Starting Over Anderson || ✔

Eleven: Collide

My jaw literally hits the floor when I see the boy that the teacher brings in to homeroom.

He's none other than Noah I met in the party on Saturday.

I stop myself from screaming, though I'm not sure it's from delight or fear. Had he always known that I go to Islewick? Is this what he had meant in his parting words that night?

He sees me almost immediately and it only takes him ten big strides to reach my table, due to the fact that I'm sitting up front. I curse, hoping to delay our meeting, but looks like the odds aren't n my favor. He settles himself in the seat next to mine, which originally belongs to Alec Jacobson. He's absent today, but Noah doesn't know that.

"Hello, Maxson." The only emotion I can detect on him is recognition.

"Noah," I nod.

He gives a smug smile, shocking me a little with the sudden expression. "I had a feeling we'd meet again."

I shrug, feigning nonchalance. It's easier theoretically, because my insides are in turmoil.

"You're doubting my motives?"

My eyes widen. How'd he guess?

"I assure you, it's purely coincidental. I don't know you're studying here."

"Okay," is my response. I don't let my guard down. It's not hard to identify people of my own kind. The aura he's radiating speaks of danger. He must be involved with a gang of some sort, especially with his lack of expression. It's hardly normal.

"Where's your boyfriend?" he continues, making small talk. Like always, his voice is full of curiosity - not.

It takes a moment for it to click that he's talking about Chris. "He's in college." I don't even bother to correct him.

"Ah, dating a college guy. How old is he?"

"Nineteen," I answer curtly as the bell rings, signaling the end of the period.

Apparently, Noah's in all of my classes, which earns a groan. He shadows me everywhere, and this starts rumors about the pretty new girl in Islewick dating the hot new guy. It's the first thing my friends hurtle at me when I reach our usual table in the cafeteria, with Noah right on my heels. I don't even need to invite him before he drags a chair from another table and settles beside me.

Katherina and Erin waggle their eyebrows. I glare at them. "This is Noah, and no, he's not my boyfriend."

"Aw, shame," Katherina puckers her lips. I barely flicker her a look of annoyance.

Emily grins at that. "So that means Noah is still available?"

"Please don't tell me you're interested," her cousin makes a face.

"S'none of your business Em," she scoffs in a fake Southern drawl. "You won't tell on me if I do find myself a boy, would you?"

Embry holds up his hand in surrender. If there's anyone the big bad captain of the football team is afraid of, it's Emily. And Katherina, but mostly Emily.

"Guys, Noah is right here," I mutter. I glance at him and see that his face is as passive as ever. He reminds me of Aaron on a job, or when he's meeting clients. It's the same mask he uses, the robot face.

To my relief, everyone else soon starts diving into topic of their own. I don't talk, only listen to the conversation going on around me while stuffing my face with food. Noah doesn't join in either, but I know he's paying as much attention as I am. People like us prefer people watching. It's fascinating the things you can learn from other people through their body language and the way they talk. Erin is expertly animated, using her limbs to make her words come alive; Katherina is a little less enthusiastic, but it's easy to see how passionate she is with the school play when the conversation steer towards that direction. Embry, on the other hand, automatically tunes out of that topic, but he's trying to stay focused for his girlfriend's sake. He's inching towards Isaac, Jake and Josh, who are having a heated argument about last night's match between two neighboring schools. Emily and Harry, on the other hand, are debating on how best to decorate the gym for the upcoming tennis match. It's easy to see why Harry's the student president. Even though Emily is shooting every one of his ideas down, he accepts it with a nod and a polite smile and listens to her suggestions instead. She's a tough person, Emily is. She's a commander, born to rule over others. Through some intense observation, I have found out that Emily is a little bitter towards Harry, because she had also ran for the president position, but Harry had won over her and two others. Giselle is listening to them patiently, occasionally throwing in ideas of her own. As stubborn as she is, Emily actually thinks over Giselle's opinions. I guess even she couldn't ignore the thoughts of a great artist.