Savior (The Savior Series Book 1) (3 page)
Read Savior (The Savior Series Book 1) Online
Authors: A. King Bradley
DR. KATE SCRIBBLED AWAY ON THE PAPERS IN FRONT OF her as I sat across from her in her office. I was surprised by how unremarkable the room was. I expected it to be a lot nicer considering her position. Then again, our school was a bit of a dump, so I guess her office fit right in.
“This is your first time coming to my office, if I’m not mistaken, Mr. Reaper.” Dr. Kate did not look up as she spoke.
“Yes, ma’am.” I replied as I cleared my throat. I was glad that Dr. Kate wasn’t looking at me because I was barely conscious at that point. I always felt drained and exhausted, but this was different. This was an exhaustion the likes of which I had never experienced.
“Do you want to tell me what happened in the cafeteria this morning?” Dr. Kate asked. The question was rhetorical of course, but she had a way of making you feel like you had a choice even when it was clear that you didn’t.
I cleared my throat and tried to respond, but no sound came out. When I didn’t answer, Dr. Kate finally looked up at me. Even though I felt terrible, I couldn’t help but notice how attractive she was as she peered at me over the rims of her glasses. The main reason I found her so attractive is because she had a lot in common with this girl whom I had an astronomical crush on at the time. They had the same long, dark hair that went perfectly with their mesmerizing amber colored eyes.
“Mr. Reaper, are you feeling okay? You don’t look so well,” Dr. Kate remarked as a wave of concern washed over her face.
“I’m fine,” I choked out as I attempted to sit up straighter.
Unconvinced, Dr. Kate stood and sat a large bottle of water in front of me on her desk. “Drink this,” she ordered as she searched through her purse.
I grabbed the water and gulped it down in less than the thirty seconds it took Dr. Kate to find the chocolate energy bar in her purse. I was always ashamed to take handouts but I was so hungry and thirsty in that moment that it didn't matter. It felt as though I may have died of starvation if she had not given me that water and energy bar.
Dr. Kate watched in silence as I devoured the energy bar in two bites. I knew she could tell that she was making me uncomfortable, but it seemed like she was unable or unwilling to look away. I stared at the floor, ashamed to look her in the eyes.
“You don’t have to be ashamed, Adam,” Dr. Kate coaxed.
I was surprised that she knew my first name. I looked up at her but said nothing. I didn’t know what to say.
“Adam, why have I never had a chance to meet your parents?”
What is she getting at?
I wondered. “M-My mother works nights,” I stammered.
“And your father?” she questioned.
“He works nights too,” I lied. My father had been laid off for the past six months, but saying he works nights sounded a lot better than saying “he doesn’t give a crap.”
“How are things at home, Adam?” Dr. Kate asked.
Suddenly, I felt like I was a suspect on one of those detective shows from TV. Dr. Kate switched to her good cop approach as she tried to coax the information she wanted out of me.
“Okay, I guess,” I said, hoping that she would drop the issue. I wasn’t comfortable talking about my life at home to begin with, and I certainly wasn’t comfortable doing so with the principal.
“Adam, do you mind if I ask if you are getting enough to eat at home?” she asked softly.
What gave me away?
I thought.
Was it the gallon of water I drank with one gulp or perhaps the energy bar I inhaled?
I stared down at the floor and said nothing.
“Adam?”
“I don’t’ want to talk about it,” I replied, irritated and ashamed.
I continued to stare at the floor as the room fell silent. The last thing I wanted to do was look Dr. Kate in her eyes. Between her velvet voice and those piercing eyes of hers, I knew she could get every secret I had ever withheld out of me if she really pushed hard enough. It also didn’t help that I found her to be so attractive. For some reason I felt that if I looked her in eyes long enough, she would be able to tell.
“Adam, I would like to have you stop by my home for dinner with my family this evening,” Dr. Kate said as she scribbled on a piece of paper in front of her.
Whoa!
I thought.
Is she serious?
“I-I will have to let you know. Later, I mean,” I stammered. I looked up at her, expecting a scowl, but she simply smiled back at me and placed the paper she had been writing on in front of me.
“Mr. Reaper, I was not asking. I will see you there at seven o'clock sharp, sir. That is, unless you would rather serve a stint in detention for your fight this morning. It’s up to you.” Dr. Kate smiled a beautiful yet menacing smile as she gave me time to weigh my “options.”
Back to bad cop again,
I thought as I grabbed the paper and jammed it into my pockets. “I’ll see you at seven, Dr. Kate,” I said, before standing and staring down at the floor again.
“Good. We are having roast. I think you will enjoy it.”
“Dr. Kate, are you going to tell my mom about the fight?” I asked.
“I will leave that up to you, Adam,” Dr. Kate replied. “Now hurry off to class. You’ve already missed the first fifteen minutes.”
“Okay. Thank you, Dr. Kate,” I said as I turned and exited.
I walked out of Dr. Kate’s office with a newfound appreciation for her, but I wasn’t completely sold on the idea of eating dinner with her family. Sure, it was the ultimate tap on the wrist as far as it being my “punishment” for fighting on school property, but I hated the idea of being pitied or looked at as different.
So what if my family doesn’t have enough money to feed me properly?
I thought as I sulked down the hallway.
I’ve made it this far without relying on handouts. Why should I start now?
I WAS STILL A BIT LIGHTHEADED BY THE TIME I MADE IT to class. My classmates were already quietly working on an assignment as I entered the room. Luckily, we had a substitute teacher, so I didn’t have to answer many questions about where I had been.
I could feel the eyes of my classmates focusing on me as I sauntered toward my seat. They were all looking at me but only one of them really mattered. As I made my way to my desk near the back of the class, I pretended not to notice her staring at me. As always, my heart started to pound as I took my seat directly behind her. I had been sitting in the seat behind her for four consecutive months by that point, yet the very sight of her still sent my heart into overdrive. That was because she was, in every sense of the phrase, the girl of my dreams.
Her name was Monica. She had transferred to our school from somewhere in New York. I didn’t know very much about her besides the fact that she was the most beautiful being that I had ever laid eyes on. The funny thing was, it seemed like she didn’t even realize just how attractive she was. Perhaps it was my ego playing tricks on me, but at least once a day I would catch her staring at me. She never said anything and would always look away whenever we made eye contact, so I was never one hundred percent sure as to what it could have meant.
Maybe I should try to talk to her,
I thought as I admired the sweet smell of what I had come to assume was her favorite perfume. I didn’t know what had gotten into me on that day. Not only had I finally stood up to the most fearsome bully at our school, but I was contemplating initiating contact with a girl that I was downright afraid to talk to out of a fear of embarrassing myself. I knew that I only had a snowball’s chance of getting her to actually like me, but a snowball’s chance is a chance in its own right.
But maybe I’ll wait until tomorrow,
I finally thought.
“Excuse me,” a velvety female voice whispered, interrupting my thoughts. I couldn’t bear to look up at her in that moment because I suddenly felt so overwhelmingly unprepared. All my months of silently pining over her and not making any attempt to communicate were about to come to an end, and I could not think of a single thing to say.
What could I say to her? Hey, it’s me the guy who’s been virtually stalking you for the last four months. I’m also the guy that keeps having this recurring nightmare about me flying through the air while carrying you in my arms while you glare at me as though you want to kill me…How’s it going?
My heart throbbed in my chest so loudly that I was sure the rest of the class would hear it.
“Hey, excuse me,” she whispered again. Even as a whisper, her voice was as smooth as silk. I was still immersed in my feelings of inadequacy, but I could not bear to deny her twice. I cautiously looked upward, partially expecting the ever-present scowl from my dreams, but to my surprise, she was smiling.
The perfect smile.
My heart rate doubled as I realized that I must have been staring into the eyes of a goddess. Her face was nearly perfectly symmetrical aside from the fact that she squinted her right eye a tiny bit more than her left eye whenever she smiled. Her deep amber eyes paralyzed me. Her expression was so beautiful and brilliant that to even think of the scowl from my dreams upon her face almost seemed unnatural.
“Hello,” I muttered. It was all that I could say.
Crap, I blew it,
I thought. To my surprise, she continued to smile, seemingly unfazed by my lack of conversational prowess.
“Hey, I’m Monica,” she replied.
This is it! The moment of truth
, I thought. My heart was pounding even more by that point.
“I’m A-Adam,” I stammered, embarrassed to have stumbled over my words. Again, I was pleased to see that my stammering had no adverse effect on her demeanor.
“Nice to meet you, Adam,” she said, biting her lip after her statement.
She bit her lip! What does that mean? Is she having second thoughts about talking to me?
My thoughts were raging about my head, making it difficult for me to focus.
“Adam, I was hoping…” Monica started.
Here it comes!
I thought
. Maybe she’ll ask me out! No, maybe she just wants to be friends initially in order to make sure she and I are compatible, and then perhaps we can see where it goes from there. Yeah, that’s it!
I thought, at a rate of 1000 thoughts per second.
“Adam, did you hear me?” Monica whispered.
Crap, I missed it!
I thought.
What did she say?
“Y-Yes. I heard you,” I lied.
“Well do you have one?”
“One of what?” I asked.
“A pen. Do you have an extra pen? I told you mine just ran out of ink,” she replied.
So that’s it, huh? Simply using me for my school supplies,
I thought feeling defeated.
The only pen I had at the moment was the one in my hand, but I gave it to her anyway. There was no way I could say no to those eyes. The sting of my misguided hope only lasted for a fraction of a second. In no time, I was again elated by the fact that we had actually had a conversation. So what if it had ended with me giving up my only writing utensil?
Totally worth it,
I thought, as I looked downward and smiled.
My heart skipped a beat as I noticed Monica’s purse on the floor beside her desk. It was not the purse that shocked me. My alarm was brought on by the fact that, from where I was sitting, I noticed three seemingly brand new pens inside her purse.
Had she really turned around just to borrow a pen? How could she have forgotten about the three pens sitting in her purse?
I was uncertain about a lot in that moment, but one thing that I was absolutely sure of was that that day had been one of the most interesting days of my life. There was no way that I could have known at the time that in the days and weeks to come, things were about to get a lot more interesting.
I’M NOT SURE HOW LONG I STOOD ACROSS THE STREET from Dr. Kate’s home. My family didn’t have a car, so I rode the bus and got dropped off at the end of the street. Once Dr. Kate’s home came into view, I remember stopping and marveling at how nice it was but dreading the idea of taking another step toward it. Luckily, neither she nor any of her neighbors had noticed me yet. I was sure that I had to have looked like some homeless bum wandering about looking for a handout.
You still have time to escape,
I thought as the wind picked up, but who was I kidding? I wasn’t going anywhere. Deep down inside, I knew that I would much rather endure the shame of feeling like a charity case at Dr. Kate’s family dinner than having to deal with my mom if she found out I had been in a fight. She had always been very adamant about me not fighting. The weird thing was that she wasn’t that way when it came to my older brother PJ. I always thought it was because she thought I was too weak to defend myself, but I was starting to think that it may have been because of something else.
I took a deep breath and held it.
Here goes nothing,
I thought as I finally exhaled. As I crossed the street, I wondered if my backpack made me look like a dork. It was a little on the larger side and I always wore it with two straps.
What does it matter?
I thought as I rang the doorbell.
It’s only Dr. Kate.
Just as I finished that thought, the door to Dr. Kate’s home was opened by the last person I would have expected to see.
“M-Monica?” I stammered, stricken by shock and confusion.
“Hello, Adam,” she replied, flatly.
It was strange seeing her outside of school. She seemed oddly paralyzed as she stood in the doorway, beaming her beautiful smile at me. There was something different about her that wasn't sitting well with me, though. Something about her smile just seemed a bit disingenuous, nothing like the one that she had graced me with earlier that day.
I tried to force myself to relax, but I was so nervous that I could barely move.
How could Dr. Kate do this to me?
I thought. Suddenly, it felt like the joke was on me. What was Monica doing there? My snowball’s chance was sure to evaporate as soon as the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on found out that my family was so poor that they couldn’t afford to properly feed me.
“What are you doing here, Adam?” Monica questioned as she narrowed her eyes. The strange look on her face as she studied me nearly threw me into a panic attack.
She’s ashamed to be seen with me in public,
I thought. And here I thought she was different. I was a fool for thinking we could ever be friends anyway. We were polar opposites. She was beautiful and popular, while I was skinny and ordinary.
I had had enough. How dare she look at me with that look in her eyes? Sure, I didn’t know for sure what her strange expression meant, but what else could it mean? Why else would she continue to glance out into the streets if not to check to make sure that no one saw her talking to me?
“Are you okay, Adam?” Monica asked.
“I’m fine,” I replied, evenly. I made a conscious effort to soften my facial expression, but I was still upset with her. “I was just leaving.”
I turned to walk away but stopped in my tracks as Dr. Kate's voice rang out. “And just where are you off to, Mr. Reaper?” Leave it to Dr. Kate to show up out of nowhere the very second I attempted to make my escape. I sighed as the reality of my defeat sank in and I spun around to face them both.
Dr. Kate was smiling that perfect smile of hers, so I made sure that I didn't look directly at her. That shameful feeling that I got for finding her attractive was a bit heightened due to Monica’s presence, and I that felt they would both be able to tell if they caught me staring.
“Adam, I believe you have met my daughter, Monica,” Dr. Kate mentioned as she glanced at Monica.
That explains a lot,
I thought. I was actually surprised that I didn't realize they were mother and daughter sooner. Their eyes and smiles were nearly identical.
“Yes, we are in some of the same classes together,” I mumbled.
“Well come on in. We are about to start eating.”
It felt like walking into a museum. Everything inside was so shiny and clean, the polar opposite of the sort of home environment to which I had grown accustomed. I couldn't help but feel out of place. I didn't want to touch anything or even take a seat lest I taint the beautifully crafted furniture that filled the room.
I finally sat at the dinner table once Dr. Kate noticed that I was the only one still standing. I wanted to remain standing even after she gestured for me to have a seat, but I knew better than to object to her.
I couldn't believe the spread that lay before us on the table. I had never seen so much mouth-watering food in my life. As the sweet smell of the delectable pot roast wafted over to my side of the table, I actually began to feel a bit excited; that is, until I realized how pathetic I must have looked. The fact that something as simple as a decent home cooked meal could make me that excited was not something that I was particularly proud of.
I was so hungry that I could have eaten every bit of food on that table, but suddenly I was too ashamed to even take a single bite. I looked around the table, wondering how it must feel to be able to eat that kind of meal every night.
I studied Dr. Kate’s interactions with her husband, Mr. Stripling. They both seemed so happy that it was almost unbearable for me, mainly because I was so inherently unhappy.
It’s not their fault,
I thought to myself.
Mr. Stripling sat at the end of the table across from me. So far, he had not said a word to me besides greeting me as I entered the dining area. I wondered how he felt about me joining them for dinner. He didn't seem to mind, but it was hard to get a good read on him. He suddenly stood and proposed that we all say grace before eating.
He was surprisingly short for a man, at only about 5’6”. He was very muscular though, seemingly almost as wide as he was tall. Judging from his high and tight haircut and exceedingly neat clothing, I could tell that there was a good chance that he was former military.
I kept my eyes open and watched them as Mr. Stripling said grace. That environment was so unnatural to me. It felt like I was in a room filled with aliens, and I was there to observe their cultural differences.
What have I gotten myself into?
I thought as Mr. Stripling finished grace and we all prepared to dig in.
I was relieved that there was not much conversation as we ate. The last thing I wanted was some bloated discussion that was bound to lead to questions about the nature of my presence at their family dinner as well as questions about my own family. I was already embarrassed enough to even be in the room.
The food was phenomenal. I had never tasted anything that delicious in my entire life. Strangely, the more I ate, the hungrier I became.
Suddenly, the initial shame that barred me from eating as much as I desired was pushed aside as I gave in to the craving that had ravaged my mind for as long as I could remember. I had plate after plate, only looking up to grab another plate and pile more food onto it. I had long lost count of just how many plates I had polished off when I realized that I was the only one still eating. I looked to the pile of empty plates to my left and a mountain of humiliation hit me like a punch in the stomach. There were nine empty plates as well as the nearly empty plate that lay before me.
Dr. Kate and her family stared at me in silence. In terms of embarrassing moments, that one pretty much trumped them all. My palms grew sweaty as I averted my eyes from their blank stares and realized that I must have looked like a moron.
“You’ve got quite the appetite there, son,” Mr. Stripling finally exclaimed.
I couldn’t speak. Partially because of the unchewed food that still filled my mouth, but mostly because I was too shocked and embarrassed by how much food I had eaten.
“You know how athletes are, Dad,” Monica commented. “The more food, the more energy, right?”
What is she talking about?
I thought. I was no athlete. I wasn't sure why she said that, but it seemed to work as the awkwardness of the moment vanished.
Dr. Kate chuckled and smiled at Mr. Stripling. “She’s right, you know? Nathan, remember how much you would eat after football practice during college?” Dr. Kate looked at me. “Adam, please don’t feel embarrassed. Back then, I couldn’t get this one to stop eating until the following morning sometimes.”
“What sports do you play, Adam?” Mr. Stripling asked.
“Basketball. He plays basketball,” Monica interjected.
I could tell by the delighted expression that appeared on Mr. Stripling’s face that he was a basketball enthusiast. I knew that he was probably about to start a basketball conversation, of which I wanted no part in. I decided to make my escape before I exposed the holes in Monica’s cover for me by not being able to successfully navigate my way through a legitimate sports conversation. The truth is, I had never actually played or watched much of the game, so I doubted I would've been very convincing once we starting talking about it.
“It’s getting kind of late. I should probably head home,” I said, hoping that no one would object.
Dr. Kate checked her watch, then looked to Monica. “Monica, grab a few containers so Adam can take some food with him for the road.”
“Thank you, Dr. Kate,” I mumbled. I wanted to object to taking extra food home but of course I knew better. She was Good Cop at the moment and I wanted to keep it that way for as long as I could.
“Do you have anyone picking you up, Adam?” Dr. Kate asked.
“I was going to see if one of my friends could swing by.”
“Actually, I can have Monica drop you off. I'm sure it's not that far of a drive.”
“That’s okay, Dr. Kate. I’m sure Jaso-”
“Adam, there is no reason to have you wait for someone to pick you up when one of us can simply drive you over,” Dr. Kate firmly stated.
I nodded my head without replying.
“Monica, grab my car keys and drop off Adam at his home, would you dear?” Dr. Kate asked as Monica entered with four plastic containers packed with food.
That strange look momentarily flashed onto Monica’s face again, causing the butterflies in my stomach to stir.
She’s ashamed of me
, I thought, as I nervously tapped my fingers on the table.
She has to be.
Monica was silent as she left the room to fetch Dr. Kate’s keys. Dr. Kate and Mr. Stripling both stood, prompting me to do the same.
“Thanks for having me over, Dr. Kate,” I said with a warm smile.
“Any time, Adam. We enjoyed your company.”
I walked over to shake their hands but Dr. Kate insisted on a hug. I wasn't much of a hugger but I didn’t mind hugging her. It did feel kind of weird with Mr. Stripling watching, though.
I paused as Mr. Stripling extended his massive right hand for a handshake. Despite his vertical challenges, he still looked like a man that could take care of himself in a fight. His forearms were the size of footballs and his hands could have doubled as catcher’s mitts. I looked down at my wiry arms and laughed inside of my head at the drastic discrepancy.
I figured he would appreciate a firm handshake, so I put a little extra on it as I grabbed his hand.
“Ouch!” Mr. Stripling blurted as he winced in pain. Confused, I quickly let go of his hand and glanced from him to Dr. Kate.
Is he joking?
I thought.
He has to be joking, right?
“That’s some grip you have there, kid! And people say I have a firm handshake!”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Stripling!” I declared, hoping that he wasn't serious.
“Don’t worry about it, Adam. I’ll be fine. Just take it easy on me next time, will ya?” Mr. Stripling quipped.
This has to be a joke!
I thought. Then again, if he was joking, he had to be one of the greatest actors of all time because he did seem to genuinely be in pain. But how could my grip have hurt the hand of a man whose arms and hands were twice the size of mine? I left the Stripling’s home with only one question echoing throughout my mind.
What is happening to me?
I INSISTED ON MONICA DRIVING MR. STRIPLING’S SUV INSTEAD of Dr. Kate’s sedan. I never trusted sedans because of my weight. Sure, I looked small, but my true weight was over 700 pounds and I wasn't sure of how Dr. Kate's car would handle that.
It was already dark out when we hit the road. I glanced over at Monica as she drove and once again wondered why she had had that weird expression on her face earlier when she answered the door.
“Why did you tell your parents I was an athlete?” I finally asked.
Monica glanced at me, then back to the road. She bit her lip as she pondered her answer.
“I don’t know. You looked embarrassed, to be honest. I just wanted to help.”
“So you felt sorry for me?” I groaned. I hated being pitied and I knew she could hear that in my voice.
“Adam, I was just trying to help,” Monica snapped.
