Parallel (Travelers Series Book 1) (8 page)

Of course he did. “I get it. I have to get answers from my father and he’s conveniently missing.”

“You know, sarcasm isn’t a good look for you. Look, I can’t tell you things I don’t have the answers to and I know there are things you’re finding out that aren’t easy to accept, but I’ll do the best I can to explain what I do know.”

“Fine.” I want to change the subject anyway. I don’t want to end up being all teary eyed talking about my parents right before going to a new school.
Oh shit, school!
“So tell me about this Dominion Hall Academy then. Why am I going there? It sounds like another institution.”

“Well, it should, Dominion Hall is a private school,” he says. “It’s the most exclusive school in Northern Virginia. Actually, in all of Virginia.”

“Super.” Maybe this universe isn’t quite everything Cooper made it out to be.

T
here’s finally a break in traffic and we roll into the parking lot with several minutes to spare. I sit there, staring out the passenger side window completely stunned. The campus is almost identical to Dominion House for Girls, only the plaque at the front gate reads, Dominion Hall Academy, Est. 1924. So instead of housing foster delinquents, it is home to the nation’s finest youth in the country. The shift in priority is evident. Even though the sprawling campus hosts the same set of buildings, I’m shocked to see how pristine everything looks. How in the world am I supposed to acclimate myself to this?

Cooper parks the car in front, facing the brick buildings. “I know. It looks the same doesn’t it, but different at the same time, huh?”

We stay sitting in the parking lot, staring at the students amble about before class, while I gather enough courage to get out of the SUV. I was able to fool my aunt and possibly even Jaime, but this is an entirely different ballgame. How am I supposed to pretend I’ve been a part of this world in front of teachers and classmates? They’re basically strangers to me. There’s no way I’m going to be able to pull this off.

“You’re telling me.” I cling to my backpack and resign myself to the fact that I’m no longer in Kansas anymore and suck it up. Hey, school is school, right? How much different can it possibly be it be? At least I know my way around the moss covered buildings.

I know this is a long shot, but I ask anyway, “Are you a student here too?”

“Sorry, darlin’. Been there, done that.”

Great, I’m on my own again.

“Ah, come on. It won’t be so bad. Besides, you have Jaime. Just stick close to her and you’ll be alright.”

Easy for you to say.

“You’ll be fine, trust me.”

“Ugh! Stop doing that!” Cooper’s refusal to stop reading my mind infuriates me enough to give me the courage to finally get out of the SUV and face my fears: my first day of school. Not that anyone will know, but on the inside, I’m a ball of nerves. This is way worse than going to a new school for the first time. At least then, we’d all be in the same boat. But here, everyone will assume I know everyone and I don’t have the slightest clue as to what I’m doing.

I scramble out of the truck, glad be free of Cooper’s intrusion into my thoughts, but stop short, with one leg dangling out the door. “If you’re too old for school, just who are you anyway? Or is that something you can’t answer either?” I’m being snarky, but he deserves it. “And what’s up with the accent?” Even though this is Virginia, which is technically the South, you don’t hear too many Southern accents this close to the District.

Cooper’s face tightens, like he’s annoyed, but then lets out a deep laugh. “Boy, nothing gets by you. I may be past my prime, but I’m your friend and I hope you know that. And yes, I can even answer your other question. I’m originally from Richmond.”

Okay, being from Richmond explains the slight inflection in his voice and I believe him when he says he’s a friend. I don’t really have a choice but to trust him at this point. “We’ll talk later.” I finally manage to extricate myself from the SUV.

Damn, I get several steps away from Cooper’s truck and realize I forgot to ask if he’s picking me up after school. Oh well, I can figure that out later, I think to myself as I make my way down to the grassy quad in search of Jaime. I assume she’s outside waiting for me before class so we can walk together. While I scan the area for her shimmery platinum hair, I feel something hard hit the back of my head.

“Ouch!” I whip around and spot a group of girls playing lacrosse. The back of my head continues to throb where the ball made contact.

“Sooo sorry,” a voice calls out followed by hollow laughter.

I’d recognize that apology anywhere. A tall lithe blonde comes rushing in my direction in order to claim her ball. There’s no doubt in my mind that she’s the one responsible for the pathetic attempt at an apology. Per her usual M.O., she doesn’t sound sorry at all.

“Come on Etta, it’s not worth getting into it with her.” Jaime miraculously appears by my side just in time to grab me by the shoulder. Her attempt is clear: to steer me away from a confrontation. As always, Jaime takes the position of buffer when it comes to me getting into trouble.

Even though I recognized the voice, I still manage to do a double take at the girl running towards us. “Who is that?” I ask anyway, already knowing the answer. I have a feeling this isn’t going to be the end of me and Lacrosse Barbie and I want to be sure.

“You sure you’re okay? The ball must have hit you harder than I thought. That’s Jenny, duh. You know, her dad’s the Mexican Ambassador? Access to free booze because her family owns and operates Mexia beer? Super bitch from hell? Ring any bells?” Jaime looks at me curiously. “And judging from bump on your head, she must really have it in for you.”

My eyes narrow as I watch Jenny claim her ball and trot back to her group of giggling friends. The Barbie Brigade is just going to have to watch out. If they think they’re dealing with the same Etta, they’re in for a rude awakening—they have no idea who they’re messing with now.

“Why?” It’s obvious we hate each other, but I can’t imagine having anything to do with a girl like Jenny that she’d actually go to great lengths to make my life miserable. In the other world, it was only logical that she’d be petty enough to make fun of the poor orphan girl. Everyone did. So what reason can she possibly have to bother with me here?

Suddenly, I’m confronted by an affectionate rub on my right shoulder and a male voice. “Hey, are you okay? I saw that ball whack you right upside the head.”

I’m mortified that there are witnesses to the most embarrassing moment ever. And on my first day! I subconsciously rub the small bump on the back of my head. “I’m fine, really.”

Jaime points in the direction of the male voice behind me. “That’s why.”

“Oh.” I spin around and am startled to be looking straight into the blue eyes of Alex Stewart—the captain of the football team. Wait, does Dominion even have a football team? This strikes me as more of a lacrosse and rowing type of place. Why in the world is he talking to me, and more importantly, why in the world does he care whether I’m okay or not? All these questions buzz through my head and it kills me that I can’t come right out and ask.

“So, who’s the guy that dropped you off?” Alex questions me with a curious look and I can hear the underlying hurt in his voice.

I managed to somehow make the hottest guy in school jealous. Where am I?

“Yeah, Etta.” Jaime raises her eyes up at me. “Who’s the guy?”

“Just a friend.” There, that sounds like safe enough answer. I’m not sure what they know, who they know, and more importantly, what all I’m supposed to know, but its obvious neither of them have ever met Cooper before. For now, I’ll stick to keeping my answers to a minimum, at least until I can get my bearings.

“Well, I’m glad you’re okay. Look, I gotta run. Coach has us practicing during first period study hall.” He reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “See you at lunch?” He sounds expectant, like there’s the slightest possibility I might turn him down.

“Uh, sure.” I assure him, not knowing how else to respond. Pleased, he sprints off into the direction of the main building.

Jaime clicks her tongue and smirks. “You don’t seem too concerned that Alex saw you with another guy.”

“For the record, I’m not with another guy, so there’s nothing to be concerned about.” I give up trying to explain this to Jaime. And when she mentioned Alex yesterday, I hadn’t put the pieces together until now. Is he my boyfriend?

“I think,” she begins, linking her arm through mine, as we make our way into the main building, “there’s a lot more you’re not saying. But don’t worry; I’ll get it out of you sooner or later.”

•  •  •

Fortunately, taking over someone else’s life, even my own, isn’t as difficult as I initially thought. Other than not having homework to turn in during calculus class, most of my morning classes go off without a hitch. I just need to make sure to keep my head down and maintain a low profile.

Jaime said she had to turn in some extra credit during lunch, so I have to spend the lunch hour on my own. I avoid my classmates—I don’t want to get stuck talking to someone and screw-up royally, so I venture outside and find an empty spot near one of the large oak trees that line the quad. I double check to make sure I’m not sitting on an ant hill and sit down to have a peek at the sack lunch my aunt made for me.

A shadow falls over my paper brown bag lunch. “I thought for sure you’d be sitting with Jaime, plotting something.”

I jump, but don’t bother to look up. Even though he’s only ever spoken a few words to me, I know the voice belongs to Alex. I still can’t wrap my mind around the fact that he’s standing right here talking to me. Yesterday, I was having lunch at Alexandria High, where he was all over Jenny and didn’t even know I was alive. Today he’s all about me.

“Like how to get back at Jenny?” Aside from this morning’s lacrosse incident, Jenny had also tried—successfully, I might add—to humiliate me in English class when I couldn’t recall where we were in our lesson. I’m afraid to look directly at Alex for fear that he’ll figure out I’m a fraud.

“Don’t let Jenny get you all worked up. She’s just jealous.” He takes a seat on the patch of grass next to me, but at the same time keeping his distance. Like me, he keeps his focus on the view in front of us.

“Of what?” From what little interaction I had with her, she appears to have it all. Sure, I live in a real house now, with an aunt who cares about me, but not much else has changed. Even in this reality, I pale in comparison to a girl like Jenny. It’s not a matter of being bitter, I just can’t figure out why her anger is aimed directly at me.

“That’s a no brainer. Because I’m interested in you, not her.”

Seriously? I hesitate, but I turn to face to him. “Oh, I guess there’s that.” There’s no better way to have the most popular girl hate you than to have the one thing she wants.

“There you are!” Jaime exclaims, coming over to us. She takes hold of my wrists and pulls me up off the ground. “Spanish class is in five minutes, it’s time to
vámonos
.” She’s sounds pleased to be able to use her Spanish vocab words. I don’t know what it means—I took French back at Alexandria High—but judging by her sense of urgency, I figure it’s Spanish for “let’s go.”

Jaime has horrible timing. She always seems to appear whenever I’m in the middle of talking to a guy. I don’t mind being late for class if it means spending an extra couple of minutes alone with Alex. I take one last look at him before I follow Jaime back towards the main building. “Talk to you later.”

C
ooper didn’t leave the parking lot until he watched Etta walk into the main building with Jaime. There was a moment when he had almost gotten out of the truck, when he had seen the group of skinny blondes mess with her, but he realized the importance of Etta having to take care of herself in this world and stopped himself. Satisfied that she could fend for herself, he had slowly made his way out of the lot.

The Council’s decision in recruiting Cooper for this operation had been the only logical choice if they wanted to be successful. Their mission depended on her return. When the Council announced Cooper as their pick, he hadn’t been surprised, he didn’t question it, but he did have reservations about the assignment. But at the same time, he understood their reasoning; he had the most information on Etta and had the best chance of bringing her back home.

It was a long shot, but he knew in his heart it was the only alternative. Still, he didn’t like keeping secrets from Etta, but he was well aware it was for her own safety. Too much information could confuse her and set their mission back. She appeared to be taking everything in stride and he hoped that he could dodge her questions for just a little while longer.

Minutes later, he jumped into his own world. He stared at the dilapidated buildings and smog covered sky. This is what Cooper’s home had been reduced to: a grey pit of darkness. His home had once been like any other run-of-the-mill town, devoid of pollution and destruction. There was no doubt in his mind that the events that had transformed this once charming capital city could be changed. One look at the conditions of the town only confirmed his belief that he was doing the right thing.

He stopped staring at the landscape and made his way inside the house. Not wanting to alert his wife to his presence, he had stood there quietly, admiring the way she moved around the room. Her dark brown hair slowly swept past her shoulders as she settled herself down in her chair to review some papers.

Lately, he had found himself feeling guilty about the quality of life they were living. She deserved better than this world and he would be damned if he was going to stand by and let it consume them. That alone was the only reason Cooper had agreed to take this assignment.

Like a voyeur, he continued to watch her movements, as she poured herself into her work. Her position on the Council meant working long hours, with most days spent working well into the night. Neither of them had imagined themselves being part of a rebellion, but here they were.