Welcome to New Haven (8 page)

“Are you jealous that your sister has a new friend?”
 
Laughed Ryan.
 

“Concerned” Alex replied with a scowl.
 
“You shouldn’t be…” Ben cut in. “…Holly’s cool.
 
No need to worry about her with Dev.”
 
He said as he finished his sandwich.

“You know her?”
 
Alex asked as he quickly looked to Ben.
 

“Sure.
 
We had Calculus together this morning.”

Ben was really smart.
 
He was in the regular algebra class, but he was amazing at calculus.
 
He was in the advanced class, which meant Holly was smart too.
 
She was in Alex’s Advanced English class and Dev had mentioned advanced algebra, or A.Alg as they called it.
 
Shortening the names of the other classes too.

Holly was beautiful
and
smart. Alex was in trouble.

When Holly suggested going out for lunch, when the guys had been called to speak to the coach, Dev had assumed she was just shy.
 

Holly had had a sudden flare of panic in her chest, and she’d needed to get out of the school.
 

“You know, you don’t have to be shy.
 
Alex is great.
 
He’s so sweet and easy going; you’ll love him.
 
Ben, Ryan and Kyle are ok too.
 
They can be a real pain in the ass but otherwise harmless.”
 
Dev had said with a warm smile, as if assuring Holly she would be fine.
 

The truth was; she didn’t know why she had suddenly panicked.
 
Possibly the stress of dodging Hot-guy was getting to her.
 
They would, after all, be visible sitting at the lunch table, and Holly was trying to stay as hidden as possible.
 

She’d been having sudden urges to turn in different directions, but as soon as she would, there he was.
 
She’d, at the last minute, decided to take a different route to class and, yes, there he was.
 
It was as if her mind knew exactly where he would be and her internal Sat-Nav was guiding her to him.
 

She wondered if she should just ‘give up’ and talk back to him.
 
Maybe that would help, but she couldn’t find her voice.
 
One look at him and her powers of the spoken word left her completely.
 
The thoughts, however, were stronger than ever.
Holy hell you’re beautiful’
she’d thought when he’d said ‘Hi’ to her the first time that morning.

I want to run my fingers through your hair,
was another thought. But that wasn’t all.
 
The thought that had her running was…
 

What’s under your shirt?
 

Holly had made
herself
blush with that one.
 

What the hell was happening to her?
 
Normally, she couldn’t give a toss about what was under a guy’s shirt, but now, since seeing Hot-guy, she thought about what was under his, often.
 
His biceps peaking out from below his sleeves. His olive skin, looking so tasty she wanted to lick it…
 

Stop! Stop it!
She'd screamed internally.
 

Her stomach was rolling, her pulse erratic and tingles all over her body, settling down into places they had no business in settling.

When the girls had gotten back to school, Holly had to go to her Spanish lesson.
 
Saying goodbye to the girls, she walked down the hallway, quickly, turning the corner and almost walked into a huge body. Stopping just in time before impact. It was
him!
 
Hot-guy was standing a few inches from her and she’d almost walked into him…again.
 
He was talking to somebody, and she stayed where she was, just for a few seconds to listen to his voice.
 
The vibrations in his tone sent shivers down her spine, right down to her toes.
 
Holly heard him say goodbye to whomever he was talking to and moving as if he were going to turn around.
 

Holly darted back around the corner, her back to him as he walked past her.
 
He got about two feet away when he stopped suddenly, as if sensing her there, and he turned his head to look back.
 
Holly shot around the corner as fast as she could and almost ran to her class.

Holly walked through the door and took her seat.
 

“Hola Holly.
 
Cómo estás?”
 
Miss. Delaney asked her.
 

That teacher annoyed Holly.
 
She would speak in Spanish for the majority of the lesson, as if the students there actually knew what she was saying.
 

Does she know this is
beginner
Spanish?
She’s beginning to get on my nerves…
 

Holly decided to say something that Dev had taught her in homeroom and at lunch.
 

“Estoy bien, graçias. Pero tengo un dolor de cabeza.”
 

Miss. Delaney looked surprised at Holly’s ‘language’ skills, but her look changed to one of annoyance.
 
Obviously, she liked to be the only one who could teach her students Spanish.
 

Holly rolled her eyes. She was
not
in the mood for a big headed teacher to get pissy.
 

“Parece que alguien ha estado aprendiendo español fuera de mi clase.”
 
The teacher said with pursed lips.
 

“Ok, I don’t know what you said.
 
I do have a headache, but my friend told me how to say it, if you asked how I was.
 
I thought you’d be at least a little pleased that I used some initiative.” Holly retorted.
 

The students in the class were silent as they waited for the teacher’s response. Miss Delaney was
not
amused at Holly’s answer, but Holly didn’t give a shit.
 
She was exhausted, and she wanted to leave.
 
She needed to get out of there before she said something that she would
really
regret.
 

“I’m not feeling too good.
 
I need to go home…now…before I puke on your nice clean carpet.”
 
Holly stood and walked out.
 

She would put money on the teacher not taking a chance in calling her back; just in case she had to contend with the smell of vomit gracing her classroom.
 

With the hallways now empty, Holly could easily find her way out, so she got her phone out to send a text to Dev.

H: Had to get out.
 
Migraine.
 
Will text you later. X

Dev replied instantly.

D: Are you ok?
 

H:
 
Yeah, just need to go home. X

D:
 
Ok hun.
 
Text me when you get home. x

Dev had told Holly about the ‘texting on arrival’ thing she had going with her family and friends.
 
Whenever they would go out, they had to text the other to say that they’d gotten to their destination safe and sound.
 
That way, if anything happened, but hopefully not, they would have an idea of where they would be if they needed help.

Holly got home, parked her car, and walked into the house, ignoring the whispers of the ‘dick head’ workmen.

They’ll learn the error of their ways soon enough
she thought to herself as she went to her room.
 
A smile playing on her lips.
 

She quickly texted Dev that she was home, before changing into her workout gear.
 
Maybe exercise would help to clear her mind.

After two hours, and many, many thoughts of Hot-guy, Holly wasn’t feeling any more relaxed than she had before and her headache was worse.
 
Fuck.

Chapter 5

Holly woke up in the morning and, this time, she actually did have a migraine.
 
She felt so sick that she couldn’t get out of her bed.
 

“Holly, love, are you up?”
 
Kim asked as she knocked on her bedroom door.
 

“I’ve got a migraine Mum.
 
I feel sick.”
 
She replied which had her Mum coming in.
 

Her bedroom was a square, but the door was in the area that was diagonal to the rest of the room.
 
Kind of like it’s own little hallway.
 

Walking through the door, the closet was to the right, separated by a narrow wall that she had all of her reminders and photos pinned onto a cork board that hung there.
 
Next to the closet was her own bathroom, with a shower.
 
It was quite small, but big enough not to feel cramped.
 

Her double bed, was on the wall to the right, the light wood a nice contrast to the red walls.
 
Holly had put up some white, long stem flower murals either side of the bed that reached almost to the ceiling, and another two on the wall to the foot.
 

Her vanity table that was called a dressing table back home, held a silk daffodil in a crystal vase, hers and her Dads’ favourite flower.
 
Her full length mirror stood in the corner to the right of the dresser, next to the window.
 
Holly loved her room.
 
She would spend hours in there, looking through old photographs of her Dad.
 
Some with both Holly and her Dad, and some that included Emily, her older sister.
 

Holly was nine when her Dad was hit by a drunk driver.
 
She’d been walking with him when the driver had clipped the kerb and had headed straight for them.
 
Her Dad, James, had pushed Holly out of the path of the car and was hit head on.
 
He’d died instantly, leaving Holly screaming on the ground.
 

It had been her birthday.

The last thing her Dad had given her was a platinum necklace with a daffodil pendant that was a birthday gift that day.
 
His last words before the car had hit…

”I love you, my precious girl.”

Holly wiped the tears from her cheeks as her Mum reached her bed.
 

“Oh, baby girl, what’s wrong?” Her Mum’s voice full of concern as she sat down and pulled Holly into a hug.
 

“I have a huge migraine and I feel like I’m going to be sick”
 
She replied.
 

“That doesn’t normally make you cry though love.” Her Mum added as she stroked her hair.
 

“I was just thinking about the old photos I have of my Dad.
 
I know it’s been years, but I still miss him so much.”
 

“I know you do love. We all do. He’d be so proud of you, you know.
 
What you’ve achieved, where you are. The amazing things you have done to the garden, all by yourself. You’re so much like him, baby girl, and I see him in you every day.”
 

Her Mum leant down to kiss Holly’s forehead before standing up.
 

“I have to go to work, but you should stay home today. You’re just getting used to a new country as well as a new school. I’m sure the principal will understand you having the day off.”

Holly nodded as her Mum left, then got out her phone to send a text to Dev…

H: Huge, HUGE, migraine.
 
I feel really sick so I’ll be staying home today.
 
Will see you tomorrow. X

Dev replied instantly.
 
The concern obvious in her text.

D: God! Are you ok?
 
Do you need to see a doctor?
 
My Mom could call in, if you want.
 
She’s taken a day off today.
 
Do you want me to send her?

Holly chuckled at Dev’s panicky message.

H: Thanks, but I’ll be ok.
 
Probably just the stress of the move and new school. I’ll just stay in and rest. I’ll be back tomorrow. X

D:
 
Ok.
 
But let me know if you need anything.
 
Oh, Alex says Hi.:)

H:
 
I will.
 
Tell him I said Hi too. :) X

Holly hadn’t met Alex, yet, but she was sure he’d be a good person, like Dev.
 
He had to be if he were her twin.
 
She’d meet the rest of the group Monday.
 

Yes, definitely Monday.
 

She’d give herself another day before including herself with the guys of the group, even if she had to go to lunch by herself.
 
The girls would understand, because they knew Holly wasn’t used to hanging out in a large group, and they were ok with it.
 
Even Dev had suggested they take the first week, by going to lunch elsewhere, to ease into it.
 
They hadn’t tried to pressure her at all and she was grateful for that.
 

Holly had met one of the group, Ben, and he seemed nice.
 
He’d spoken to her in A.Calc, when the teacher had introduced her, and he said that he was Alex’s, friend. He didn’t try to force any conversation and the little chat that they had, hadn’t been completely awkward.
 
In fact, she actually felt quite comfortable with him.

I hope they’re all like him.

If Alex were anything like Ben, then she’d probably get along with him too.

Ok, maybe getting to know them all tomorrow may not be such a bad idea.