Can You See Me?

Chapter 1: Watching

My story is set in a double narrative: normal print is Tommy, bold print is Sasha

Please leave comments! Let me know what you think!

My face went red from holding my breath so hard. *creak* I hissed, trying to go down the stairs without anyone hearing. I paused before going for my next step. This creak was even louder. "Hi," this quiet little voice came from behind me. Sam tiredly rubbed her eye with one hand, the other holding onto her blanket reaching out as she yawned with her morning stretch. "WHAT.. are you doing?" Her eyebrows were raised as high as her hairline and her eyes bulging wide open.

"Heyyyy kiddo," I said softly, staring into the most dramatic 5 year-old ever. I whispered telling her I had to leave super fast and secret hoping she'd want to help me out. "Will you run into the kitchen? I think Dad bought some of that Crusty Cinnamon Flakes."

"It's thinnamon toath crunch!"

"Haha- yes, yes he bought you some of that now go give him a hug!" She grabbed my hand to balance herself as she bounced down the stairs and then ran into the kitchen.

I made it to the door and turned the handle when I heard my Dad from two rooms over: "well look who's awake... my angel Sammy."

"Daddy it's Samanthuuuh" she corrected him.

"Of course my darling Samanthuuh" mocking her. "How about breakfast..."

He was laughing. I felt my whole body suddenly shrug a little lower. I looked back for a second then walked and shut the door behind me.

I turned on the car and hit the gas trying to leave before he might see me. Frank Ocean played at a low hum while I drove to school. With each street passing I wished the drive would get longer, farther away. My first week at a new school where I had no desire being at. I parked in the far corner of the lot and fell into step with Matt and Luke.

"So I totally secured Homecoming bro- we have our first gig," Matt said grinning at the thought.

"It's a school dance ya weirdo" Luke snarked back.

"Oh shut up, Luke you know you're excited. It is our senior year and we are all single and ready to mingle- hey ladies." Matt was winking and waving at a group of girls as we walked by.

"Matt, those are freshmen. You're scaring them." I started laughing at how silly that all is.

I was resting against the wall, zoned out over the dull conversation between Matt and Luke as they were rummaging through their lockers. I'm looking down the hall when I hear a burst of laughter and regain focus. There's a group of girls at one's locker talking and laughing. The fourth girl, whose locker they were crowded at, turned around and gasped "Toni! Stop that, that is so not true!" I watched her push into her friend when she looked up and right at me. She looked away immediately. I didn't.

"Toni! Stop that, that is so not true!" I pushed into her laughing. I looked up, realizing how loud I am and my eyes stopped at someone else's, staring back at me. I turned away and I could feel him still looking so I turned and looked out the corner of my eye and yep. This person is staring at me. He didn't even flinch or look away. His eyes were slightly scrunched, looking at me. I don't know who he is and I am praying he heard NONE of that conversation. Toni and Liv are always messing with me about Reggie and how in love we are. Are we though?

I watched her push a curl behind her ear and re-engage in the conversation. Her eyes would disappear from smiling so hard and it made me almost smile before I caught myself.

"Right, Tommy boy?" Luke and Matt were staring at me waiting for my answer.

"Oh totally, man" I said as Luke punched Matt's arm in an I told you so type way before continuing to argue.

I looked back across the hall and watched her again. Her head turned as soon as I looked over. She tugged at her necklaces. She was wearing so many. They laid against her fare, bare skin. The top she was wearing looked almost delicate. It was a shiny cream color, like silk, with little flowers across the chest. The thin strap laid on her bare shoulder, her open black hoodie hiding the rest of her arms. Her jeans looked about 5 sizes too big but they somehow still looked good. She tucked in the side of her pants into her beat up red Docs where the laces were undone and her socks bulging. I saw her hand move fast from her side to across her chest, slightly covering herself and holding the side of her neck. I watched as her smile sank and her eyes turned to worry. Her friends had walked away laughing and some guy stepped in front of her. He had laughed and waved at the friends but when he looked back at the girl, he looked different. She is so fidgety. He leans in to kiss her but goes to her ear instead. He whispered something that made her squeeze her eyes shut. When she opened them she looked over at me. After a second she closed them again. She looked scared. As he leaned back from her personal space, he zipped up her hoodie and smiled.

"So for homecoming we have to go all out. If we are going with a senior group of guys then we have to go all out" Toni inched closer to our circle and started winking and laughing with all of us. I looked back over at that guy but as soon as he looked up I turned. So weird. "Alright ladies let's kick it and let the love birds have their moment" Toni said, arms around Liv and Ally, walking backward and waving before turning around. The guys walked past me saying hi and catching up to the girls. Reggie was at the back of the pack and rolled in front of me. He was laughing, waving at our friends. And then he wasn't laughing. He looked me in the eyes, like your classic "puppy dog" look. His hand was slightly holding at my chin when he leaned in. Instead of kissing me he leaned more. He pressed against my neck and whispered "are you trying to humiliate me?"

"Of course not, why wo-"

"You are not hiding anything with that shirt... giving everyone a free show now are we?"

My eyes were squeezing shut, trying not to cry. I open them for a second and look around. He is looking again. His eyebrows scrunched a bit more, like he was confused. Our trance broke when Reggie whispered again.

"Don't try this again."

He began to lean back. His hands moved to my hoodie. He started smiling, pulling my sleeve over my exposed shoulder and zipping up to my collarbone.

"See! So-"

"So much better, come on, babe." He actually announced quite loudly. He slapped her locker shut, put his arm over her shoulders and walked down the hall. She walked with him then looked back, I was still watching.