Touch of Darkness

Chapter 2: Another Day

When I get home I immediately throw my backpack into a corner of my room and fall onto the bed. It's only the first day of school but I'm already feeling anxious. It's not the classes that have me worried, though. This whole day, even though I tried to tell myself it's nothing, my mind keeps searching for why Zedd seems familiar. There's something about him that draws me to him yet keeps me away.

    I prop myself up and look out my window just in time to see Elijah return from school. A car pulls up to my house just as he is walking up to his. My mom steps out and exchanges brief greetings with Elijah, but she ends this just as quickly and goes into our house. Elijah begins to walk back towards his house, but stops after a few steps and turns to look up in the direction of my room. I give him a small wave but he doesn't seem to notice it and disappears to his house. I give a small sigh and head downstairs where my mom has just finished putting her things on the dining table.

    "Hi mom," I said, getting her attention.

She turns around to look at me and smiles, "Hi sweetie, how was your first day back?"

"Same as any other first day," I decide not to talk about Zedd, mostly because I just want the thought of him out of my head, "I have a lot of classes with the neighbor kids."

I can sense a small pause in my mother's words as she speaks, "Oh that's nice. I did run into Elijah just now too."

"Yeah, I talk to him occasionally, but I don't think any of us will really be friends."

"That's a shame, but it's a part of growing up I suppose. And who knows, maybe it's for the best that you all went your separate ways," She starts to head upstairs, "I'm a bit tired so I'm going to rest. You can take care of dinner right?"

I nod and watch her leave. I glance over at the family pictures hanging on the nearby wall. In all of them, there is only me, mom, and either one or both of my grandparents. My father is nowhere to be found. As far as I've been told, he passed away in an accident when I was a toddler. When I asked about the pictures, mom said it made her too upset to see my father. That must be a lie, though.

I go up to the study and pick a particular leather bound book. Inside the cover is a picture of the man that I believe to be my father. Seeing his face doesn't trigger any memories at all, but I found this when I was going through mom's things as a child before, so this must be him. I'm not sure why he is being hidden, but I've saved this one at least. When I close my eyes, I can picture what he might've been like.

After returning the picture and book, I go back to my room and busy myself with social media and whatever few homework assignments I have. I take a break to make a quick pasta dish for dinner, and go to bed after a short shower. Tonight, much to my relief, there is no dream or nightmare.

The next day I return to school earlier than I did yesterday. The moment I step into my first class, I strengthen my resolve and take my same seat. Zedd is already there in the same place he sat...or, I thought he was, but he has moved one seat forward, and is closer than he was before. Nevertheless, I'm not going to let him break my concentration. Elijah comes in soon after, and when I look at him I see him take a quick glance at Zedd and then at me. He gives me his same kind smile that makes me think nothing is wrong.

"Morning," He says.

I return his smile, "Good morning."

"Not tired today?"

"No, I actually managed to sleep well for once."

At that moment I hear a clatter. When I turn around I see Zedd picking up a pen he'd dropped. He looks up at me and smiles.