Secrets of Night

Chapter 14

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"Every single class!?"

Trying to keep myself from screaming, I hiss through my teeth at Connor as I sit at my booth, slamming my lunch a little too hard onto the table, but no one notices. He slides in beside me and grins smugly, causally running a hand through his blonde hair and gloating in his victory as he places his sandwich daintily onto the table with an air of grace that I want to pulverize. Maybe this is why you don't ever hang out with friends, huh, because you turn out to be a complete donkey!

"Yep! I need to keep an eye on you, so your parents pulled some strings and got me in your classes so Tori, I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

Ripping the plastic lid from the slightly dented plastic bowl, I sigh and stab my lettuce angrily, bringing it to my mouth and chomp on it with more aggression than required for a piece of limp lettuce as he unwraps his sandwich paper.

"I get that, but do you have to sit next to me in every class? It just draws way too much attention to me. I like hiding. You make hiding impossible."

He shrugs nonchalantly as if he hasn't just ruined my life and takes a bite of his Subway, neatly chewing with his lips pressed tightly together and far less animalistically than the person sitting beside him.

"What can I say? I know I'm attractive."

Irritated by him, but now distracted because I just realized that I forgot salad dressing, I roll my eyes and continue to chew slightly more human like, disgruntled with my dry lettuce.

"That may be true, but you're annoying."

He gasps, a look of shock spreading across his face as though stunned by my words as he clasps his hands to his heart, removing one to wipe an imaginary tear away.

"What? You're finally admitting that I'm attractive! I've been dreaming of this day for years!"

Gagging on his terrible humor in addition to the nasty bed of leaves before me, I roll my eyes again and scarf down the rest of my salad in three bites.

"I meant I know you think that you're attractive; those positive image recordings can make you believe some crazy stuff! But in all seriousness, I can't be seen with you- there's this chick- you know what, never mind, point is, go away or I will find a way to distance myself one way or another."

Concluding my thoughts on the matter and ready to be alone, I slide down the bench and onto the floor, duck out from under the table and walk away or at least try to. Half way into my stride, Connor's hand latches onto one of my wrist and turns me towards him, holding me in place with the same vice like grip as the night before. Apprehensive, tired, and sore, I furrow my eyebrows together in displeasure and frown, not at all happy with the crab pinching me.

"Oh no, where do you think you're going, Tori? Just because there is something you don't like or someone who doesn't like you or you don't like people looking at me, you're just going to have to deal with it, ok. Yesterday could have been bad, Tori, people died. You could be next- you have to stay right here, with me, I can keep you safe."

Blah blah blah, enough with the heroics, buddy boy, I'm out of here. Dismissing everything he said in his little montage, I roll my eyes, fed up with his antics and tug on my wrist, testing how much force will be required to break free.

"You think I don't know what happened was bad? Seriously, how stupid do you think I am? Believe it or not, I'm in more danger with you here than without- people will notice, they'll look, they'll wonder where you came from and why you're hanging around me. Now, if you're done lecturing me, I'm going to talk to my friends."