Black Wings

Chapter 1: Doors of Hell

The new guy continued to stare at me with his ice blue eyes. At first I'd thought it was the "I Want To Ask You Out" stare, but as my hormone fueled mind calmed, I realized it looked more like the "I'm Going To Murder You In Your Sleep" stare. I tended to get that stare a lot these days, but I wasn't expecting it from the exchange student that moved here just two days ago. I haven't had enough time to piss him off yet.

I stifled my sigh. It was my senior year of high school, and I was running out of time to get a high school sweetheart. All girls were supposed to date someone in high school, right? Get asked out, at least. It's basically a right of passage, but in all my eighteen years, I've never had a boyfriend. Not even a close friend that was a boy. In fact, I seemed to physically repel them away, almost like I was Raid and they were the scuttling insects. The closest I've ever gotten to a boy was when I punched Tommy "Tooth" Brekkar in eighth grade for being mean to some kid. I even thought I was a lesbian at one point, but a few awkward kisses with my now best friend cleared that right up. I was stick straight and very single- hence why I stupidly followed when the new guy walked out of the school cafeteria with his oddly familiar eyes giving me a "come hither" look. Or so I thought. Maybe it was a look of disgust, and I was just in denial.

I admit that following a hot, mysterious stranger out into the deserted school courtyard was a little idiotic on my part, but can you blame a girl for wanting some action? I was on school grounds, too. It's not like he could get violent with the video cameras watching, no matter how stabby his expression was. They didn't really work anymore, but he definitely didn't know that yet.

Now here I was, out in the biting cold weather of December having a staring contest with a boy who looked like he wanted to kill me. Or, maybe he just had a really bad case of resting witch face. I've been told that I had a particularly wicked one, so it's not unlikely that he'd have one too.

I eyed his expression from where he sat across from me. Nope. He definitely didn't like me for some reason. Was he the one I accidentally tripped in my rush to get to second period? Jeez, I hoped not. That would be embarrassing.

After several long, awkward seconds, I decided to initiate conversation. While I didn't mind staring at that scrumptious face, I couldn't wait out here forever. It was freezing cold and sixth period awaited. Plus, I was pretty sure it was socially unacceptable to ogle someone that clearly didn't like you.

"Uhh, hi." Hi? That was the best I could do? Me, the queen of cool, sarcastic remarks? Hi?!

Thankfully, New Guy didn't appear to be phased by my brilliant conversation starter. "Hello, Lilian."

Hearing my name in his accent sent shivers down my spine. He probably heard someone angrily scream it at me in the halls, but it made me feel oddly special that he remembered it. Maybe I'd land a boyfriend before graduation after all. I fought to squash down the rush of tingly pleasure at the thought. I had to play it cool- that's what Kate had whispered to me right before I followed tall, dark, and handsome here.

"Most people call me Lily." No response. His expression didn't even change. "Right. So... this would be the part where you tell me your name."

The silence was deafening. I nearly banged my head on the table when I remembered he was an exchange student. Did he even speak English past the general greeting phases? I barely remembered 'como estas' after taking four years of Spanish.

"Oh my gosh; I'm so sorry. I totally forgot you were from- where were you from again?" Did his stare get meaner, or was I just projecting?

"Um, you no speak English? Where from?" I tried again. I wasn't going to give up on him. He didn't need to speak to me to be an acceptable boyfriend. In fact, I think this was going to be the start of a great relationship. Our language barrier was the perfect solution to my unintentionally caustic personality.