Disclaimer: I own ALL characters in this story and the storyline as well.
Chapter Three
“I’m home!” I yelled out at the open front door. It was already five o’clock.
I took off my shoes and went straight to my room. My room was located on the ground floor of the house. Instead of a private balcony like my parents, I had my own veranda which led out to the pool. Besides my room, I had my own bathroom; there was the kitchen, dining room, living room, the lounge, a library, laundry room and another bathroom. On the second floor were my parents’ bedroom, Uncle’s bedroom and my parents’ own offices, Uncle Ash’s study and two guest rooms. The third floor on the other hand, was my own art studio and mini library. The extra floor underground was an entertainment room. There was also another smaller building out back, a few distances away from the pool area which was the storehouse.
I went straight to my room, dumped my bag and hurried to my bathroom, into the shower. I shampooed my hair twice with my favorite strawberries and cream shampoo and conditioned my hair for a few minutes. I had no desire for my hair to turn slightly greenish from the chlorine.
After a warm soak in the bath tub, I felt very refreshed and content. I put on a lilac tank top and a pair of navy shorts. I collected my dirty laundry and headed for the laundry room.
“How was practice?” my mom asked me as I entered the laundry room.
“Terrible,” I lied. “You and dad didn’t say anything about me having a change of clubs!”
“It slipped my mind,” my mom said, winking at me. My mom, Rochelle Rain Wolfe (her maiden name was Rochelle Rain Silver) is in her late thirties. For someone her age, she looked relatively young. She has blonde hair like mine, except that it was cut shoulder length and wasn’t as light-colored. She has blue sapphire eyes which I inherited and she has a short but petite curvy frame. Just like me.
“But it’s not fair,” I muttered. I dumped my clothes into the washing machine, tipped in some laundry soap and set the timer.
“You need the discipline, angel. And besides, sometimes a change would be a nice thing. Think of this as a whole new experience,” my mom told me.
“Right. A whole new experience.”
I left my mom to do her laundry and walked into the kitchen. I saw my uncle reading a book and drinking hot chocolate at the same time at the kitchen table. He’s not a big fan of coffee.
“Well, well, look who’s home. Hera the wolf,” Uncle Ash said, with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.
“Ha-ha, how not funny,” I said, sticking my tongue at him and his lame joke. I opened the refrigerator and took out a couple of tomatoes. I went to the counter next to the sink and took out a chopping board and knife.
“How was swim team?”
I began cutting the tomatoes in half and scooping out the membrane.
“It was extremely horrible. I think my hair turned green already.”
Uncle Ash laughed. “I think it still looks perfectly fine. Surely if you look after your hair properly, you wouldn’t need to worry about green hair. Not all swimmers have green hair”
I diced the tomatoes. I guess that was true. My teammates all had normal colored hair.
“Fine. My hair’s gonna be really dry and frizzy because I have curly hair,” I said back, I put the diced tomatoes into a mixing bowl and drizzled it with extra virgin olive oil and some lemon juice.
“I already told you. Take good care and you wouldn’t have damaged hair,” my uncle said patiently. “Making bruschetta for dinner?”
I nodded and added basil, black pepper, salt and some minced garlic. I began mixing it, taking care not to crush the tomatoes. And again, he was right. My teammates all had real nice and shiny hair.
“Ms. Grey told me you had a ‘hidden talent’ for competitive swimming,” Uncle Ash said, I heard him sip his drink.
“She called you?” I put cling wrap over the mixing bowl and put it into the fridge. I reached downwards and took out a chicken which I had marinated this morning. I grimaced a little at it.
“No, I did. Roast chicken? Is it okay for you?” he asked, noticing my look.
“Yeah, it’s okay. I’ll make a garden salad. I never knew you were such a stalker, unc,” I said.
I am a vegetarian. When I was three, I watched a documentary on how people killed chickens before sending them to the markets. I was terrified and the rest was history. Now do you see the point of why I tried setting the rats free? I set the chicken onto a tray, added some herbs and sauce and slid it into the oven.
“I’m not a stalker. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t run off or something,” he said. “So how was it ‘extremely horrible’?”
“Just horrible. Let’s see, apparently, the coach and captain received orders from a concerned individual to drown me on my first try,” I said sarcastically. I began washing potatoes and dropping them into boiling water added with salt and I covered the pot. I went back to the refrigerator and retrieved vegetables for making a garden salad.
“But it worked, didn’t it? That concerned individual must be a really smart person,” my uncle remarked.
I placed the lettuce under the tap and washed it.
“Personally, I think that, that so called ‘concerned individual’ was very inconsiderate,” I answered. I proceeded to tearing the lettuce leaves and putting them into a salad bowl.
“Really,” I heard my uncle finishing off his drink.
“Herr? Ash?” I heard my dad call.
“Looks like your dad’s home,” Uncle Ash said, getting up to wash his now-empty mug.
My dad entered the kitchen and saw me furiously chopping vegetables and my uncle peacefully washing his mug without a care.
“Silent argument?” my dad asked. My dad’s name is Wyvern Ashton Wolfe. Yeah, and my uncle’s is Ashton Wyvern Wolfe. Apparently, their parents had a really good sense of humor.
I sniffed in disdain. “Uncle Ash tried to kill me.”
“Well now, who’s the stalker?” I heard Uncle Ash mutter. He dried his mug and hung it up back to where it belonged.
“So you don’t deny that you tried to kill me?”
“So, how was work?” Uncle Ash asked, ignoring my dad’s and my question.
My dad retrieved a tall glass from one of the many cupboards and headed towards the refrigerator.
After filling up his glass with some random juice, he turned to us with an excited look. “Guess what? I sealed a couple of deals today. I got a new sheep farm and an organic strawberry orchard in Australia today!”
“Way to go dad!” I said, genuinely happy for him. My dad had wanted to buy a sheep and strawberry farm for years now.
“Do you want to trade in shares? I don’t think the men diet programs are bringing in huge profits,” my dad told me.
Instead of allowance, my dad being an eccentric business man and father gave me shares from his company. In exchange, I usually come up with ideas to help him expand or improve his business.
I nodded and turned back to the salad I was making.
“All right Hera. I’ll see to the transfer of shares. Meanwhile, Ash, will you help me come up with ideas to improve the men diet programs? They don’t really have the interest……” I heard my dad’s voice getting fainter and fainter as he and my uncle headed to the library.
I savored the moment of silence and solitary for a few moments until I heard the phone ringing. I set down the knife I was holding and dried my hands with a towel and headed towards the phone.
“Hello, Wolfe speaking,” I said in a very too-fake cheerful voice.
“Hello? Is this Hera Wolfe?” I heard a familiar husky, British-accented voice speak up. Maybe today wasn’t the worst day after all.
“Eleanor!” I squealed into the phone loudly.
Eleanor Griffiths was a middle-aged English lady in her early forties who owns a really popular art gallery in town. She’s the one who always looked out for opportunities for me to show off my passion for art since I was young. I met her when I was ten. You could say we’re kindred spirits if it comes to art.
“Not so loud little wolf,” she scolded. “I’m already rather deaf. There’s no need for you to make it even much worse.”
“I’m sorry. So how’re you Eleanor? I haven’t seen or heard from you in like, eons!” I said.
“Now, now, there’s no need to get excited is there? Listen, are you free tomorrow? I need you to meet me at the usual place at around four maybe? I have absolutely wonderful news for you!” she said. I could hear the excitement in her voice.
“Sure! I’m free after school tomorrow!” I answered without a second thought.
“Perfect darling, I’ll meet you at the Tropical Snow then. Ta-ta!” she said in a sing-song voice and hung up.
As the line went dead, Ashton’s face flashed into my mind.
Oh.My.God. I was supposed to be at the same place at the same time with Ashton tomorrow! I didn’t want to miss the meeting with Eleanor because I haven’t seen her in so long… But on the other hand, this will probably be my only chance to hang out with Ashton alone.
I squeezed my eyes shut and slumped down to the cold marble floor. Think. Think. Think….
And then I heard the phone ringing again. Hopefully it’ll be Eleanor saying she can’t come after all. With renewed hope, I picked up the phone.
“Hello, Wolfe speaking,” I quipped, hopeful, into the phone.
“Uhh… Herr?” I heard an all-too familiar low voice which made my heart beat faster.
“A-Ashton?” I asked.
“Oh! Hey Herr! What’s up?” he said cheerfully.
“Not much. What about you? Did something happen?” I asked. I felt my heart drop a little. Maybe he was going to cancel the meeting tomorrow. Yes, meeting, not date. I already drew a line between him and me. There was no way am I gonna fall for him or even crush on him. He’s unattainable. Especially with Jenny Parker hovering over him like a shadow.
“No, well, actually, I kind of have a couple of things to do after school tomorrow so I’ll probably be late in picking you up…” he sounded apologetic.
I instantly felt much happier. At least he wasn’t cancelling it. “No! That’s okay Ashton. Actually, I have something to do around there as well. I’ll just go there by myself and meet you at the café.”
There was a pause. “Are you sure?” he sounded reluctant.
“Absolutely.”
He seemed to sigh in relief. “All right,” he said happily. “I’m really sorry though, Herr. I really wished I could pick you up but my mom-“
“It’s okay,” I said, interrupting him. “Really.”
“Well, thanks Herr. I owe you one.”
“Don’t mention it,” I said. Actually, I owed him one.
“All right, I guess I’ll see you around?” he asked.
“Okay. Bye Ashton.” I answered. There. Problem solved.
“Ash.”
“Excuse me?”
“Ash.” He repeated over the line. “Don’t call me Ashton. It’s a mouthful. I’ll call you Herr and you must call me Ash. I insist.”
Well, that’s surprising. “All right…Ash.” I smiled to myself.
“Perfect. Night Herr. Sweet dreams when you hit the hay!”
There was a click and the line went dead. I was relieved. At least I wouldn’t have to bail on either Eleanor or Ash.
“Who was it?” I turned around and saw my mom standing at the archway, which lead into the kitchen.
“A friend,” I answered, walking back into the kitchen. I saw that my mom had helped me scoop out the potatoes and peeled them for me.
“A boy?”
I nodded. “How could you tell?” I bluffed, faking ignorance.
“His name was Ashton wasn’t it?” I heard the familiar mischievousness in her voice. Sometimes, I wonder if the reason of why I had a mischievous streak was because of my mom.
“I think so.”
“From?”
“Swim team,” I answered, a little grudgingly.
“I told you, a whole new experience,” my mom said, winking at me.
“Right.” I went around the kitchen collecting cutlery and chinaware and brought them into the dining room. As I set the table, my mom came in with the food.
Setting them on the table, she said, “Is he cute?”
“Please mom, not now.” I wrinkled my nose.
“Come one Hera, you can tell me can’t you? I’m your mom. I swear not to tell your dad,” my mom pleaded a little.
“He’s cute I guess,” I answered, a little embarrassed.
“Ahh… my little angel has finally grown up,” my mother said, disappearing again into the kitchen.
I rolled my eyes and smiled at her affectionately. And then, I suddenly realized something.
How in the world did Ashton get my phone number?
“Heeerr!!” I heard a sing song voice call to me.
I turned away from my locker and came face to face; well actually, I was facing her neck, but whatever, with a tanned, bespectacled brunette girl who wore her hair in a short bob and straight bangs.
“Hey Ray!” I greeted her. Her name was really Raychel Kidd, but I call her Ray and she calls me Herr. She’s been my best friend since third grade. She was the new kid back then, but she had attitude. She just came up to me while I was sketching a drawing of a tree and said, “What’s that? A demented old man with an afro?”
And just like that, we became friends.
I studied her glasses closely. “What happened to your contacts? You won’t be able to play hardcore volleyball if you’re wearing your glasses.”
Ray was a hardcore volleyball player. And by hardcore, I really mean hardcore. She used to break her glasses all the time while playing it until her parents got fed up and got her contacts.
“Oh these?” she asked, touching her glasses. “I dropped one of my contacts in the bathroom yesterday and couldn’t find it. So I’m temporarily wearing these glasses until my dad gets a new pair of contacts for me. Meanwhile, I’m not allowed to play volleyball.”
Mr. Kidd was an optician. She grimaced at me.
I nodded at her sympathetically. “I understand you. My unreasonable uncle made me switch clubs.”
Ray gave me a surprised look. “No way. Seriously? Was it because of the rat rampage?”
“Hey, it was hardly a rampage! But yeah, you’re right.” She knew it was me because she had been with me.
“So what clubs did he make you join?”
“Swim team. And the arithmetic team. Lame, I know. I hate swimming and I’m hopeless at solving formulas.”
Ray laughed. “Lots of other people in the school who’re hardcore swimmers would kill to be in your shoes. And lots of math lovers would also love to be in your shoes.”
I shook my head. “Don’t remind me. Let me focus on thinking that this is a bad thing.”
Again, she laughed. “Don’t worry. You’ll get used to it. Come on, let’s get some lunch girlfriend.”
She grabbed my hand and I hoisted my bag strap onto my left shoulder. We headed to the cafeteria.
The cafeteria was rather crowded. Lots of the students ate food from here because they served good food. My dad and a couple of other business men and women had donated a frozen yogurt machine, a salad bar, dispensers that gave out hot drinks and the works. My uncle on the other hand, made sure he hired cafeteria ladies who knew how to cook kick-ass food. The food here is so good that even the teachers drop by to buy their lunch.
“Mmm… I smell grilled chicken and cheese sandwiches,” Ray said. She may not look like it, but Ray is a huge glutton.
Ray and I separated for a while to get our own food. I made a beeline for the fruit dispenser. As I slot in the special card that my uncle had gotten made for me (so that I didn’t need to pay for the food), I pushed the buttons to get a green apple.
“Not a fan of red?”
I turned around and saw a male Rebecca look-alike smirking at me. I noticed the onyx stud in one of his ears. Ooh… lookie, that’s Rebecca’s brother. Ruben Sears.
“Excuse me?”
“I said are you not a fan of red?” he repeated, pointing at the apple in my hand.
I looked at it. “Oh, no. It’s not that. I prefer green apples. That’s all. I like red. In fact, it’s one of my favorite colors.”
I stepped aside from the machine to avoid blocking the others. Ruben followed me.
“Oh, red is your favorite color is it? I think I should dye my hair red,” he said, flirtatiously winking at me.
I cocked my head to one side. “Do I know you?” I asked, faking innocence.
I proceeded towards the frozen yogurt machine. Ruben stubbornly followed me again. As I pushed the buttons to get a frozen Greek yogurt, Ruben said, “Of course you know me. I’m your savior.”
I privately rolled my eyes. He just helped me pick up newspapers. I turned to him with an innocent but apologetic look on my face, “I’m sorry, but I really don’t remember meeting you. Honest. I swear on Picasso’s grave.”
I turned away and started towards the table where Ray was sitting at, waving at me with an amused look on her face. I rolled my eyes at her. Ruben, unfortunately, he wasn’t familiar with the names of famous artists. He stopped dead in his tracks with a confused look on his face.
“Who’s Picasso? Your dog?” he called to me. I heard several students snicker at him.
I ignored him and sat down at the table, putting the plastic bowl of yogurt on the table.
Ray laughed even harder. “That’s one silly puppy.”
I gave her a look. “Ya think?”
I looked at her tray in disbelief. “You aren’t seriously gonna eat all that are you? I mean, sure you have a healthy appetite, but you usually eat less than this.”
On her tray were two grilled chicken and cheese sandwiches, one crème brulèe, one chocolate pudding, three slices of mushroom and pepperoni pizza, a small bowl of Mac and cheese, two cans of soda, a bowl of chocolate covered strawberries and cherries.
“True. But Shane said he’s joining us for lunch today. I bought extra in case he forgot his wallet again. Besides, I can eat all of this if he does remember. It’s not much.” Ray said, picking up a sandwich and starting to chew on it. As if on cue, a tall, lean guy with dark, wavy hair and caramel colored eyes took a seat at our table and made himself at home.
This is Shane Lancaster. He’s been my best –guy-friend since pre-school. And in Ray’s case, since third grade.
After meeting her, I was showing her around the school and taking her to meet Shane when she noticed him herself. Shane was practicing soccer that time and Ray called him a sissy who couldn’t kick a proper ball. Shane, being hot-tempered, had called her a ‘stupid chick with a stupid name because it’s spelt ‘R-A-C-H-E-L’ and not ‘R-A-Y-C-H-E-L’.
Ray had told him she liked his spunk and told him, “I allow you to be my friend. Oh yeah, by the way, have you met Hera? She’s into drawing old demented guys with afros.”
Shane had just given me a confused look and I just shrugged. Ahh, the good ol’ days. Also, Shane and Ray loved to argue and compete on who was a better friend to me. But I love both of them equally.
“Hey, what’s shakin’?” Shane reached for my yogurt and I smacked his hand.
“Your stuff is on Ray’s tray,” I informed him.
He just shrugged and took the other sandwich from Ray.
“Love the windows,” Shane commented, jerking his head at Ray.
“For your information Shane, these are called ‘glasses’ or ‘spectacles’. Windows are the ones that are a teensy bit bigger and are built into walls,” Ray said, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
Shane polished off his sandwich in a few bites and reached for a pizza. Like Ray, he also has a healthy appetite. “Ahh, so I see that Herr has a new admirer.”
I shook my head. “You saw that?”
He nodded at me, his mouth full. “What’s not noticeable? One of the most popular guys in school, following a little girl, now that’s a classic.”
I scowled at him. “I’m not little all right? For God’s sake, I just don’t have enough tall genes!”
“Anyhoos,” he said, ignoring me, “I heard you’re kicked off the debate team and restricted from the art rooms.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, “Where’d you hear that?”
He reached for the chocolate pudding. “I took a trip down to your uncle’s office today. I was just gonna ask him to sign a permission slip for us to play a friendly match against our rival school. We got talking.”
Huh, not only was my uncle a stalker, he’s also got a big mouth.
“Yes, I got unjust punishment for setting innocent prisoners free. He tried to execute me as well. Too bad I survived,” I told him. “I would have been better off a drowned rat.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, the school janitors who are expert rat-trappers caught them and you can go visit your prisoners who were drowned in your place in their own glass cells in Biology Lab 5,” Shane told me with a wink.
I looked at the rest of my melting frozen yogurt and pushed it towards Shane. “Be my guest.”
He took it from me and starting eating it for me. “Thanks. But I prefer lemon yogurt.”
I gave him the evil eye and he just concentrated on the yogurt.
“What do you mean execute? It was absolutely necessary,” I heard another voice say behind me. “Besides, you’re still alive, aren’t you? Don’t be so dramatic.”
I turned around and saw Ashton sitting at the next table, facing me from his seat with a spoon sticking out of his mouth. He was sitting with Warner and Zachariah who were engrossed in talking with each other. Did I mention he looked extra-hot in his uniform? If not, well, Ashton looked extra-hot in his uniform.
His hair was tousled, as if he had just woken up. His school shirt was untucked, with the first few buttons undone and school tie and blazer nowhere in sight.
“It’s rude to eavesdrop.” I said disapprovingly.
“Who’s that? He’s a hottie,” Ray whispered to me. “The other two with him are hot too, but he’s way hotter.”
“You should see him shirtless,” I muttered back.
Ashton grinned at me. “Hey Herr.”
I nodded at him. “Hey. Your uniform’s not up to standard.”
“Yours isn’t exactly up to standard either.”
I turned to Ray and Shane. “Meet my executioner. Ashton Taylor. Part-time executioner and part-time captain of the school’s swim team and student of this school. Beware, he’s dangerous. Ash, this is Raychel Kidd and Shane Lancaster, my other halves.”
He gave me a little frown. “Aww, come on, I’m sorry about that but the principal said it was necessary. If we didn’t do it, we would never have uncovered your true potential.”
I heard Shane snicker. “That’s funny dude. I went with her to her first swimming lessons like, ten years ago? She’s a total scaredy-cat. Her true potential’s just clinging onto her friends and saying that she’ll die.”
Again, I gave him the evil eye. Trust Uncle Ash to tell him only the bad stuff, not the good stuff. He shut up.
Ashton just pointed his spoon at me. “This girl here is one wicked swimmer. You should watch her sometime. She’s fast.”
Before we could say anything else, Jenny came up and sat up close next to Ashton with a bowl of frozen yogurt.
“Here you go Ashton,” Jenny said, emphasizing his name. She gave me the evil eye. Except she did it much better than I did. “Mango, your favorite.”
Ashton rolled his eyes and gave me a wink. I stifled a giggle.
“Well now, who’s the wicked witch of the West?” I heard Ray breath to me. “No one gives my darling Herr the evil eye.”
“Possessive much?” Shane asked. He got up. “Be right back.” He disappeared into the crowd.
“That’s Jenny Parker,” I said in a low voice. “She has an invisible tag with her name on it, clipped onto Ash. She’s also on the swim team. She wasn’t very happy when she found out that she’s now the third fastest swimmer on the team.”
“Ahh…” Ray nodded understandingly. She patted my back. “Don’t worry; she’ll regret giving you the evil eye one day.”
“Who’s worried?” I said.
“So I never knew you were a fast swimmer. You said you hated swimming.”
“I do. I never knew either.”
“I’m proud of you Herr.” Ray gave me a broad smile.
“So am I.”
Shane came back with a new bowl of frozen yogurt with slices of strawberries and golden kiwis in it. I suspected he raided the fruit salad station for the fruit slices.
“Greek yogurt. With your favorite Australian strawberries and golden kiwis,” he said, smiling at me. “Congratulations on your triumph Herr. We’re really glad for you.”
I smiled at him in return. “Thanks Shane, really.” I took the bowl from him and started eating it. I noticed Ray giving Shane a dirty look.
“I thought you forgot your wallet.”
“I had some spare change in my pocket.”
“Give me back my money.”
“That can wait.”
“Sissy jerk.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m gonna get Herr a better present.”
“Be my guest. I’ll outdo you.”
Writingmon: I guess that's all the chapters I have for now. Better scram and sleep before the sun rises. I think my eyes are repeatedly gaining those few extra pounds. Better go sleep those off. COMMENT! (:
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