Timeless Bliss

Don't be Frightened

School on Monday was hardly bareable. By then everybody was gawking at me, having heard the news. Rumors were saying I'd gotten plastic surgery. Idiots.

My last period of the day was without Kyle, Andy, or even Gabby. Luckily, she'd remained faithful, not asking a single question about my random transformation. And the more time passed since Garnet had pushed me, the more eye-catching I became. It was how I'd always wished to look, and there I was, looking like it. And to be truthful, I loved it.

Looking through the shelves in the library, I mumbled profanities under my breath. I was looking up medieval weaponry for my history class. Gag me.

I'd noticed a tall man lurking around me throughout the day, but I chose to ignore him, hoping he was just one of my secret admirers. When he approached me, I knew that wasn't the case.

"Bliss Elizabeth Turnor?" He asked firmly, as if he already knew that's who I was. I nodded slightly, resisting the urge to will him to leave me alone. He hadn't done anything to me. Yet.

"Good. I've been watching you. You're so strangely beautiful. Unlike anybody I've ever met in my life." He told me, breaching my comfort zone. I took a step back, hitting the bookshelf behind me. I was trapped.

"Who are you?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I am nobody, and yet, I am everybody." He answered cryptically, running his fingers over the worn books above my head. His fingers trailed down, and came to rest by my collarbone, right above my heart.

"You're frightened." He observed.

"Of course." I sniffed. "I don't know you, and here you are touching me."

"You may not know me yet. But you will."

"No, I don't think I want to." I felt my voice growing higher, and realized I was the only one in the library, besides the stranger.

"Go ahead." He murmured. "Nobody will hear you."

"I'll hurt you." I glared, teeth clenched.

"Of course you will." He cooed, cupping my cheek, running his thumb over it.

"I w-" I was cut off when his lips came crashing down on mine.

I struggled uselessly against him, realizing he must have been more than human. He was too heavy for me to lift, so I tried to get into his mind. Blank.

I was about to give up when I had an idea. My hand reached tentatively around his waist to the hem of his shirt. He made a sound of approval in the back of his throat and I nearly retched.

I quickly pulled his shirt up and pressed my hand to his bare skin, trying to get him off. He collapsed to the ground, twitching in pain. Of course it wall all in his mind.

Skin-to-skin contact had been lost, so I ran as quickly as possible into the hallway. Somehow I had missed the bell, and kids were rushing around, trying to get to the parking lot and their lockers. I ran as fast as I could through the halls to my locker, tears forcing their way through my eyes. The moment I came in eye contact with Kyle his face dropped.

"We have to find Andy. Go to the car." He pressed the keys into my hand, hugging me around the waist momentarily. I nodded, still not able to speak. Running down the hall, I passed Gabby who made a confused face. I just held up my keys and kept going. I had to get out.

"That wasn't very nice." The man stepped out from behind the stairwell door. The deserted stairwell that nobody liked to use because it was too far away from everything.

"Of course it wasn't. I can do it again." I snapped, pushing my mind for Kyle.

"Not this time, sugar." He grinned wickedly, just as Kyle and Andy came crashing through the door.

"Get your hands off her." Kyle growled, Andy pulling me back to his side.

"Why should I? She's so beautiful." He shot a glassy stare at me, his eyes becoming a brighter green.

"Shut up!" I glared, and Andy shushed me quietly.

"You'll never get her." Kyle stepped forward, and Andy pulled me back a step. Gaining slow distance.

"We can't leave Kyle." I whispered, and Andy frowned.

"He'll be fine. I promise."

"Okay." I whispered, and we bolted up the stairs and out into the sunshine, at a dead sprint to the car. I glanced behind me to see Kyle close behind, the strange man nowhere in sight.

Once inside the car, Kyle revved the engine, gunning it out into the parking lot. But he turned the opposite way from the house, onto the highway.

"Where are we going?" I asked, buckling up.

"Our safe house. We have two." I nodded, accepting his answer for the time being.