Brand New Eyes

13. Stranger

13. STRANGER

I couldn’t stop looking at the dress. It was beautiful.

No, it was gorgeous. Actually no, picture the most beautiful item of clothing you’d ever seen and add millions silver shining crystals emblazoned top-to-bottom and times that by ten. It was beyond beautiful. It was in a league of its own.

Seriously, I fell in love with Violet’s red dress but seeing this masterpiece that Asher had presented me with; it was no match.

It was a scarlet colour too, how ironic.

I couldn’t stop looking at it all night. I just simply couldn’t take my eyes away from its beauty. And the matching mask that accompanied was just timeless.

I was in awe. No one had ever given me a dress before, especially not for a dance.  Nothing like this ever happened to me. It was an odd gesture but it had me totally stumped and speechless. The gesture dispersed all the negative thoughts in my head surrounding Asher just like that. How could I have any suspicions or doubts about him when he went and surprised me like this?

I denied myself the pleasure of trying the dress on as I had already obsessed over it for over an hour and a half and forced myself to bed.

I couldn’t help but fall asleep with a smile on my face and something in my stomach. Were they butterflies? And the cause of it was a surprise gesture from Asher. It was only a dress for heavens sake, get over it, I thought as I drifted asleep.

I woke up with the same smile on my face as I treaded across my room, stealing glances at the box sat on my dresser, holding captive the most beautiful dress.

Everything was hunky-dory, the perfect Monday morning until I realized I had completely overslept and was about to be late – again – if I didn’t run now.

I ran around the house like a headless chicken, brushing my teeth with one hand whilst combing through my messy hair with the other. I shoved a cereal bar down my pocket as I legged it out of the house.

My happy mood soon disappeared when I realized I had the same jacket on from the day I found Michael’s watch. And then the accusations and growing questions dawned on me again, murdering my swell mood. It didn’t help when I remembered that Asher wouldn’t be in today either.

Great. And I now had this longing feeling for him too.

“You’re late again Wood!” someone called out to me as I made for the classroom as the bell rang. It was Marcus.

“You’ve got room to talk!” I glanced at him with a smirk as I rushed for the English classroom door that was about to slam into my face. I pushed my hands out in front and pushed forward as Marcus caught up to me. We both rushed in to an awkwardly quiet room.

It was awkward because it was deadly quiet. Twenty-seven eyes peered back at Marcus and I. And that included Asher’s and Slater’s who were unusually in their seat, their alarmed eyes on mine. They weren’t supposed to be here.

And also the stranger that was standing at the front of the class; a tall, dark brown haired man with a stern, unhappy look on his face. There was a glitch of recognition when he met my eyes and his face softened but then hardened momentarily. I shiver ran through my spine.

This wasn’t Mr. Hanson, where was Mr. Hanson?

“And punctuality is another form of discipline I expect you all to abide by.” he half growled narrowing his hard eyes at Marcus and I. We both apologised and rushed to our seats and on the way, Violet didn’t even look up to me to smile; her head was bowed as she focused content at her desk. That was odd considering I was at hers last night.