Dark One- The Khiara Banning Series Book 1

Two

Cara's into parties and I'm just not. It's way too loud for me honestly. Whenever we go out, I'm the designated driver because she just ends up getting so smashed that she doesn't remember where she lives. It sounds like a sad existence, but it's mine and I'm okay with it. Somebody has to keep this girl together and it's not the many idiot boyfriends and false friendships she's had over the years, it's me. We're best friends; we take care of each other no matter what. It's just how it is. It's what friends do, even if you want to punch them in the face at times. Most of the time, your fist will end up turning into open arms, and the punch a hug.

We reach the door of our English class and exchange glances. Mine is filled with contentment and hers distaste. I roll my eyes at her and we walk to our seats, which happen to be right next to each other and the reason why we both hardly get any work done. She's always yammering on about something while I'm trying to do my work and I'm always trying to tell her to kindly shut the hell up. For some reason though, I always get peace when I read. When I'm reading, it's like the whole world disappears around me, even Cara. I pray we get to read in today's class.

As the rest of the class files in I notice that the feeling of being watched is at an all-new level of high. I'm really uncomfortable or maybe it's just that I'm a little bit hungry because I guess I didn't eat enough this morning. My stomach is beginning to twist and my head feels strange. That's when I notice Damien watching me from the back row of the class. Definitely not hunger.

For some reason, his usual cool composure is replaced with a hard look on his face. I catch his eyes just for a second and he turns away like he's seen something that's disgusted him. What was that all about? I mean, he usually gives me the creeps, but the feeling I got when he was looking at me was...well...not good.

When everybody is seated, our teacher Miss Jane walks in holding her usual clipboard used to take attendance, and starts.

"Lesley O'Connor"

"Here"

Cara passes me a note. I unfold it and roll my eyes at its contents.

Take a look at Damien! He's so in to you! I bet he's going 2 dump that witch Vicky and go 4 you my girlie!

"Amanda Jones"

"Here"

I write back, Yeah that's never going to happen. He was giving me mad dirty looks before; you should've seen him! Plus, you know he makes me feel kind of gross, I can't explain it, but the feeling he just gave me made me feel more than icky. No matter how hot he is, I just don't like him like that.

"Khiara Banning"

I pass the note to Cara who's giving me a really funny look that I don't know how to interpret. She's gesturing wildly and I'm sure that she'll get in trouble when Miss Jane walks right up to my desk, grabs the note and throws it out.

"Miss Banning, if you want to talk to Cara so much, maybe you two should do it in detention after school. Would you like that?"

I shake my head and give her the best puppy dog face I could muster up.

"Then I guess you'd better think before you do such things." She scolds, but I can see her smiling under her rough exterior. I'm her favourite student and she just doesn't like me falling behind. She walks back to the front of the room to finish up attendance.

I look at Cara, who's giggling hysterically and doing a pretty bad job at hiding it, and I just smile at her. As always, we've made it through without so much as a scratch. We always do whenever a teacher catches us passing notes- or sleeping in Cara's case. It's just so funny that my face can have that effect on authority figures.