Change of Heart

Chapter 4

For the rest of the night, we stayed up watching different movies going from comedy to action to horror and to even romance.

I may have fallen asleep before he did, but I couldn't remember. The last thing I remember was the two of us laughing together before finally dozing off. When I woke up, Caden was already up and ready for school.

"Finally awake I see." Caden walked up to me with a smile on his face. "At least you've still got some time to get ready."

As I yawned, I rose my arms up straight over my head to stretch. "What time is it?"

He threw me my phone and started walking away. "Better start getting ready." Looking down at my phone, the time read '6:13 AM.' We normally leave the house around 6:45 just getting there about fifteen minutes before eight. Caden is always paranoid if we don't get there early, always fretting about whether or not we will be late.

As for me...well, I could care less. I hated it there anyways. Gave up on it long ago. Thankfully this is my last year. Both mine and Caden's. But if he hadn't had gotten held back in fifth grade, I'd be completely alone.

A few minutes had passed before I finally got up to change. For no particular reason, I decided to actually try making myself look presentable throwing on a blue v-neck with a matching skirt to go along with it. I even wore a pair of flats to make it less weird.

With my hair naturally straight, all I really had to do was brush it out, and it would seem as if I had just clearly straightened it. My hair was a natural blinding blonde with dark highlights. The length of it reached all the way down to my knees. It's days like these where it makes me glad my hair is straight because I don't have to take the time to really fix it up.

As I gazed at myself in the mirror, nasty thoughts about myself began to circled my mind. That shirt makes her look fat. What's up with that skirt? Seriously what is she even thinking? I tend to always get the same comments from everybody no matter what I wore.

Whatever, I guess. Not like it would make a difference. I could become the most gorgeous girl in the entire school, and I would still get shunned by everyone there.

Averting my focus from my body, I looked straight into my own eyes. They were such a beautiful shade of blue, like the sky. Every time I looked into my own eyes, I imagined clouds swimming around, passing by. More words flooded my head. Her eyes are really creepy. They're so weird. What kind of color is that anyway? They're just empty, meaningless shards of glass to everyone and anyone.

Get out of my mind! I shook my head trying to forget about it. I didn't want those thoughts in my head right now.

"You ready?" Caden's voice came into play catching my attention.

Thank you.

"Yea, just about done." I took one last look at in the mirror and smiled. Who cares what they think anyways? Just got to get past it.

I grabbed my bag by the front door and bolted to the car. Caden came out right after me. As the car was turned on, the radio lights flashed. The time showed up in the right corner and I thought to myself, right on time. It was exactly 6:45.

**

Arriving at the school, Caden parked in the front this time. Students were just arriving too while most were already walking through the front doors.

Jumping out of the car, some of Caden's friends were calling him over. I just looked over at him and smiled.

"I'll catch you later." He came up to me and gave me a hug.

Naturally, I hugged back and he pulled away. "You didn't have to give me a hug." I crossed my arms as he started walking away.

He made a 360 as he walked, and called back when he was facing me. "Yes I did."

He never changes.

I did feel more relaxed now that he had done it, only made me want to smile more. Well, enough dilly-dallying, I got to get ready for class.

**

When I walked through the front doors, everyone was in a hurry going left and right, up and down the hallways. Taking a few steps in, my movements were suddenly paused as I saw Alex staring straight at me. Crap, I had forgotten all about him up until now. Now my stomach won't stop turning.

Swallowing hard, I forced myself to walk away. Turning left at a corner, I focused on moving forward without looking back. Was he following me? I couldn't help but think that he might've been. Hopefully he was being stopped by some of the girls in my class, who, apparently already have a crush on him.

As I reached my class, I took a quick peek over my shoulder, and sure enough, he was walking up the hallway. I jolted into the classroom and took my seat. Avoiding any possible contact with him, or anyone else, I stared down at the books on my desk, pretending like I was reading.

The school bell rang shortly after just as the teacher walked in. "Alright class, take your seats so I can take roll."

As our teacher took roll, I heard him call out Alex's name. "Alex...Dee-mine? I'm not sure how you pronounce that."

"It's pronounced 'Deeya-mean.'" So focused on the book in front of me, I didn't realize how close Alex was. Just by his voice, I could tell that he was sitting in the seat right beside me. My eyes remained fixed on the book, but my heart began to race.

"Is that right? Alex Deamine." He corrected his mistake and continued to take roll, Catching me off guard once again, I suddenly heard my name. "Serine Evans."

My head jolted up instinctively, and I called out a little louder than I meant too. "Here!"

Everyone around started snickering and whispering to themselves. I could hear a few of the people around my desk. Not paying attention? That was way too loud, almost busted out my eardrums. Seriously, why does she even bother?

I looked back down at my book, and frowned. They're right. Why even bother?

A slip of paper was slipped under my book by Alex. Looking over at him, he had such a serious look on his face. His stare burned right through me which only made my heart race even faster. I pulled the paper out from under my book and unfolded it.

A note? At the top it read "We need to talk."

I stared at it for a moment and started to think back to our first encounter. His words rang in my head. We aren't done here. As I pushed my lips together, I replied back to it. "Why me?" I threw it on his desk when our teacher was writing something down on the whiteboard.

Just as I began to write down my own notes for class, Alex had given me his reply. "I saw you."

This time, I stared blankly at the words longer than I did the first time rereading those three words. I saw you. What is that even supposed to mean? My focus burned through the paper as my thoughts went haywire.

I. Saw. You.

He...saw...me...

My eyes slowly started to widen, as my body started to tremble. Don't tell me...

I looked over at Alex and that most uncomfortable look on his face turned into a much frightening one as he gave me the most inhuman smile.