Fatal Attractions

Chapter Three

     "Yeah, but her pool is bigger. It'd make more sense to have the party at her house."

     "Well, duh, but McKenzie lives right down the street from Jacob."

     "That's true. Do you think he has a girlfriend?" I rolled my eyes as I listened to two senior girls sitting at a lunch table behind me. I poked a plastic fork at dry macaroni and cheese and let out a slow sigh. I've lived here for two months and still couldn't stand the people here.

     From the corner of my eye, I saw someone who looked familiar. My gaze shifted and landed on a tall slender man with shaggy, dark auburn hair and smoldering green eyes. I sunk down into my seat and tried to keep hidden.

     I started noticing the man a couple of weeks ago, and continued spotting him all over. Every time I went to my next class, he was there. When I parked my car, he was there. During lunch, he was there. Even when I was heading to take a bathroom break during class, I'd see him. I almost felt compelled to say he was stalking me. 

     That was crazy, though. I was still the new girl, he probably didn't even know I existed.

     "Hey, Lena!" a voice called. My head jerked up to see Lindsey, a student I actually tolerated and considered a friend, barreling through the sea of students and towards me. I smirked and gave her a small wave.

     "Hey," I mumbled. She took a seat next to me.

     "Can you believe this is the last day? Like, ever?" she asked, dropping her backpack down on the lunch table and turning towards me in her chair.

     "Definitely, and I'm so relieved," I said, scooping a forkful of macaroni and cheese into my mouth. She chuckled and began pulling her dirty blonde hair into a ponytail.

     "Oh, you're always so negative. This is the beginning of our futures! We have so much ahead of us," she said, her blue eyes shining.

     "I guess." I shrugged my shoulders, my eyes flicking back to the mystery man in the corner of the lunchroom.

     "Lindsey," I started, looking at her. She raised her eyebrows. "Yeah?"

     "Who is that?" I nodded my head in the mans direction. Lindsey turned her head in the direction and looked back at me.

     "Who?" she asked, confused. I looked back to point him out to her, but he was gone. My mouth opened slightly for a moment, then I closed it, turning back to her.

     "Never mind." I looked down at the table top. Of course he would disappear right when I needed him to be visible. Lindsey stared at me for a second before smiling again.

     "So what are you doing after school?" she asked.

     "Picking up my little sister," I shoveled more macaroni and cheese into my mouth, hoping that if she saw I was busy eating, she would stop asking so many questions.

     "Can't your mom do that? Or your brother?"

     Apparently I was wrong. I shook my head slowly before swallowing.

     "Today's my turn to pick her up," I answered, looking at her.

     "Oh." Lindsey's nonstop questions stopped and she fell silent, her eyes drifting over to a clock hanging high up on the wall.

     "Shoot!" she cried, grabbing at her backpack. "I'm gonna' be late to Spanish!"

     She held her backpack to her chest and gave me a swift one-armed hug before bolting between scattered chairs and students.

     "I'll see you later Lena!" she called, disappearing into the main hallway. I slid back down in my chair, glancing at the clock myself. Five minutes until gym class. I wasn't in the best shape, but I wasn't in the worst shape, either. I just didn't like having to do things with people I barely knew, especially hands-on physical activities.

     An exhausted groan escaped me as I stood up, grabbing my backpack from the back of my chair. When my hand came in contact with nothing but cool metal, I got struck with confusion. Looking down, I saw my backpack wasn't on the chair. Shit. Lindsey must've accidentally grabbed my backpack along with hers. I'll have to get it back from her later.

     I pushed that thought to the side and made my way out of the cafeteria and towards the gymnasium. My phone suddenly rang and I stuffed my hand in my back pocket, swiftly answering it.

     "Hello?"

     "Lena, could you do me a big favor and pick up some dinner on the way home?" I let out an annoyed sigh and rubbed my forehead.

     "Why can't Josh do it? I'm picking up Ally after school already," I replied, making a turn in the hallway.

     "I can't get a hold of him, he's probably in the middle of class," she said, and I heard a sudden clatter in the background followed by a muffled cuss word.

     "So you decided to call me? What if I was in the middle of class?"

     "Well, you're clearly not. And if you are, I'm very ashamed of you for answering your cell phone in the middle of class. You should know better, Helena," she said, and I grumbled something under my breath I hoped she didn't hear.

     "Whatever, I guess I have no choice. What should I pick up?" I asked.

     "Anything, doesn't matter. As long as it feeds everyone," she answered, and I heard another clatter. I furrowed my eyebrows as I came up to the double doors to the gymnasium and pushed one open.

     "Alright, I'll see what I can do," I said, walking through the gym and making my way towards the locker room, my shoes squeaking on the floor.

     "Thanks hun, you're a lifesaver," she said, and hung up.

     "Love you too," I mumbled sarcastically and stuffed my phone into my back pocket. I pushed open the door to the girls' locker room and didn't bother looking up before making my way towards my locker in the back row. None of the girls in my gym class even knew my name. I didn't bother acknowledging them if they weren't going to acknowledge me back.

     I quickly changed into the schools mandatory black shorts and white tshirt for gym, then made my way back out to the gymnasium where everyone was either warming up or talking.

     "Alright, you guys!" the gym teacher, Mr. Folk, yelled out, gaining everyone's attention. "Front and center. As you guys know, today is the last day of school, and therefore, the last day of gym class. I know you guys will miss me oh so much," he said, getting busts of loud laughter out of everyone. I stood with my arms cross and just listened. 

     "Alright, alright, settle down. Since today is the last day, I'll go easy on you guys and give you today off." The room suddenly filled with loud cheering and talking.

     "Quiet, quiet! You can talk and hang out until the end of the period, but if things get too crazy, you'll all be running laps," he yelled and made his way back into his office. Everyone else formed back into their groups of friends and the gym filled up with mindless chatter once again. I took this chance to do what I usually do during warm ups.

     Standing against the wall, I slid down to the floor and opened up my drawing pad. There was still a sketch or two I could finish before the end of the period. I began sketching and the chattering in the background slowly faded away. When I drew, it was just me and my drawings, nothing else. 

     It felt like a good hour had passed before I finally finished my drawing. I stared at it, smiling. It always felt good to finish a sketch. I flipped through my sketches before finding another one that was unfinished. This one should give me something to do before the end of the period.

     Once again, I took my coal pencil and started lightly dragging it around the paper.

     "Hello, there," I heard a voice say, and I jerked my head up to see who it was.

     My breath caught in my throat when my eyes locked onto a pair of smoldering green ones.