Safe (Rewritten)

Demons

"I wanna hide the truth, 

I wanna shelter you." 

- Imagine Dragons, 

Demons

I squeeze my fists tightly and press them into my closed eyes.

My heart's beating fast, like rabbit. I feel sick. Maybe I should have stayed home this morning. Then, I would have never seen the girl with her emotionless eyes. I would have never felt so seen.

It's five minutes until the bell when I finally drag myself out of the bathroom stall and to my first hour English class. I only see a few people in the halls, and each one of them turns away when I pass. Go me, forever the pariah.

My teacher watches me as I make my way to my reserved seat by the window. Mrs. Leonard is my favorite teacher, and the only one who's even attempted conversation with me. She complimented me on a paper I'd written, then asked where I'd gotten my idea. I just stared at her.

The bell rings, and she nods to herself. For a moment, I think I see a slight roll to her eyes, but I must have been mistaken. After taking roll and putting everything away, she stands up.

Mrs. Leonard is a more laid back teacher, with her dark hair tied back in a ponytail, her sweaters, and her jeans. I admire the fact that she just doesn't care.

She picks up a marker and starts writing the objective of the day on the white board. We're all so busy getting ready for the day that the door opening nearly frightens us.

It's a guy, our age, and he is. . . I can't describe it. He reminds me of someone, though I can't quite figure out who. His hair is black and slightly spiked in the front. He's tall, kind of lanky, but with bits of muscles here and there. I could easily respond like the girls around me (gasping and immediately attempting a cool stance) if only I could place him.

Mrs. Leonard looks over and sighs. "You're late, Mr. Adams."

Then, it hits me. Eric Adams. I'm sure I look like a deer in headlights right now.

This is the boy with the soft eyes, asking about the bruise on my wrist. He's the one who made me question whether or not I was happy. He's the one who Lucas thought I was cheating with.

Today is not my day.

The Adams' moved away a few weeks after Ally's fifteenth birthday party, which means Eric has no idea what's happened to me. Just like everyone else, but he doesn't know about the rumors.

I knew they'd be coming back, because Ally told me about how her dad had to do a two year internship in Europe. Maybe I was just thinking they wouldn't move back here, that they'd pick somewhere new to live.

But that's obviously not the case.

I look up to see Eric walking towards my seat.

Oh God, oh God, oh God. No no no no no. Take your pretty self somewhere else because you're just going to make conversation and I won't return it. Shoo, Eric, shoo.

Of course, he just keeps coming. Eric settles in the seat beside my own. I swear, my heart is going to implode.

Mrs. Leonard goes back to what she was doing, yet everyone is still discreetly checking him out. They're also whispering, wondering why such an attractive guy is sitting beside me, the plague.

"Hey, Paige," he smiles, "How are you?"

Answer, Paige. I scream in my head. I unstick my tongue from the roof of my mouth, and just when I'm about to respond, someone speaks from beside him.