Sweet talk with a hint of sin..
"One more year." I said to my reflection. "You can do this." I adjust my glasses and start heading back to the crowded halls of my new highschool, Northwest Senior High.
I pull out my recently printed schedule from my pocket and examine it for what seems like the 100th time. I had to go to Room 5002 for first block. Looking around I spot the classroom to my left and notice it reads, 'Room 1000'. Oh fuck me.
I walk out of the building, my pace quickening at every step. The last thing I wanted was to be late and have everyone stare at me.
"3005.. 3040.. 3068.." I curse under my breath. I'm still in the wrong building.
As I continue walking I finally see the 4000s Rooms, but my happiness is short lived when I hear the dreaded final bell ring. I was officially late.
"400- 5000!" I basically started sprinting in joy when I spotted just two rooms over my first block.
As I go to open the door I notice a girl sitting on the floor, right beneath the lockers. She is smoking a cigarette, brown hair hiding her face. I continue to look at her, class not being so important anymore. She notices my stare, California eyes staring deep into my green ones. Her face.. it was breathtaking. I open my mouth, ready to say something, anything- I just had to talk to her, but before I could she got up and walked out the hallway doors and disappeared.
—•—
The whole day passed in a blur. As I suspected the entire class stared at me in first block when I walked in, but I didn't care anymore. All I could think about was that girl.
"She's a distraction," I thought to myself during lunch as I sat alone in the only deserted place I could find. "Nothing good will come of it."
When the final block of the day came I walked in a normal pace, having a better understanding to where each building was.
Room 3017
I walk in expecting only a few people since the bell had rang a minute or so ago. What I didn't expect what the girl I had seen earlier sitting in the far back, eyes fixed on a book. I decide to not creepily look at her like I had done earlier and instead sit three rows away from her.
Soon enough 20 or so kids filled the empty desks. The photography teacher introduces himself as Mr. Oliver and tells us why he chose to become a photography teacher. He then proceeded to do what many kids, including myself, hate most on the first day.
"I will point at each one of you and you will stand, introduce yourself in any which way you want your classmates to remember you, and then state what type of photography you're interested in." A chorus of groans follow just after he finished saying it.
"You!"
My eyes widen and I began to internally panic. Of course I would be first, I'm the new guy.
"Um.." I cough, adjusting my glasses, and stand up, trying to look as confident as I can. "I'm Zachary Lloyd, but I prefer to be called Zac, I'm interested in portraits. I find them unique in the sense that you can find out a lot about a person if you look closely."
Satisfied with my answer Mr. Oliver moves on to the next victim. I don't pay attention to their answers. I'm only waiting to hear one.
Hers is last. I can't help but to turn around to face her. She doesn't meet my eyes like before in the hallways but I'm glad, I don't want her to catch me watching her intensely.
"Rose Andrews." She pauses for a few seconds, eyebrows furrowed as she's thinking of what to say. "I don't believe in love." She goes to sit down, but quickly gets back up. "Sorry Mr. Oliver, but I'm not a fan of photography, only took it for the credit." Rose sits down, leaving the whole classroom silent and in a trance. She looks down as if trying to avoid all the eyes that are fixed on her.
I turn towards Mr. Oliver as he begins to speak.
"Very well.. alrighty! Now let's-" Mr. Oliver gets cut off by the bell. He sighs and does a dismissing hand motion.
All the students hurry out of the classroom, but I wait, not wanting to be pushed and shoved around. I get ready to finally leave and I'm almost out of the classroom until I hear her, Rose, talking to me.
"Zachary don't." Her tone is deadly, no kindness behind it. It was almost emotionless.
It was a warning to not fall for her.
I laugh and look at the back end of the classroom where she stood. She looked surprised and I liked to be believe slightly intrigued.
"I won't."
With that I tightened the grip on my backpack and head out of the classroom. I don't look back at her reaction but at that moment I decided to forget her pretty face. I had to focus on what's important: my secret life.
