Chapter One: Welcome To Summerport

 

Cally took in a deep breath, realizing it wouldn't do her any good if she were to begin panicking in the middle of nowhere. She noticed a man walking past her with a newspaper that read, "Summerport Daily Reads", which was probably the name of the town she was in.

She was still utterly confused as to why and what she was doing. Did this mean that her "underling" was here? Cally softly said it again, "underling", is a term-- apparently-- used by many angels due to the fact that they were to babysit these humans, as if to take them under their wing and guide them through life.

She walked down the street and examined herself. All she'd been given was a small backpack and the clothes on her back, what the hell was she to do?

All of a sudden a loud ringing could be heard. A cellphone? Is it mine?

"...Hello?" She murmured into the phone she'd fished out of her small white backpack.

"I take it you're in Summerport now?" Anne's usual happy tone bounced through the phone, giving her hope.

"Yes, thank go--" She'd caught herself, not sure if she had to be careful of the words she chose. "goodness. I was worried. I'm not exactly sure where to go or what to do. Mind giving me a few tips?"

"Oh no," Her voice sounded distraught, as if something had just blown up across the room. "I-I  have to go, I'll be right back. Don't worry, just stay where you are and don't stray too far away from your original spot. BYE!"

And with that, she'd hung up. Great...

She slipped her new phone into the back pocket of her white jeans and decided it was time for an outfit change. She'd realized that everything she had been sent down with was pure white. She searched her bag, looking for some money. To her luck, nothing. All that seemed to be in her bag were a bunch of white clothes and a cellphone.

 

For the next two hours, she sat on a bench near the spot where she’d first arrived at, somewhere on Julien St. between a pub and a convenience store. Cally watched as people passed her by, some old folks waved as they passed but nothing more than that. She felt a strange feeling of nostalgia consume her. It was a strange feeling, she had no memory of being here or ever setting foot in this town.

“Excuse me dear,” An old man spoke as he poked her shoulder from behind. “Shouldn’t you be in school? It’s 10:14am on a Tuesday, you aren’t skipping are you, girl?”

“P-Pardon me?” She hiccuped. “No, I’m new here and just waiting for… for my cousin. It won’t be long.. hopefully. I’ll probably get a call soon.”

“Alright then,” He smiled. “Best of luck to you, and welcome to Summerport. Hope you enjoy your stay and maybe I’ll see you around.”

Cally nodded and waved as he went into the convenience store. Just as she got up onto her feet, as if a sign, she’d heard a clear ringing.

School bells?

She walked the direction the ringing kept blaring from. It didn’t seem to stop for some reason, instead, it began to get louder as she got closer. Yes, it was normal for the sound to get louder, but it just felt different. She turned the corner, only about a few meters away from the convenience store, and there was her destination; a high school, Summerport High School.

Cally stood directly in front of the school and peered through the clear windows from where she was standing. There were about three classes happening that she could see and it didn’t look like much was going on in them, it mostly seemed like the kids were dozing off or even frozen in time.

Her cell began to ring, she grabbed her back pocket and answered quickly. This better be Anne calling to help me...

“Hello?” She spoke through the phone. “A-Anne? I’m at the school, is this where I’m supposed to be?”

“Good,” She laughed through the other side. “I see that you heard the signs I’d shown you. Listen, I’ve given you a photo to help you find the boy you’ll be watching over. You’ll be on your own for awhile, alright?  Oh! And before I go, if you want a change of clothes, I’ve given you a card to use. It should be enough to survive off of for at least a million years, since well, you’re a person now. Best of luck to ya, my girl. Go get him! Bye now!”

Cally let out a sigh, it seemed to a pattern with Anne, she never seemed to stay on the line longer than 10 minutes. She opened up her backpack, and just as she’d been wondering, there in the pouch was a medium sized photograph of the boy she’d been sent to watch and a weird rectangular card that had big white letters on the bottom corner. Cred..it? What is this?

“Eric Stallings?” She turned the photo, and noticed a name on the back of the photo. “This is him?”

 

Cally Adair was many things; a kind-hearted girl, honest, and stubborn. But one thing she definitely wasn’t was a creepy stalker, but look at her now. Here she was, walking into a high school and lying to the office personnel.

“So you’re… Eric Stallings’s cousin?” Mrs. Lattner asked, sitting absentmindedly behind her desk as she tinkled on a program on her computer.

“Um… yes,” Cally nodded. “I’m Cally Adair. I’ve been moving quite a bit and my mom sent me over here to live with his family for the time being. My mother’s having some trouble right now with my father so they decided to keep me away until they can make ends meet.”

Cally let out a breath as she patted herself on the back for her made-up sob story.

“I understand,” Mrs. Lattner nodded. “Do you have official school transfer papers? Otherwise, I can call Mrs. Stallings down to fill out a new form for you. Do you happen to have them on you? I know her, and she’s a busy lady. She’s probably already at her office or she might even be out of the country.”

“O-Oh, um,” Cally began to panic and tried her best not to let it show. “I.. do.”

“Great!” She smiled. “Let’s see em’.”

Cally swung her backpack to her side and opened it, as if searching for it. “Oh no, I must have left it on their kitchen counter this morning. Would you mind if I go grab it and come back?”

“Of course darling,” She agreed. Cally thanked god for her innocent and pure appearance, it was probably the only reason she was able to get away with this whole sham.

“Oh! I don’t have keys yet, would you mind paging down Eric? I’ll just need him for a second to grab his keys.”

“Sure, just wait outside the office, I’ll let his teacher know and I’ll get him to send Eric down.”

Finally, the rouse was over and Cally had time to breath properly again. My goodness, this is torture, pure torture.

 

“Eric Stallings, please head down to the main office,” the PA system called out throughout the entire school. Cally jumped from the sudden voice, backing herself against the wall and stared up from where the voice seemed to be coming from. “Eric Stallings, please report down to the main office now.”

What the hell? A-A-Anne? Is this you?

“A-A-Anne?” Cally’s voice purred, her tone filled with uncertainty and a tad bit of fear. It doesn’t sound like Anne.

“Are you okay?”

Cally jumped and gave the boy that stood in front of her the biggest wide-eyed look. “HI!”

“Um, Hi?” He bent his neck down and scrunched his lips before standing straight again as soon as someone began calling him.

“Carter!” another boy called, his voice masculine but not too deep and rough. “Hey man, what’s up? You got called down too or something?”

“Not today,” the boy named, Carter, smiled back at the boy nearing the two. Cally instinctively shrunk and frowned at the two boys. “I’m just coming in to get a slip for yesterday. What about you, Eric?”

“I’m not even sure, I’m assuming my mom dropped something off for me before she heads to Paris.”

Carter slapped his hand on Eric’s back, giving him another great smile. “Cool man, I’ll see you around then. And you…”---he peers down at Cally once more before bouncing back upright and giving her the same great smile.---“I’ll see you around.”

It then clicked in her brain. Cally’s eyes grew wide again, before she grabbed Eric’s sleeve. “You’re Eric?”

“Whoa,” he laughed, prying her hand off his sleeve. “Yeah, what, do I know you?”

Cally inched back, the feeling of the cold stone wall against her back as she did. “N-Not yet, but I know you.”

He frowned, his lips a bit lopsided. Crap, did I sound too creepy?

“N-No! I didn’t mean to sound stalkerish, it’s just--”

“Stallings!” another voice interrupted. Cally let out a deep breath and looked at the middle aged man with a whistle hanging around his neck. “You get called down? Better not to get a slip!”

“Course not coach,” Eric smirked, putting his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I’m not sure why.”

It wasn’t her first choice but she decided to stand her ground. I’m going to introduce myself! I’m going to tell him my mission!

“Alright,” the coach looked to Cally then back to Eric, a sly smile and a wink being thrown at the both of them. “Well, looks like you’re busy here, I’ll be going. I’ll see you at practice Stallings.”

Once the coach was gone, Eric disregarded her presence and walked into the office, slamming the door in Cally’s face when she went to follow him. Oh this boy is gonna get it!

Cally let out another big breath before opening the door angrily, stepping in with her chest puffed out and an unblinking stare on her face.

“There you are… Cally, that’s right,” the lady at the desk gleamed, somewhat more content now that Eric was here with them. “Eric you’ve got such a cute cousin! I’ll let you two to deal with your family matters now then.”

She turned her chair around and left the main office and disappeared into a door with the words “Staff Office” on it.

“Hi again,” She squeaked, playing with her hair. “I’m Cally Adair, would you mind if we spoke outside?”

“Okay, listen,” he said, glaring at her. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but this is creepy. I don’t know what ninth grader friends of yours dared you to do this, but I’ve had it. I suggest you leave me alone.”

He abruptly swerved around her, opening the door and slamming it again. She hurriedly rushed after him and grabbed his sleeve.

“Wait!” She cried, pulling his shirt. “I’m here for you! I’m your angel!”

He stopped in his tracks, no longer struggling against her grip. All of a sudden, he erupted in a series of soft chuckles before he turned around and laughed in her face.

“Excuse me?”

She peered deep into his icy blue eyes. “I’m your angel.”

He scoffed, no longer laughing and amused.

“I’m here to watch over you, make sure you do the right thing and help guide you through life! I’m not sure for how long, but I’m gonna be here for awhile.”