The Boy With Kaleidoscope Eyes

Chapter 2

Sunday; 4:36 pm

The boy. That absolutely perfect boy. I want to know who he is. I want to know everything about him.

I think about him from my favorite spot, the highest branch on the shortest tree in the woods. The locals know of this area as the grove. But I wouldn't call it that. There are only seventeen trees, all spread at least ten feet from the others. I come here when I need to escape. Only my dad and brother know this place.

I think about his sandy brown hair. His light but sun-kissed skin. The proud smile he wears, white teeth and all. I can't forget my favorite part of him... those eyes.

I'm deep in some made-up story about the boy. In my head, his name is something cute but very white-boyish. Austin, maybe? Or Dylan.

My thought is broken by a loud "DING" on my phone. The way I'm balanced on the branch I should be grateful that my ringer didn't scare me more and cause me to plummet 20 feet to my death. I pull my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans to check what's going on. I never get messages from anyone but my dad.

It's a snapchat... I've been added by 'con <3'.

I bet this is him.

I got a message.

I lean over the branch to see the boy with kaleidoscope eyes. I don't know why this scared me so bad but I jumped and nearly fell off the branch for the second time today.

"Sh*t!" I yell as I lean down and wrap my arms around the branch to prevent certain death.

"Sorry!" he laughs out loud. "How did you get up there?"

"I just climbed," I said. "Years of practice."

I jumped down one branch at a time before I hit the ground.

"So... Con." I smiled.

"That's my name," he says with a wink. "Connor. Connor McKinley." he extends his hand and I shake it.

"How'd you find me?"

"You have your location on in Snapchat. You should turn that off. There are creepy people out there who might see where you are and stalk you, you know?"

"Like you?" I laugh before climbing back up the tree, Connor following. He's not quite as fast as me.

"Wow! This is beautiful!" He says when we get to my branch. "I bet you and your friends hang out here all the time."

"Friends. What friends?" I say under my breath.

I used to have friends. Poor judgment and a group of assholes ruined that. But I'd rather not think about it.

"Hey," he says softly with a hand on my shoulder. "You've got me now."

For a brief moment, I just look into his eyes. The outside is blue, fading into green and right around the pupils are a ring of gold.

Con jumps down the way I did before.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"I gotta get home," he says. His actions scream that he is in a rush, but his words are as calm as the motionless leaves of the surrounding trees.

"Goodbye, Camille," he waves.

"Goodbye, Connor," I reply, confused.

I watch him leave. He's a strange one. A mystery. He's different than the regular guys here.

"See you at school tomorrow!" he calls from the grove's opening, right between our houses.

"See ya'" I call back, before jumping down and heading home myself.