Until I Met You (on hold)

Chapter 3. Surprise!

"Ah, Mr Blake Taylor, yes?" Mr Leroux asked

"Yup," he answered simply handing him a piece of paper.

"Okay, wonderful, I thought there was supposed to be a new student in class today" he replied warmly, giving back the piece of paper. "You can take a seat beside Ms Roux over there," he said pointing with his hand to one of the many vacant seats in the room. Taylor obliged, folding up the piece of paper in his hands, as another wave of whispers engulfed the room yet again. "Who is he?" "Is he single" "Look at his eyes" "Dibs" were the few whispers, but not really whispered, comments that circled the room, as he walks my way. He sat down and put his bag on the floor after he took out a copy and a pen. He was prepared.

"So, where was I?" Mr Leroux asked rhetorically and it was in that moment that I forgot about the new mysterious student who arrived, with his striking blue eyes and prayed. With honesty and conviction, I prayed to God that I wouldn't have to stand up and say my quote, however small it was, in exchange for good behaviour and repentance for all my wrong doings. But, in spite of that, however, "Ah, yes, Emilia, could you please say your quote during the summer" He said turning around and waited.

"Well, uh, sir, as I was saying before, I'd completely forgotten-"

"Yes, yes of course" he replied simply putting one hand up signalling for me to wait as he picked up a pen and started scribbling on a piece of paper. I looked at Scott and Bree who had both been looking back.

'Help' I whispered with worry and panic written across my face.

'Sorry' was all they mouthed back and a sympathetic shrug. What else could they do but offer moral support.

"Here you go," Mr Leroux exclaimed as he walked towards my desk handing me a piece of paper. "I've written it down for you" He explained kindly, with a warm-hearted smile. He knew I didn't like speaking in class anymore and I knew he was trying to encourage me, but all it was doing was the complete opposite. I looked down at the piece of paper and it was exactly what he explained it was. His handwriting was elegantly written in cursor with a black pen, almost written in a 'Snell roundhead' style. Beautiful penmanship, I thought.

"Uh, ok," I replied knowing there was no other way to get out of it. It wasn't the act of speaking I was afraid of but it was what I was saying. This quote explained my realisation during the summer of an unknown tranquillity I found within myself. I had time to reflect upon the events of the previous school year, how many things I had lost and the valuable things I gained, like losing Adrian to his grief and anger, but gaining clarity on who my real friends were. Which I was definitely not going to reveal in front of a class that was dominated with Adrian Supporters.

"Silence isn't empty, It's full of answers. by Unknown" I said finally

"What a beautiful quote, in just seven words," he said after a moment as he fidgets with his pen. "Would you mind telling us why you chose this quote this summer Emilia?"

"Well, sir, um... I was once afraid of the silence when I was in its presence, it scared me and I'd shy away from it. But, I guess I just had a lot of time to think during the summer, which is, not unusual." I explain and as instantly as I had explained it I knew I would regret it.

As soon as I had stopped speaking a familiar voiceless atmosphere fell onto the slightly chilly classroom.

"Loner" someone sang from the other end of the class effectively breaking the silence, Followed by the unstifled howls of laughter from insensitive hyenas. Which was my cue to sit down.

"Weirdo Loner" Christy shouts continuing the insults as she laughs with her group. She was joined by 2 more boys from Football which probably heightened her confidence if it could go any higher.

"Okay now class," Mr Leroux, shouted yet again trying to get the class under control "Settle down now" He said walking back to the front of the class as he held both arms out by his sides and moved them up and down, as if he were patting a little boy/girl on the head. Indicating the class to pipe down.

I felt my face go warm as I put my head down on my desk and allowed my hair to fall around me as my arms acted as a cushion to break the fall. I could feel the tears coming as it stung my nose, but I willed them away. I wouldn't let them break me like they did before. Not again. I felt the shame of being me again and thoughts of worthlessness flooded back, it was all too familiar. I wanted to be sucked into a hole and not heard from again. I could hear their laughter continue and Mr Leroux's determination to quiet them. I was still holding the piece of paper Mr Leroux had given me as I felt a hand on my back in consolidation.

"Thanks, Scott" I responded to the gesture

"Just ignore them" he says, but it's an unfamiliar voice. A deeper, yet warmer voice spoke. I spring upright on my seat and turn to my right with surprise to where the new boy sat. The boy was more handsome than I thought. I hadn't bothered to inspect his features from afar but, now, when he sat so close staring at me with those big hazel eyes and unusually long lashes, I couldn't help but notice him and stare back. "Don't show them they're affecting you" he says as his dark thick eyebrows furrowed together indicating that he was either worried, or angry. He looked kind of sad. Almost looking out of place, like he held more years than the rest of us. More mature with his defined jaw line and creases on his face showing that he may hold more worry and anger and have more problems than the rest of us.

He put his hand down as silence started to fill the room and the expression on his face left like it was never there. Mr Leroux moved on to a new topic explaining the new curriculum and what he expected from the class. But as he droned on, I found my thoughts wandering back to the new boy that sat next to me. Consolidating me. Essentially a stranger. And when I thought of him I would catch myself and bring my attention back to the class but it always ended up back to him. I look over to his side as he scribbles down notes of what the teacher was saying and found that he was unfazed by our little interaction. I found that I was more unsettled than he was.

Nevertheless, my thoughts went back Bree and her calling dibs. Yes, it's juvenile but I don't care, she's my friend and God knows I'm short in that department. Anyway, I cannot think about someone else right now, especially someone from this school. I was going to leave it behind after graduating. But I couldn't help think back to those beautiful eyes and the almost sad looking expression on his face, filled with so much empathy.

But, I swear I will not speak to him again, not if I can help it. I can't risk developing a relationship with him knowing Bree had his eye on him first. It was only fair since she saw him first. I will never think of him in that way again, see him in any other way but as friends and only speak to him when spoken to out of curtesy . A strictly plutonic relationship.

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A/N

Hey hey, lovely people!! Thanks again for reading this, but I've a request, would anyone like to send me suggestions of who I should cast as Adrian and Blake?? I know Ive cast Blake already, but I'm just really not feeling him... haha anyway, thats all thanks again for reading and I'll see you soon!!

Warning: There are curse words in future chapters.. :)