" FIWMMB"/COMPLETED/TAGLISH

NEW CLASSMATES

BECK'S POV

The classroom was still mostly empty, the air thick and heavy with the scent of stale chalk and the faint aroma of coffee from the teacher's desk.  My head throbbed, a dull ache that had been with me since yesterday, when Freen had, in a fit of playful mischief, pushed me into the pool, my forgotten medicine a distant memory.

I sat down at my desk, my body protesting with every creak and groan, and decided to try and catch a few minutes of sleep before the class started.  I figured Freen would be late, as usual, and I could use the rest.

I was just drifting off when the shrill clang of the bell ripped me from my slumber.  I jolted upright, my head spinning, and as I did, I felt something hard and warm press against my cheek.  I opened my eyes to see a pair of piercing blue eyes staring down at me, inches from my face.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down my spine.

He was tall, with a confidence that radiated from him like heat, and his smile was like a flash of lightning, both captivating and unnerving.

"Ah, I'm fine. Thank you," I replied, my voice a little shaky, as I scrambled to regain my composure.

I gently removed my hand from his grasp, feeling the ghost of his touch linger on my skin.  He smiled again, a slow, deliberate movement that seemed to last an eternity, and extended his hand toward me.

"I'm Hades, and you are Becky, right?" he said, his voice smooth and seductive.

I felt my cheeks flush, and I could feel the heat rising in my chest.  He was definitely not my type, but there was something about him that captivated me, a magnetism that I couldn't quite explain.

"Yes, I'm Becky," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but I couldn't help but feel my heart pounding in my chest.

He took my hand in his, his touch surprisingly strong and warm, and shook it gently.

"I'm glad that you're awake," he said, his smile widening.  "Actually, I've been looking at you since I entered the classroom."

I felt my cheeks burn even hotter, and I couldn't help but feel a flutter of panic.  Why was he staring at me?  And why did I feel such a strange mixture of apprehension and excitement?

"Don't worry," he reassured me, sensing my discomfort.  "You didn't make any noise while you were sleeping.  That's what you were worried about, right?  But there's just some saliva on the side of your mouth."  He chuckled softly, a low, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down my spine.

I quickly took out my handkerchief and wiped away the offending moisture, feeling my face flush even more. He was right, of course, but I couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

As I looked at him, I realized that I had never seen him at our school before.  I glanced around the classroom, wondering where Freen was.  The first subject was about to start, and I was curious about her absence.

"Are you okay, Becky?" he asked, his gaze fixed on me.

I looked at him and offered a sparing smile.  "Yeah, I'm okay."

He smiled back, a dazzling display of white teeth against his tanned skin, and then turned his attention to the door as the professor entered the room.