Different Light

Chapter Eight

“Faith, honey?”

A voice called out as Faith made her way pass the dining room, grabbing a piece of toast and a glass of orange juice on her way with no intention of sitting down and eat, she didn’t really notice that her mother was sitting there with a morning paper and a plate of healthy breakfast in front of her, mostly fruit all cut up into bite-size pieces and arranged just so.

The dark beauty stopped in her track and turned around to look at her mother, her brows raised toward her hairline in questioning, “what’s up, mom?”

“Well, good morning to you, too.”

Her mother seemed to be in a good mood this morning, and Faith took it in stride. “Morning, mom.” She said finally, if a bit sheepishly.

“How are you this morning?”

“Five by five.” She replied with a chuckle, leaning her hip against the table, and bit into her toast.

“Are you in a hurry?” Her mother ignored her respond, the one that usually get her into a long lecture about proper speech and what she should say, instead of the obscure references.

Her mother was leaning back against the backrest of the chair now, giving her full attention, her father was no where to be seen, not that she expected him to be here, he was always a morning bird and off doing his business, leaving her and her mother who were hardly a morning person to drag themselves around trying to wake up. Usually, about the time she was leaving for school her mother would still be in bed, waking up and more often than not, take hers in bed and not at the table. Something was up, and Faith could just feel it.

“Yeah, mom.” She mumbled around her glass. “School and all that, you know.”

“Oh, then you should get going then.” As if she didn’t realize what day it was.

Faith gave her a nod and put the now empty glass of orange juice down, brushing the crumbs off of her hand she started out of the room and her mother called after her. “Oh and I hope you don’t have any plan for Saturday, you are going to a brunch with Mrs. Rosemond.”

“Who?” Faith’s head snapped around.

“She’s one of the very respectable and very influential, honey and she’d really like to meet you.” The older Spencer told her sweetly. Like it should’ve been a dream come true for Faith to be invited to some snob’s house for a brunch, and a snob that she didn’t know, no less.

No, that wasn’t a dream come true, especially when she already had something else in mind for Saturday, and it did not include her sitting with some old lady trying to tell her all about the gossips in the city.

“But mother…”

“No buts, darling, you are going.” Her mother said with the finality, indicating that any argument would not be appreciated at this point. Faith grumbled in displeasure and headed out the door.

She grabbed the key to her bike instead of the car then tucked on the leather jacket. The weather was still warm enough for her to be riding on her bike and right now she needed that. Pulling at the straps of her backpack, making sure that it was secured around herself and she hopped on her bike. Speeding off before the door even clear and into the traffic.

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Kathryn looked out the window as her limo pulled up to the front of the main entrance, she waited till her driver came around and open the door for her, cars and limos were lined up and students were getting out of their rides and into the building. Then she heard a smooth rumbling sound of an engine and she stopped on the top of the steps, turning to look in the direction of the sound. A silver sport bike was slowing down and she could see the person who was riding it.

And she wasn’t the only one that was looking; just about every other person that was arriving was looking in the same direction. The whispering started and Kathryn could only roll her eyes. Faith was making an entrance, whether she intended to or not and by the end of the day everyone would know about it. And she could just predict what the hot topic of the week would be.

She would never hear the end of it from the sheep that would be following her throughout the day. They would be talking about the new student who has the audacity to show up on campus with a big shiny bike. The thought made her smile a little, not long ago she was on the back of that very same bike, holding on to the same girl that was riding it.

Tearing her gaze away from the direction of the parking lot, Kathryn Merteuil straightened and the Queen of Manchester Prep entered her playground.

Faith maneuvered her motorcycle into the parking slot. She was more than aware of the looks she received from the other student, but she ignored them. She didn’t really plan on riding her bike here this morning, actually she hadn’t planed on riding her bike to school at all in the foreseeable future, but her short conversation –if it could be called a conversation—just pissed her off, hence the bike ride, the only thing that she had to calm her down, she would’ve done something else had it been any other time, except it was morning, and on school day, beating the stuffing out of her punching bag wasn’t an option.

And the ride had calmed her.

Dismounted the bike, Faith pulled off her helmet, she shook out her dark hair and ran her hand through it a couple of time, getting it out of her face. She then locked her helmet at the back of the bike, making sure that it was secure, and while she was focusing on locking up her vehicle a tall figure walked up to her from behind.

Sebastian Valmont was amazed at what he was seeing, There ahead of him was a girl, in school uniform which made up of short plaid skirt and white socks, black shoes, in crimson leather jacket, silver and blue helmet and was riding a sleek looking sport bike.

He had followed her into the school and up to the parking lot, wanting to know who it was.

He pulled his own black Jaguar Roadster into the slot nearby; he leaned out of his car, not wanting to miss the identity of the girl on the bike. He watched her pulled off her silver/blue helmet and shake out her long dark hair. His eye nearly pop out of their sockets as she turned slightly to face his way, his mouth dropped open.

He couldn’t believe it.

It was Faith Spencer.

And he had to force himself to close his mouth, she was… a thought form in his head, Faith Spencer looked hot standing there in her leather jacket next to her motorcycle. As she loosened the straps of her backpack and starting to lock up her silver monster, he collected himself enough to grab his own bag and exited his car. He didn’t know any girl in school that ride a scooter, let alone owned and operated a large sport bike like the one that he’d seen Faith did.

He was impressed, though he would never admit it to anyone.

Well, unless it would let him score some points off of her, anyway. That he could do, admit to her that he was impressed with her.

Sebastian walked over to her with quick, long strides. Putting on the most charming smile on his face he approached her quietly. “Good morning.” He greeted; his voice cheerful and friendly.

Then he waited, while she straightened up and turned to face him. He smiled, turning on his charm on high. “Nice motorcycle you have here.”

“Valmont,” Faith narrowed her eyes slightly, then nodding in acceptance of his compliment over her baby. “Thanks.”

Faith threw her backpack over her shoulder and tucked her key into her pocket, one thing she hated about these uniforms was that the pocket wasn’t big enough to hold anything substantial, but at the very least it held her key for the moment. She turned to walk away, but it seemed that the playboy of Manchester Prep wasn’t going to let her do that, so he started following her.

“Nice entrance though, I’m sure some of the teachers are having a heart attack right now.” He said conversationally. “What a statement.”

Faith just gave him a side way glance and said nothing. Entrance wasn’t what she was trying to make, neither did she try to make any statement. Her stride maintain the same speed as she entered the building, keeping her uncaring expression as the boy beside her kept babbling on about one thing or another. She wasn’t really paying attention.

When she arrived at her locker she could see a crowd gathering a few yards away, and she had no doubt that the queen was right in the middle of it, she caught a few words drifting her way and even a few glances, actually just about everyone that she walked by seemed to look at her longer than necessary, it didn’t bother her, she knew why. Now she just wanted Valmont to shut up and leave. His talking was getting on her nerve.

“Listen, Valmont.” She said after a moment, coming to a conclusion that if she let him talked, he would be standing there talking her ear off. “I’m sure you have a few things to do, like hitting on some girls.” She gestured at the hallway and a few students that were loitering around. “So, why don’t you go and do that.”

Grinning like a Cheshire cat he leaned against the locker beside hers, placing himself well within her personal space. “Who’s to say that I’m not doing that right now?”

Faith shoved the bag into the locker and turned to face him with a smile fixed on her face. “Of course,” she said with a sickeningly sweet voice, and reached out with her free hand, grabbing him by the tie and pulled his face toward hers till their noses were merely an inch apart, a smile turned into a dangerous grin. “But I don’t play with boys.” She said slowly and clearly. Then pushed him away lightly.

Then she walked away.

Sebastian was beyond surprise when she pushed him, it looked as if she didn’t exert much of her strength at all, but then he found himself winded and flattened against the lockers on the opposite side of the hallway, stunned he opened his mouth to protest, nothing came out but a few gasps, he then closed it and opened it again, making him look incredibly like a fish out of the water.

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