Autumn
By Nikki
"Autumn, lock the door before you leave! I'm going in the shower."
"Ok, mom," Autumn answered the same as she did every morning before she
left for school. She grabbed one of those cereal bars (the ones with the dried
milk in the middle. They're nasty, but she didn't want to go through the day on
an empty stomach.) before walking out the door, and she remembered to lock it,
of course. The morning air smelled like the marsh. It must be low tide, she
thought rubbing her nose. She hated living next to the marsh. As she began
towards the end of her street where the bus picked her up, she could hear it on
the next street over. She quickened her pace and got to the corner just in time.
When she climbed up the stairs, she saw a bus full of hung-over faces, a usual
sight on a Monday morning. Jeez, was she the only one that didn't go out on the
weekends to get plastered? Probably. She plopped down into the fourth seat on
the right, the same seat she sat alone in every morning. She sighed, stared out
the window, and hoped this week wouldn't be the same as every other boring one of
her life.
*~*~*~*~*~*
As the bus pulled up to the front of the school, Autumn reached for her
back pack and flung it over her shoulder. She descended the stairs of the bus
and began toward the stairs at the front of the school. There she saw something
out of the ordinary: a motorcycle. Someone had parked their motorcycle in front
of the stairs, and the principal had begun to take matters into his own hands.
"Young man, you can't park your bike here," Autumn heard him telling the
perpetrator. When she finally caught sight of him standing behind the principal,
she was in awe. Something about this boy attracted her to him. Maybe it was his
dark hair, which he kept pushed back out of his face or his devilish eyebrows.
Or maybe it was the earring he wore in his left ear or his long black coat. She
didn't know. All she knew was that she had to have that boy.
"Why not?" he asked the principal.
"Son, the parking lot is over there. That's where all the motor vehicles
belong," the principal went on, but the boy had stopped listening. His slits he
had for eyes had met Autumn's as she approached, and their eyes locked. Autumn
casually looked away as she passed him trying not to make it too obvious, but
his eyes followed her as her sweet smell wafted past his nose. He had to have
that girl, he thought.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When Autumn reached her locker, she dropped her back pack on the floor
and bent down to do her combination since her locker was on the bottom row. When
she opened it and sat down, she heard someone behind her.
"Hey," she heard someone sleepily say.
"Hey," she replied.
It was her best friend, Micki. Micki dropped her books on the floor and
sat down across from Autumn rubbing her eyes.
"So what'd you do this week end?" Autumn asked her.
"Slept," she replied. "You?"
"Watched t.v.," Autumn answered. "I rented Empire Records for like the
billionth time."
"Cool," Micki commented.
Just then the bell rang.
"We should probably go to class," Autumn suggested.
"Ya," Micki agreed picking up her books. "See ya."
"Bye," Autumn said.
*~*~*~*~*~*
As she heard the bell ring, Autumn picked up her books, left her class
room, and headed to her locker. When she got there, she found Lexy waiting for
there for her. Lexy was a tall, thin girl with short straight hair that she had
dyed purple. It looked good, but Autumn thought she had just done it for attention.
"Guess what!" Lexy said cheerfully. "Ricky just hugged me!"
"Cool," Autumn said unenthusiastically. Lexy was so boy crazy sometimes
it drove Autumn nuts. Ricky was her crush at the moment, but unfortunately he
liked Delia.
"Ya, but then Delia came," Lexy pouted as she stood and watched her
friend open her locker and return her books. "God, I dunno what he sees in her.
She's so shrimpy, and those glasses make her look like a geek."
"Maybe he likes her for, I dunno, her personality," Autumn suggested
retrieving her second period books and closing her locker.
"No, that can't be it," Lexy said skeptically.
Autumn sighed. Why were all her friends so stuck up? Well, you are who
you hang out with, right?
"Hello, Autumn," a deep voice said from behind her.
"Oh, hi, Mr. Arnold," Autumn said.
"You look nice today," he said looking her up and down as he passed by.
Mr. Arnold was Autumn's biology teacher. He was bald, overweight, and
probably in his 50's. He was always just a little too nice to her ,and it was
starting to get her mad.
"God, what a perverted fuck," she said to Lexy as he walked down the
hallway.
"You should really say something about that asshole," Lexy suggested.
"Nah, I don't wanna make a big deal out of nothing," Autumn explained.
"He's just a dirty old man."
"Ya, well, I wouldn't want that dirty old man thinking those thoughts
about me," Lexy told her.
"Shut up!" Autumn said hitting Lexy's arm. "Hey, did you see that
motorcycle in front of the school this morning?" she asked changing the subject
as they began to walk.
"Ya, what was that all about?" Lexy said as her and Autumn pushed
through the crowded halls trying to keep up their conversation.
"I dunno," Autumn admitted. "I was just kinda curious."
"Ya, well, I'll see ya later," Lexy said and walked into her class room.
"Ya, bye."
*~*~*~*~*~*
As the lunch bell rang, all the students rushed out of the room. Autumn
slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes. It really was amazing how she managed to stay
on the honor role when she slept through half of her classes. The room was
empty, and Autumn was in no rush to go to lunch. No one she liked was on her
lunch, and she didn't feel like sitting alone today. I'll just eat when I get
home, she thought as she walked down the hall. Now she had to think of what to
do with her 20 minute lunch period. As she approached the bathroom, she decided
to make a quick stop. When she opened the door, she was engulfed in cigarette
smoke. Maybe that wasn't a good idea, she thought turning around. Maybe she
could hang out with Lexy in the crafts room.
"We're watching a movie," Lexy mouthed to Autumn who was standing
outside her class room in the hallway. Autumn sighed. She wouldn't be able to go
in. I guess I'll make an appearance in the caf, she thought queasily.
*~*~*~*~*~*
The cafeteria was loud and bright, and Autumn had to adjust her eyes
to the light. As she climbed up the stairs, she took a deep breath and looked
around. No familiar faces, not even someone to pretend to be friends with just
so she didn't have to sit alone. Oh, well. What was the point? She didn't care
if people thought she was a friendless loser. So what? Oh, how she wished she
could really think like that. She sat down at the first empty table she saw, and
put her head down. She should have just stayed in her empty class room. She had
been sitting there with her head down for less than a minute when she heard the
chair across from her get pulled out from under the table and someone sit down.
She slowly looked up expecting to see some geek whose table she had stolen. When
her eyes had adjusted to the light once again, she saw him sitting across form
her. It was the boy with the motorcycle.
"Greetings and salutations," he said in a raspy voice.
"Hi," she said half thinking she was dreaming.
"Jason Dean," he introduced himself. "Or as most people call me, J.D."
"Autumn....Sweeney," she said wondering why he had even sat near her
nevermind started a conversation.
"So, do you always sit here in the cafeteria alone?" he asked pushing
the mush on his Styrofoam tray around with his fork.
"No, I usually sit in my class room alone," she told him staring at the
wisps of hair, which had fallen down during his food examination. "So," she said
breaking the moment of silence. "That was a cool stunt you pulled this morning
with the motorcycle."
"Oh, you saw that?" he asked looking up from his food and pushing back
his hair with his fingers. "I was just trying to make a name for myself on my
first day."
Autumn smirked not being able to find anything intelligent to say.
"So do you wanna do something after school? You could show me around
town, maybe let me buy you a slushie?" J.D. asked pushing his tray away form
him.
"I hafta work," Autumn said regretfully. Just then the bell rang ending
lunch. Autumn got up as J.D. sat there staring at her smiling. "I should get
back to class," she told him. "I'll see ya." He nodded without erasing the
smile from his face. She walked away smiling. Maybe it wasn't going to be such a
boring week.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Oh, my god! Guess what!" Autumn said running into the local pizza parlor where
she worked. She and her friend Trista had gotten jobs there at the beginning of
the school year. They used to be best friends, but lately they had made
different friends and grown apart. Work was probably the only time they got to
spend any time together.
"What?" Trista asked getting up from the table she'd been wiping off.
"I talked to the cutest guy at lunch today," she said exaggerating the
word cutest. "Actually, he talked to me," she smiled.
"Who was it?" Trista asked curiously.
"Ya, who?" Matt asked teasingly as he walked over to them. Matt had
dropped out of school, and now he worked at the parlor full time. He was kind of
annoying to work with, but Autumn thought he was a pretty nice guy.
"Go away, Matt," Trista told him pretending to squirt him with the spray
bottle she had been using to clean tables.
"No," Matt said pushing the spray bottle away from his face. "I wanna
hear about the cutest guy," he told them mockingly.
"Oh, shut up!" Autumn said pushing him out of the way and going behind
the counter to punch in.
"So, who was it?" Trista asked getting more intrigued by the moment.
"He's new," Autumn told her taking off her coat and putting it under the
counter. "And he drives a motorcycle."
"Oh, my god! That kid that parked his Harley in front of the school
today?" Trista asked excitedly. "I thought of you when I saw him. I know you and
your motorcycles."
"I know," Autumn smiled, her eyes sparkling at the thought of J.D.'s sexy
body on his Harley. "He asked me out for a slushie."
"Wait a minute," Matt interrupted. "This big bad Harley guy parks his
bike in front of the school to show how rebellious he is, and then he asks you
out to get a slushie?"
"What's wrong with that?" Trista asked continuing to clean the tables.
"I dunno," Matt admitted. "Going to get a slushie just doesn't seem like
the kind of date a rebel would take a girl on."
"A rebel?" Just because he drives a motorcycle doesn't mean he's a
rebel," Autumn said.
"Autumn, I've seen this guy. He's a rebel and you know it," Trista told
her smiling. "And you want his hot bod."
"Shut up!" Autumn laughed. "So what if I do?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Can I punch out now?" Autumn whined after waiting on the last person in
line. "It's almost 7." Her hair was a mess and she was covered in pizza dough
and flour. Her shirt was half untucked, and if she saw another pizza, she felt
like she would puke.
"Just wait on this last customer, and you can leave," her boss called to
her while putting a pizza in the oven.
"Ok," Autumn groaned. She turned around to face the cash register when
she saw who the customer was.
"J.D."
"Greetings and salutations," he smiled. "I couldn't help but overhearing
that you're off work now. You still up for that slushie.?"
"Sure," Autumn smiled excitedly. She turned around to the computer behind
her and punched out.
"See ya, Trista," she smiled grabbing her coat.
"Hot bod," Trista whispered.
Autumn just smiled and walked out the door with J.D. At the bottom of the
concrete stairs was J.D.'s Harley. "It's a nice bike," Autumn commented.
"Gift from my father," J.D. told her. "It's his way of apologizing for
having to move around so much."
"That must be tough," Autumn said sympathetically as he handed her his
helmet.
"Seven schools in seven towns and the only thing different is my locker
combination," he told her climbing onto his bike. She smirked knowing that it
must be true. "Hop on," he told her starting it up.
"Is it safe?" she yelled over the sound of the motor.
"Safest thing you'll ever have between your legs."
Autumn smiled and hopped on, and they began to drive away. This was
exactly the kind of thing she needed to make her life more fun and exciting:
J.D.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"So where to next?" J.D. asked leaning on his motorcycle smoking a
cigarette. Autumn was finishing her slushie while leaning against the side of
the building of the convenience store.
"I dunno," Autumn replied finishing her slushie and throwing in the
barrel next to her. Although she looked like a mess, J.D. didn't seem to notice.
They had talked about various things, and Autumn melted every time he smiled that
smile. He was perfect. Too perfect perhaps.
Just then the door of the store opened, and Mr. Arnold emerged. "Ms.
Sweeney, nice to see you this evening," he said. He had a cigar in his front
pocket and was carrying a plastic bag full of groceries.
"Hi, Mr. Arnold," Autumn said back rolling her eyes.
"Out later, huh, are we? Don't stay out too late. I don't wanna miss you
pretty little face tomorrow in class," he told her getting into his car. "See ya
tomorrow hopefully," and he pulled out of the parking lot.
"Ugh! I fucking hate him!" Autumn yelled when he had begun to drive away.
"I wish he would just...die."
"He deserves to die for treating you like that," J.D. told her still
watching Mr. Arnold's car with his devilish eyes vanish off into the distance.
"Well, maybe he doesn't deserve it," Autumn said putting J.D.'s helmet
on. "But it would make my life a whole of a hell lot easier."
"That's reason enough for me," J.D. told her throwing his cigarette and
climbing on his Harley. "Let's go."
"Where we goin," she asked leaning her hands on his sturdy shoulders to
get on.
"Where ever." He started his Harley and revved up. Autumn put her arms
around his waist and they sped down the street.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Various articles of clothing lay scattered about the hard wood floor of
Autumn's bedroom: her bra here, J.D.'s tight, black tank top over there. Autumn
and J.D. lay together in a tangle of sheets trying to catch their breath.
"You were wonderful, darling," J.D. said after regaining his breath.
"Thanks," Autumn smiled laying against J.D. smooth, firm chest. "But good
thing my mom's not home. She probably would've taken offense to some strange
biker boy banging her daughter."
"Ya," J.D. smiled kissing the top of her head. "I would imagine so." They
lay there in silence for a few more minutes enjoying each other's body heat and
listening to each other breath when J.D. finally broke the silence. "So what's up
with that Mr. Arnold guy?"
"He's my perverted biology teacher," Autumn said disgusted. "He's always
asking me to stay after class to help him clean out the erasers and stuff. God,
he's such an ass. I hafta try my hardest not to be left alone with him."
"What a sick fuck," J.D. said with hatred in his eyes. Suddenly a smile
spread across his face. "We should give him what he deserves."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Okay, so what's the plan? I just walk in there and stick my tits in his face?"
Autumn asked. She and J.D. were standing outside Mr. Arnold's class room after
school going over their plan one last time before they went into action.
"If that's how you please to entice the man," J.D. told her. "Just seem
interested and flirt. Whatever it is you girls do that makes a guy want you
naked."
"That shouldn't be too hard," Autumn thought out loud. "Then what?"
"Then..." J.D. reached his hands into his pockets and pulled out a gun.
"You're gonna shoot him?!" Autumn asked in a surprised tone.
"No! No! Shh..." J.D. said putting his hand over her mouth and looking
around to make sure no one had heard her. "I'm just going to scare."
"Scare him?"
"Ya, scare him into not being an asshole," J.D. told her. Autumn
shrugged. It didn't seem like such a bad idea to her.
"Alright, I'm ready," Autumn said taking a deep breath and turning to go
into Mr. Arnold's class room.
"Wait," J.D. said turning her back around. He looked her up and down,
then took his hand and unbuttoned one more button on her shirt revealing some of
her cleavage.
"Perfect," he smiled deviously.
She returned his smile and walked into Mr. Arnold's class room. As she
entered, she found the class room empty except for Mr. Arnold, who was clapping
two erasers out an open window. He turned around when he heard the door open.
"Autumn," he said with a smile on his face. "What a nice surprise."
"Hi, Mr. Arnold," she said walking up to him. "I...I have something to
tell you."
"Yes?" he asked showing excitement in his eyes.
"I can't hold back my feelings any longer," she told him shifting her
position with him so that his back faced the door.
"No?" he said beginning to breath heavy as a smile arose onto his face.
"No," she told him. "You're just so...sexy," she said gliding her fingers
across his cheek and trying not to choke on her words.
"Really?" he smiled.
"No!" J.D. yelled from behind. Mr. Arnold quickly turned around to find
J.D. holding him at gun point.
"Wh..what is this?" Mr. Arnold stuttered looking over at Autumn. She
smiled at him the same devious smile she had minutes before in the hall with
J.D.
"Did you really think sweet, innocent little, Autumn, my sweet, innocent,
little Autumn, would be interested in a disgusting pervert like you?" J.D. asked
remaining completely calm and seeming totally comfortable with a gun in his
hand.
"I...I." Mr. Arnold didn't know how to react. He looked back at Autumn in
confusion.
"Sorry, Mr. Arnold, but I was getting kinda tired of you trying to look
up my skirt every time I dropped my pencil," Autumn said moving next to J.D.
"This is the end of the line, Mr. Arnold," J.D. said almost mocking him. "This
has got to stop." J.D. moved closer still pointing the gun at the teacher.
"I...I'm sorry," he said backing up. "I'll stop."
"Oh, it's too late now," J.D. said still advancing closer to Mr. Arnold.
And he was right. It was too late.
Mr. Arnold's heels hit the back of the wall, and he began to lose his balance.
J.D. and Autumn just stood there. The thought to help him didn't even enter
their mind. He put his arms out to regain his balance, but it was no use. He
fell backward, and out the window. Autumn and J.D. didn't even move until they
heard the splat of his body hitting the cold cement ground.
"Is he...dead?" Autumn asked as she and J.D. leaned their heads out the
window.
"He looks pretty dead to me," J.D. told her. Mr. Arnold had fallen from
two stories up, and he had hit the cement on his back. There was blood dripping
from his nose and his mouth, and his arms and legs were mangled in positions
that neither of them thought were possible. Next to him lay the two chalk board
erasers that he didn't let go of until he hit the ground.
"But...but it was an accident, right? We didn't really...kill him, did
we?" Autumn asked suddenly beginning to get nervous.
"No," J.D. thought. "It was an accident. We didn't know he was gonna
tumble to his death out the window."
"Right," Autumn realized. "So what do we tell the cops?" she asked taking
her head back inside the window.
"Cops?" J.D. asked. He stood there for a minute thinking as Autumn
nervously twirled her hair. "Let's just get outta her before they come."
"Ya," Autumn agreed. J.D. grabbed her hand, and they hurried out of the
room.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"It wasn't our fault. It was just an accident. A total accident. I
didn't kill Mr. Arnold. I didn't kill Mr. Arnold!" Autumn said to herself while
pacing back and forth in her room. All of a sudden J.D. pooped his head in the
window. Autumn jumped in surprise.
"Dreadful etiquette. I apologize," J.D. said climbing into her room.
"It's okay," Autumn said catching her breath from the surprise.
"Are you still worrying about that Mr. Arnold thing?" he asked walking
close to her and wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Still?" Autumn asked pulling away and continuing to pace. "It just
happened this afternoon!"
"Darling, he deserved what he got," J.D. told her. "You wanted him dead.
Admit it."
"I did not want him dead!" Autumn told him.
"You did too," J.D. smiled.
Autumn sighed. She could never win an argument as long as he smiled at
her like that. "Even if I did, that doesn't mean he deserved it," she realized.
"And what if the cops find out."
"The cops aren't going to find out," J.D. assured her placing his arms
around her waist once again. "I think everything's gonna be okay."
"What makes you think that?" Autumn asked calmly as she settled down.
"Who knows where thoughts come from, darling? They just appear," he told
her and kissed the top of her head. She could only hope he was right.
*~*~*~*~*~*