Falling Into Darkness: The Under Series Book 1 (9 page)

“Are you okay?”
“Err...,” I turned around in my seat and looked up to see a pair of black eyes staring back at me. I
knew those eyes. “There was a bird on the ledge,” I said looking back at the ledge but it had flown
away.
“I don't see anything,” he leaned over looking out the window. He probably thought I was nuts
talking to myself. “It's Ruby, isn't it?”
“Yes, Cam right.”
“Yep that's me. Didn't think you'd remember,”
“Well you're hard to forget,”
'Hard to forget' I couldn't believe those were the words that had just come out of my mouth. I
quickly thought of something else to say.
“Because you fixed my friends car, we would have been stranded without you.”
Much better I didn't want to seem so pathetic falling all over him, even if he did look amazingly
gorgeous. No what was I thinking I wasn't one of those girls, boys didn't rule my every waking
thought.
But I was positive I would have a hard time trying to sleep tonight with his face behind my eyelids.
“So Ruby, is it all right if I join you or are you waiting for someone?”
“No it's just me,”
He smiled and slid into the seat opposite me. He was dressed casually, wearing a scruffy cap, his
soft blonde hair stuck out at the sides. He had on jeans and a plain white shirt, he didn't look wet
though he definitely hadn't come from outside.
“This place does great food, what have you ordered?”
“Cheesy fries,”
“Good choice.” he smiled at me, with a smile that was contagious. “So what are you doing all the
way out here Ruby?”
“I had a disagreement with my designated driver, so I'm stuck here waiting for my brother to come
and get me,”
“So you lived round here long?” he asked.
“No I arrived a week ago just visiting, but things have changed and now I’m staying.”
“Yeah didn't think I’d seen your face round here before.”
I felt my face flush red. Then I remembered my face was all bruised, he probably wondered what
had happened to me.
“I had a batting accident,” I pointed to my face.
“Oh that I hadn't even noticed.”
This was only the second time I had met him but I still couldn't hear his thoughts, unless he wasn't
thinking anything which was strange, everyone had something rattling around in their heads.
I looked at him closely, maybe it was me. Was I losing my ability? Maybe it was this town? He
wasn't the first person I had met who wasn’t projecting their thoughts, but that would mean
comparing him to Micah this guy was nothing like Micah, he was actually friendly to me.
“So what are you doing here?” I asked.
I wasn't entirely sure if he didn’t work here, he definitely hadn’t come from outside he would have
been soaked like me.
A sly smile spread across his lips as he scanned the menu.“For the food, of course.”
I couldn’t help but smile I had to glance out the window to distract myself from staring at him.
A black motorcycle pulled up near the door, it was the same bike that had passed me on the road a
few times. The driver swung off and seemed to be looking at me but I couldn't be sure as he still had
his helmet on. I quickly moved my eyes back to my drink twirling my straw.
He walked in, removed his helmet and briefly looked over in my direction. At first glance he
reminded me straight away of the boy I had met in the forest his dark black hair and build looked
the same, but after closer inspection this boy was dressed more like a teenager and was probably
around my age.
He had on a navy hoodie, dark jeans and green high tops, a chain hung from his pocket most likely
attached to keys or a wallet. Definitely not the same boy.
He walked over to the counter and the younger waitress went over to him. I noticed Cam was
watching me, I smiled and took a sip of my drink. Cam casually turned his head to look in the
direction of the boy and then back at me.
“I'll be back in minute,”
I nodded sucking on my straw. He got up and walked past me to where the rest rooms were.
Cam had been gone a few minutes and the boy at the counter kept looking in my direction, probably
looking at my face. I ignored him and fixed my eyes on the clock on the wall behind the counter.
The older waitress walked past me to the rest rooms I watched her pull some cleaning supplies from
a cupboard opposite. I went back to watching the second hand on the clock tick round and soon
realised Cam had been gone for over ten minutes. The younger waitress bought my food over and
set it down.
“Is your friend ordering?” she asked.
“I don’t know he disappeared into the bathroom,” I said fidgeting in my seat.
“There’s no one in the bathrooms, I’ve just given them the once over the older lady said walking
past us. I frowned looking at the younger one she looked as confused as I did.
“Are you sure?” I asked the older lady.
“Quite certain my dear, but you are welcome to check for yourself,”
“Erm, I’ll come back,” the younger one said following the other lady back behind the counter.
I looked at my plate of food, it looked too hot to eat, so I started biting my finger nail a bad habit I
had never grown out of. I kept looking behind me, maybe one quick peek, I wasn't crazy Cam had
definitely walked that way maybe there was a fire escape at the end.
I thought it that was a bit extreme, he could of just said something had come up and he had to leave,
it would have been the normal thing to do than just running out the back door.
I walked over to the rest rooms as it turned out there was no fire escape at the back, just two
bathrooms and a small cupboard opposite. I quickly peeked round the door to the ladies, it was
empty and I also noticed the windows were too small for any normal size person to be able to climb
out of. I thought it couldn’t hurt to check the men’s, after all she had said I was welcome to, didn't
she?
I quickly swung the door open and went in. The men's bathroom was also empty. It didn't make
sense, he couldn't have just vanished into thin air. I stood next to the sink trying to figure it out
when I noticed myself in the mirror. I had forgotten I was caught out in the rain wearing mascara.
I frantically started scrubbing under my eyes with my sleeve removing smeared mascara, when
another face appeared in the mirror behind me.
“What are you doing?” he asked. It was the boy from the motorcycle.
“I was looking for a friend,”
His eyes roamed around the bathroom and he raised an eyebrow at me.
“Never mind,” I said hurrying to the door, embarrassed I had been caught in the men's bathroom.
“What happened to your face?” he asked as I was halfway out the door.
I stopped and looked at him, his eyes were the most vivid green I had ever seen.
“A crazy guy hit me with a bat,” I said letting the door swing shut behind me, it was the truth and I
didn't know this guy so I didn't have to explain myself to him, it was none of his business. I hated
Micah for this and I hated being the center of attention.
I returned to my seat and started nibbling fries from the edge of the plate, they weren't so hot
anymore. The boy walked past me back to his seat, he leaned over the counter talking to the
younger waitress he handed her what looked like money. She had gone all giggly and I was sure I
heard her snort. She glanced over in my directions and nodded at him, then he walked out to his
bike and drove off. The girl went back to cleaning down the counter top, they had probably been
gossiping over my face or worse making fun of me cause Cam had just done a runner and left me.
I didn't know exactly where he had ran to though, I doubted he was hiding in the cleaning cupboard.
I finished my food and started looking through my new school books trying to block out the old
man in the corner, his thoughts were all numbers I think it was sudoku.
It felt like I had been sitting there for hours by the time Seth pulled up in his truck. I gathered my
stuff and walked over to the counter to pay, the older lady was refilling the pie selection.
“How much do owe?” I asked her.
“Nothing dear, all paid,” I looked at her confused.
“But I haven't given you any money yet,”
“No someone else paid your bill and extra to cover anything else you ordered, a nice tip left over.”
“What, who?” I said looking around but there was just the same old man sitting in the corner doing
a crossword now and a truck driver who was scoffing down a meat pie. I looked at her puzzled.
“Let me ask Libby. Libby dear come out here a minute would you,” she called. The younger
waitress appeared from the kitchen.
“The young girl wants to know who paid her bill?”
“It was that boy that came in earlier,”
I looked at her confused.
“I thought you knew each other,” she said.
Lucky girl he was hot,
I heard her thinking.
“Really he could of said something, he just left me at the table and vanished.”
“Not that one,” she said giggling. “The other one, the one on the bike,”
She continued talking in her head,
I wish I could have a ride on....
“Okay well thanks,” I hurried towards the door I didn't want to hear the end of that sentence. I had
no idea who he was, why would he pay my bill? Then it dawned on me, he probably felt sorry for
me I did say I was attacked by some crazy guy with a bat. Well it wasn't a complete lie.
“So what did he do this time? He said you forced him to abandon you in town. He's been pacing and
I warn you he's in a foul mood,” Seth said, as I climbed into the truck.
“Well that’s not my fault, he insulted me more than once and he drives me mad. I couldn’t get back
in the truck with him I would have probably ended up barehanded strangling him on the way home,
sorry he gets me all worked up.”
“The words, I didn’t want to leave her she made me, I had no choice. Seth if she gets eaten by a
bear I’ll feel really bad for like the rest of the week,” he said trying to control his laughing.
“What he didn't say that,”
“Yeah he did, you put the bear idea in his head and it's stuck he's convinced you were going to get
eaten on the way home. He was sulking when I left.”
“Well it serves him right, he was really mean. Wait are there bears round here?” I asked, looking out
the window.
He shook his head. “Well I’ve never seen one, but I could get you some bear spray anyway and you
could use it on Micah if he misbehaves.” he grinned.
We arrived home to find Micah in front of the TV watching cartoons.
“Look still in one piece,” I said jumping on the couch next to him. He blew a bubble with his gum
and stood up ignoring me.
“I'm gonna head out stuff to do tonight,” he said, moving to the door.
“Okay man, I’ll see you later,” Seth said rooting through the fridge. The house phone started to ring
and Seth picked it up.
So annoying.......mom......can't believe,
I heard his thoughts.
I left him talking to whom I guessed was someone from school and went into the kitchen. He swung
around the door a minute later.
“That was school, mom never rang. I will have words with her, doesn't look like you will be starting
tomorrow,” I let out a sigh. “Don't worry I will sort it. Now how about home made pizza for
dinner,” he said opening the cupboards.
After dinner I watched TV with Seth, then dragged myself to bed at 11ish. I left Seth snoring on the
couch.
I spent Tuesday lounging around in pyjamas. Micah never stopped by, so it was just me and the dog
for company, the school rang in the afternoon. I was starting at Heaven's Point High tomorrow.

I was up early Wednesday, I was both nervous and excited. I had even picked out my outfit, skinny
purple jeans, black boots and one of my favourite oversized jumpers black with a leopard on the
front. I opted for a high ponytail, there was no point trying to hide my face behind my hair it was far
too noticeable. I was half way through my cereal when I realised Seth wasn't here, how was I going
to get to school? My question was soon answered when Micah pulled up in his Dodge, I met him on
the porch.
“Are you ready?” he asked.
“Erm yeah,” I said trying to push the dog back to lock the door. Micah switched to Seth's truck.
The drive to school was quiet and took longer than I thought it would, I would still be on time but I
was hoping to find Caitlin before the bell.
He swung into a parking space and stared out the window, I wondered what he was looking at when
I spotted the raven perched on a tree branch near the edge of the parking lot.
“How did you even see that?” I asked.
“Not hard when it's been following us,”
“What?” I looked at the bird, then back at Micah but his eyes weren't giving anything away.
I opened my door and started to climb out.
“Don't talk to any strangers,”
“It’s my first day I hardly know anyone, of course I’m going to talk to strangers. Unless you want to
be a little more specific,” I asked looking around the parking lot, but he ignored my question.
“Give me your cell,”
“What, why?” I asked.
“So I can give you my number,”
I slowly retrieved my cell from my bag, He picked it out of my hand and keyed in his number, he
then rang his own cell with mine to get my number.
He passed it back to me. “You can get out now.”
I quickly climbed out and slammed the door turning my back on him.
I heard the bell and followed the crowd towards the main doors, from the corner of my eye I saw
the raven take flight over the building.
Inside the corridors were buzzing with activity, teenagers dashing to lockers and through doors. The
noise in my head was so loud, I forgot what been in school was like and what a busy corridor full of
thoughts sounded like. I stood there overwhelmed getting bumped from side to side. I decided it
was best to move to the edge at least until the stampede was over. I saw a boy unloading his bag
into his locker, he looked harmless curly red hair with glasses.
“Hey, where can I find the main office?” I asked.
“Down on the left, you can't miss it.” he said turning back to his locker.
Her face looks a wreck,
I
heard him thinking as I moved away.
I found the office, inside there was an older lady with her hair in a messy bun held up by a pencil.
“Hi, I'm new starting today. I’m meant to pick up my class schedule,”
“Yes, you must be Ruby,” she said looking up at me from her desk.
What happened?
I just smiled, I was going to be hearing comments like that all day.
“Now where did I put it?” she said patting down the desk, paperwork was floating everywhere. She
was very disorganised for a secretary. “Maybe it's over here,”
I turned around and leaned against the counter the wall facing the corridor was all windows so I
watched as the last ones in the corridor disappeared behind doors.
A boy in a red hoodie with the hood up glided past the window faster than the other kids, he glanced
over at me and caught my eyes for a split second then ducked down and up gliding faster, he was on
a skateboard.
“Here we are,” she said talking to herself. “They you are my lovely,” she said handing it to me and
pointing at a number. “Locker 87.”
Poor thing,
she was thinking as she smiled at me.
The phone started ringing and she frantically searched for it under the paperwork. I quickly looked
at my schedule and the classes I would be in today. My bag was loaded down and already hurting
my shoulder. I really wanted to drop off the books I didn't need straight away. I didn't think been
late on my first day was that bad. I could always say I got lost.
It took me a few wrong turns before I found my locker number. I was also very aware of the boy on
the other side of the corridor. The same boy in the red hoodie.
He had his board propped up against the locker next to him and his bag in his hands loading it with
books. The thing that caught my attention first was his green high tops. Where had I seen them
before?
I busied myself in my locker I didn’t want to get caught staring. The previous owner of the locker
had left behind some foot spray and their stinky gym shoes. Gross! I heard the locker behind me
slam. I carefully peeked around the edge of my locker door. The boy lazily strolled by, obviously
not in any rush to get to class. He turned back and looked at me, there was a hint of a smile on his
face.
Then he turned the corner and was gone. It was the same guy from the diner the one that had caught
me in the men's bathroom. I knew I recognised those high tops.
I grabbed my bag and searched for the room number on my sheet. I had Calculus first, which was
probably my worst subject to start the day with.
I knocked and let myself into the classroom, the teacher an older man in a beige suit motioned for
me to come over to his desk. Everyone in the class was chatting, some were still sitting on their
desks, maybe they hadn't started yet, or maybe they had? The teacher was sipping on coffee very
strong coffee from the smell of it. The class quietened down and heads were turned in my direction.
What happened to her?.......attacked......who's that?......fighting.....car accident......new
girl.......who's she?
It wasn't until I heard
Ruby,
that I looked up and scanned the room. Caitlin and Aimee were sitting
towards the back, I smiled at them.
Caitlin mouthed “What happened” referring to my face.
I just shook my head smiling, it's not like I was going to shout it out to the whole classroom.
The teacher pointed me to a seat. I kept my eyes to the floor as I made my way to an open desk
three spaces back next to the wall, no where near the girls, at least I wasn’t at the front in the
middle. Everyone still turned and stared at me though, they didn’t even try to hide it.
The hour went by quickly, I had the right books as everyone else so that was a good thing. Mr.
Turner the teacher only called on me once to answer, thankfully I knew the answer. After class I
found my arm looped with Caitlin's as we walked along the corridor.
“So am I allowed to ask what happened?” Caitlin said.
Aimee followed behind us looking at her cell.
“Micah happened. There was a bat involved, it was an accident there’s not really much more to say
about it. I’m trying to forget I have a hideous bruise across my face,” I half joked.
“That guy sounds like bad news. What do have next next?” she asked looking at my schedule.
“Biology-Miss. Williams, you'll be with Aimee for that, then English Literature-Mr. Gibson with
MEEE.” she squealed in excitement. “But you'll want to head to the science block which is that
way,” she pointed down the corridor, I was confused. “The heating in the English room is broken all
the pipes burst it's a mess so they moved us into one of the chem labs for the lessons, so I’ll save
you a spot next to me. This is great I don't have to sit next to the kid that never stops blowing his
nose.” Caitlin unhooked herself from me. “I'll see you two later, Aimee look after her will you,”
Caitlin said as she disappeared into the crowd.
“This way,”Aimee said her nose still in her cell.
Biology was a drag and seemed to go on forever, Aimee seemed as thrilled as I was about the
subject.
I found my way to English easily enough, Caitlin waved me over as the teacher walked in.
“Hey, how did you get on in biology?”
“It was all right, Aimee spent the hour flicking bits of paper at Robbie, he had no idea it was her and
started retaliation on an innocent by stander,”
“Don't let her get you into trouble,” she said, lining her notebook and pens up on the table. “You'll
like Mr. Gibson, he's really fun. He's the only thing that makes this class bearable.”
I nodded looking over at the teacher, he was a lot younger then the last two teachers wearing jeans,
a white T-shirt with a black waist coat.
“So today we are going to have a little switch-a-roo, the sound of nattering girls has been music to
my ears for too long, not to mention the lack of work in the last two days. Yes I’m talking to you
Millie,” Mr. Gibson said, raising his eyebrows at a girl near the front. She stopped in mid
conservation with the girl next to her when she noticed him looking at her.
“Right, everyone up,”
“Oh no, he's rearranging us,” Caitlin said annoyed.
I picked up my bag and jacket only cause I saw everyone else doing the same thing.
“Luke switch with Kevin,” Mr. Gibson said waving his arms in different directions.
“So basically he's sticking us next to someone we hate, or never speak to in an attempt to get better
grades out of us. Typical I finally have a friend in this class to sit next to, now he does this,” she
said, tucking her stool under.
“Shane over here next to Lizzy, Chris switch with Amber, Eddie next to Caitlin.”
“Great I’m stuck with the nose blower again,” Caitlin mumbled under her breath, as a tall skinny
boy made his way over to us.
“New girl, Ruby move next to Mack,”
“Who?” I mouthed to Caitlin.
“The other new kid,” Caitlin said, pulling her stool back out again. “At the back,” I looked to where
she was pointing, it was the boy in the red hoodie. Who now had a name, Mack. I made my way to
the back of the classroom, Mack was already seated. I put my stuff on the table and pulled out the
stool next to him. Mr. Gibson carried on with his list of names. I glanced sideways at Mack, he was
looking back at me chewing the end of a pencil.
“I'm Ruby,”
“Really! I would of never guessed, it's not like the teacher just called it out or anything.” he said
looking back at me with his green eyes that I didn't want to look away from. I couldn't tell if he was
joking or just been rude. I turned to face the front resting my arms on the desk leaning forward, as
far away from him as possible.
A few minutes had gone by when I realised I couldn't hear his thoughts.....nothing. He bumped me a
few times removing his hoodie, I glanced back at him he had a white T-shirt on underneath that
clung to him, his lean muscles were visible. His skin was tanned, a tan any girl would kill for and it
reminded me of back home, he looked like he had been sunbathing on a beach back in California.
He caught me looking at him and I quickly faced the front again trying not to look bothered by him,
but I was bothered.
Bothered I couldn’t hear what he was thinking? Not that it was any of my business to hear what
someone was thinking, but I was so used to hearing people's thoughts that the thought of not
hearing someone felt wrong, something was wrong.
Since I had been in this town I had already met four people whose thoughts I couldn’t hear, Micah,
Cam, boy in the woods and now Mack, what was happening to me, maybe it wasn't me, maybe
there was something wrong with them? Mr. Gibson was talking about Shakespeare I had already
zoned out. I rested my head on my hand and found my eyes drifting out the window.
I saw a familiar raven land on the back of a bench, I knew it was the same bird because of the white
splodge on it's head. It sat squawking and looking in my direction. The bird seemed to be
everywhere I went like it was stalking me. Why did it keep following me? I felt a nudge on my arm,
I turned to look at Mack.
“What?” I asked.
He nodded his head towards the teacher who was looking at me.
“The names Ruby, do you know any of them?” Mr. Gibson asked.
“Erm, names,” I said buying some time. I hated being put on the spot I had no idea what he was
even talking about.
Didn't think she was listening,
I heard Mr. Gibson's thinking, but I also heard a few random names
bouncing around in his head and I thought it couldn't hurt to use them. It would at least look like I
was trying, he wasn’t to know where I had got the them from.
“Hermia, Demetruis, Lysander, Helena,”
“Huh, that's very good Ruby.” Mr. Gibson said, returning to the board.
They were discussing A Midsummer Night's Dream, I would have never remembered any of those
names.
“Could of sworn you weren't listening too busy gazing out the window at that bird,” I heard Mack
say behind me. I just shrugged, noticing the bird was now gone.
“You had no idea what he was talking about, it was like you picked those names right out of his
head,” I kept my eyes on the board.
“No that would be impossible,” I whispered back to him.
“For some,” he said almost so quietly that I wasn't sure I was meant to hear it or not.
The rest of the class past in a blur. Maybe I had misheard him? I kept replaying what he had said in
my head and by the end of class I was convinced I’d heard him wrong. The bell went and he was
practically out the door before I had even put my book in my bag. I stared at the back of him, he
didn't seem like the type of person to randomly buy lunch for someone they didn't know. Maybe the
waitress had got it completely wrong that day.
“So what's he like? He's been the hot topic round here for the last two days that was until you got
here,” Caitlin said fiddling with the strap of her bag.
“Rude, he kind of reminds me of someone else.”
“Well done on those names you looked like you didn't have a clue until you started reeling them off,
I think even Mr. Gibson was surprised.”
“How did you get on with Eddie is it?” I asked.
“Eddie has allergies and he managed to spray them all over me, I won't feel right until I’ve
showered.” she said scratching at her neck.
The cafeteria was packed, I was glad to have Caitlin to cling to. Everyone was whispering to each
other and I even saw one girl point at me. We met up with Aimee, she'd saved us seats. I got
sandwiched between her and Robbie. Caitlin sat down next to Josh on the other side. I had bought
myself a chicken wrap and a soda.
“Guess who Ruby sat next to in English?” Caitlin smiled over at Aimee.
“Who? Not that skank what's her face?” Aimee replied.
“No, think male.” Caitlin said, unwrapping her food.
“Bogey face Eddie,”
“No I got stuck with him, Aimee the new guy. Come on,”
“What no way. You're so lucky, Mack is so hot he’s on fire and he has that whole bad boy thing
going for him. I will be extremely jealous and heart broken if you two are planning to run away and
elope,” Aimee said.