CHAPTER 2


FIRST GLANCE


Even after a good night’s rest, Edgar was not looking forward to the oncoming day. He knew for a fact that it’d be worse than the day before. After all, he had just lost a friend forever.


Maybe Shane will send me an invitation to his graduation, he thought. Even if he was moving halfway across the country, they could still stay in touch. Couldn’t they?


I have no cell phone, Edgar thought in distaste. “Time for school.” He quickly got dressed and left his room. He entered the kitchen to find a gray box on the counter, outlined with brown colors, wrapped just like a Christmas present. On the side was a tag. He turned the box over and saw his name printed on it. Seeing the words, he found no reason not to open it.


“Nuh uh!” a voice cried behind him, just as his fingers felt the ends of the wraps.


Edgar turned to look into the eyes of his mom. “What?”


“Not yet!” she yelled, taking the box as she headed out with it, probably to hide it. She knew how sneaky Edgar could be.


She came back fairly quick. “What is it?” he asked.


“It’s a surprise,” she stated. “For your birthday.”


“Oh.”


Mandy studied him. “Are you ready for school?”


He gestured to himself. White t-shirt and blue jeans, he clearly looked ready. “Duh. But where’s breakfast?”


“I didn’t cook this morning.”


“Why?”


“Because Heather’s not here, that’s why. Now get in the car!”


That’s right, Edgar thought. Heather had met a new girl at school the day before, and she had been invited to spend the night. And Heather accepted.


“Yeah,” he said. “I just forgot. I don’t see why, because it’s really quiet.” And that was the truth.


His mom smiled. “Sure.” She yawned and then threw him the keys. “You’re driving.”

* * *

Edgar swerved roughly around the curves on the way to the school, and nearly ran one stop sign. But when they arrived onto the school campus, he managed to roll the car to a smooth stop. He was still not happy with his own results, but pleased that he had not embarrassed himself again. Edgar’s friends did not see him arrive the way he had, which was a downside in his view.


“I’m very impressed,” Mandy said.


“Yeah, yeah,” he said to her, climbing out of the car. He spotted a blond boy approaching him with half a smile on his face. The way he squinted his eyes was easily recognized with the sun shining in his face, as his green eyes faintly glowed. “Cody?” he asked.


“Yeah...” Cody awkwardly replied. “Who else would it be?”


Cody crossed his arms as a shadow fell over him. They looked up to see that a huge cloud had passed over the sun. “Looks like rain.”


“I hope not,” Edgar said.


“Good morning, Mrs. Freeman,” he said as he waved his hand.


Edgar had forgotten that his mom was still standing right there.


“How many times do I have to tell you?” she said. “Just call me Mandy.”


Cody nodded faintly. “I apologize, but it’s a habit.”


“Yes, I know,” she said. “But you were raised by outstanding parents who taught you very well indeed. At least you have good manners, unlike most young boys your age.”


Edgar broke the conversation with a loud sneeze.


“Bless you,” Cody said. Obvious.


Mandy looked around and said, “Goodness, I’m about to be blocking the parking lot.” There were a few cars just now starting to pull up behind them, and she had to move her car before a traffic jam began. Cody waved goodbye to her before she got in the car and left.


“Let’s go,” Edgar said to him.


After standing outside for several minutes in silence, Cody finally spoke up. “So, do I have any classes with you?”


“I don’t know,” Edgar shrugged. “You weren’t even here yesterday.”


“Yeah,” Cody began, “my family and I got back from Florida a little late because there was a slight delay with the plane. We were supposed to be back in time for the first day back here.”


“Didn’t you quit Athletics?” Edgar asked. Cody nodded. “Okay, so you’ll be in P.E. with me and Nick. Along with Chloe,” he added.


He nodded. “And you quit band.”


“Oh.” Edgar scratched his neck, trying to hide his embarrassment. “Heard about that, did you?”


Cody nodded once again. “I heard about many things, such as Shane moving. That really sucks. But you know what this means?”


Edgar shook his head. He had no idea.


“It means,” he began, “that I am no longer second chair, and I should be section leader for the saxophones. And I’m not even a senior yet!”


“Good for you,” was all Edgar said, as he noticed two people walking by them. One of them was a tall, dark skinned boy with a black goatee spreading below his chin. Perhaps he was a mix of two different races, or maybe just a really tan Caucasian that had too much sun.


The other boy was short and bony. The top of his head probably came up to Edgar’s chest, and he had an odd look in his eyes as if he were about to attack someone. His head also appeared to be a little too big for his shoulders to hold, and his hair was a faded black.


The moment he spotted Edgar, he gasped in pain, lifting his hands up to his head. The guy he was with put a hand on his shoulder, as if asking if he was all right. He only pointed at Edgar, and whispered something to the taller boy. They turned and left, leaving Edgar with a confused expression on his face.


“Okay...” Cody started, “who were those weirdoes? That guy freaked out at the sight of you. You’re not really that ugly, are you?”


“Shut it,” Edgar grumbled. “But you’re right. That was insane.”


And so this was something that he could not seem to take his mind off of, even as he left Cody and entered the cafeteria alone. When he approached the round table, he saw Nick sitting there running his mouth. He must be pretty talkative today, Edgar thought. That’s not good.


Then he noticed that Zack was not present; but instead, there were two others.


Edgar cautiously walked closer, with his suspicions about him. Sure enough, they were the same two strangers whom he had seen walking by earlier, and Nick was talking to them like they were best friends. Edgar began to back away, but then Nick spotted him and waved for him to sit down with them.


“Edgar! Come over here!” he called.


Crud.


The small sized boy that was sitting there glanced at Edgar and groaned, clenching his jaw and fists, eyes wide. Just for the heck of it, Edgar stared right back at him with wide eyes, trying to tease him. What an idiot, he thought. I wish he would stop staring at me, the creeper!


“Okay,” Nick said, once Edgar sat down beside him. “This is Mark Jules.” He was gesturing to the tall guy. “And this is his friend Drake Arkana,” he waved his hand towards the other guy, who was starting to do more than creep Edgar out.


Mark bit his lip and then held his hand out across the table. “Pleasure to meet you, Edgar,” he said.


“Um.” Edgar did not know what to say, but he held out his hand and shook it, as to not offend the guy.


Mark had a very firm grip like a man, and when he finally released, Edgar’s hand was throbbing. “We were just talking about you,” he said.


Edgar raised his eyebrows and turned to Nick. “Talking about me? Why?”


“No reason,” Nick intervened, but Mark paid him no mind.


“You two are good friends, eh?”


Edgar faced Mark and nodded. “Yeah, so?”


“Interesting—”


“Wait a minute,” Edgar cut him off, though he knew it was rude. “Do you two know each other or something?”


“No,” Mark said, “but your friend here has been very gracious to introducing us to the school and all. We’ve just moved out here,” he gestured to himself, and then Drake, whom was strangely quiet. In fact, Drake’s eyes were bloodshot red, tearing up.


Drake’s silence bothered Edgar the most. He had said absolutely nothing the entire time, not even introducing himself. And he kept looking at Edgar in the weirdest way ever, like in pain.


“I’m sorry,” Edgar said, “but I need to go.”


“But it’s still early,” Nick said. “Plenty of time before we have to go to class. About fifteen minutes left to be exact.”


“Yeah,” he said, “but I think I’m just gonna go look for Chloe.” He began to stand up.


“Look for who?” a voice said.


To Edgar’s unfortunate surprise, it was Chloe. Now there’d be no excuse to leave these weirdoes.


Chloe gave him a silent hug and sat down between him and Nick. “Good morning,” she said, and then she noticed Mark and Drake. “And who might you be?”


“Nobody,” Edgar muttered, as Nick introduced them. Chloe slapped Edgar on the arm and told him to be nice. He only rolled his eyes.


After Chloe greeted them, she pulled Edgar by the arm and told him to come with her. “Bye,” she said to them, as the two of them walked off.


Edgar swore he heard Drake let out a giant breath of air as they walked away.


Chloe led him to an empty table and they sat down. “What is up with those guys?”


“What do you mean? I thought you liked them.”


“Well, I couldn’t help but notice you were bothered by them, and that one dude wouldn’t stop staring at you, and he was strangely quiet.”


Edgar shrugged his shoulders. “How should I know? I was so ready to leave but you showed up.”


“I know,” she said. “But you don’t have to be rude in front of them. I mean, you might piss them off or something. Especially Drake. He looks like he might be a psycho.”


“I doubt it. Besides, the only one I can piss off around here is James. In fact, I don’t even have to do anything. Speaking of which, I haven’t seen him around. What’s up with that?”


Chloe laughed and rolled her eyes. “You didn’t hear?”


He shook his head. “What are you even talking about?”


She smiled and said, “James has been suspended.”


“You mean...he’s gone?” Edgar said with wide eyes. “I don’t have to deal with him anymore?”


“No, he’s just not here for this week only.”


“Oh. Well, what happened?” Edgar was growing more curious by the minute.


“Well,” Chloe began, not really knowing where to start, “he got caught making out with Michelle Adams in the locker room before football practice sometime last week. He’s suspended until the first week of school is past, and Michelle was expelled for being in the boys’ locker room.”


Edgar was at a loss for words, but not surprised that James would be caught doing something like that. He found the story quite interesting and began to smile a little, temporarily forgetting all about Mark and Drake.


Chloe looked at him as if expecting him to say something. “Anybody home?” she said to him, bringing him into reality.


“No,” he shook his head. “Please leave a message after the beep.”


She laughed. “You’re goofy.” She noticed Goosebumps on his arms. “You okay?”


“Yeah,” he said, rubbing his arms. He began to feel chills throughout his body, and he had no idea why. “It’s cold,” he said.


She looked at him, confused. “But you never get cold, even in the winter.”


“Yeah? Well, I am now,” he said, nodding. “Freezing, actually.”


Chloe took her hands and rubbed his arms. “Better?”


Edgar blushed and pulled his arms away. “Stop, you’re embarrassing me.”


He smiled and stared into her eyes, wondering where their relationship really was. She was his best friend that was a girl. Really his only friend that was a girl. He had asked her out a few times, but she only saw him as a friend. But why there couldn’t be more between them, Edgar never understood. He couldn’t blame her, though. He often wondered what she saw in him at all, even as a friend. She was the only girl that showed no disgust to Edgar.


“Are you okay?” she asked him. “You look a little dizzy.”


Edgar nodded slightly, and listened to the bell ring. “Yep. Everything’s cool.”

* * *

Everything was the opposite of cool by the time lunch arrived. After Edgar had gone through the line with his tray, he noticed Mark and Drake sitting over there at their table. His table.


Eager to avoid detection, he quickly headed across the tables, just a few rows down. After setting his tray down, he stared at his pepperoni pizza with loss of appetite. This was going to ruin his day.


Pushing his tray away, he spotted Nick and Chloe heading to the table. But not to where Edgar was sitting; but with Mark and Drake. He rolled his right hand into a fist. The new kids, trying to steal his friends. Edgar shook his head in denial.


I’m gonna have to do something about this.

* * *

About an hour later, Edgar ran into Mark in the hallway. It surprised him, and he hadn’t seen Mark anywhere other than the cafeteria.


“Edgar,” he said. “Everything going good?”


He looked around the hall awkwardly. There was no one else around. “Yes, why?”


Mark held his arms up. “Just wondering. Trying to make polite conversation. And I hear you have a science quiz tomorrow.”


“Yes,” Edgar confirmed. “I do. What’s it to you? I hate science, and Mr. Gipson is just pure evil.”


“Ha,” Mark laughed. “I doubt you know the true meaning of evil.” Mark looked around him as if making sure no one was listening, but there were only them. He leaned in close to Edgar and whispered, “It would be best if you prepared yourself if you haven’t already. Anything could happen.”


Edgar pulled back his head and stared blankly at him. “Like what?”


“Ah,” he said, taking a step back to give Edgar the extra space. “Nothing. I have to go. And good luck on your test tomorrow. Quiz, I mean.” And then he was gone.


Edgar stood there in silence, his head spinning and his thoughts clouded. He had already marked Mark and Drake down as strange and unequal. But not like this. Perhaps there was something more to them than meets the eye. And maybe there was a chance he could actually get along with Mark. He had only met him that morning, and he was being unusually nice. Sympathetic, even.


He must have been standing there lost in his thoughts for a long time, because he heard the tardy bell ring. He cursed, and took off in a hurry. It was only the second day of school, and he was about to receive his first tardy.


Being in too much of a hurry, he smacked into a girl.


“Hey, watch it!” she exclaimed. She was a tan, blonde girl with a preppy attitude.


“Sorry, Avery!” he said to her.


She scowled at him. “Right. Listen, have you seen Cody?”


“Why does it matter? I thought y’all broke up.”


“Don’t get smart with me you little wimp,” she said. “And yes, we did, but you see—we’re back together now. Anyways, just tell him to meet me at my house by four. Now be gone.”


She strolled off like a boss, leaving Edgar hanging there. He remembered how much of a hurry he was in and quickly rushed outside, and cut through the grass.


The science teacher for the seniors happened to be walking around the corner at that precise moment. “Get off the grass!” Mrs. Murphy shrieked. “What’s the matter with you?”


“I’m sorry,” he stuttered, “I’m just in a hurry.”


“Just get to class!” she exclaimed, causing him to take off running to the gym like a torpedo. “And don’t let me catch you on the grass again young man!”


Whatever. Who cares about the stupid grass? It’s just grass!


He had had enough of today, and could not wait for this last class to be over with. And he was late. Being late for gym class was not good when you had strict coaches.


Please, please, please, can’t I just get a break?

* * *

“Edgar, what’s wrong?” Chloe kept asking him.


P.E. had just started, and it was the last class of the day.


“You know what.”


Chloe grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him gently against the wall. “Actually, no, I don’t.”


“Ever since Mark and Drake arrived, all of you have been ignoring me. Like at lunch, for instance.”


“And exactly where were you during lunch? Nick and I couldn’t find you anywhere.”


Edgar rolled his eyes. “Oh, I get it. Y’all just didn’t see me. Or maybe you two did not look hard enough.”


“Oh, stuff it with the attitude,” Chloe snapped. “I’m tired of hearing it, and it bothers me.”


Edgar sighed and crossed his arms. Then, he said, “I’m sorry. I guess I’m just little angry.”


“A little?”


“Okay, a lot.”


“I haven’t ignoring you,” Zack said. “I sat with you during lunch.”


“Yeah, I know,” Edgar sighed. “Just...” He shook his head. “No, just forget it.”


Edgar headed to the bleachers in the gym. Chloe walked towards the opposite side, over where the girls were. She began talking to her friend Brittany. Like Edgar, Chloe didn’t have very many friends either. But enough to get by. Edgar was relieved to hear that the gym teacher was late. It was a very fortunate surprise for him.


As he approached where Cody was, he relayed Avery’s message to him. “Sorry I’m late,” Edgar added. “I ran into Mark in the hallway and he wouldn’t stop talking to me, and I didn’t understand a word he said.”


“Mark?” Cody said, glancing at Nick in question. “Who’s Mark?”


“No one of your concern,” Nick harshly said, and then he looked at Edgar. “And don’t worry about it, Edgar. Mark just likes to...speak his mind.”


The gym doors slammed a moment later. Then, a tall, middle-aged man appeared, walking to the center of the gym floor with a clipboard, pen in hand. It wasn’t the coach.


“I heard we had a sub,” Nick commented. “I guess my resources were correct.”


The sub announced that the class didn’t have to do anything for the day, so everyone was allowed to chat with their friends. This would have been a break for Edgar, but both Cody and Nick were present, and they simply hated each other. Arguments almost always emerged whenever they exchanged conversation.


Cory Shortly and Daniel Tutt immediately headed out of the bleachers. They were both good friends of James, but he was more like a leader to them. And James was currently suspended.


“Look at these two idiots,” Nick gestured to them. They had just began to wrestle, and Nick somehow found it amusing. Cory was almost as tall as Nick, with pale skin, and Daniel was average size, covered with freckles and black hair on his head.


Edgar scowled at him, and then he turned to Zack, who was parked at the bottom of the bleachers, just before the first steps. “I still can’t believe Shane had to move half a country away.”


“Sooner or later,” Zack said, “you’ll finally move on. And it won’t bother you anymore. It’ll all be nothing but memories.” He paused for a moment to access his thoughts carefully. “I’m not saying it will be easy, but I know you’re strong enough to get through this.”


“I wonder if I’ll get a graduation invitation, at least.”


“That’s right,” Zack said. “He’s a senior this year, right? I almost forgot.” He laughed. “Silly me.”


“Yep.”


The substitute’s whistle sounded. “Break it up, you two!”


They looked over to see what was going on. By the looks of it, Cory and Daniel had taken their wrestling to a whole new level. They were the bodyguards of James himself, but like always, whenever he was not around, they always got rowdy and into a fight.


“Drop down and give me fifty!” the sub yelled. He had Cory and Daniel over at the side lines of the gym floor doing pushups, and forced them to face each other.


“Well,” Nick said, glancing down at his watch, “this is interesting.”


“What is?” Edgar asked him.


He shook his head. “My watch has stopped working. Again.” He frowned and kept shaking his head in disappointment. “I’ll have to buy a new battery for it, or a new watch. Oh, what are you doing for your birthday, Edgar? It’s this Friday, and you haven’t even told us what we’re doing yet.”


Edgar shrugged. “No idea. Probably nothing.”


“Come on!” Zack shouted in disbelief. “You only turn fifteen once!”


“He’s right,” a new voice said. It was Mark, and Drake was just behind him. “Sub said he’s dismissing us early.”


Edgar looked confused. “He did? And you’re in P.E. with us?”


Mark shrugged. “More or less, yes. We’ve just been talking about some things,” he looked behind him at Drake.


“You’re not from around here, are you?” Cody asked Drake.


Drake looked at him, but said nothing, which was no surprise to Edgar. There was definitely something unusual about the guy. And the way his eyes were always watering...


“No, we’re not,” Mark answered. “We are from Greenland. The culture is very different there, and so are the people. This place,” he gestured with his hand, “is so very different from where we are from. I apologize for any...” he looked at Edgar, “weirdness.”


He must have caught wind of the things I thought about them and rehearsed his words carefully. Either way, they’re still creeps.


Mark looked him down from head to toe. “Why aren’t you celebrating your birthday? Your father should be very...proud that his young man is finally turning of age.”


Edgar raised an eyebrow. “I never knew my father. And what do you mean, ‘of age?’ I’m not even eighteen yet.”


“That is the age for becoming a man, here?” Mark asked them, and they all nodded. “That’s odd. Perhaps—oh, it’s so silly of me, but it will take some time for me to fit in here.” And then he walked off, Drake trailing behind him.


Cody shook his head. “That guy is weird. And I doubt he will fit in here.”


“Agreed,” Nick said, “But he appeared lost this morning, and he seemed cool. Maybe I made a mistake.”


Chloe came up to them from the opposite side of the gym and shook her head. “He may be weird, but he’s very sweet. There should be more guys like that,” she finished, looking at Edgar as she said that.


“What—”


“Just give them a chance.” Chloe smiled, and held out her hand. “Come on.”


Edgar took her hand and the others followed them out the gym. They got slammed in the face by the sun’s piercing rays. “Gosh, that’s bright,” Edgar complained, sidestepping into the shadows. A blue Explorer came into view. Edgar’s mom was parked directly in front of the gym to pick him up, his sister already in the back seat. When Heather saw him, she stuck her tongue out at him. Doesn’t ever get old to her, does it?


“Don’t forget,” Chloe said, whispering in his ear, “study for the test tonight.”


“It’s a quiz,” he groaned, “not a test.”


She must have not heard him, because she strolled off towards the high school, the rest of his friends following alongside her. Except for Nick. He was just staring at the car, lost in space. “Need a ride?” Edgar offered.


Nick snapped out of it the moment the question was asked, and looked at Edgar in fear, his eyes widening. “Uh, no. I—Actually, I think I’m gonna walk home.” He took off like a torpedo, running past the rest of their friends and down the sidewalk cutting across the grass. Almost immediately, Mrs. Murphy appeared out of nowhere.


“Get—off—the—grass!” she shrieked. Edgar laughed from afar, and climbed into the car, cranking the engine.


He was about ready to pull the car in gear, but hesitated. A question was tugging at his mind. “Mom, have you ever had a friend who moved away from the school you went to and then you never heard from him again? Or her?”


She sighed. “Yes, Eddie. I have. I had a best friend named Susan, and we did everything together.” She paused for a few seconds, and then added, “we were the best friends. But then something went wrong in her family and she was forced to drop out, and then she and her family left for...” she trailed off, eyes rolling into her head. “Pennsylvania, I believe. I’m not sure,” she shrugged her shoulders. “It’s been too long.”


“And that was the last you saw of her?”


The look his mom gave him answered his question. She never saw her friend again, so maybe Edgar would not see Shane again either. He only wished he could get over the pain he felt inside.


Edgar bit his lip, as he suddenly pulled the car in gear and drove off in silence the whole way home. Could it really come to that? Never seeing his friend again? And would he be able to hold himself together? So many questions filled his mind; his mom shouted and he slammed on the brakes. He had almost ran another stop sign, and did not even realize it.


Okay, he told himself, taking deep breaths. Concentrate on the road. Keep your mind clear, Edgar. Or become everyone’s worst nightmare on the highway. You can do this.


He heard his sister mutter “moron” from the backseat.


“Brat,” he called back.


Their mom sat up in her seat. “Both of you, just shut it!”


They zipped their lips, and Edgar was glad Nick had rejected the ride. He would have been so embarrassed.
* * *

Edgar was home in no time, and he had gone straight to bed. He was very exhausted, and even felt fatigue. His stomach turned, but before he could even think about throwing up his lunch, he passed out on his bed.


He imagined being in a wide, open field, walking alongside his friends. He imagined them looking at him as if he were some kind of leader. Nick, Cody, Zack, Chloe, and a few others he didn’t recognize looked upon him with fear, but as if struggling to be brave for Edgar. There were also looks of sorrow on their faces as they looked upon him. Edgar turned away from them, looking straight ahead. Before him were figures of people shrouded in black cloaks, their faces hidden in the depths of their hoods. About eight of them, he counted. In the lead, was a short boy. The boy lifted his cloak, revealing his true face.


It was the new kid in town, Drake, and he nodded at Edgar. Just nodding, as if expecting something; expecting him to go on, to be strong. Or waiting for Edgar to attack. He didn’t know. But soon, Drake put his hands together and an evil laughter rung in the air, forcing Edgar onto his knees.


Edgar strained at the sound of the laugh, and opened his eyes. But he was back in his bedroom.


So it was only a dream, Edgar quickly realized. So strange...


He suddenly had a strange feeling. Edgar rubbed his eyes, feeling refreshed, and looked around his room. It was dark out and only eleven o’clock at night. He turned on the light, and he saw a shadow of a person before him.


He quickly spun on his feet in fear, and even though there was no one there, he spotted movement. Edgar ran to the glass of his window and pressed his face against it to see someone running away to the trees. He thought back to his dream, and had a feeling that it held some kind of meaning.


If Edgar’s conclusions were correct, Drake was a boy of pure evil, shrouded in mystery. He had never felt so right about anything before, but the only way he could do anything about it was to first convince his friends, starting with the one who showed first kindness to them.


Nick is so in for it now.