That Day On The Beach

Surprises

The next day at school, Asher stuck with me like we were glued together.

Despite my constant protests he wouldn't go away. I could guess whom he was looking out for as he searched right and left with his eyes, every time we turned a corner. Infact, I'd looked out for the same person the first minute I had parked my car.

But Noah Steele was nowhere to be seen.

Asher walked me to my first class, and stopped outside the door, tugging at my hand before I could stomp right into the classroom in an irritated mood.

"What now?," I demanded as I turned to face him. He was really tall than me, that made it quite difficult for me to look intimidating.

He just looked at me like a tired, concerned parent.

"Stop giving me that look! Don't you have class now?," I looked past him for a second. Sure enough, we were everyone's object of attention by now. Some of Asher's friends stood a few feet away from us, having no idea what they should do.

"Yes, I do," he grunted. "Will you please listen to me this once? Please?"

I raised an eyebrow, questioningly.

"Wait for me after class, please," he requested expectantly.

"No way!," I hissed. I just wasn't gonna tolerate him babysitting me just because of the arrival of a new student, who was apparently not even present that day.

The second bell rang.

"Go to your class Asher. I can take care of myself!" I told him before turning away. From the corner of my eye, I thought I saw his right hand lifting up to reach for me, and stopping midway, unsure.

------*------*------

I didn't look at anyone as I walked to my desk at the back of the class because I was sure that they had seen me with Asher in the corridor. I was not in the mood to meet any curious glances.

Instead I kept my eyes fixed intently on the books in my hand, rearranging them again and again as I walked.

There were three columns of two-seater desks in the classroom, and mine was the last one in the right column, adjacent to a window. Like the first period, I usually sat alone in most of the classes, which was of great comfort to me. I had all the space to myself and could read novels under the desk when I got bored. It also made difficult for people to stare at me from the front of the class.

I was not at all paying attention to my feet and in the process I tripped over something on the floor and almost fell on my desk.

A very strange thing happened at that moment.

My books had all fallen under the desk, and as I supported my body with both hands on my seat, it was as if my sixth sense told me not to look up.
'Do not look up, whatever happens please just don't ' a voice whispered in my mind.

I tried not to, but after I'd picked up my books, my eyes shifted automatically to the seat beside mine, towards the window.

A pair of warm golden-brown eyes looked down at me. The owner of those eyes, ofcourse, was the person whom Asher has been searching for. Whom I had been searching for.

He was wearing a thin, turtle-neck sea green sweater that totally fitted his body and the muscles on his arms. A black leather jacket was draped over the back of his chair. His denim jeans were ripped in several places.

"Good morning, Rachel Carnell." He greeted with a smile, as if we were old buddies.

"Good morning Noah." I mumbled, unsure if he could even hear my suddenly faint voice.