COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 1: Káel (Part 2/2)

          Káel stared at his textbook pretending to read the small section on buoyancy, but his focus was entirely on the exchange student. Sora had left with one of her friends to ask Mr. Sanders a truckload of review questions, leaving him to babysit Ray. That in itself would have been fine, if he hadn't caught the creep staring at him over his odd book every time he looked away.

          He flicked his gaze up again, catching Ray as he quickly looked down, his vacantly friendly gaze pretending to skim the texts of his own book. The silence ensued, Káel slowly turning back to his textbook, and slamming it shut with an audible snap as he felt Ray's gaze upon him again. He smiled at Ray's confusion, gently placing the textbook down and rising to his feet. "I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back."

          A chair screeched as Káel turned away, forcing him to stop and glance at the Russian exchange student closely tailing him.

          "I'll be right back. Can you just watch my textbook?"

          Ray stopped in confusion, looking at the science textbook, then at his own book, secured under his arm like a skateboard. "Read."

          "Pardon?" 

          Káel watched him flip the book open, Ray glancing at the textbook with a serious look. "Read, not watch."

          It took Káel a moment to click in, his irritation melting to disappointment. "No... watch it as in make sure nobody steals it." He waited for even the smallest hint of realisation to flash across Ray's face, sighing when his expression remained rigid. "Could you protect my textbook? I go to washroom." He mimed a watch, smiling at Ray with overblown hospitality. "I come back soon."

          Ray looked at the textbook, grabbing it and tucking it under his arm with a nod.

          Káel couldn't suppress his dead disappointment as Ray continued to follow him, pulling out his phone to text Sora and distract himself from the creepy company. He was in the midst of detailing Ray's affinity for staring at him when there was a tug on his shoulder, dragging him into the shadows of a set of lockers.

          He immediately perked up in surprise, looking around like a startled meercat while firmly cradling his phone, his confusion falling on Ray as he put his finger to his lips with a look befitting an army general. "What?"

          Ray widened his eyes at Káel's matter of fact tone, firmly pressing his finger to his lips as if the effort would emphasize his desires. He pulled Káel behind him, peeking around the corner as he slid the goggles over his eyes with a stern glare.

          Káel sighed, glancing at the empty hallway and folding his phone into his arms. He'd been dragged into some stupid role play again. As he moved to walk away a strange individual strolled around the corner, stopping him in his tracks as he scoured their visible features through the ragged black cloak covering them. They were exceptionally tall, with a male build and a deathly pale complexion. The first thing that drew him was their hooked nose sticking out of their face like a beacon, then the sharp and almost malnourished cheeks that hid in the hood of the stranger's cloak, casting a shadow over its dark eyes that scanned the hall.

          "Hey! I'll need some ID," a booming voice called, ripping Káel's attention from the stranger to their burly principal as he stomped towards the trespasser. Káel could never tell if the guy was permanently mad, or if his skin was in a natural state of lobster pink sunburn. Nonetheless, his presence was enough to frighten the stranger, who quickly stole away around the corner with the principal in hot pursuit.