White Wings Page 3

  “Nope,” Millie said, realising that Benjamin looked worried.

  “Let’s keep it that way, okay?”

  “Um, all right,” Millie agreed hesitantly. She thought it was weird that he said that to her, but she trusted him for some reason.

  “Do you want my number just in case?” Benjamin asked politely.

  Millie looked surprised. They had only known each other for a couple of days.

  “Umm, I suppose it’s a good idea.” Millie reached for her phone in her pocket. She gave it to Benjamin, and he typed in his number, then gave it back.

  “Thanks.”

  “Yeah, well, I thought if something happened.”

  “Yeah, it’s a good idea since I have zero friends at this point in my life.”

  “You have me.”

  Millie looked at Benjamin. “Thanks. It means a lot to have someone like you in my life at the moment.” She smiled.

  “No problem. And remember, when you’re alone, someone’s always watching,” Benjamin said with a calm face.

  “That’s kinda creepy,” Millie said.

  They looked at each other and started to laugh. It felt good for Millie to laugh. A laugh hadn’t come from her mouth in weeks.

  They laughed for a while longer.

  “That was good,” Benjamin said, still smiling.

  “Totally.”

  “I know this is totally random, but any time, day or night, if you’re feeling alone or scared, just call me and I will always be there for you,” Benjamin promised.

  “Thanks, Benjamin. For some reason, even though I know nothing about you, I trust you.”

  Benjamin smiled. “Call me Ben.”

  “Hmm, I know a Ben and he’s a complete arsehole.” Millie looked at Benjamin.

  “Benjamin it is.”

  They both started to laugh again. They lay in the sun in silence until the bell rang.

  * * * * *

  Millie walked home, and all she could think about was Benjamin. She had only talked to him a couple of times, but there was a feeling inside of her that she could tell him anything. A smile broke out on her face. This was the first time she had felt happy for a very long time. Millie had finally found someone to talk to since all of her closest friends had died.

  She admired all the cacti on the way to her house. Millie’s mum or Savannah always drove her to school and back, and she really hadn’t noticed how many there were before. Some were tall and green, whilst others were short and a brownish green colour. A smile grew on her face as she admired the fauna around her. She never noticed before how beautiful it was. Benjamin is more beautiful, she thought to herself with an even bigger smile now.

  She opened the front door of her house. It was so empty. No parents. No Savannah to keep her company. Just a big old empty house with no life in it.

  The popcorn popped in the microwave whilst she flicked between channels on the TV. Nothing took her fancy. She put John Tucker Must Die into the DVD player.

  She nibbled on the popcorn as the movie started. She remembered the times when Savannah always used to pick this movie to watch because it was her favourite. How, instead of eating popcorn, they would cover the room with it, throwing it at each other. How they would crack up laughing at the most random parts of the movie. Millie’s eyes became watery. How am I ever going to forget Savannah? All of my friends? she thought to herself. She buried her face into a pillow.

  * * * * *

  Justin ran into the bedroom to see Luke lying on the floor. He ran over to him, his long black hair covering his face. His pale fingers touched Luke’s neck.

  “He’s dead,” he said, in shock. “What the hell happened?” He stood up and went over to Millie who sat down on the bed in shock. He towered over her.

  “I don’t know.”

  Millie began to shake as tears started to run down Savannah’s face.

  “Who screamed?” Henry said as he stood in the doorway.

  Tom followed him. Henry’s shaven head started to sweat. His muscles tensed up as he saw Luke. Tom stood on his toes to peer over Savannah’s shoulder. His light-brown, long curly hair was tucked behind his ears.

  Before Tom could say anything, something smashed a window in the living room. Henry turned around.

  “The house is on fire!” he yelled with horror.

  “We have to get out of this house and make a run for it,” Justin said. Everyone was so focused on Luke that no one moved.

  “Now!” Justin shouted more loudly.

  Henry and Tom grabbed Savannah and ran. Justin took one more look at his dead friend, Luke, and grabbed Millie’s hand. He lifted her up off the bed and demanded she run. Her cheeks were pale, and she was confused. Again Justin grabbed her hand and ran, dragging her behind her. They ran out of the house just as the others ran into the thick woods. Millie turned her head and saw the house ablaze.

  * * * * *

  Millie woke up with popcorn all over her. She had fallen asleep. The TV was repeating the menu for the DVD. She sat up. The whole house was dark. The only source of light was the TV. She rubbed her eyes and brushed the popcorn off her. The cut under her bandage was throbbing with pain. Some more of her memory had just come back.

  She shivered at the memory of Luke again. The fire in the house was so bright and red; her skin felt hot just thinking about it. She looked around the house. The blackness reminded her of the thick woods--at least the parts that weren’t on fire. Millie was scared to get up off the couch. She just lay there, hugging the pillow. The light from the TV comforted her until her eyes grew heavy and she fell asleep.

  * * * * *

  Millie walked to school, trying not to think about anything. She didn’t want to remember all of her friends panicking at the site of their dead friend and the house and woods mysteriously being on fire. Instead, she put headphones in her ears and let the music drown out all her thoughts.

  Before she knew it, she was walking on the grass in front of the school. She took a deep breath and walked through the school hall. Benjamin was standing against a locker. His dark brown hair looked almost perfect, whilst his white V-neck shirt showed off the muscles in his arms. His dark blue ripped jeans were irresistible, and his black converse looked very quirky on him. Overall, he was dreamy. Their eyes locked onto each other, and Millie stopped walking. She took out her headphones and was about to say something, but Benjamin just glared at her and walked away. Millie was shocked. Have I done something wrong? she thought to herself. The bell rang before she could think any more of it.

  She sat down just as Miss Sutherland walked into the room. Her teacher was tall and super thin, and her shoulder-length, blonde ringlets were to die for. Her clear-rimmed glasses made her hazel eyes pop out. Millie pulled her calculus textbook from her bag and looked out the window. Miss Sutherland started to talk, but Millie wasn’t paying attention. She wanted to know why Benjamin had completely ignored her. All of her thoughts were consumed by this, and she was glad. No images of Luke or Savannah dead. No blazes. Before she knew it, the bell had rung and most of the students had left the classroom. Miss Sutherland sat there, looking at Millie. Millie quickly packed her bag.

  “How are you doing?” Miss Sutherland asked before Millie walked out of the classroom.

  Millie turned around. “I’m okay,” she said with a slight smile.

  “You sure about that?” Miss Sutherland looked concerned.

  Millie was secretly glad that somebody actually cared about her. Even her mother and father never asked if she was okay. They didn’t like talking about the incident in the woods.

  “Actually, I’m not,” Millie said, walking closer to Miss Sutherland.

  “I thought so. What’s bothering you, honey?” she asked in the sweetest voice.

  She was so kind, and Millie felt like she could talk to her. Miss Sutherland was the youngest teacher at the school. She had celebrated her twenty-fifth birthday over the previous summer break.

  “I don’t really remember w
hat happened out there in the woods, but I keep dreaming about it and remembering more and more. I’m scared of going to sleep at night. I don’t want to see my friends dead. I don’t want to know what happened out there. Everybody wants to, but I don’t.” Millie started to cry.

  Miss Sutherland pulled a seat up behind her so Millie could sit down and grabbed another so she could sit down, too. Miss Sutherland patted Millie’s back and passed her some tissues.

  “It will be okay, Millie. It will be hard reliving the deaths of your close friends, but once you have, you can forget about it ever happening and have a good night’s sleep then.”

  “How can I ever forget about it, though? Like, I want to, but they were my friends. My best friends. Now I have no one. Everybody in this school just stops and stares at me when I walk past them. I hear whispering everywhere I go. I will have a scar on my forehead for life. Every time I look in the mirror, I will remember that day,” Millie said, bawling her eyes out. “I miss them so much.”

  Miss Sutherland comforted her. “Oh, Millie. I haven’t experienced what you are going through, but over time, it will get better, I promise. Your wounds will heal--outside and on the inside.” She got up and closed the door. “Just let it all out, Millie. I don’t have a class, so we can talk for as long as you need.”

  Millie nodded.

  By the time the bell rang for the next class, the trash bin was filled with tissues. Miss Sutherland opened the door for Millie.

  “If you need to talk at any time, just come and see me,” she said with a great big smile.

  “Okay. Thanks. I will,” Millie said, waving good-bye.

  * * * * *

  The school hall was busy with students coming out of classrooms. There were students walking to their classrooms or going to their lockers. In the crowd, Millie saw Benjamin heading to his next class. He made eye contact with her. Millie looked away, but she wanted to look back at him. She lifted her head again, and Benjamin walked passed, still looking at her. His lips moved ever so slightly apart, like he wanted to say something. His eyes looked concerned, but then he looked away and continued walking. Benjamin had seen Millie’s eyes red and swollen from crying. He wanted to talk to her, but he just couldn’t.

  At lunchtime, Millie sat alone under the tree at the front of the school. She was eating a strawberry jam sandwich that she had made before she headed off to school. Her face was soaking up the sun; the warmth of the sun felt nice on her skin. All of a sudden, Benjamin walked out of the school. He didn’t even seem to notice Millie as he followed the cement path to the parking lot.

  Millie noticed there was another guy leaning against a black car. She was shocked. She hadn’t even noticed him. Was he even there before? she thought to herself. Benjamin went up to him and pushed him against the car door. The other man just brushed it off like it was nothing. They were having stern words, but Millie couldn’t hear a thing. She wanted to get closer to listen in on the conversation, but if she moved, it would be noticeable because she was the only one out front today. Everybody’s probably out the back in case another fight breaks out, Millie joked to herself.

  Three

  The Conversation

  Benjamin walked down the school hallway, through the doors, and onto the cement path. He could sense Millie by the tree, but he did not make eye contact with her. If he did, he would lose concentration. He could sense her eyes on him now. He was hoping that if he ignored her, she would get pissed off and go, but she didn’t. She just sat there. He picked up the pace.

  Teal suddenly appeared from behind Benjamin’s black car. Benjamin grabbed Teal’s shoulders and threw him against the car.

  “What are you doing here?” Benjamin demanded.

  “Just checking up on you,” Teal replied, ripping Benjamin’s hand off his shoulders.

  “You shouldn’t be here, Teal,” Benjamin said, calming down a bit.

  “Don’t worry. They won’t detect us. Two of us in one place wouldn’t put a spark on their radar.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I’m just worried they’re going to find her, that’s all,” Benjamin said, relaxing.

  “I know you are. Too concerned, aren’t you?” Teal said with a wink.

  “You heard about that?”

  “Sure did,” Teal said.

  “She was all alone and no one was talking to her. She needed someone in her life again.”

  “You were only supposed to watch her.”

  “I know I was, but there was something inside of me that hated to see her in this much pain and alone. I just wanted to let her know that she does have someone to talk to.”

  “I understand. I have no problem with you talking to her, but it was your order just to watch her.”

  “I know what my job is, and I have been ignoring her all day, so I don’t think we’ll be talking anytime soon,” Benjamin said with a cheerless face.

  “Maybe that’s a good thing since you have already been warned once.”

  “I suppose.” Benjamin looked away from Teal.

  “Well, that was a very promising response.”

  “Sorry. I just have this feeling in me--a feeling I have never felt before. Toward Millie.”

  “Do you like her?” Teal said in shock.

  “Well, our kind loves all humans.”

  “Do you love her more than you’re supposed to?”

  “I am not going to talk about this. It’s stupid anyway.”

  “Well, I am here for you,” Teal said, smiling at him.

  “I know you are. You have always been here for me.”

  “Well, this is getting weird now,” Teal said with a laugh. “So I am going to go.”

  Benjamin laughed too.

  “Okay, well, see you around.” Teal started to walk away. Then he said with a wink, “Oh, and she’s a very pretty girl. And remember, I saw her first.” He continued walking away until he was out of sight.

  Benjamin turned around and saw Millie still sitting underneath the tree. She was staring at him. As she noticed Benjamin staring back at her, she looked away, pretending not to be interested in what was going on. Benjamin took a deep breath and followed the path back to the school hall.

  He felt awful for ignoring Millie. She has just lost all of her friends. The last thing she needs is for me to come into her life then completely ignore her, he thought. But I have to.

  * * * * *

  Millie walked home miserable. Benjamin had made coming to school a little bit easier. Even though she didn’t know anything about him, his presence made her feel at ease. It made her feel safe, and he listened to her rambling without complaining. Now that Benjamin was ignoring her, Millie didn’t really want to go back to school.

  * * * * *

  Her head hurt as she walked out of the hospital. Her scar stung, but Millie was glad to have the stitches out of her forehead. The stitches had been itchy and annoying. She caught the bus back home. As she was walking towards her house, all she could think of was that conversation Benjamin had had with that other man outside of the school. What was it about? What was so important that the man interrupted him at school? Why did Benjamin seem angry but then all of a sudden a laugh came out of him? Millie decided not to waste her thoughts on Benjamin. She took in the sunlit flowers, the birds tweeting, and the glorious sun before she headed inside her house.

  She sat down on the couch, flicking through channels. Millie felt depressed. Normally on a Saturday, Millie hang out with her friends, going to the lake or watching Savannah’s modelling shows. Savannah was much taller than Millie was. Her waist-length, straight, blonde hair was the envy of the whole school. She basically had tattooed on her face “the next Heidi Klum.” Millie was remembering how beautiful her best friend was when a loud knock came from the front door. She did not want to answer the door, so she ignored it, but the knocks kept on coming.

  With a huff, she hopped up from the couch and opened up the door. It was Jonathan, the student she was partnered with for the history assignment
. He was wearing what looked to be a handmade red sweater over some overly large brown pants. His brown hair was cut unevenly. No doubt done by his mother, Millie thought. The tanned skin on his face glistened in the sunlight. Jonathan was never known to dress fashionably and always wore long sleeves and pants, even in the Arizona heat.

  “Oh, hey, Jonathan,” Millie said in surprise.

  “Hi, Millie,” Jonathan said with a smile. “I just came around to see if you were doing anything.”

  “Um, why?”

  “So we can do the history assignment.” He actually said this with joy.

  This is what she was brought to: doing an assignment on a Saturday instead of enjoying the day with her friends. Millie huffed and opened the door wider so Jonathan could come in. He walked in the house.

  “Oh my, this house is huge. I forgot how big it was,” he commented, twirling around like a ballerina.

  “Just a question--how’d you know where I live?” Millie asked, still holding onto the doorknob.

  “I came here for a party once,” he said with a huge smile.

  It seemed like he was hardly invited to any parties.

  “Oh, okay,” Millie said, closing the door.

  As Jonathan was talking away and typing a million words a minute on the computer, Millie pretended to listen, but she was bored. All this Ancient Roman stuff was doing her head in. Her mind wandered to when she and Savannah used to do assignments together. Well, they tried. They always got distracted and talked about anything else but the task at hand.

  “Finished,” Jonathan said loudly. Millie jumped in her seat; he had startled her. Her train of thought was broken.

  “As in the first question?” Millie asked wide-eyed.

  “The whole thing.”

  “You’re serious?” Millie said.

  Savannah and Millie used to take days . . . weeks to complete just a question. They never finished on time and were always handing every assignment in after the due date.

  “Wow, that was quick.”

  “Well, I’ve been reading all about Ancient Rome since I was about five, so I knew practically everything there was to know. Plus, I’m a fast typist,” he confided with a smile.