He Wore A Hood (HWAH #1)

PROLOGUE

It started with a Friday, the first Friday of my 12th grade year.

Fridays were always a good day for me, even if it was a bad day at school. All I had to do during one of my depressing escapades was remember that today was Friday, and then I would have 2 days to recover freely at home, where I was loved and appreciated.

"You're in a good mood today, aren't you?" Gabby Wilsons, head of the cheerleading team, asked me with a brief smile. For once, I didn't scowl with envy; I smiled with giddiness right back at her. Gabby was always trying to recruit me to be on the cheerleading team, but to be honest, I didn't do sports, and I never would.

Unlike most little girls, while they were taking gymnastics and ballet, I was squishing worms with short sticks and eating harmless black ants with my neighbor's kids.

Gabby must have took my smile has an invitation to start talking about her new routine because the next thing I knew, she had looped her arm through mines, and she was dragging me down the near-empty hallway.

Oh hells no.

"Uh Gabby," I meekly sputtered, I wasn't one for socializing after all, that's how us loners roll.

Gabby either ignored me, or didn't hear me over the chatter of herself, I'd go for the latter. Her high, platinum blonde ponytail went swish, swish in the air she created as she breezed past others. I gritted my teeth together in annoyance as people stared.

That is until, I bumped into a solid rock of a body.

All of the color drained out of my face as I looked up into what could only be Anthony Locking's stature. The hoodie he had over his head shielded his looks from everyone, no one really knew what he looked like, all anyone knew was that he was not to be fucked with.

So following simple rules, I avoided Anthony Locking, until that Friday.

"Umm-" Now it was Gabby's turn to splutter. I would have laughed, maybe even giggled, if I hadn't been on the receiving end of Anthony's shadowed glare. I could barely make out his eyes underneath his hood, but I could clearly see they were narrowed in annoyance. Not only that, but he was touching me. He was touching my waist.

The moment my shoulder had collided with his, somehow he had gripped my waist to steady me, and his hand had remained there. I felt as if it was searing a hole into the Angora sweater I was wearing. Gabby was still standing there, flabbergasted, and then the two-faced bitch did what any sane girl would do. She dropped my arm she had been so hastily dragging along before, and hauled her ass out of the hallway.

I glared after her. Way to recruit a member Gabby

I was knocked out of my vengeful thoughts, when he spoke. "you should pay more attention to your surroundings niña"

Anthony Locking's voice was a husky whisper. It was almost erotic.

Now I never took Spanish in my life, However, I was well aware of the fact that niña meant little girl, I was also very aware of the fact that niña was what Anthony had just called me,

and I hated it.

I tried coming up with a valid, hot-headed retort, but my wittiness failed to save me. Instead, here's what happened. Anthony let go of my waist, and carried on as if nothing had happened. His hood remained secure on his head, leaving his appearance as the vacant mystery it had always been.

- FLASHBACK 10 YEARS AGO -

"Who is that?"

Gabby Wilson, being the little prima ballerina that she was, even at age 7, narrowed her eyes at the frail boy who stood in front of the class. He wore an oversized hoodie, the hood was raised to cover his whole face, and he never said a word. His father did all the talking.

"Anthony doesn't talk much, he never has, so please go easy on him" Anthony's father had said. Anthony's father had naturally tanned skin, with eyes the color of warm chocolate, and locks of jet black hair.

I remembered the look on the teacher's face when he had first walked into the classroom, looking back, I realize she had been swooning.

"Well Anthony, tell us about yourself, just one thing" Ms. Tunable said, with a sly grin on her face. Anthony's father had spun him around by his shoulder, so that he was facing the class, and with a firm squeeze to Anthony's shoulder, Anthony said two words.

"Just moved."

The girls were in awe. His voice was quiet, cute, and it had that subtle promise of a deeper tone as he would grow. Yet, the hood still remained.

"Uh, Anthony sweetie, can you take off your hat, it's not proper to wear them inside."

Anthony had ignored Ms. Tunable, and when she had reached over and attempted to do it for him, I remember his father's hand shooting out and grabbing Ms. Tunable's before she could touch Anthony's head.

"Ms. Tunable, if it's not a problem, could you let Anthony keep the hat on?" And like butter on a hot biscuit, Ms. Tunable melted.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months.

Anthony's hood never came off.