Powers

I can do this I said to myself.
Hi. I’m Annabelle tucker, and today is my first day at North Country Union High School. My mom, Scarlet tucker, and I just moved down to Newport, Vermont. Newport has a freighting total of 5,005, now 5,007.
Here goes nothing. I said to myself as I open the door.
As I walked in 40 eyes all look straight at me like I’m the boogie monster.
“Are you Annabelle Tucker?” A woman to my right with short red hair flipped out and blue eyes said to me. She is very tall with lots of legs. She’s also very skinny. I hate her already.
“Um…yeah.”
“Good. I’m Mrs. Winter. Why don’t you take a seat next to Tyson Spencer.”
As I looked I saw the most beautiful guy I have ever seen. He was in a t-shirt with jeans. His arms were huge. The kind of arms you want around you when you’re sad or just what someone to hold you. He had the most beautiful brown eyes that could hold you forever. He had dark brown hair and skin really tan like he been in the sun everyday. Of course the seat next to him was the only seat available.
Please don’t let me trip. I prayed
I’m made to the seat without and complications. If only I could have seen the future.
The day passed by nicely. In English and Government class there was this girl, named Leigh Kerr who was nice and asked me if I wanted to have lunch. Of course I said yes.
As I walked out of the lunch line, I saw him. He was sitting with what I would describe as the popular crowd. Blonde, skinny, girls with pounds of make up on their face, with guys like Tyson. Drop dead gorgeous. But as I walked by I noticed that his table was laughing and they would look right at me and Leigh. I looked down at my black sweater, tank top, and jeans. There was nothing on me. I looked over at Leigh and her head was down with her eyes cast down to floor.
"Why was they laughing?'' I asked Leigh as soon as we sat down at a table.
"It's nothing. They do it all the time. I'm the reject of the school. You wouldn’t understand. Nothing to worry about.”
Lunch went by fast. Gym was my last class of the day. Very simple exercises and games. As I walked out of the Gym I saw Tyson staring at me. He was leaning against a car with the “popular" crowd around him.
Something about his face told me he wasn't happy.
As I pulled out of the student parking lot I decided I would go to the local track and see how it looked.
When I got there nobody was there. I looked back in the seat and saw that I brought my gear with me, so I thought why not.
Running had been my passion. My dads’ passion. I loved to run. I felt free and powerful when I ran.
About the time of my last meet my fathers’ affair with the principal leaked out. Whispers were all around me.
“It was her dad and the principal” people would say. Even the teachers would say “Poor girl. I feel so sorry for her and her mother.” I couldn’t take it. That’s one reason why we moved to Newport.
I don’t know why but I couldn’t be mad at him for the affair. I mean of course I saw what it did to my mom but I knew it was coming soon or later.
The Day of the meet my dad promised he would show up. After mom kicked him out of the house I haven’t seen much of him lately. But something in me knew he wasn’t going to show that day. But my heart couldn’t take anymore damage so I hoped he would.
I had just won the race. The biggest race of my career and my dad was no where in sight. Me and mom where walking to the car. At this point I was so mad that I made up my mind that I wouldn’t have anything to do with him at all.
We were just about to get in when an officer came to my mom. I had no idea what was going on but I heard words I would never forget.
Your husband had an accident about two miles up the road. I’m sorry he didn’t make it.
I couldn’t run anymore after that because it was mine and my dads passion and now my dad couldn’t share it with me.

As I got ready to take off I remember my last track meet. The crowd was cheering wildly. My mom was standing in the stands screaming her head off for me. My dad was no where in sight. If only I had known.
Five, four, three, two, one. I'm off and running. I fill like I'm in the wind flying. I can do anything. God, I have missed this feeling so much. I wish I could never come back down to reality. Never have to see the faces people made to me as I walked down the halls. Never have to hear the whispers. I wish I was the only one in the world.
As I was catching my breath I felt someone watching me. I looked up and saw the eyes that could hold me for ever. Arms that I wanted to hold me forever. Tyson Spencer. He was in basketball shorts and a shirt that looks like the sleeves have been cut off.
What is he doing here? I thought.
As he started to walk towards me I thought I was going to die. The sun looked so perfect on his skin.
"You know this is my track." He said to me as soon as he got to me, laughter in his eyes.
“Oh.... sorry. I was playing around. I'll leave."
“No, you don't have to leave. I was just playing with you."
“Oh. Are you sure it's okay?"
“Yeah, you know you run really fast. You should try out for track. I'm on the team. It's pretty fun."
“I don't run anymore."
He looked confused.
“Why not."
“Long story. Maybe next time. I've got to go." I said while gathering my gear.
“Wait. I didn't mean to scare you."
“You didn't" I lied "I have to get home and help unpack."
With that I was off, with his confused expression burned in my mind.
When I got home, mom was in the kitchen unpacking some boxes.
“Hey. Where have you been?" She asked as soon as I walked through the door.
“I saw a track and decided to try it and see how it felt." I knew when I saw her hopeful expression that I shouldn't have said a thing.
“Honey, that is so great. You should try out for the team here. I hear they are really good."
“Where you hear that from?" I said trying to change the subject. If she noticed she didn't try to change it back.
“Well, this morning I was looking around, going out shopping for food and to see the town, when I saw this antique shop. In the store there was an older lady. The older lady just came over and stuck up a conversation with me. Come to find out her grandson is on the track team. Isn't that neat."
“Wouldn’t surprise me with a town this small."
As soon as the words out of my mouth I knew I was going to regret them. Sure enough.
“Anna, I know this move is a big change for both of us. But it's for the best. For me and you. It will make us stronger. Okay."
I really didn't want to fight so I just said okay and went up to room. I first went to of my boxes marked Things. I got out my CD player and my CD case. I popped in my favorite CD and laid back on my bed. I let the music engulfed me as I let my mind wonder. And the next thing I knew my world went black

Chapter 2

When I woke up my clock said 4:30 am. I tried to get back to sleep but my mind was in full working order already. I decided that it wasn't to early to take a little run at the track I found yesterday, but it was to early for Tyson to be out there. I got up put my long, straight, dark brown hair in a high ponytail, dressed in running shorts and a t-shirt and my favorite tennis shoes and was out the door.
When I got there Tyson wasn't there so I got out of my car and started to warm-up. By the time I was done I had the same felling that someone was watching me. When I turned around no one was there. So I just brushed it off.
I got in position and tried to block those painful memories of that day out of my head. I counted down in my head. 5-4-3-2-1. I'm off again. The fell of the wind in my face. The fell that the world can't touch me. Can't get their claws on my heart and cause pain. Not again. Not ever again.
As I slowly came back down to earth I got the same feeling that I was being watched. This time when I turned around I saw a man coming towards me.
Who is that? I thought almost ready to bolt to my car.
When the man came out of the shadow my heart went up another 5 paces. It was Tyson. He was wearing a blue t-shirt that fit his chest and blue jeans that hung off his hip. I almost lost my breath.
"Hey" he said as he came closer.
"Hi" I said hesintly.
"I thought you said you don't run anymore."
"I don't run in front of people." I said getting ready to go home and shower.
"You don't have to go because of me. You can stay and run. I'll leave." He said coming to stop in front of me.
"It's not you. I just got to get home and ready for school."
"Oh...Okay. Are you going to come back?" he said. His face looked so disappointed, but also so hopeful.
"I might." I said walking towards my car..
"I would really like that."
"Well I have to go. See you later."
Before he could say anything else I was gone. Why does he scare me so much? My thought asked. Because you don't want to end up like your mother. Scared, heartbroken, a single parent with no idea what you are going to do next. Also, so very lonely. My thoughts answered.
When I got home I had to rush through my shower and breakfast. By the time I got to school I had to run to class. When I got to class my butt had just touched the seat when the bell rang. I looked up and saw Tyson. His eyes looked right in mine. For a second our eyes held. Then he turned. As his face turned I swear I saw him have this smirky simile on his face.
Classes went by fast. Leigh sat by me in English and government but as the lunch bell rang she told me she had to make-up a test.
"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?" She asked looking at the clock on the wall. I didn't want her to be late for test because of me and I didn't want her to miss it for me either.
"Yeah, go ahead. I just got this new book I have wanted to read." I said with a simile. With that she was off. I wasn't really hunger so I just got a bottle of water and a apple. The table is sat at yesterday was empty so I went over there. Good thing I brought a book from home. The book I brought was called Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. I was really getting in the book when I heard the chair beside slide against the floor. I was thinking it was Leigh and that she got done with her test early and came to eat lunch. I was coming to stopping point when I said:
"Hey Leigh. Test shorter than you thought?" I said looking up.
What I didn't expect was Tyson standing above me with a twinkle in his eye.
“Sorry. I thought you were Leigh." I said embarrassed. I could feel the heat creep up to my cheeks.
"No I'm sorry. I don't think I Leigh. I do look like her?" He said this while turning around. The biggest simile on his face.
" No I guess not." I could feel the heat get redder by the second.
"Good.” He said taking the seat beside me.
“What are you doing here?” I blurted out. Why to go, Anna.
“Oh… I can go.” He said rising from the chair.
What I did next was probably stupid on my part but I didn’t want t him to leave. I reached out and grabbed his forearm. Sparks flew. Literality. Sparks flew when I touched him. He flinched away while I looked at his arm dumbfounded.
“I’m sorry,” I said finally. “But you don’t have to leave. I was just asking because I wondered why you want to sit with me when you have such cooler friends. Their not as boring as me.”
“Who says you’re boring?” He asked taking a seat.
“Me, because I am boring. I have no social life at all.” I said wondering why I told him that piece of information.
“Well, if it makes you feel better I don’t think you’re boring.” Ashe said this he took a piece of my brown hair that had fallen loose from my ponytail and tucked it behind my hair. With that statement hanging in the air he was gone.
Gym was easy. How I even noticed got past me. I was way to busy trying to under stand his words. I don’t think you’re boring. Does that mean he likes me? Why would he like me? I’m boring. I’m not fat but I’m not a size two, actually far from it, either, and I way to pale for him to like me.
When I tried to start my car I found out I had no gas and I had no batteries in my cell phone. I yelled great just as Tyson was walking out.
“Having car trouble?” he said with a knowing simile on his face.
“How did you figure it out?” I said playing his little game.
“Well school ended about thirty minutes and you are yelling at you cell phone.” He said.
“Well I could have been waiting for my boyfriend to come pick me up.” I said teasing him.
He didn’t seem to take the bait because he said, “If that were true why were you be yelling at your cell phone?”
“I ran out of gas and I have no batteries for my cell phone.”
“I can take you home. Come on.” He said heading towards his car.
“No, I don’t want to put you out. I’ll just use the school phone.” I said trying to catch up with him.
“You can’t because the school secretary just left. The office door is close. Come on. I want hurt you. I promise.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to be an inconvenience.” I said on the passenger side of his car.
“Yes I’m sure.” He said climbing in his car.
I got in feeling every move he made. I told where I lived and he was off. I was scared to death because the guy was a manic driver. He was breaking the speed limit left and right.
“Are you alright.” He said looking at my death grip on my seat. It took me a minute to say, “Yeah, just that you drive fast.”
He just laughed and asked if we could take a detour. “I want to show you something.” I said yes just as long as I had more time with him.
I had no idea where we going just that we were going through what looked liked a forest. The tree’s leaves were all different shades of red and orange. When we stop I saw that we were in park next to a lake. My eyes just let up. I love it. It was so beautiful. We were on a bridge that ran across the river. He got and so did I sat down on the bridge and looked down on the sun lit water.
“Why don’t you run any more?” he said. His words cut through my thoughts and made look up at him. His face had taken on this dark shadow. It made him look mean and evil.
“What’s wrong?” I asked him ignoring his question.
“Nothing. Why did you quit running.” He said
“It’s a long story. You don’t want to know.” I said looking back to the water.
“I have all day.”
I knew he wasn’t going to give and I decided I could go a head and tell him because he wouldn’t judge me like every one else.
I took a shaky breath and started. “Last year word got around that my dad and the principal were having an affair. Somehow one of the janitors found them. Anyway, I haven’t seen my dad in so long. The day he died was my biggest track meet of the season. He promised he would be there. I had won the race but he never showed up. Turns out he was killed two miles from the race. I felt so guilty because an hour or so I decided that I wanted nothing to do with him.” I could fell my heart swell up with guilt. I also felt Tyson’s around on my shoulders, massaging gently. I went on. I had to get this off my chest. “Running was our thing and I couldn’t do it with out him.” I turned to look at him. There was no sadness no “poor baby” or “God, how awful.” But just the same brown eyes I have come to dream about. One thing I did see in his eyes was desire. As he bent his head to mine I felt butterflies in my stomach and questions going crazy in my head. My first kiss!!! What if I do it wrong? What if he just felling sorry? As soon as his lips brushed my mine I melted. This was nothing liked I expected. Not the tingle sensation or the rush of heat that went though out my body. If felt good that didn’t want to stop. As he left his head I couldn’t open my eyes. I felt so happy. He sat down next me and held my hands. I kissed my hands, my neck, my jaw line, and my temple. As he aliened his lips over mine I felt his breath as he breathed in.
“Anna, come with to a place. I’ve never shown it to anyone else but I want to show it to you.”
I nodded than his lips melted into mine for the seconded time.