Page 11 of Lost
George mumbled something unintelligible and turned his back on the group, gazing across the room to where his real friends apparently sat. Eliza Beth rolled eyes the most beautiful shade of hazel, looking instead to Lysander. They sparkled as she smiled at him.
“Have you readThe Tempest?” she asked. “Maybe you can give us a head start on this.”
She had a beautiful voice, too.
“Sorry.” He offered her his most sincerely apologetic smile. “I never studiedThe Tempest. We didThe Taming of the Shrew, and I wasn’t great with that either.”
“Oh. Well, that’s okay. We have our Shakespearean expert here, anyway.”
Lysander didn’t doubt it. Jack was fervently scribbling in his notebook, actual words instead of the doodles Lysander had assumed he would see. A glance around the classroom showed that he was the only one — most of his new classmates were looking at each other with dumbfounded expressions or completely ignoring the assignment as they chatted. Huh. So not a vapid, boring surfer boy then.
Eliza Beth twirled a pen between her fingers, though she didn’t seem inclined to use it. She examined chipped black nails as she said, “So what brings you to Mapleton Beach High?”
“I just moved to the area,” Lysander replied. “From Wisconsin.”
“I’ll bet that’s a big change for you. It’s much warmer in California.”
“It is.” As an afterthought he added, “It’s going to be different seeing Christmas without any snow.”
It was going to be different seeing Christmas without his mother, too. But he would have Dakota back by then. There would be at least a small degree of normalcy to the holiday season for him.
When Ms. Lowe called that time was up, Jack was the only person to volunteer any answers. Any other student had to be called upon, and even then they gave their answers as more of a question. Lysander was silent throughout the lesson, thankful for the immunity his new student status granted him, taking the time instead to memorise the faces of his new classmates — and chance an occasional glance at Eliza Beth.
She didn’t look at him again as the lesson went on, and he was disappointed to see her return to her friends when it came to an end, leaving without a goodbye. George hadn’t said a word the entire time he’d been forced to sit with them, nor did he offer a farewell as he and his buddies exited the room. Jack did the opposite of the other two. As soon as he’d finished packing his things, he approached Lysander.
“I can offer you company if you need it,” he said with a smile. “I’m not the most entertaining person in the world, but I can hold up a decent conversation.”
Lysander had already spent a free period alone, wandering the grounds aimlessly as he tried to ignore the stares people were throwing his way. He didn’t much like the idea of doing it again, this time for the hour long lunch. He zipped his own bag shut and nodded, accepting the offer gratefully. Jack came across as a nice enough guy; there was no reason that the two of them couldn’t be friends.
“Got anywhere specific you like to sit?”
“No,” Lysander said as they left the room together. “It’s my first day, so I’m still getting to know the place. What about you? Where do you usually sit?”
“I find a different spot every day. Keeps things interesting.”
They made their way onto the bright and sunny courtyard. Jack looked around at his fellow students, observing and checking faces as he went, as if he were searching for somebody. Whoever it was he didn’t find them, and instead gestured Lysander a little further on until they came to a small bench in the shade of a tree. From here, they had a decent view of the school grounds stretched out before them.
It was big, Lysander thought, but aside from that…school was school, right?
“So you’re from Wisconsin?” Jack asked as they sat. “That’s a long way to come. Why the move?”
“Long story,” Lysander replied, “but the too long, didn’t read is my mom died, so I had to move in with my father. And he lives in Mapleton Beach.”
“Wow, I’m sorry. I probably shouldn’t have asked, huh?”
“It’s fine. I’ve had time to digest it.”
Because a month was definitely long enough. He’d had his time to cry for his mother, and he refused to do it anymore. Not while there were more important things to be worrying about, and definitely not on his first day at a new school, in front of somebody who might become a permanent friend.
“How do you like California so far?” Jack asked instead. “Is it as great as people say?”
“I haven’t seen much of it yet, to be honest.”
“It’s always first impressions that matter the most though, right?” Jack winked. “So based on your first impressions, how do you like the Golden State?”
Lysander considered. He hadn’t been thrilled to be in California at first — had hated the thought of being so far away from his home, leaving not only his friends but also his sister, and he hadn’t really been willing to give the place a chance. But between the people he was meeting and the gorgeous sunsets that he got to watch every afternoon, he had to admit it was starting to grow on him.
“It’s good,” he conceded. “I never cared about it before coming here, but... Yeah, I guess it lives up to its name. You lived here long?”
