Sweet Envy.
I clenched my fists crumpling the detention note in my palm and throwing it in the nearest trashcan, today was seriously not my day. In my defence I didn’t mean to get in a punch up, the bitch was asking for it. I stormed through the hallways of the school glaring at anyone and everyone. I wasn’t in the mood for the preppy girls and their shit today.
“Who’d you get in a fight with this time you badass?” I turned around to find my best friend Riley smiling at me her big green eyes alight with interest and humour.
“It doesn’t matter.” I shrugged hitching my backpack higher on my shoulder, “All that matters is she got what she deserved.”
“Somebody’s cranky today.” Riley chuckled, “This wouldn’t happen if you just minded your own business.”
I stopped in my tracks and turned to stare at her, “I can’t help it Riley you know that.” I muttered. I was always the curious type. I guess you could call me the accidental eavesdropper, I didn’t mean to find out secrets I just stumbled across them and usually they got me into trouble. Like today for instance, I didn’t mean to hear all about this girls secrets she just happened to talk to loud while I was in the bathroom.
Riley smiled at me her natural auburn coloured hair blowing around from the cool draft the air-con was giving off. “Well I commend you for it.” She said clapping her hands in appreciation. I had a small group of friends at this school; there are about 5 of us. We’re known for picking our fights foolishly and rashly but we aren’t bad people. Simply misunderstood. Especially me, everyone thought I was nosy yet I merely accidently came across what people didn’t want me to know. But hey, knowing peoples deepest darkest confessions isn’t that bad I mean what’s the worst that could happen with a little bit of knowledge?
“Well I’ll see you at lunch, right now I have a date with the principal.” I said sadly, oh I could only imagine my parent’s reaction to this fight. I shuddered at the thought of it and waved goodbye to Riley and continued walking down the hallway to the administration block.
“Miss Alyssa, we meet again.” The principal addressed me as I sat down on the uncomfortable armchair in front of his big towering desk. I shifted in my seat nervously twiddling my fingers around and looking up at the unsympathetic, stern gaze penetrating from his piercing grey eyes. “It seems you have quite the reputation for finding yourself in trouble.” He said coolly as he paced around his office admiring his trophies and achievements while I sat there trying my best to come off emotionless and impassive.
“I guess you could say that.” I said plainly.
The principal sighed and ran a hand through his short grey hair, he pulled off his square rimmed glasses to reveal a tired and weathered face, I guess many years of dealing with delinquents like me was exhausting. “What did you do this time?” He muttered before sitting in his big black office chair and shuffling through a few papers. He pushed his glasses to the tip of his nose as he read a freshly printed sheet, no doubt my incident report, which would be added to my school file. “A punch up with Miss Williams?” He said sounding quite astonished as his eyes widened and his jaw slightly dropped open.
At the mention of her name my eyes narrowed. Tamara Williams, the girl everyone feared, everyone but me that is. She was what you call Miss popular, pretty, preppy, had every guy within a 10 mile radius falling at her feet like worshipers, she was hot and she liked to remind everyone that as much as she could. It seems I pick my fights with the wrong people but this time she was asking for it.
“Would you mind telling me why you decided to attempt to hit her?” The principal asked.
I folded my arms and silently shook my head; he didn’t deserve an explanation besides what’s the point? Tamara can get out of anything with a wave of her hand.
The principal sighed, “I wish you weren’t so difficult Alyssa.” I rolled my eyes, me? Difficult? Clearly he hadn’t met half the people in this hellhole considering some of them are way more problematic than me. “Your free to go, try not to get in trouble again. I’ll be phoning your parents.” He said before handing me a late slip.
“Whatever.” I muttered before standing up and snatching the paper out of his hand and storming out of his office. Normally I’m not so moody and bad-tempered but today I was not in the mood for anymore of Tamara’s little antics and endeavours to get on my bad side. As I walked down the hallway my shoes squeaked on the perfectly polished floor, I grabbed my backpack from the hook I left it on and hauled it over my shoulder not once daring to look back at the office where I knew the principal was watching me with an annoyed expression. As I entered the foyer of the schools administration I noticed a boy leaning over the reception desk smiling at Mrs Jones the schools receptionist. She was a sweet old lady and was someone you could definitely rely on to make you smile. She handed him what looked like a schedule. Looks like we have a new kid I thought to myself wondering whom he’d fit in with and whom he would choose as his friends. “Thank you.” He said in what appeared to be a thick British accent. His voice shocked the living daylights out of me, not only because it wasn’t American but also because it was so smooth and perfect. Wait…what? Did I really just think that?
“How did it go dear?” Miss Jones asked and it took me a while to register that she was talking to me.
“Oh.” I said snapping out of my little daydream, “It went ok I guess.” I replied politely smiling slightly at her.
The new guy leaning against the counter turned around as he heard my voice and I felt my jaw drop to the pit of my stomach. He was stunning. His light brown hair with tints of gold fell in front of his enthralling, blazing Caribbean blue eyes, his gaze was somewhat hypnotic it was as if I was forced to stare at him he was that compelling. He was quite tanned for a British boy; he was most definitely strong as he had a nice set of muscles, I wouldn’t dare pick a fight against him, he’d have me in an ambulance to the emergency room before I could blink. He was good looking that’s for sure but there was something about him that gave off an eerie sort of aura. Who was he and what brings him here?
“Careful who you pick your fights with.” Miss Jones said, “Now off to class.”
“Right… ok.” I mumbled before tearing my gaze away from the attractive new kid and hurrying out of the administration block, I walked down the hallways trying to clear my head. Why was he here?
I knocked on the door to my history class, the door swung open and Mr Michaels our teacher gave me a condemning look of disapproval as I handed him the late slip, he took the note and studied it for a short moment his gaze completely critical. He jerked his head as if to say get inside before walking out of the doorway allowing me to pass. I walked inside and headed towards my desk up the back of the room next to my friend Jason.
“So the badass returns.” He whispered as I collapsed into the chair beside him throwing my bag carelessly on the ground.
I sighed and threw my head back, “Stop calling me that.” I whined. To be quite honest I wasn’t a badass, like I said I’m misunderstood. Finding out what people don’t want me to know makes them have a lot of hate and angst towards me and me being me will stick up for myself resulting in a fight. It wasn’t fun.
“Whatever.” Jason snickered sticking his tongue out at me.
I returned the childish and immature gesture before focusing on the teacher and copying down the notes he had written on the board. Halfway through the lesson I began to loose interest and found myself staring out the window, the sun had been clouded over resulting in a dim, shadowy light being cast along the schools parking lot. It was unnerving to look at, it was the kind of look that made you feel like someone could be hiding out there. I could see the big, black storm clouds rolling in in the distance, “Great.” I muttered knowing it would be pouring by the time school was over, out of all days to storm why the day I decide to walk to school? I mentally slapped myself for not checking the weather reports this morning. The shrill ringing of the bell interrupted me from my thoughts and I closed my book before hastily shoving it in my bag eager to get out of this classroom.
“Meet you in the cafeteria.” I said to Jason who was still packing away his things, he nodded his jet black hair flopping in front of his face as he continued to collect and gather his books.
I turned and walked out of the classroom cleverly dodging Tamara and her gang before heading to my locker on the east side of the building. I fiddled with the lock trying to put in the combination and frowned when I realised my locker was jammed, “Damn it!” I cried throwing my book against the locker and watching it hit the floor with a thud. In one last failed attempt I tampered with the numbers praying that it would open but as I tried to fling the door open I was greeted with a loud squeak or protest, “Shoot.” I cursed before shoving my book back in my bag and running a hand through my long, wavy dark brown hair. I turned away from my locker and began heading in the direction of the cafeteria busying myself by staring at the tiles a thousand thoughts running and clashing through my mind. I bluntly turned the corner shoving my hands in my pockets and shutting my eyes when I felt a sudden rush of cool breeze hit me on the left side, “Whoa!” I cried shielding my face and stumbling backwards, I definitely wasn’t expecting that. I opened one eye to find someone had left the door to the parking lot open. I let out a sigh of frustration, how hard was it to close a door these days? I strolled over to the door and pulled it shut making sure it closed properly this time. As I turned around I caught sight of the time and cringed when I realised I had already missed 5 minutes of lunch, everyone must’ve thought I got into another fight. I quickly dashed back down the hallway and turned the corner quicker than anyone could blink but maybe I should’ve watched where I was going. I felt my body slam into something rock hard, I let out a gasp of surprise and felt myself dropping backwards. I braced myself for the impact of smashing the ground. The world was spinning around me and I couldn’t make sense of things. As my head was a centimetre from hitting the ground I felt something strong wind its way around my waist enclosing me in its strong embrace. Next thing I knew I was being hauled upwards, I was aware of my feet being planted on the ground yet I felt myself become unbalanced. I gripped onto something that felt like fabric but I was too scared to identify what it really was. What felt like a hand was placed on my upper waist to support me from falling down again. Once I felt completely stable I let out a breath I never knew I was holding, my breathing came out in shaky pants and my heart was racing from just having the shock of my life. What could I have possibly hit to make me fall backwards?! Slowly I opened one of my eyes and another and took in my surroundings the corridor was deserted apart from whatever was still holding my close to them. I cautiously snuck a glance upwards preparing to just see who it was and apologise before running off but when my eyes met there’s I froze. I was astonished, dazed almost hypnotised. It was him.
The transfer student.
He was the one who saved me from possibly cracking my head, he was the one holding us so close together, he was the one with the enthralling blue eyes that were staring straight into mine. He showed no emotion on his face, it was as if he had no thoughts running through his mind at all. All he had was a blazing effect in his eyes as he stared straight through me. I opened my mouth to speak but frowned when no words came out, I was truly stuck. He basically knocked the breath out of me, literally.
Not one single word was exchanged, he dropped his arms and tore his gaze away from mine before walking past me and out the door to the parking lot.
What the hell?
I felt myself still breathing heavily I was speechless. This guy had knocked me over, helped me up, stared pretty much into my soul and walked away like nothing had ever happened.
I had a feeling inside of me that this wouldn’t be my last encounter with him, this was just the beginning of my mishaps with the transfer student.