your eyes ~ RUEL FAN FIC ~

Alira's POV

[First day of school]

"Oi. Lira. Wakey wakey love."

I open my eyes and mum is standing there. Mum!

My alarm goes off and I wake. For real this time. Mum isn't there. I feel lonely and slightly terrified. I saw her so clearly...

I struggle into the school uniform- a crisp ironed light green collared shirt, dark green blazer with gold edging and a wattle branch logo.

The skirt is dark green and about an inch too long so I staple a hem layer upwards to make it shorter.

Too tired to think, I brush my hair and pull it up into a loose bun. Cover the dark circles under my eyes with concealer that's a few shades too light. Oh well.

Dad's already left for work but Xena is still home. She's been living with us for a while now, and I still don't like her. Especially this morning after my dream about mum.

"I'll drive you to school sweetie." She says as I walk into the kitchen.

I nod and pick up the school bag I packed yesterday.

We go to the car and drive along the beach towards the school.

"Did you have a bad dream this morning, love?"

"What?"

"I heard you give a little... Yell. When your alarm went up."

"The alarm just gave me a fright."

"Really?"

"Yes. That's all."

"Alira, you can tell me if you need to."

"It was my alarm! It's fine!"

"Lira, c'mon babe-"

"I dreamt that mum was there, ok?! Stop bugging me!"

Xena falls silent. 

"I'm sorry." She whispers.

I don't reply but resolutely stare ahead as we pull into the car park. I hop out of the car without saying goodbye and stride purposefully in the gates.

Looking at the timetable and map I have, I can tell I have math first in a class to my right.

I spot a friendly looking boy nearby.

"Excuse me, do you know where class 529 is?" I ask him.

He looks me up and down slightly gaping. I move my arms to cover most of my body self consciously.

"I can take you there." He Says breathlessly.

We walk down a long hall and at the end there's a door. A few students wait outside.

"So what's your name?" He Asks.

"Alira. You?"

"Blake. Nice to meet you." He shakes my hand.

"Well... I'd best be off. See you round."

My eyes follow him back down the corridor and then the class door opens and a bubbly looking young teacher comes out.

"Come in, come in! Oh! You must be the new girl, Alira?"

I nod.

"Come sit here right next to... ahhh! Stacey will look after you won't you Stace!?"

A dark skinned girl rolls her eyes and pulls out the chair next to her. I sit down.

"Hi." I say, not looking at her and taking my pencils out of the school bag. "I'm Alira."

"I heard." She says coldly. 

I cough to break the tension.

The class sets up and starts.

Weirdly, school is jus as people described it. A boring trap of grumpy people. The recess bell rings and I put my stuff in my bag. It feels lonely. I walk out of the classroom and Blake, the boy from earlier, is waiting outside on his phone

 He looks up and smiles when I walk out. 

"Hey." I say. "Who are you waiting for?"

He shrugs and grins. "You I guess."

I smile shocked. It's nice of him but also mildly intimidating.

We walk down the corridor and it's only a couple of seconds before he starts asking questions.

"So where are you from?"

"Lived on a farm. Dad got in debt and we got kicked off."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"A younger brother called Rocky."

"So you live near here now? With Rocky and your mum and dad?"

My face goes white. "Just dad." I whisper.

"Why? Did they break up?" He asks not bothering to lower his voice.

I stop walking and he goes another few metres before realising I'm no longer with him. He looks back at me over peoples heads but I am already running in the opposite direction, tears stressing down my face. 

It strikes me how protected and senseless some people are. Then I feel a pang of guilt- he wasn't to know. As I reach the empty end of the corridor my run slows to a walk and eventually I lean against a wall and slide to the floor.

A door opens behind me and footsteps come out. They stop and I scrunch up my face in embarrassment.

"Alira?"

"Stacey?"

I turn to face her. She winces at the sight of my red puffy face.

"Why were you still in class?"

"I'm failing everything." She laughs as if it's something to be joked about, then nods her head and walks away.

I sit on the floor confused for a while and then I see someone coming down the end of the corridor. At first I think I'm not seeing properly but then I realise it's Ruel.

"Whatre  you doing here?" I hiss, jumping to my feet.

He looks panicked and slightly terrified.

"Alira,you have to come with me, there's something... something I need to show you."

He grabs my arm and tries to pull me with him.

I yank it out of his reach. "What the fuck are you doing!? You aren't meant to be here! I don't like you!"

He looks like he's been slapped in the face but then comes to his senses.

"Lira, please, this is really, really important, a lot of stuff has happened and you have to come!"

I'm about to yell at him to get away from me when I see something that makes me scared.

"Are you crying?" I whisper.

He blinks and a tear rolls down his cheek. "No." He says back defensively. I smirk.

I grab his hand and squeeze it. We run back down the corridor to try and find an exit.