Just the Beginning, Part 3

"So, where are your parents?"

He sighed. "They died long ago. But my brother is eighteen, so we moved here back here together."

It was funny that I had never seen him before. "You used to live here?"

He nodded. "Yes, but that was a long time ago."

I nodded, understanding. "Do you get along with your brother?" Maybe that was the reason for the faraway look.

"Yeah," Dakota answered, coming back to the present. "For the most part." He thought for a moment and then added, "What of you? Do you have family?"

"I live with my father." Jessica sighed. "My mother died in a car accident last year."

A crease formed between his eyes. "I'm so sorry to hear that."

I nodded. "I miss her a lot." Sometimes, Jessica wondered if she would ever get over it.

"No brothers or sisters?" He truly looked interested. As we walked, he placed his hand on the small of my back, sending shockwaves throughout my body.

I laughed. "No, not the last time I checked." Far too soon, we were standing in front of the open doors of the gym. I sighed, not wanting this moment to end.

"Do you want me to walk you to your class?"

I laughed. "No, it's just right around the corner."

"Well," he began, "May I ask you a question?"

Surprised, I slowly nodded. I was going to be late to class, but I didn't care.

"Do you need a ride home?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

This couldn't really be happening.

"I have a VW Bug," I replied, regrettably. I loved my tan Volkswagen, even though it was old and had definitely seen better days, but it was perfect for me. My parents had bought it for me for my sixteenth birthday, nearly a year ago before my mother died. Now, it was my pride and joy.

His eyebrows pulled together in concern. "Well, some other time, then."

I nodded, forcing a smile as I mentally kicked myself. He would probably never ask again. "I'll see you later." It was hard pulling myself away, but I was already late.

"Hey," Dakota called to me. I stopped and turned toward him. "What's your name?"

I smiled. "Jessica. Jessica Chavez."

Dakota's grin broadened. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Jessica Chavez."

I returned the smile, and then turned and walked to class, with my feet barely touching the ground. I sighed when I saw Michelle waiting excitedly by the Biology classroom door. For one, brief moment, I thought that maybe I could make a run for it, but Michelle saw me, so I knew it was too late.

"Well?" she asked. "Did he talk to you?"

"I'll tell you later," I hedged, pulling her toward class. "We're late."

"No, I don't think so," she said, planting her feet firmly the best she could on her five-inch heels. "You have to tell me everything he said." From the look on her face, you would have thought it was Christmas morning.

"We're late!" I said with my hand on the door, ready to pull her in.

"Tell me," she insisted, holding onto my arm.

I smiled, then let out a deep breath. "Okay," I said, lowering my voice and holding out my hands. "I walked him to class."

"No way!" she screamed and practically fell off her heels. "You have to tell me everything!"

"Not now," I countered. "At lunch." Before she could pry more information from me, I pulled her into the classroom, late again.

I sat in Mr. Moroe's class, barely paying attention as my thoughts kept drifting to Dakota. Michelle would occasionally give me a look throughout class, as if wanting me to burst out and tell her everything right there in class. I just looked at Mr. Moroe, trying hard to focus. I cringed when the bell rang, knowing I would be facing the Michelle inquisition.

Michelle walked with me to the cafeteria, wanting every detail. I told her everything that happened, then she wanted to recap and analyze everything again, asking me what his facial expressions were, hand gestures. I didn't tell her that he placed his hand on the small of my back as we walked. She would have a heart attack right there.

When Michelle and I reached the cafeteria, I couldn't help but look for him. I told myself that maybe he was just being nice, being friendly because he was new and wanted to make friends. I fell silent as I combed the room, but Michelle didn't seem to notice. She was still excited that he even spoke to me. I fell in step with the others in the salad line, moving along behind Michelle, hardly noticing what she was saying, but nodded occasionally at what I hoped was the appropriate time.

"He likes you," Michelle gushed, sliding a clear salad container onto her cafeteria tray.

"Um?" I asked, not paying attention.

Michelle chuckled. "I said, he likes you." She shrugged. "You might know. The new hot guy comes into town and doesn't even give me a second look."

"Yeah, right! It happens to you all the time! Usually, the new hot guy thinks he's in love with you by the end of his first day." I scanned the cafeteria once more, trying to be inconspicuous.

"I don't think so. Not like Dakota was with you today." She rambled on as she strutted to our usual table. I followed along half paying attention.

When we reached our seats, I spotted Dakota in the corner sitting with the Ute boys. They were huge! It was funny that I hadn't noticed it before now. Most of them were over 6 feet tall now and all of them were heavily muscled. I wondered why Dakota sat with them in particular. Maybe it was because they were part of the same tribe, or maybe he knew them from the Ute community. This was his first day, yet he spoke to them as if he'd known them all his life. I shrugged it off, wondering why I was so interested.

"Hey, Jess," Michelle said, her voice low, and then nodded in Dakota's direction.

I had tuned her out and was so lost in my own thoughts that I practically jumped. "What?"

"Who have we been talking about?" she leaned in and whispered just over my shoulder.

Marsha and Erin interrupted, approaching the table.

"Yeah, I'm serious, Marsha," Erin replied. They were obviously in the middle of a conversation. "I'm telling you, there were four of them!"

"Four what?" Michelle asked, trying to catch up, Dakota already forgotten. Michelle was always up for gossip.

"Four bodies!" Erin's eyes were wide as she took her usual seat across from Michelle. "Haven't you heard?" Erin's father was a policeman, so she always got the news firsthand. Erin had her father's curly black hair, but her mother's sense of inquisition.

"No, I haven't," Michelle answered, bewildered. "What's going on?"

"Okay." Erin settled in, obviously pleased to find someone who hadn't heard the story yet. "My dad said they found four bodies yesterday in the woods."

Michelle's eyes widened, completely enthralled in the latest gossip. "Who were they?"

"Some hikers," Erin continued, pausing for effect. "But that's not all."

"What?" Michelle asked, her eyes wide.

"Their bodies were torn up pretty badly, almost beyond recognition. They had to use their dental records to identify them." Erin shook her head in disbelief.

"Oh, my god, Erin." Michelle's eyebrows rose nearly into her hairline.

"Do they know who or what did it?" Marsha interjected, flipping her straight blonde hair over her shoulder.

"No, they think it was some kind of animal," Erin answered. "But the eerie thing is that it was a full moon last night."

"So?" Marsha asked, puzzled. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Think about it! Some hikers are attacked under a full moon?" Erin scoffed. "Two hikers were killed last month, too! Remember?"

"Yeah," I nodded, remembering all too well. Her mother had forbidden her from going out into the woods alone at all. "The authorities said that was an animal attack, too."

"Everyone thought so. But it was a full moon then, too. And then two more die under a full moon this month, too? Pretty strange coincidence, don't you think?" Erin sighed. "Something weird's going on."

Michelle watched her for a moment and then threw a wadded-up napkin at her. "Yeah, right! You've been watching too many horror movies. Full moon...." She shook her head in disbelief.

"I'm serious," Erin persisted. "There's something about it that just doesn't add up."

I tried to block out their conversation as I looked across the cafeteria at Dakota, trying to be inconspicuous. Yup, I was now officially a stalker. I'd completely lost it. Dakota was talking animatedly with the other Ute guys. His head jerked up when Erin mentioned the full moon, but it was probably a coincidence.

As I watched him, I wondered what his story was, and why he appeared to be listening in on our conversation... from across the room.