amy replied. "Not even a little bit. I listened to the album for the first time when I was like seven and for some reason that song really creeped me out. I refused to listen to it until a couple years ago, and even now I just can’t like it." This admission only caused Pierce to laugh more.
The rest of the journey to Jake’s house passed in easy conversation about music, and before Amy realized it they had been talking for 30 minutes are were in the middle of nowhere. Despite this, Amy felt perfectly safe - her and Pierce had bonded, which had the added bonus of making him drop the formality with which he addressed her.
"Where are we? Surely Jake doesn’t live this far out." Jake got on the bus after her, so where were they going?
Pierce must have guessed the reason behind her question. "The bus doesn’t run this far out. I give him a ride to the nearest stop and he grabs the bus from there." Amy nodded in comprehension. "We’re nearly there now."
A couple of minutes later they pulled up onto a graveled side-road bordered by huge oaks on either side.
Giggling a little, Amy asked half jokingly, "What, does he live in this like huge mansion or something?"
Pierce paused a little before answering. In this time, they rounded a corner and the vista opened up to a huge house.
"Yes," he said, "he does." Amy was sure there was laughter in his voice this time, but her eyes were glued to the magnificent house in front of her so she couldn’t check.
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This chapter didn't go the way I expected it to at all so sorry that nothing really happens. Not really sure why Amy and Pierce had to bond but I'm sure there'll be a reason... and Jake will be in the next chapter! Promise!
And sorry for not answering the questions I said I would. Guess that'll teach me for making promises before the chapter's actually been written...
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