Categories > Books > Stephen King > The Secrets Within
Chapter Nine: A New Friend
Matt and Orion woke up the next morning to Orion's alarm. For once, they woke up almost instantly and got ready just as fast. Matt decided to drive Orion to school since they hadn't seen his mother since last night. It was best not to bother her.
The ride to school was very quiet. Orion was lost in his own daze, staring out the window. Matt didn't want to say anything, afraid to upset the lad even more.
It was even quieter at school that day. Since Wakesville was small town, news traveled very fast. The news of Orion's father's death spread faster than ever since everyone knew Orion. Everyone, like Matt, was too afraid to say anything to him. Nothing was said by Orion, and nothing was said back to him. Even the teachers knew and left him alone all day. Art class, the only class he had with Matt, came by.
Matt and Misty were talking amongst themselves when he got there. They both looked at him as he came to his desk and sat down. Misty broke the awkward silence.
"Hey, Orion," she said in a softer, sweeter voice than from yesterday. "I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday and last night. I didn't mean to insult you or anything. And I'm terrible sorry to hear about your dad as well." Her voice actually sounded sympathetic to all that had happened.
Orion looked at her, unsure of what to do. He had no reason to hate her, but she was pretty annoying. But then again, he didn't even know her that well. "It's okay," he finally managed to say.
Misty smiled at him, which is the first time he saw her smile. It looked kind of...cute, in Orion's opinion. He shook the thought off and smiled back for what seemed like the first time since his dad died. This smile didn't look fake like his last few either.
"Thanks," she said, turning back to face the center of the class just as the bell rang.
Mr. Patterson got up from his seat and closed the room door. "Okay, class. Just go back to painting your abstract pieces," he said, as he walked back and sat down at his desk.
Orion, Misty, and Matt all got their supplies and walked back to their desks.
Matt looked out the window, which was the usual thing he did in that class, and then turned back to Orion. "It's stopped raining since last night. Pretty cool, huh?" he said, not really bothering to work on his painting.
Orion looked out as well and sure enough, it was clear. It was still dark and cloudy, though. The people in Wakesville hadn't seen the sun for what seemed like ages. "I still want to know how it rains so much here," he said.
"I don't think we'll ever know," Matt replied. "It's one of those things in life you'll just keep wondering about, but will never know. Oh well. When I got out of this town, I'll be just about the happiest person in the world. I can't wait until I graduate."
Misty laughed. "With your grades, I'm sure that's not happening anytime soon," she said in a joking way which made Matt and Orion both laugh. "But the rain, I presume, is just normal. I mean, it is May, right? It's supposed to be rainy. Just wait until summer."
Orion shrugged. "I guess that is a good point," he replied.
"I never thought of it that way. Every season feels like rainy season in this town," Matt said. "Speaking of it being May, I can't wait until summer actually starts! It's going to be so awesome! Do you guys have any plans this summer?"
Misty and Orion both shook their heads. "I doubt my mom and I will be doing anything social for a while," Orion replied, referring to the death of his father.
"Good point," Matt said in a knowing way. "But that's a good thing! I'm not doing anything either. We should all chill this summer."
"What about your uncle? Aren't you supposed to go dirt-biking at his house or something?" Orion asked.
"Unfortunately, no. He's going on vacation with my aunt," Matt answered. "I wish I could go with them."
"Why? Aren't we good enough for you to hang out with this summer?" Misty said, pouting in a mock angry sort of way.
"No! I mean, yes, you guys are," Matt said, confused of what he was saying. "I didn't mean it that way. I meant that-"
Misty laughed. "Don't worry. I know what you mean. And hanging out this summer sounds awesome," she replied.
Orion was unsure of how to say something, but he knew he needed to ask. It took up all of his courage, but he finally gathered it all and just went for it. "Misty, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after school some time. We could talk about how you like it here in Wakesville and stuff..." he blurted out, turning a bit red.
"Sure," Misty said, blushing a little as well. "Does tomorrow at 7:00 sound good?"
"Yeah," Orion said, beaming at the fact that he didn't get rejected. "I'll pick you up."
Matt just looked back and forth between the two, caught in an awkward position. He shook his head and actually started painting his sketch.
Matt and Orion woke up the next morning to Orion's alarm. For once, they woke up almost instantly and got ready just as fast. Matt decided to drive Orion to school since they hadn't seen his mother since last night. It was best not to bother her.
The ride to school was very quiet. Orion was lost in his own daze, staring out the window. Matt didn't want to say anything, afraid to upset the lad even more.
It was even quieter at school that day. Since Wakesville was small town, news traveled very fast. The news of Orion's father's death spread faster than ever since everyone knew Orion. Everyone, like Matt, was too afraid to say anything to him. Nothing was said by Orion, and nothing was said back to him. Even the teachers knew and left him alone all day. Art class, the only class he had with Matt, came by.
Matt and Misty were talking amongst themselves when he got there. They both looked at him as he came to his desk and sat down. Misty broke the awkward silence.
"Hey, Orion," she said in a softer, sweeter voice than from yesterday. "I'm really sorry about what happened yesterday and last night. I didn't mean to insult you or anything. And I'm terrible sorry to hear about your dad as well." Her voice actually sounded sympathetic to all that had happened.
Orion looked at her, unsure of what to do. He had no reason to hate her, but she was pretty annoying. But then again, he didn't even know her that well. "It's okay," he finally managed to say.
Misty smiled at him, which is the first time he saw her smile. It looked kind of...cute, in Orion's opinion. He shook the thought off and smiled back for what seemed like the first time since his dad died. This smile didn't look fake like his last few either.
"Thanks," she said, turning back to face the center of the class just as the bell rang.
Mr. Patterson got up from his seat and closed the room door. "Okay, class. Just go back to painting your abstract pieces," he said, as he walked back and sat down at his desk.
Orion, Misty, and Matt all got their supplies and walked back to their desks.
Matt looked out the window, which was the usual thing he did in that class, and then turned back to Orion. "It's stopped raining since last night. Pretty cool, huh?" he said, not really bothering to work on his painting.
Orion looked out as well and sure enough, it was clear. It was still dark and cloudy, though. The people in Wakesville hadn't seen the sun for what seemed like ages. "I still want to know how it rains so much here," he said.
"I don't think we'll ever know," Matt replied. "It's one of those things in life you'll just keep wondering about, but will never know. Oh well. When I got out of this town, I'll be just about the happiest person in the world. I can't wait until I graduate."
Misty laughed. "With your grades, I'm sure that's not happening anytime soon," she said in a joking way which made Matt and Orion both laugh. "But the rain, I presume, is just normal. I mean, it is May, right? It's supposed to be rainy. Just wait until summer."
Orion shrugged. "I guess that is a good point," he replied.
"I never thought of it that way. Every season feels like rainy season in this town," Matt said. "Speaking of it being May, I can't wait until summer actually starts! It's going to be so awesome! Do you guys have any plans this summer?"
Misty and Orion both shook their heads. "I doubt my mom and I will be doing anything social for a while," Orion replied, referring to the death of his father.
"Good point," Matt said in a knowing way. "But that's a good thing! I'm not doing anything either. We should all chill this summer."
"What about your uncle? Aren't you supposed to go dirt-biking at his house or something?" Orion asked.
"Unfortunately, no. He's going on vacation with my aunt," Matt answered. "I wish I could go with them."
"Why? Aren't we good enough for you to hang out with this summer?" Misty said, pouting in a mock angry sort of way.
"No! I mean, yes, you guys are," Matt said, confused of what he was saying. "I didn't mean it that way. I meant that-"
Misty laughed. "Don't worry. I know what you mean. And hanging out this summer sounds awesome," she replied.
Orion was unsure of how to say something, but he knew he needed to ask. It took up all of his courage, but he finally gathered it all and just went for it. "Misty, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after school some time. We could talk about how you like it here in Wakesville and stuff..." he blurted out, turning a bit red.
"Sure," Misty said, blushing a little as well. "Does tomorrow at 7:00 sound good?"
"Yeah," Orion said, beaming at the fact that he didn't get rejected. "I'll pick you up."
Matt just looked back and forth between the two, caught in an awkward position. He shook his head and actually started painting his sketch.
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