Chapter 6 

     Walking into Chemistry I notice that my seat was taken. His back is turned towards me. All I can see is his shaggy black hair. Frustrated, I stomp over to where he is.

     "Look I don't know who you are and I don't care, but your in my seat."

     He finishes what he was saying to the person behind him, then slowly turns towards me with a bored expression on his face. My breath catches and I have to keep myself from blushing. His eyes are amazing. They're an aquamarine color and remind me of the clear, beautiful water at the beaches in Florida.

     He clears his throat and smirks at me. "You see something you like?" he asks while motioning to his body. Damn, he does have a nice body. 'Snap out of it Ivy', I tell myself, 'Come on you can do it say something back.'

     "Yeah, my seat. Now move." Ha one point for me.

     "You sure you want me to move? You could just sit on my lap," he says with the same infuriating smirk. This time I do blush. There is no way I'm going to let him win this. I walk up to Mrs. K.

     "Hey, Mrs. K?"

     "Yeah, Ivy?"

     "There's a new kid and I was talking to him just now. He said that he wanted to introduce himself to the class. In his first block the teacher didn't ask him to introduce himself and all class long people were calling him 'the new kid'. I kinda felt bad for him. I was wondering if you would let him stand in front of class, tell everyone about himself?" I ask her making my eyes widen and making circles with my foot trying to look innocent.

     Her face softens. "Of course he can. That's such a good idea, I wish all my students were as thoughtful as you."

     I turn and walk back towards the table smirking at the boy.

     "What?" he asks looking confused.

     Leaning towards him I whisper in his ear, "I have a surprise for you." He shivers and my smirk widens.

     "Ok everyone quiet down. We have a new student in class and he wants to introduce himself. So everyone be quiet and try to make him feel welcomed," the teacher says from the front of class. Everyone gets really quiet then turns to stare at him. He walks to the front with a confident stride.

     "My name is Aaron. I'm from Chicago, Illinois. I don't have any siblings, and my number is..." He says with a wink I look around and see girls quickly scribble the number down. Wow, I know he's hot, but come on they don't even know him.

     "Ok Aaron. Your lab partner is Ivy so go take the seat next to her," Mrs. K says with a smile. Damn, he stole my teacher. Whatever, I'll just ignore him. I can hear the stool being pushed out.

     "Did you really make me do that just so you can get your seat?"

     "Yep," I say while giving him a genuine smile.

     The rest of the class period I try to pretend he doesn't exist and listen to the lesson. It works, he only tries talking to me once and its to ask for a pen. Class is over and I go to my locker to change out my books. The door slams shut before I can close it myself.

     "Look foster freak, stay away from the new kid. He's mine." I look over and am mildly surprised when I see it's Jackie and not Cynthia that's harassing me this time.

     "I don't want him. Have at it."

     "I saw how you were flirting with him and I'm telling you to back off."  She starts getting in my face. There is a couple of things that piss me off and getting in my face is one of them.

     "Jackie back off." I hear a girl say from behind me.

     "Really, Cynthia? Are you really taking up for this?" she asks with disgust.

     "Yeah, Jackie. Remember only I mess with her. If you want to have your own rules go ahead, but you can count yourself out of the group."

     Jackie's mouth falls open. "I-I'm sorry, C-cynthia. I w-won't do it again."  With that she turns and leaves.

     I look over at Cynthia to thank her, but she slams me up against the locker. "Look, just because I took up for you now doesn't mean anything. Your still a loser. Don't think this means were friends now. I might feel sorry for you, but not enough to actually be your friend."

     She stomps off. What the hell is going on today? I guess I get to add Cynthia to that list of weird people for the day.

****

     Laying in my bed later that day, I start thinking about the dream I had a couple of nights ago, wondering if there was a way to find out where that oak tree was. I could find out what hospital it was that I woke up at then search around the hospital and see if I can find it. I don't know what it is about that tree but I need to see it again. I'll ask Ms. Norwood what hospital it was tomorrow. Right before I fall asleep Aaron flashes through my head.

***

     I was standing there waiting for my best friend. I turned four today and he promised me he would give me something special.

     "Ivy!" I turned and there he was. His black hair flopped up and down while he ran. His blue eyes filled with happiness and excitement. He got to me and smiled really big holding out his hand.

     "Close your eyes, it's a surprise."

     I closed my eyes and held out my hand. I knew I could trust him he would never hurt me. I felt something cold hit my hand.

     "Can I open them now?" I asked practically jumping with excitement.

     "Not yet." I felt something touch my cheek. "Ok now." I opened my eyes and look in my hand, and gasped. It was a necklace. There was a light blue stone with some silver wire wrapped around it. I hugged him happily.

     "I love it!"

     "Really?"

     "Yes, it's pretty."

     "Ivy, will you be my girlfriend?" he asked with a blush.

     "Sure," I said giggling. He was about to say something else when the siren went off.

     "Evacuate the children! This is a code red! Get the children out! I repeat this is not a drill," rang out over the intercoms.

     All the sudden I get picked up, I knew who it was I could see the large ring on his finger. "Wait daddy! I dropped my necklace."

     "We don't have time, sweetie," I started to cry and looked back. I could see my best friend getting picked up by his mom. I looked in his hand, and I saw my necklace.

      "Ivy!" he screamed with tears running down his cheeks, He tried to wiggle out of the hold his mother had him in, but she held him tight. People started to crowd around us forming a circle of protection. I wiggled around trying to see him again. Daddy pushed my head into his chest.

     "Hide your face, baby. Don't look," he said as I hear gun shots going off in all directions. He ran as fast as he could. I didn't know where we were going just that it will be safe and maybe this time I could see the rest of my family. All of the sudden we stopped running. I looked up at daddy to ask him why we stopped, when I do a scream busted out of my mouth and we fall. Daddy was lying on me the blood coming from his head is dripped down on my face.

     "Daddy! Daddy! Wake up! Wake up, Daddy! Please! I love you, Daddy please wake up," I cried desperate for him to come back.

***

     I wake up in a cold sweat tears running down my eyes. I try to keep my sobs down not wanting to wake up Tiffany. I need to find out about my past, I can't take these dreams anymore. I need to know.