Ocean Eyes *Permanently On Hold*

two: with friends like these

"STOP!"

The voice ripped through the palpable silence of the hallway.

Alyssa froze, the blade clattering to the floor. Kaylee got up and sprinted away. Cheryl squeaked and let go of me. I sat up, choking and coughing up blood, feeling sick to the stomach.

Everyone parted to make way for the owner of the voice, who had evidently decided to see what was going on.

He was dark-haired, tall and athletic, about my age. A few girls giggled and whispered excitedly as he passed them.

A few strands of his hair were falling into his chocolate-brown eyes. He brushed them away impatiently, eliciting more giggles from the girls. "Stop," he repeated, softer this time, but with a steely undertone.

Cheryl had turned a vivid shade of scarlet. "Adam? Adam... I... she... you know..."

"I don't care, Cheryl. Apologise." The boy folded his arms.

"I... she...she..." Cheryl quivered, her blush intensifying. Fat tears had started to roll down her cheeks. "She..."

"Has blue eyes," the boy continued for her. "Nothing wrong with that, is there? Apologise." The final word reverberated around the hallway, echoing off the walls.

"Fine. I'm doing this for you. No one else. Not even you," she replied, looking straight at me. She took a shaky breath. "Sorry, slit-eyes," she hissed.

"I don't think that's her name," the boy warned, his gaze hardening.

"I'm sorry, Serena." Cheryl looked like she wanted nothing better than to dig my eyes out there and then.

"Yes, yes, I forgive you," I said hurriedly, not wanting to get into any more trouble than I already was.

The crowd started to disperse, muttering amongst themselves. Cheryl gave me a scathing look and kicked me in the ribs when the boy wasn't looking.

"I hope that hurt," she snarled. "Slit-eyes," she added as an afterthought.

I glared back at her. "Asshole."

Two minutes later, the hallway was completely deserted, apart from a few people lingering around the lockers giving me weird looks, my saviour and me.

"Thanks." I said quietly, congealed blood still sticking to my face. "Hella brave of you to stick up for me like that."

He smiled sheepishly, his eyes lighting up. "Any time, uh... what's your name?"

"Serena Lee Aiting. Serena'll do," I introduced myself.

"Adam Young. Call me Adam." He extended his hand. We shook, blood squelching between our hands.

Adam didn't seem to care. He carelessly wiped his hands off on his shirt. "You really do have pretty eyes."

"Yeah, yeah, they're blue and all that. Just - just try not to mention them, okay?" I said.

Adam looked hurt. "They're beautiful. I'm serious. They remind me of the sea."

The sea. That was the first time anyone had complimented me on my eyes.

I smiled. "Um... thanks, I guess."

What he didn't know couldn't hurt him.