Reverence

Magnet

Zeya opened the doors and gasped loudly. Her eyes met the familiar ones from years ago. She was surprised, to say the least. She felt violated and confused.

"After all these years." She whispered to herself.

She gulped hard, thinking. What to do. What to say?

The only sound of the sole shoes was prominent in the hallways of Reverend High School. Situated on the outskirts of Alabama, Eve was an amenable, quiet town where almost nothing happened. The teenagers were bored out of their wits and often picked up on the younger ones to satisfy their boredom. The younger ones spent time exploring grasslands, and the older ones just sat outside their homes, soaked in the sun, and grumbled through their remaining days. Indeed, life in Eve is quiet, to say the least.

Along with the sounds of pounding footsteps, another sound carried down the hallways. The sounds of hushing and whispering. Zeya Elith wondered about the reason and came face-to-face with the most timid-looking, almost bored boy she had ever seen. She furrowed her eyebrows and wondered the identity of the boy of the hour. The boy had an aura that seemed like he could crush those who did not simply care. He had silver eyes, looking almost like a ghost, and a very lanky frame. His hair was blond, and his lips gave nothing away. To Zeya, it felt like he did not nearly consume what he was supposed to, but no matter how much he ate, he would always be like this.

The boy's eyes glanced over her once or twice, heating her in the process. He smirked at her and walked away. She was too focused on wondering what was wrong with her current attire when she was startled by her friends.

"Zeeeyaa" cried Emily, looping her arms around her neck.

Zeya had not had enough time to straighten herself, and she shrieked with mild shock. She twisted in Emily's hold and came face to face with one of the kindest and most thoughtful girls.

"Are you okay? You look flustered?" asked Beth

Zeya turned to answer her friend. "Yes, I am fine. I was just wondering if something was wrong with my clothes. Is there any hole somewhere, or are my panties showing?" Zeya released herself from Emily's hold and rotated herself in one place so that Beth could check.

"Nothing that I can see is amiss or torn. Though I can see some panties showing." Beth grinned and gave her a cinematic show of the slow drag of her eyes, making Zeya self-conscious and redden once again.

"What, where? I thought this would be the most decent clothing. I thought choosing a pair of leggings and a simple t-shirt would be comfortable enough to go throughout the entire day." Zeya fidgeted over her clothing, trying to hide herself with the help of her oversized bag.

Beth, clearly making fun of her, Zeya realized soon enough, slapped her arm rolled her eyes in the process, and said, "You are incorrigible, Beth you know that."

Beth just stood there and grinned like she owned the word. Interrupting the tirade from going any further, Emily whistled, "Have you seen that boy? I think he is new to this town. But boy, look at him walking away like he owns the place. I bet he would be fucking his way through Eve before he finishes high school."

The trio looked at him walking away, and Beth wondered aloud, "Doesn't he look a bit strange? In a town full of ravens and brunettes, he is the only blonde with those peculiar eyes. I feel like I would melt if he continued to look at me."

"Yeah, it does seem like that, but what I am worried about more is that the seniors and the kids will make fun of him or bully him to no end. After all, look at him. He is lanky and different". Zeya made no further comments, realizing how much she was attracted to the boy. Just one look from him, and she was drooling after him.

The girls decided to walk into their classes as the bell rang over their heads. Zeya was reading a manga when Emily nudged her and said, "He is in Beth's class."

To which Zeya furrowed her eyebrow, "Who?"

"Duh, that boy with those peculiar, dreamy eyes."

"What's his name again?"

"Xavius. Xavius Ronin. Sounds fancy don't you think."

Zeya was surprised when she heard his name and agreed with her friend. "Yes, it does." She tested the name on her tongue, tasting each syllable and rolling it in between her teeth. The name did funny things to her. Funny things like conjuring up images of him kissing her and her straddling him.

She came out of her reverie as soon as her teacher for the first lecture came in. Throughout the lecture, she keeps zoning out and finds solace in dreaming about the blonde-headed boy.

The girls decided to eat in the cafeteria during lunch. Zeya was putting things in her locker when she saw Xavius staring at her from across the hall. Those bright eyes were fixated on her. Those light, bright eyes seemed to be so still that even Zeya started feeling creepy.

Zeya decided to pluck up her courage and move forward. Towards him. She kept on moving forward and saw his eyebrows shoot up, disappearing behind those hairs. He looked tense. He looked annoyed. Was he sneering at her?

All the while Zeya was thinking, her face kept changing expressions from being smug to a frown. When she stopped in front of him, she pushed her right hand forward. "I am Zeya Elith." She tilted her head up, hoping to control the situation.

Xavius took her hand in his, a firm handshake. One where a person strangely feels they can rely on A handshake full of confidence as opposed to his physique. He quickly put his hand back and smirked. His eyes are firmly on her. "I was wondering if you have the decency to know how to dress properly."

"What? Excuse me?" Zeya was baffled after listening to his misogynistic comment and sharply replied. "It looks like you have everything figured out for you. I was hoping you might need assistance with homework and the syllabus, but no, you think you are smart enough to tackle this school. Go ahead. If you are lucky enough, you will find your head tasting the sewage water of Eve."

Xavius did nothing. He morphed his face into that of someone finding peace, and his eyes conveyed pity. Adoration? How can that happen? A small smile adorns his lips.

Zeya was breathing hard, her chest puffing in and out. His eyes went from her face to her chest. A sudden expression of disgust filled his face, and he sneered at her. "If you don't have anything to do apart from mocking me, then please clear the way."

"I am mocking you! You were the one who chose to comment on my dressing sense when you don't even know me? Anger palpable, Zeya turned and stomped her way into the cafeteria.

Xavius spoke just enough so that only she could hear, "We have a year, after all."

"That judgemental jackass." She sat with her friends and started eating her lunch.

"So you have finally met Mr. Rude." Beth drawled.

Zeya shot her eyes at Beth and asked the silent question who.

Emily piped in and grinned. "Xavius."

"More like a potty mouth," Zeya added and went on to proceed with the debacle they called Xavius.

Zeya was at home reading when she decided to look up his name on social media. She found nothing. There were very different people coming up who did not even look close to him. Is he the only one with such looks? How strange. She thought back to the past encounter with Xavius in the hallways, and for sure, she knew, almost, that she saw the normal icy silvers melting into puddles when his gaze was directed at her chest.

She got red, her whole body warming up, imagining the scenarios and what could have happened if they were the only ones in the hallway. Or in the bedroom. She decided it was enough, for the time being, to accompany her in her fantasies.