Soulless

Chapter Eight

It has been a week since Landon told me his story which also meant that today - Monday - Stacy was back at school. Great, just great.

Steph and I walked theough the gates and immediately I spotted Landon leaning against his cars' hood. He waved at us and I smiled in aknowedgement. He left his car and walked over to us. "Hey" he said. "Hey" i replied.

I looked over to Steph but she wasn't there. "Landon, where's Steph?" I asked.

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow, "She told you she was going to the library like thirty seconds ago." Huh. I don't ecen remember her talking to me. I'm just so anxious with Stacy coming back and waiting to see Landon reaction to her. I know for a fact that as soon as she lays eyes on him that she'll flirt. She does that with every atractive guy that comes to our school, and well, Landon must be the most attractive guy ever.

"What's wrong Haze?" he asks placing a hand on my shoulder. Maybe everything would be okay? I guess i'll find out soon enough, we have first period together. "Nothing, come on we should get to class, don't want to be late." I rush off to class.

When we get to History, only a few other kids were there. Afterall, we were ten minutes early. "Why are we here early?" he says sitting down in the seat next to me.

"Because we are. You can leave if you want." I snap. I'm being a bitch, and he's done nothing to deserve it. "Sorry."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

We sit in silence until you know who turns up. As soon as she walks though the door, her eyes settle instantly on Landon. She smiles and walks over to us. She stops in front of Landons' table, "Is she annoying you?" she gives me a pointed look.

"Why would Hazel be annoying me?" Landon asks innocently. She snorts, "Because, she's a freak."

"No she isn't."

By now the rest of he class has arrive and what a shock, they're all staring. "Ah, yes she is. Did she use voodoo to brainwash you? Or is it sympathy? Pity?"

"Maybe because I like her, what ever your name is." he says hitting her in the most delicate area. Her reputation.

Stacy gasps, "Stacy. My name is Stacy. How have you not heard of me?"

"Well Stacy, I'd appreciate if you go and sit down and get out of mine and my friends' faces." He waves at her, sending her stomping away leaving Landon triumphant and me shocked.

He turns to me, "Now I know whats wrong." He turns back and the lesson starts, he says nothing more.

Why would he stick up for me? The only other person that does is Steph. Usually though, it's me they target. This time round, I was at a loss for words. I can be smart mouthed and quick witted most of the time, but I couldn't spit out one word. I just watched in awe.

Knowing Stacy, this isn't over. She keep coming and coming and won't stop. But with Landon here, she might back off a bit.

"What do you mean she backed off?" Steph gasped. We were at lunch, so we were sitting underneath the tree.

"I mean exactly that Steph. One second she's being her normal self and the next Landon shuts her down and she walked off." I was filling her in on what happened.

Stephs' eyes pop wide open so I smile at her. But she is looking over my head, not a me. I spin around on my chair. He's walking over to us taking long strides. He glares intensly at me and I can't but to blush. He has skinny black jeans on and a black plain t-shirt. Oh, and his shoes are - suprise, suprise - black.

The muscles in his bicep pop up as he runs a hand through his blonde hair, ruffling it up. He never takes his eyes off me.

He sits down next to me on the table and is about to say something before Steph jumps in, "You sir, are my hero," Landon looks confused so I fill him in what I told Steph a few moments ago.

He smiles, and it's contagious because I find myself smiling too. Though, i'm smiling at him. Steph has the goofiest smile plastered on her face too. I take the risk of looking over at Stacy's table. She and Cleo are staring at us. "Well, somebody had to put her in her place." Landon says.

Steph plunges into the story two weeks ago in English. Landons' face pales and he tenses up, "Landon, what's wrong?" I ask placing my hard on his forearm. He looks at me with his beautiful green eyes, full with anger and sadness. Why would the be sad? Great. He pitys me.

He puts his hand over mine and shakes his hand, "Nothing, I just remembered something but it's not important." He smiles, although it doesn't reach his eyes.

Landon gives me a ride home everyday. Even though I politely declined a few times, he didn't want me to walk. Steph usually comes with us but she is starting to date some guy called Marc so she gets lifts with him.

We wore on our way home on Thursay. We wore sitting in silence and Steph was off with Marc. "Why do you let Stacy walk over you?" he suddenly asks.

"I don't, she just seems to always one up me." I answer back.

I do fight back. Every single time. But she's just better at ruining people's life than I am.

"Okay, but why don't you ever do anything to her? Why wait forbher to come to you?"

"Because, I don't want to initiate something I can't finish." I look down and play with my hands. He probably thinks i'm weak or scared of Stacy.

"I know you'll be able to do it. You're too strong and beautiful not to be able to." He says. I blush, did he really just say that? To me?

"Landon, why do you like me for?" He looks at me confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why are you nice to me for?"

We pull up at my house ht we both know i'm not going anywhere until I get an answer. He turns to face me and I do the same, not wanting to seem rude.

"You're not like any other girl that i've met. You don't throw yourself at me like they all do," I snort at that. Modest much. But he is handsome and he knows it. He just laughs, "I'm serious. I've gotten like fifty numbers since coming a week ago, even girls that have boyfriends.

"You treat me as if i'm not good looking and you're not intimidated by the way that I look. You're beautiful but no-one at school sees it. You've got a rare beauty on the inside as well as the outside."

I blush, like really blush. I wouldn't be suprised if my whole body was red. "And you're cute when you blush." He laughs. It's not like I can blush even more. I sit there and stare at him. His - lets call it caramel - messy hair and gorgeous green eyes that remind me of grass. Grass really Hazel? Or emralds, I mean whatever. His skin is tanned making his hair stand out even more. His muscles threaten to pop out of his shirt. I know he is hiding a hot body under there.

His lips are slightly parted and all I want to do is crush mine against them. "What's my score?" he asks bringing me back. "What score?" I ask, confused.

"You were checking me out, Haze. I saw it," he winked, "So? What is it?"

10, 10, no wait, 100.

Shut up brain. I smile sweetly at him, "About a six." His smile drops instantly and he grabs my wrist, "A six?" I nod, "A goddamned six?" I nod again and laugh.

That was pricless. His face, just oh my gosh. "Well i'm going to go now, bye Lanny!"

I grab the door handle, "Lanny?" he asks. I nod, "You call me Haze, so I thought i'd give you a nickname." He scrunches his face at me, "Keep working on it?" I ask.

He nods. With that, I get out of the car and walk into my house counting the hours until I get to see him again.

A/N: Thanks for reading guys!

-B x