[ The Watcher ]

The watcher chapter 15-16

Chapter 15

I sat frozen. The jig was up. So much for flying below the radar. By one of them, the boy had surely meant "total impostor." Or "geek loser," maybe. Either way, it was only a matter of time before my identity as Drew the Dork was uncovered.

Here goes. "One of what?" Taking in a steadying breath, I looked up.

A surprisingly kind face met mine. He was also startlingly attractive. If I imagined a Japanese pop star, it'd be this guy. His features were chiseled and almost perfectly proportionate. His black hair was artfully tousled by a cut that I'd wager had cost him a bundle. A pair of black eyes and furrowed black brows seemed concerned with my response.

"One of them."

As if on cue, a girl's voice trilled from behind us, "What is phena . . . phenoh . . . phenomenals, anyway?"

Then I actually giggled.

Heat immediately flamed my cheeks. What am I doing? I put on my nonchalant, I-don't-care-about-you face. "Oh, them. No, definitely not."

There. Conversation concluded. I looked back down, getting ready to write my name very carefully in the top corner of my notebook.

Only he spoke again. "My name's Yasuo."

Social niceties didn't come easily to me. I could reel off the name of every American president, in chronological order, but, believe it or not, an ordinary exchange like this required my concentration. "I'm Drew," I said stiffly.

I felt Lilac enter the room. I looked up and there she was, the whole tall, honeyed length of her. I was in her sights, and she was slinking right toward me. I numbed myself, readying for the inevitable barb.

Shuffling his feet under his chair, Yasuo leaned, elbows forward, on his desk. Was he trying to look cool? Did he read the malice in von Slutling's eyes? Because here was his moment to throw me on the fire.

"Hey, Charity." She raked her eyes over Yasuo. "How cute. I see you made a little friend."

She'd lobbed him a softball. All he needed to do was sacrifice me and he'd earn the mother lode of popular points. I braced for it.

But Yasuo didn't say anything. It amazed me. He didn't smile, didn't look at her, didn't acknowledge Lilac in the slightest.

She gave a lilting laugh that made my flesh crawl. "Oh, that's right. The only way a boy will deal with you is if he doesn't speak English."

Yasuo sneered. "I'm from L.A., girl." He turned to me and said in a stage whisper, "That's so cool they mainstream the special kids here."

I bit my cheek to keep a laugh from exploding out. My shredded faith in humanity was momentarily restored.

Lilac narrowed her eyes. "Whatever."

She swung away from us, and I had to duck to avoid getting clipped by her bag. It appeared our Lilac had a thing for wielding her accessories as weapons.

Yasuo and I cut looks over our shoulders, watching as she found a seat. Something had opened up in the back row. Go figure.

Yasuo turned back around, slouching over his desk. "Does she not get that I'm gonna be a vampire?"

I laughed at the joke, but it made me wonder about all the nascent hierarchies. If Watchers answered to vampires, and these boys were training to become them, what did that say about gender relations on our little isle?

"So, what'd you do to get queenie all riled up, anyway?" he asked.

"I was born." Our gazes connected. His eyes were twinkly and dark, and I let myself smile.