Thε Spαrklε Tooƒus (ACT I: Fall Term) ✓

five

The Stable Boy

I could feel the boy's eyes on me as I returned my gaze back to the surface of the paper. My eyes took in the details of the map and looking back up, I tried to figure out how it coordinated with the hallway in front of me.

Supposedly, based on the illustrations,, there should be a staircase just a few feet ahead of me but replacing it was the sight of just another door entering to a class room.

Scrunching my eyebrows together in confusion, I avoided the boy's eyes on me but caught the smirk on his face as I turned around, trying to figure my way through the hall ahead of me. It was infuriating, knowing that he was probably suppressing laughter. Just the look on his face drove me over the edge of sanity, on the inside that is. Showing my true colors on the first day to some chump wasn't on my agenda.

Deciding not to make a fool of myself, more than I already had, I finally met his eyes. Laughter played in his light green orbs as he watched me, waiting for my first move as if this were a game of chess and he wanted to checkmate me. Stabbing the nails of my fingers hard against the surface of my jeans, I physically pained as I croaked, "You have to help me."

Smiling, he scoffed, "Has the Queen finally accepted defeat and withdrawn to the help of the Knight?"

Snorting, I rolled my eyes. "You can't give yourself such a high title like that. If anything, you're just the stable boy."

Grinning still, he moved closer to me, whispering into my ear, "Except this one will get the girl."

Disgust coursed through me and I took one large step away, glowering at him. If he were a bug, I would have squashed him right about now. Flirting had the adverse effect on me and this guy was really getting on my nerves. For the first impression he'd (probably) been hoping to make, he'd failed.

I. Hate. Him.

Either choosing to ignore the expression on my face or completely oblivious to how 'hate' would look, he grinned and said coolly, "My name's Damien. And you must be the Summers girl?"

"It's Makayla," I snapped.

Grin widening, he continued, "That's a hot name." Then wiggled his monster eyebrows at me. Ugh.

Just when I was about to retort at him with something as equally insulting in my world, he took a few but fast strides towards me, grabbing hold of my elbow without so much as a word. He dragged me down the hall, not even listening to my complaints.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Showing you the way," he replied calmly.

"But you don't even know what-"

"Grade you're in?" He looked back over his shoulder, eyes meeting mine in as he mocked me. "For someone coming in all the way from Florida, you're pretty slow."

I would have taken offense but to hear this 'Damien' commenting on my levels of intelligence, it didn't hurt much at all. If anyone was slow here, it was him. I just didn't have a reason (yet) to call him an ape with no brain.

But I would soon. Oh, I would do a lot of things to get my revenge on this hooligan. That was for dead certain.

"Leo told me to expect you," he added in a matter-of-fact voice, continuing to lead the way down the unfamiliar hallways of the school. We turned around different corners and the further we went, the more sure I was that I would never remember any of the directions. My mind was fully focused on our 'entertaining' conversation.

"Neo?" I repeated. "What is this - the Matrix? Who's Neo?" Another imp like you?

Though I hadn't said the thought aloud, the tone in which I'd uttered the question clearly showed my feelings. Yet, Damien continued to have that stupid grin on his face. I wasn't sure if he was like this 24/7. I couldn't imagine how his friends kept up with his constant jabbering and infuriating smile for that long without being accused of murder. Was he always this happy?

"Leo's our senior class valedictorian. Our homeroom teacher informed him that a 'new student' would be joining us."

"Oh," I muttered, trying to sound uninterested. Too bad. Being part of the Matrix would have been much more to look forward to than a regular senior class.

"Being his best friend, he of course, told me about you. And I showed up at the opportune moment, spotting you looking around like a deer caught in the headlights when you entered the building."

Laughing humorlessly at his comment, I yanked my elbow from his hold. Damien's smile faltered the slightest bit but he didn't say anything more as I cast him a murderous glance.

I had a feeling that if I opened my mouth, unnecessary insults would pour themselves out. And as much as I'd love to release the thoughts I withheld inside of me about the new jerk of a guy I'd just met, I didn't want to start my day off with an enemy.

So far, the position of 'stable boy' was just fine.