Tales from the Darkside (Currently Being Rewritten)

1

I groaned, staring up at the two-storey brownstone school building or as I liked to call it Hell. Crowds of people were talking animatedly as they walked through the front doors or stood in huddles on the grass area, a few glanced my way but quickly changed their minds as though fearful that someone would see them. 
Shouldering my backpack, I walked through the doors to Hell towards my locker a few feet from the entrance. Ducking a randomly thrown football after someone behind me yelled “Throw it here!” I made it to my locker, wondering why he hadn’t appeared yet. 
“There you are.” Hands grasped my waist, spinning me around 180 degrees before my eyes landed on…”I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” 
I stared at him, my mind half trying to process what he had said and the other noting how attractive Liam was; tall with a muscular and athletic figure, tanned skin, dark brown hair styled in a casual disarray and storm-grey eyes. 
“Cora!” Liam’s voice snapping me out of my daze as I groaned internally for staring at him. “Are you done staring?” 
He’s smirking as I frown, “I wasn’t staring.” I denied quickly, “Why would I when you already spend so much time doing it? Maybe you should ask Abby if you can borrow her compact mirror.” 
The corner of his mouth twitches even more before he rolls his eyes at my comeback. “You're hilarious.” Liam muses sarcastically, not taking his eyes off me.
Anyone who walked past would've thought that we were about to make out given how close we were standing to each other and the fact that Liam was holding onto my waist. 
“I'm taking you to class.” Was all he said before he reached behind me to shut my locker door and wrapped a single arm around my waist, pulling me into his side. 
“I'm capable of walking by myself.” I find myself saying, trying to pry Liam's hand off my waist with little success. 
“It's not like I've thrown you over my shoulder.” Liam has the nerve to point out as I snort. “I'm just walking you to class.” 
“And like I said: I'm perfectly capable of doing it myself.” I snipe, a derisive noise escaping my throat. “I've been going to this school as long as you, it's not like I'm suddenly going to be struck by amnesia and forget where everything is!” 
I'm too focused on pointing out that I have the ability to walk to class by myself without an escort, that I didn't notice we were standing just off from the classroom door; scattered bits of chatter floating through the partially open door. 
“Are you going to be in the cafeteria at lunch?” Liam asks as though I have a choice, even if I did manage to evade the others, Liam would likely find me wherever I was. “Well?”
“Like your controlling ass would have me anywhere but the cafeteria.” I muttered, earning a pinch to my side. “Fine.” I amended, looking up at him but my expression falters as I take in the darkened expression taking over his features; the way his eyes seem to darken into black pits or the clench of his jaw. 
“Liam?” I questioned softly at the same time he snapped “Class is about to start. Go.” 
I blinked, startled as Liam’s eyes snapped to mine fully as though he wasn’t truly looking before, but now they bore into mine, leaving me frozen on the spot. 
“Go to class, Cora. Now.” Liam ordered, each word laced with the anger he was trying to mask with a calm demeanor, “I’ll see you at lunch.” 
And then he left, leaving me staring after him, debating what would happen if I decided to chase after him. 

Sliding into one of the seats at the back of the classroom in a misguided attempt to avoid the piercing gazes of my classmates as they tried to sniff out any signs of behavior worthy of cafeteria gossip, I pulled out my notebook, prepared to only half pay attention to what would probably be an uneventful lesson. 
My attention pinned on my notebook as I watched my pencil move across the page with intense focus, that I barely registered the scent of violets, cinnamon and lily-of-the-valleys coming from somewhere close by until….
“Hi, I'm Paige Turner.” My head whipped around towards the sound of the voice, landing on a petite and slim girl with an oval face, sun-bleached honey-blonde hair with black roots, almond-shaped green eyes and sun-kissed fair skin with a splay of freckles across a button nose. 
Too much time went past before I cursed myself for staring at her…for looking her up and down as if I was preparing myself to judge how she looked or to make some comment that could either be interpreted as a compliment or an insult. 
It hadn't fully registered that she had slid into the seat beside me until the whispers started; She must be new. There's no way anyone would break the rules otherwise. Should we warn her? 
“You could sit anywhere in this room,” I began cautiously, “why here?” 
“Because you looked lonely and no one seemed to have the courage to come up to you.” Paige answered simply, her gaze flicking around the room. “But I'm being rude.” At my confused blink, she amended; “I haven't asked you what your name is.” 

“Hey Cora.” I stiffened, head whipping around as my widened eyes landed on…shit. Ben. 
"Who the fuck are you?" Ben asked, his blue-green eyes looking Paige up and down before he added, "You're in my seat. Move."
"I like it here." Paige said casually, "And there's a spare seat next to you."
The class watched with wide eyes and baited breath, I was fairly certain that I had never witnessed anyone talk back to Liam or Ben or Sam or Jake or Abby.
"Sit down, Ben." I sighed, knowing that it didn't really matter where he sat because he was going to recount everything to Liam. "It's fine."