Chapter 6

Angie hadn't slept well all night. Maybe it was because before falling a sleep she had reread Aunt Cathleen's letter. There was something about the strange little riddle at the end that had piqued her curiosity. It was a mystery, one she felt compelled to solve.

So as she slept, her mind wrestled with the letter. As a result, waking and sleeping seemed to go in spurts. Along with a lot of tossing and turning. At seven o'clock, tangled in the sheets, she woke with a start. Her mother's voice was coming from the hallway. “Come on girls, wake up. You don't want to miss the bus on your first day.”

“Crap,” she moaned, closing her eyes. The dreaded day had arrived.

A knock on her door. “Angie, are you up?” Her mother asked from the other side. A few seconds passed. “Come on Angie, I know you're awake I can hear you sighing.”

“Okay.... okay, I'm a wake,” she said, but she was still not ready to move from her toasty safe cocoon of blankets.

“Dress warm. They're calling for a couple of inches of snow later in the day. And breakfast will be ready in thirty minutes. So get a move on.”

She listened as her mother's footsteps receded down the hall. But before she could even get untangled from her sheets, Riley burst into her room. “Angie, did you hear? It's going to snow.”

With an angry shove, Angie was finally free from the bed covers. And she watched as her sister skipped into the room, all nauseatingly happy. “It's no big deal, ” she spat out.

“Of course it's a big deal. It will be my first time. I'm a snow virgin.”

Angie sat on the edge of the bed. “Where did you hear that word? And do you even know what it means?”

“I know what it means. Geez.... give me some credit. I'm not a stupid little girl.”

While her sister was talking, Angie swung her legs off of the bed and slipped her feet into her slippers, making a quick beeline for the door. “Ha... says you. Apparently you're stupid enough to let me get first dibs on the bathroom.”

“No fair,” Riley hollered. But her sister was already out the door and running down the hall.

Miraculously, thirty minutes later, both girls were dressed and heading for the kitchen. Nicole looked up from the stove as they entered. “Look at my girls. You both look so cute for your first day,” she said proudly. “Give me a little spin so I get the total look.”

Riley complied immediately. “Do you think I will be warm enough? It is going to snow after all.” She said, as she twirled to show off her new corduroy pants and pink sweater.

“I would think so. But to be on the safe side, maybe you should wear the new vest that Nana bought you.”

Next, Nicole turned her eyes on Angie who had her thick mane of auburn hair, loosely tied back with a ribbon. “Very nice. But won't you be a tad cold?” She said, while scanning the plaid mini-skirt and tight-fitting graphic tee-shirt.

“I'm not changing, Mom. This is what I wore in California and this is what I'm wearing here.”

Nicole turned back to the stove, biting her tongue so hard, she thought she tasted blood. “Alrightie then. Sit down, breakfast is ready.”

The girls sat down while their mother filled their plates with bacon and scrambled eggs. “Are you sure you don't want me to drive you both to school?” She asked with concern.

“I'll be fine,” Angie said while eying the eggs with disgust.

“Me too,” Riley mumbled through a mouthful of food. “I was looking forward to riding the bus.”

Nicole added an extra spoonful of eggs on Angie's plate. “Okay. The buses will pick you up at the end of the driveway. Riley's will arrive first and then Angie's. After you arrive at the school, go straight to the office. They will have everything ready for you and will inform you as to where to go. Any questions?”

Neither girls replied. Angie was still looking at her eggs, feeling queasy. She glanced quickly at Riley and moaned a little. Her sister was gulping down her food like it was nobody's business.

“Eat up,” Nicole instructed. “I'll go get your coats.” And she hurried from the room.

Several minutes later she returned with Riley's vest, their heavy wool coats, scarves, and gloves. Angie looked up from the untouched food she had stirred into an unidentifiable mess. “Mom, I don't want to wear that coat,” she said looking at the long wool tweed her mother had bought before they left California. “I want the one that Nana gave me.”

“Honey, I don't think you'll be warm enough.”

"Mom, that's the one I want,” Angie huffed.

“Fine. You're the one that's going to freeze, not me,” Nicole replied. “Here, take this one back to your room.”
Angie grabbed the coat and rushed from the kitchen, muttering under her breath as she went.

In the meantime, Nicole hustled Riley to the front door. Then she watched patiently as Riley put on her vest, and then her coat, wrapped the scarf around her neck, and then slipped on her gloves. By this time, Angie was descending the stairs wearing a vintage leather biker jacket.

Nicole groaned softly, “I still don't think you're going to be warm enough.” And she stepped forward, attempting to wrap a knitted scarf around her neck.

Angie backed up a few steps. “I'm not wearing that. It doesn't go with my jacket.”

“For goodness sake. You sure are being difficult this morning.”

Angie looked her mother in the eye, “Move us back to California and I'll be your sweet little girl again.” Instantly, she regretted what she said and wanted the words back.

Nicole's eyes grew stormy. “Are you trying to blackmail me? You don't even want to go there young lady.”

Angie knew she should apologize, instead she dropped her gaze and headed for the front door. “Come on Riley,” she said, as she grabbed the knob. “Let's get this over.”

Nicole walked over and gave them each a kiss on the cheek and ignored the fact that Angie recoiled just a little. “Remember girls, just be yourselves and everyone will like you.”

“Bye Mom,” Riley barely managed to say, before Angie shoved her out the door and shut it behind them.

Out on the porch, Angie stood there stewing. But her anger was soon forgotten as a cold bitter wind whipped angrily at her skin. For a moment she was half tempted to run back into the house to change. But Riley interrupted with “Geez, Angie, sucks to be you in that mini-skirt.”

“Come on,” she growled, stomping down the stairs. And as they trudged down the long driveway, she shoved her hands deep into the pockets of the leather jacket. And she did her best to ignored Riley's squeals of delight about the impending snow.

Finally they arrived at the end of the drive. Then for five long minutes they waited until the first bus rumbled into view. By this time, Angie felt like a Popsicle. Her hands were numb and her legs were blue. And somewhere along the way, the ribbon holding her hair back had become undone. Now her hair was whipping furiously about her face.

Riley was the first to see the approaching bus. “That's it! That's my bus. Do you see it, Angie?” She said all giddy.

“Yeah, I see it,” she replied through chattering teeth.

The big yellow bus rolled to a hissing stop in front of them and opened its door. Before Angie even had a chance to tell her sister good-bye, she hopped aboard and the door closed behind her.

Clearly disappointed, Angie kicked at the gravel covering the driveway. And watched as the bus rumbled to life, heading down the road, and disappearing around the curve.

She was all alone now. Standing in the middle of nowhere and all around was the barren forest. “California is not like this,” she said aloud. And her words created a foggy mist that was carried off by the moaning wind.

Straining her ears, she listened for the sound of her bus. A faint noise could be heard coming from beyond the trees. Then a minute later she saw it heading towards her. For a moment she thought about pulling her hand out of her jacket pocket and waving it down. Just in case the driver didn't see the blue girl in a mini-skirt standing in the freezing wind. But thankfully the bus slowed, then stopped in front of her. Happy to be out of the cold and with a stupid smile plastered on face, she stepped aboard.

Immediately, she was greeted with, “Girl, what are thinking dressing like that? It's going to snow.”

Angie cringed with embarrassment. To make it worse, a few girls sitting behind the driver snickered at the wisdom about fashion versus winter. It was about then, she was aware that the bus had grown suddenly quiet. Everyone was giving full attention to the new girl.

“Shit,” Angie moaned, keeping her eyes down, feeling like an insect under a microscope. She would have given anything to be back in her bed, pillow over her head. Instead, walked down the aisle and claimed the last space. Easing herself into the seat, the bus continued rumbling along, and conversations resumed.

Although the inside of the bus was certainly warmer than being in the cold wind, it was by no means toasty. So Angie began rubbing her hands together in an attempt to stimulate her blood. She was also feeling a little braver and she discreetly looked around. To her dismay, every single person was bundled up in heavy coats, scarves, and gloves. And she couldn't help but notice that not a single mini-skirt was in sight, only jeans. In a pathetic attempt to look less conspicuous, she tugged at her hem. But it wouldn't give an inch. And she groaned to herself, feeling sure that this fashion faux pas was an omen of things to come.

Fifteen long minutes later, the bus turned into the parking lot of the Hillcrest High School. Her pulse raced as she stared out the window. Then her heart sank at the sight. An old three-story red brick building loomed in front of her. “Yikes! How old is this building?” She muttered aloud.

A deep laugh came from the seat behind her. “It's older than dirt.”

Angie turned in her seat and looked at the most handsome boy she'd ever seen in her life. He had dark shaggy hair, a brilliant smile, and deep penetrating eyes that were studying her. “Oh,” was all her mind could come up with. Nothing witty, nothing remarkable, just “Oh.” Embarrassed, she turned back in her seat.

Slowly, the kids shuffled off the bus. Nearing the front, she braced herself for the cold. But when she stepped outside, it still came as a frigid blast that almost took her breath away. “I hate it here,” she whimpered to herself.

Leaning into the wind, she crossed the parking lot with dozens of other students. Unfortunately, there was no way for her to meld into the crowd. Not when her mini-skirt and bare legs stood out like a beacon announcing the presence of the stupid new girl. So she simply had to endure their stares.

She didn't know what to expect as she followed the wind-blown crowd through large wooden double doors. For sure it was not the brightly illuminated hallway with its grand architecture and highly polished wooden floor. Or the stunning black iron antique fixtures hanging from the ceiling. So she just stood in place looking around not noticing that the incoming students were forced to veer around her. It wasn't until she heard their grumbles that she moved off to the side.

She singled out the nearest person and asked for directions to the office. A minute later she was on her way.