Change of Heart

Chapter 2

How is this even possible? I thought those images didn't mean anything, so why!? Why is the man in most of my drawings standing right in front of me?

Quickly looking down, I covered my mouth in shock wanting to shout out from frustration. I stopped myself from making a scene.

Alex didn't say a thing and just took a seat without introducing himself. He sat on the other side of the room in the last remaining desk. Mumbling began as everyone started to talk about Alex. The girls were fawning all over him. As expected. I couldn't even look up. My mind was still in shock, in denial. This has to be some kind of coincidence...right?

**

The second the bell rang, I was up and out of my seat. I had to get away, I just had to. As I ran down the halls, I bumped into Caden dropping all my books and papers.

"Hey, watch whe-" Caden started before he realized it was me. "Serine? Why are you in such a hurry?"

I don't have time for this. "I'm sorry, I...I'll explain it later." Gathering my books, I left the papers behind running off again. Knowing Caden, he probably collected my loose papers for me. He's already done it countless times before, so I doubt this time would be any different.

Without thinking, my feet took me outside of the school. I ran towards the middle of the school building before falling to the floor as my legs gave out. My breathing was deep and heavy, and I curled up into a ball.

I didn't understand why I ran. Why did I run? It's not like that's really him. I mean, the guy in my images could've had a different name. Thinking back, I don't remember him having a name, so for all I know Alex is just a coincidental, look alike. Yea, that's it. No need to freak.

The school bell rang starting second period. Normally, I wouldn't skip, but I just couldn't bring myself to get up. For some reason, tears started flowing down my cheeks. Why am I even crying? Is this even something to cry about? I really am pathetic...

"Found you!" A voice roared behind me coming out of nowhere. I jumped as I screamed. That practically gave me a heart attack. Glancing over, I saw Alex walking toward me.

"Stay away from me!" I shouted kicking myself away from him.

"Now why would I want to do that?" There's that overwhelming smirk of his again. "After all, I came all this way just to see you."

Me? What reason would anyone have to see me? "Yea right. This all some kind of joke to you, isn't it? You're just like them!" Throwing my bag at him, I turned and stood running the other way.

I was stopped instantly when my arms were both grabbed. "Well, geez. That wasn't very nice." Alex's voice got louder, closer...ended up right in my face. My body froze when I saw him standing right in front of me. How is this possible? He was all the way at the other end.

"How-" I started before he placed a hand over my mouth.

"Shh. No need to speak." Though his voice was calm, it terrified me. "Now, where should we go?"

With that, I pulled myself away from him catching him off guard. I stepped back a few steps before turning around but before I could, he grabbed me from behind. How is he doing this? Is he even human!? "Let me go!" I pleaded as I struggled to pull away from his grasp.

Alex's grip only got tighter. "We aren't done here." He whispered right into my ear. It made my blood boil. "Not by a long shot." His grasp suddenly disappeared and I stumbled to the ground. I caught myself before I could face plant. Swinging my head around, the coast was clear, and Alex completely vanished. What the hell is going on? Just who...what in the world is Alex?

Without another thought, I grabbed my backpack and ran inside to the nurses office. I had to go home, I just had too. My head was killing me just thinking about him.

**

Knocking on the door, the nurse called out allowing my entrance. Walking in, the nurse was replacing the med kit with new bandages and ointments. She turned to me and smiled. "May I help you?" She had on a pair of white scrubs, almost like an actual hospital nurse.

My words were delayed. Gripping the strap to my backpack, I nodded.

In return, she nodded as well. "Why don't you take a seat and tell me what it is."

For some reason, my body was refusing to sit. I remained standing in the same spot with my body growing tenser and tenser. I began to stammer. "It's uh, my....head." The inside of my throat suddenly got dry.

"A headache, by chance?" All I could manage was a nod.

The nurse motioned me to the bed. "If you'd like, you can lie down until it dies down. I'll write you a note for class."

Another nod.

She helped me over to the bed, and I laid my body across. The bed was a little rough, but still soft enough to be bearable. Staring up at the ceiling, my mind wandered, and my eyes began to blur. Next thing I knew, everything was black, and I was fast asleep.

**

My ears started to ring. This sound. It sounds like...the school's bell? That's right, I'm at school. Opening my eyes, I saw the nurse standing over me. "Finally awake, I see."

Sitting up, I placed my hand on my forehead. "How long was I out?"

"Pretty much the whole day. The last bell of the day just rang." She opened the door, and escorted me out. "Don't worry, all the teachers are aware of your absence and have agreed to excuse it."

"Right...thank you." I uttered walking out the door. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to sleep through the whole day. Well, nothing I can do about that. Right now, I had to find Caden.

Going down each hallway, I searched for Caden with no signs of him. The school was practically empty by the time I finished searching. When I reached the gym, it hit me. Maybe he's waiting out in the car. I sprinted outside to where Caden had parked, and sure enough, he was there.

Giving a sigh of relief, I called out to him. "Hey, sorry to keep you waiting."

"Are you alright?" Ignoring what I had said, he continued. "Did something happen?"

Something always happens. "No, nothing happened...well, yea, I mean I don't know. Right now, I can't even believe it." My words were all over the place, almost like a jigsaw puzzle, our of place and not fitting right.

Caden got in the car after I did. "We'll talk about it when we get home. Oh, and by the way," his tone changed as he finished. "I picked up the papers you dropped. Are you...seeing those images again?"

They must've been the drawings I did during first period. I looked away and gave my answer. "We'll talk when we get home." And not another word was spoken again between the two of us during the ride home.