Echoes of Chaos [CIC book 1]

chapter five

Chapter 5:
Derek.

It was a typical Wednesday morning, and as usual, I was trying to make myself as invisible as possible. Walking through the crowded school hallway felt like navigating a minefield, careful to avoid eye contact or any potential confrontations. I kept my head down, my arms wrapped tightly around my books as I hurried to my next class. If I could just blend into the background, I might make it through the day without anyone noticing me.

But of course, that was never how things worked out.

I turned the corner too quickly, not paying attention, and slammed right into someone. My books slipped from my arms, tumbling to the ground with a loud thud. I stumbled back, my heart leaping into my throat as I looked up to see who I had just collided with.

It was a boy. Tall, broad-shouldered, with buzz cut dark hair. He looked surprised but not annoyed. For a moment, I panicked, expecting him to sneer or make some sarcastic remark like everyone else did whenever I messed up. But instead, he crouched down and started gathering my books from the floor.

“Sorry about that,” he said, his voice calm and steady.

I blinked, not quite sure what to say. I had braced myself for laughter or insults, but there was none of that. Just... help.

“I... uh, no, it’s my fault,” I mumbled, quickly bending down to grab my notebook. I could feel my face heating up, embarrassment swirling inside me. Why was it that every time I tried to stay out of the way, I ended up doing something clumsy?

He handed me the last of my books, his fingers brushing against mine for just a second. “No harm done,” he said with a small smile. “I’m Derek, by the way. New here.”

New. That explained why I hadn’t seen him before. I stood there awkwardly, clutching my books to my chest as I tried to find words that wouldn’t make me sound completely strange.

“Kamsi,” I finally said, barely above a whisper.

“Kamsi,” he repeated, as if testing out the name. He smiled again, and for some reason, that simple gesture made me feel more uncomfortable than all the teasing I’d endured from my classmates over the years. I wasn’t used to people smiling at me. Not like that.

“Well, nice to meet you, Kamsi,” he said, glancing down the hall. “See you around?”

I nodded, too flustered to respond properly. He gave me a quick wave before walking away, leaving me standing there in the hallway, clutching my books and feeling more confused than ever.