Bloodstained Reflections

chapter 1

Wind whistled out in ribbons, caring blades of leaves within, the season of the death has begin everything was blooming in the warm tones of yellow and red, trees began shedding its greens, and the northern winds slowly started seeping into the distant hemisphere, Reid slouched in his seat, chin resting heavily on his palm as he gazed out the window of his history classroom. The dull drone of the teacher's voice was a distant hum compared to the vibrant world outside. It was autumn, and the leaves had turned into a tapestry of fiery reds, golden yellows, and deep oranges, each gust of wind sending a cascade of colour dancing through the air.

From his vantage point, Reid watched as a particularly large gust swirled a group of leaves into a mini tornado, lifting them high before scattering them across the school yard. The branches of the trees swayed gracefully, their remaining leaves rustling like whispers of secrets long forgotten. He sighed, the beauty of the season a stark contrast to the monotony of the lecture, and for a moment, he imagined himself among those leaves, drifting freely wherever the wind might take him

"Now who might mind telling me about the event that took place in the year 1902? how about you, Skye?" teacher questioned,

a girl about the same stood up hastily, straightening her skirt, her brows furrowed in worry, at one point she pretended to think, and kept everyone awaiting for an answer but nothing came up much to everyone's disappointment "I'm sorry", she fiddled with her thumb keeping her gaze low, not meeting anyone's eyes as embarrassment seeped through "I can't find an answer sir"

soon sounds of whispering filled the room, Skye caught the attention of a lone Reid who watched her with an intrigue, her shy demure, dove like eyes tinged with nervousness, lips bitten to the point of redness drew him in, his gaze lingered on her delicate neck, and finally her visible bust, Reid felt his face heating up a bit, a flush of lewd thoughts surfacing, he quickly stopped himself silently willing that nobody noticed,

The teacher, who took great pride in his subject, couldn't hide his disappointment as Skye struggled to answer. A brief sigh escaped him as he observed her, noticing the conflict evident in her downcast eyes and fidgeting hands. There was a touch of pity in his gaze as he watched the shy girl wilt under the weight of the classroom's attention.

With a resigned sigh. He decided to move on, "Reid" the teached called out. His voice carried a note of expectation. "Perhaps you can help Skye with the answer?" The callout to his name caught Reid off guard. He immediately stood up, a bit of worry surfacing in his face, "The bloody Sunday event, sir?" he answered, "yes that's the correct answer!" the teacher proclaimed proudly to the class. although reid was one of the academically gifted students, he cant stand any attention drawn towards himself, it went as far as drawing the attention of skye who watched him with the same intrigue, he had earlier shown towards her, in an state of reverie, he felt a strange connection between them, as if, in his deep subconscious, they were only the two people in room blurring the lines between reality and dream, drowning the chatters, reducing it to a dull hum, it was, as if, they were communicating without words, both sensing a shared feeling that went beyond the spoken exchange.

As the bell rang, signalling the end of class, Reid and skye moved in different directions, their paths not yet crossing. Reid begin to pack his books into his bags, with a sense of relief as he was no longer in spotlight, Skye meanwhile hesitantly gathered her books slowly, her gaze occasionally drifting towards Reid,In the hallway, Reid's attempt to slip through the crowd unnoticed was thwarted when he collided with someone. He looked up to find himself face-to-face with Skye, who had been lost in thought and wasn't paying attention either. The collision caused both of them to stumble, and their books scattered across the floor.
"I'm so sorry," Skye said, her voice barely above a whisper as she knelt to pick up her books.
"No, it's my fault," Reid replied, kneeling down as well. He felt a flush of embarrassment and anxiety as he hurried to help gather the scattered items.
As they collected the books, their hands brushed occasionally, sending a subtle electric shock through them both. The proximity felt oddly intimate, and for a brief moment, the bustling hallway seemed to fade into the background.
"Thanks for helping," Skye said quietly, finally meeting Reid's gaze for the first time. Her eyes, still shadowed by the earlier classroom tension, now held a hint of curiosity.
"No problem," Reid replied, offering a small, reassuring smile. "I didn't mean to bump into you."
They both stood up, and Skye shifted nervously. "I, um, wanted to thank you for answering the question in class. I... I always have trouble with those."
Reid's eyes softened with understanding. "It's no trouble. I guess I just get nervous when everyone's looking."
Skye nodded, a faint smile forming on her lips. "I guess we're not so different after all."
There was a brief, comfortable silence between them, filled with an unspoken understanding. Reid noticed Skye's genuine smile and felt a flicker of warmth.
"So," Reid said, breaking the silence, "if you need any help with history, I'm usually around after school."
Skye's eyes widened slightly in surprise and gratitude. "Really? That would be great. I could use some extra help."
It was long before yesterday, maths class was going on and half a period went by, that's when Skye appeared frantically to the door, all breathless and anxious "may i come in sir?" she asked, her voice wavering slightly,