Rosaline Wood (A Violet Eden Follow-on Reboot)

Chapter Seven: Alec

On Monday, I had myself convinced that Hell itself had risen up and relocated itself in my school. Firstly, Cam was only in the building long enough to unpack her bag before she was sent back home. It had been a really weird experience. We'd met each other at lockers like we did every other day of the week. She'd been looking absolutely normal until she gave me her customary 'Yay you managed to drag yourself to school again. Three Cheers!' hug. As she touched me I heard a little gasp escape from her lips and she quickly pulled away before ever completing the gesture. I caught sight of her face as she backed off a little; pale and tense.

    "Are you okay, Cam?" I asked. A shaky smile plastered itself on and she shook her head as if laughing at herself.

    "Yeah," her voice cracked a little, "Just a sudden headache." I took her in in a long hard stare.

    "You don't look so good," I commented expecting an immediate rebuttal, "You should go home." I was met with a few moments before my friend answered.

    "Okay," she agreed taking me by surprise as she turned back to her locker and spun the dial to unlock it. This would have had to have been the only day in the history of the world that my strange little friend had missed even five minutes of school. To add to that I had a Methods test which I hadn't known about or studied for so I was sure I had failed. How was I going to explain that to my parents? And then there was the thirdly. Oh, yes. As if I hadn't been fantasising about him enough, he was here. In the flesh. And no, I don't mean Santa. The angel wiping memory guy was at my school. Yep. This was Hell incarnate. If he had of been waiting at my house; not so creepy. I get a whole variety of weirdos turning up at home, mostly because of my parents. But my school? That was just plain stalkerish. School was meant to be safe! I caught sight of him at the lockers, just standing around looking all casual and as if he fitted in. Immediately, I decided it was best to avoid him by any means possible. I thought I had done a very efficient job of it. That was until lunch came around.

I was walking to the library when I felt a presence behind me before someone rested their hand on my shoulder. I could feel his muscled stomach and chest leaning against my back. The hairs rose on my neck and my arms.

    "You have been avoiding me," he whispered softly in my ear, "Why?" He sounded genuinely hurt. I froze. I swear my eyes were bulging out of my head. Heck, I was screwed. So. Totally. Screwed. Slowly he turned me around to face him. I gazed up at his melted chocolate eyes and sandy blonde hair. The cute dimple his mouth made when he smiled . . . Wait! Why was he smiling? And why was I thinking about this? I could almost hear Cam screaming at me, 'YOU SAID NO BOYS!'

    "Do you not like me?" he was definitely grinning now. My heart was racing so fast I was sure I was only seconds away from a serious heart attack.

    "What do you want with me?" I squeaked. My mind flashed back to the curious scene this morning with my friend.

    "Have you done something Cameron?" I accused. A look of momentary confusion passed over his strong features and then he made the connection.

    "Cameron? The friend of yours with the red hair?" he informed me, "I have not done anything other than what you already know. She is fine. I took the liberty of checking on her this morning. She is confused but stable and wholly intact." He cleared his throat, "As for what I want from you, you will have to use your imagination." Amusement stirred in his eyes and I was drowned in the chocolate. I couldn't fight the blush that had flooded my face. Was he joking? Oh God. I hoped he was joking.

    "What . . . who are you?" I managed to choke.

    "Alec," he grinned, seeming quite satisfied with the effect his words had had on me, "I am Alec. And I am neither angel nor human."