The Awakening

Chapter 5

The next day I woke up sore. It felt like I had done a million sit ups the day before. I momentarily wondered why I felt like that, and then gruesomely remembered about Leo...

"Gooooood morning, sunshine." My mom smoothes my hair down, or attempts to any ways.

"Hi..." I say, forgetting about Leo. I would've cried had I kept thinking about it.

"I'm making biscuits, so get up," She winked and left me to my thoughts.

I sighed. I had to go to school. I had Leo in my first hour... this wasn't going to go well.

I dressed, ate, got ready, and grabbed my violin before I ran out the door, late for the bus for a second day in a row, yet bus didn't drive off without me. I jumped on, as the bus pulled away on its way to the school. Kaydra waved me over to her seat, so I sat down, nodding a greeting to her, putting my violin case between our legs.

"What's up? You seem nervous..."

This caught me off guard. "Oh," I nervously laugh, "Nothing, just... family issues..." It almost comes out as a question.

"Oh... uhm, I hope everything works out."

I nod, "Thanks..."

We arrived at school and we headed into the commons, looking for Nikki. This time, though, she was there.

She was the same girl that I sat next to in orchestra.

She remembered me, "Oh, hey, I know you from...?"

"Orchestra,"

"Oh, yeah!"

Kaydra spoke again, "Wait... you two already know each other?"

We nodded, "Mhm"

She rolled her eyes, "Well then I don't gotta introduce you two to each other," She sticks her tongue out.

We started talking. Turns out, Nikki likes One Direction like a lot. I think they're good, but I'm no where as dedicated like she is. My laugh faltered when I hear a familiar voice call out. "Ruby!"

"Who's that?" Kaydra smirks to the guy the voice belonged to.

"He's cuteee" Nikki smiles.

I turn around to become face to face with a smiling Leo.

He opens his arms for a hug. When I try to back up, he throws them around me. He held me in his arms delicately, sweetly, almost ... lovingly. Leo can't be lovingly, yet his arms were warm and seemed protective. He smelled like cheap cologne, but I found myself inhaling deeply. When he pulled away I mentally kick myself for enjoying his embrace.

"Hey, how are you?" he asks Nikki and Kaydra.

They hesitate and mumble a simply "Good" and "How about you?"

"I'm great," he turns his attention to me again. "So, for the project in first hour I have the best idea."

"Do you?" I say through gritted teeth.

"Oh, yeah," He looks at Nikki, "She'll love it, won't she?"

Nikki blushed a little, "How am I supposed to know?"

Leo chuckled one last time. "Alright, well I gotta go, see you in first hour, that is if you won't skip."

"Why would I want to skip?" I cross my arms, "If I skipped I wouldn't get to see you,"

He winked, "Mhm," and strolled away.

I whip around, angry for him coming over here.

"Who. Is. That." Kaydra asks with eyes as big as the moon.

"No one, just this guy in my first hour," I shrug, not wanting to talk about him.

"A guy in your first who likes you!" Nikki says.

Kaydra nods, "It's so obvious."

If only they knew. "I don't think I feel the same way about him. Actually, I know I don't feel the same way. I don't really like him--" I stop, giggling at myself.

They stare at me with blank expressions plastered to their faces "he loves you."

I sigh, thanking the five minute bell for ringing, breaking up our little group. Now I had to go to first hour. I could do this. He's not going to get the best of me. I can do this.

I thought my pep talk was working and then I walked into first hour. Leo straightened in his seat and smiled, "I saved your seat,"

I smile, "Thanks, but I'll sit over here until we work on our projects..." I sit in the front next to three pretty girls all engrossed in their conversation.

"Pretend we're friends so I don't have to go sit by Leo." I beg.

They all nod, and proceed in the conversation, even stopping and asking my opinions on things and letting me share stories.

The class started, I looked back at Leo. His cheerful smile had morphed into an evil frown. I turn to face the board, hearing a pencil snap from between his fingers behind me.