Chapter 1
This was it. New School. New Me.
I look to my left to see my best friend, Ashely Carter, looking just as nervous as I am. Who wouldn’t be nervous? I mean it is your first day at a new school where you don’t know anyone. I don’t even know why my parents even moved here! I was perfectly happy at Winchester High yet they moved me 3,458 miles away to New York, a city I barely know, to attend a private school that is filled with a bunch of preppy kids. Haustbutcher Private School would be my hell for the next 4 years of my life.
The sound of an engine revving brought me out of my reverie. Me and Ashley looked towards the noise only to see a teacher coming out of a Renault Clio. I sighed in relief and I entwined my hand with Ashley’s and entered the building
All the commotion stopped for a good 7.5 seconds because the whispers started. I managed to make out a few sentences and let’s just say they were disgusting, horrible and outright rude. Ignoring all the whispers I grabbed Ashley’s forearm and made our way to the main office. We passed by boys giving us lustrous looks and their ‘girlfriends’ giving us hard stares as if they wanted to kill us. So, in true Calla Evans fashion I sent them a dirty glare of my own and I think it worked because they cowered back in fear. I smirked in victory.
We walked through a long dimly lit corridor which looked like no one had ever cleaned it hence the multiple cobwebs and the dead rats on the traps. I shivered in fear. Me and Ashley quickened our pace and sooner or later we reached the main office. The office was quite modern unlike the corridor we walked to get here. The office was quite large to say the least with a flight of stairs that led up to god knows where and a long desk where a receptionist sat. Her face was caked with makeup and she was loudly chewing on a piece of gum. Her long acrylics were vigorously clacking on the keyboard.
‘Excuse me’ I said but she ignored me
‘Excuse me’ I spoke but once again she paid no heed
After a few more tries I gave up and resorted to plan B. I slammed my fist on the desk making both Ashley and the receptionist -whose name was Miss Clarkinsen- flinch back and Miss Clarkinsen yelped back in shock.
‘Y-Y-Ye-Yes’ She stuttered out still probably shook from earlier
‘My name is Calla Evans and this is Ashley Carter. We’re here for our schedules’ I said without a hint of emotion in my voice.
‘E-E-Ev-Evans. As in CEO of Evans Corp. Evans’ Miss Clarkinsen said
‘Well, no shit. That’s what I just said, didn’t I?’ I asked with venom laced in my tone making her flinch
‘So-Sorry’ She said meekly
‘I don’t care. Just give me our schedules’ I said
‘R-R-Right. Sorry Miss Evans’ She said as she handed me mine and Ashley’s schedule.
We both walked out the other entrance that took us to the front of the school and we shared our schedules. We had the same lessons apart from Tuesday period 4 since I chose Biology and Ash chose Physics.
First lesson was English Lit. The bell had rung a good 7 minutes ago so we were definitely late. We both ran towards room 549 and Ashely slammed it open catching the attention of all the pupils and the teacher -who looked old enough to be my grandfather- gave us a hard glare.
‘Why are you girls late’ He roared
‘Umm because we’re new and we got lost’ I lied a bit
‘Names’ He said still mad since we disrupted his lesson about Moby Dick
‘Ashley Carter and Calla Evans’ I said and the class gasped at the sound of my name.
I looked towards the teacher to see all the colour had drained from his face and he looked as if he had seen a ghost.
‘E-Ev-Evans. As in Callum Evans. CEO of Evans Corp?’ He asked
‘Why does everyone keep asking me that? Yes, I am. I am Calla Evans. Daughter to Callum and Miranda Evans. Happy now’ I scoffed
‘No. Just go take a seat in the back’ He said as he resumed his teaching.
Me and Ash went and sat in the back propping our feet on the desk since we had already learnt this at Winchester High.
‘Pssst. Cals’ Ashley whispered
‘What’ I whispered
‘Do you ever miss Julian?’ She said and my eyes brimmed with tears.
Julian was the third person of our friendship group and the person that kept me sane. Without him I would probably be six feet under right now. But when we were 10, he just left. Left and never to be seen again. I missed him. In fact, we both missed him and we missed his little sister Julia more. If I can remember correctly, she was his life. Without her, Julian wouldn’t exist. My thoughts were disrupted by the bell ringing. I propped my feet off the table and walked out the classroom with Ash trailing behind me.
The rest of the day went by like a flash and before I knew it, it was 2:45. Just one more lesson then I could go home and sleep. Me and Ash had Home Ec next and like every other lesson today we were late. The bell had rug 3 ½ minutes ago and we had to walk all the way from the science labs to the main building. I slammed the door open making the teacher flinch. She looked young. No older than 35. Her makeup was discreet. You couldn’t see it until you looked at her closely. I smiled at that. At least she wasn’t one of those slutty teachers that put-on layers and layers of makeup just for it to be ruined by their tears at the end of the day.
‘Sorry we’re late Miss’ Ashely said from behind me
‘It’s fine girls. I can tell you’re new judging that I’ve never seen your faces before so why don’t you go and introduce yourself to the class.’ She said and I frowned.
I didn’t want more people knowing that my father was the famous CEO Callum Evans.
‘Hi, my name is Ashley Carter and my best friend moved here from Preston, Idaho.’ Ashley said as the teacher, whose name was Ms. Martinez , smiled at her.
‘As Ashley said. My name is Calla Evans and yes, my dad is the CEO of Evans Corp and no I am not related to Chris Evans’ I said emphasising on not related to Chris Evans. I looked towards Ms. Martinez to see her face on a sad smile and unshed tears rimmed her eyes. I was on high alert.
‘Is everything ok Miss?’ I asked and she simply nodded her head
‘Are you sure because when I said my name you started to cry’ I said concerned but I don’t know why I was concerned. I just felt this weird push to ask her what was wrong
‘It’s just my hay fever Calla. You can go sit next to Ashley in the back if you want’ She said and I just nodded
60 minutes later the last bell rang but Ms. Martinez left us on our own for the last 10 minutes saying that she needed to go somewhere. We all rushed out and I threw Ash my keys. I own a BMW i8 in white and I got it for my 16th birthday in October. We raced each other but I slowed down when I saw Ms. Martinez in her car with tears rolling down her cheeks and she was holding a picture frame close to her heart as if she was afraid someone would steal it. My heart broke at the sight. That was when I made a promise to myself.
I will find out what happened to Ms. Martinez even if it ruins me in the process…
