Chapter 6: Risky Approach

One afternoon, as the last bell of the day echoed through the emptying halls, Ms. Caldwell pulled Tessa aside, her hand gently but firmly gripping Tessa's shoulder. The stern look on her face left no room for misinterpretation.

"Tessa," she said, her voice low but authoritative, "we need to talk."

Tessa blinked, her large eyes filled with a mix of confusion and concern. She had never been in trouble before—never once stepped out of line. So why was Ms. Caldwell, of all people, singling her out?

"Is something wrong?" Tessa asked softly, shifting her weight from foot to foot, her gaze darting toward the door as if weighing her chances of a quick escape.

Ms. Caldwell glanced around the empty classroom before leaning in closer, her voice dropping to an almost conspiratorial whisper. "It's about James Rudbick. I've noticed he's been… spending more time with you lately. More than usual. And I have to say, I don't trust it."

Tessa frowned, her forehead creasing. "James? He's just been talking to me about history… I didn't think anything of it. Initially, I thought he had ulterior motives but looking at it, he seems genuinely interested in learning history..."

Ms. Caldwell folded her arms, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You may not have noticed anything, but I have. And it's not just casual chit-chat, Tessa. He's Rudbick's son." She practically spat the name as if it were a curse. "You know what his father is like, don't you?"

Tessa nodded hesitantly, recalling the brief, awkward interactions with Mr. Rudbick and how he always seemed to watch her with an intensity that made her skin crawl.

How could she forget the face that always appeared before her so often, that if his face was an exam, she wouldn't even need to read to ace it. She had never quite understood his fixation on her, but it was something she'd learned to avoid thinking about.

Ms. Caldwell exhaled, her expression softening just a touch. "I know you're smart, Tessa. Smarter than virtually all of the students here. That's why I'm warning you—be careful. I don't believe for a second that James is trying to be your friend out of genuine interest. He's Most likely being pushed or should I used the word 'planted' by his father. Mr. Rudbick has always been obsessed with… strange things. Things beyond this world. I don't know what exactly he thinks about you, but I know enough to be suspicious."

Tessa's heart began to race. Was Ms. Caldwell saying that Mr. Rudbick thought she was one of those "strange things"? It's true that I am an alien, a Kaelrians, but we, like humans, also fought hard to survive, besides these monsters killed my friends and family until I am the only one left. She opened her mouth to speak, but Ms. Caldwell held up a hand, stopping her.

"I don't want you to get dragged into whatever twisted games Mr. Rudbick is playing. And I'm not saying this to scare you, but you have to stay vigilant. You've always kept to yourself, and that's kept you out of trouble. But now… now you need to be even more cautious."

Tessa swallowed hard, nodding slowly. "What do you think I should do?"

Ms. Caldwell studied her for a moment before answering, her voice firm. "Its' not like we could shut those two up for good, for now, distance yourself from James. Stop engaging with him. If he approaches you, be polite, but cut the conversation short. Don't let him get too close, and definitely don't let him pry into your personal life."

Tessa looked down at her shoes, her mind racing. It wasn't like she and James had become close friends or anything, but she had to admit, she'd begun to lower her guard around him.

His easygoing demeanor and casual conversations about history had felt harmless enough, but now she realized there might have been something more to it—something she hadn't seen.

She was just happy to finally have someone approach her to be her friend without she doing the initiation.

"I'll be careful," Tessa promised, meeting Ms. Caldwell's soft and concerned gaze. "I won't let him get too close."

Ms. Caldwell nodded, her expression softening even more slightly. "Good. You're a bright girl, Tessa, and you've got a future ahead of you. Don't let the Rudbicks derail that."

With that, Ms. Caldwell gave Tessa's shoulder a gentle squeeze before turning and walking toward the door, leaving Tessa alone in the quiet, dim classroom.

---

That evening, as Tessa walked home, her mind buzzed with everything Ms. Caldwell had said. James had seemed genuine—friendly, even—but now she couldn't help but replay every interaction, searching for hidden motives.

Was he really spying on her for his father? And if so, why?

Her thoughts grew darker as she considered the possibility that Mr. Rudbick thought she wasn't human.

It sounded absurd, but she'd seen how he looked at her—like she was some kind of specimen under a microscope. And that one moment, the time she'd bent to avoid crashing into him, had clearly cemented something in his mind.

Tessa shook her head, trying to push the thought away. No. She was human. She had always been human. What happened that day was just a reflex, an odd moment of flexibility—nothing more.

But deep down, something gnawed at her. Something she couldn't quite shake.

---

The next day at school, James approached Tessa between classes, his usual friendly smile in place as he jogged up to her near her locker.

"Hey, Tessa! You busy?" he asked, leaning casually against the row of lockers.

Tessa hesitated, her mind flashing back to Ms. Caldwell's warning. She forced a polite smile and shook her head.

"I've got a lot of homework to catch up on," she lied, quickly grabbing her books and stuffing them into her backpack.

James's expression faltered for a moment, but he quickly recovered, flashing that easy grin again. "Ah, well, I was just wondering if you wanted to go over that history essay. You've always got great insights, and I could use some pointers."

Tessa shifted uncomfortably, fumbling with the zipper of her bag. "I'm sorry, James, but I really can't today. Maybe some other time."

"Sure," James replied, though there was a flicker of disappointment in his eyes. "Maybe tomorrow?"

"Yeah, maybe," Tessa said quickly before turning on her heel and walking away, her heart pounding in her chest.

As she disappeared into the crowd of students, James stood there for a moment, watching her go. He hadn't missed the change in her behavior—the way she'd seemed distant, almost avoiding him. Something had shifted, and it wasn't just in Tessa's attitude. It was in the air. He could feel it.

---

Meanwhile, in the Rudbick household, Mr. Rudbick was growing increasingly impatient. Every night, he grilled James for details about his interactions with Tessa, eager for any scrap of information that could confirm his suspicions.

"She's avoiding me, Dad," James admitted one evening after another failed attempt to get closer to her. "I don't know what happened, but she's definitely keeping her distance now."

Mr. Rudbick frowned, pacing the room like a caged animal. "That's because she knows, James. She knows I'm onto her, and she's trying to protect herself. But that only confirms what I suspected—she's hiding something. Something big."

James slumped in his chair, running a hand through his messy hair. "Dad, what if you're wrong? What if she's just… shy? Or maybe she's heard about how you've been watching her, and she's creeped out. I mean, you did get banned from the school. By the way, why do you have to stalk are so much, I mean even if you are interested in her, she is too small for you." James tried to lighten the air.

Mr. Rudbick shot his son a sharp look. "I'm serious, and I am not wrong, James. I've spent years in this field—years—and I know when something's not right. This girl isn't what she seems."

James sighed, rubbing his temples. "I don't know, Dad. I'm trying, but she's not making it easy."

Mr. Rudbick stopped pacing and turned to face his son, his expression softening slightly. "I know, son. And I appreciate your efforts. But we can't give up now. We're closer than ever to the truth."

James met his father's gaze, a knot of uncertainty tightening in his chest. He had never fully believed in his father's outlandish theories, but the conviction in Mr. Rudbick's eyes made it hard to dismiss entirely. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were stepping into dangerous territory—territory that could lead to consequences neither of them were prepared for.

---

As the days passed, Tessa continued to keep her distance from James, doing her best to blend into the background and avoid any unnecessary attention. But she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched—both by James and, more disturbingly, by his father.

Ms. Caldwell, ever watchful, kept a close eye on the situation, ready to intervene if necessary. But even she couldn't foresee the storm that was about to break—one that would change everything for Tessa, James, and Mr. Rudbick.