Remember this Face, Baby.

FIRST PERIOD

I glanced at the clock, for what seemed the hundredth time in the last hour. I refrained from letting out a loud sigh and looked up at the front. The teacher paced back and forth, explaining the last two short stories we had read only minutes ago. She had specifically said we needed to write everything down, because of the unit test next week. I glanced down at my notebook and smiled. The only thing written on the paper, was the title and the date at the corner. A small flower was drawn at the bottom right corner of the page and a vine around the edges. That would be the only thing I'd be doing until class ended.

I didn't think I could write, because of how anxious I was. I couldn't stay still and my hands seemed to want to fly everywhere. I kept them in my lap and every few minutes, they'd twitch. I wondered if anyone had noticed my hand having mini-seizures, but by the looks of it, majority of the class was either writing down what the teacher was saying or zoning out. There was no time in taking any note in the outcast.

When I glanced back at the clock, it was already time to go. I gathered my books and pulled them against my chest, pushing my chair back just as the bell rang. I stood up quickly and filed into the line scurrying towards the door. Once I stepped into the hallway, I searched the crowds of students coming from class and going to their lockers. Everytime I spotted someone with dark hair, my heart would skip a beat and I'd wait to see their face. I always resulted feeling disappointed and after the twentieth person, I gave up my search and headed for my locker.

I spotted Kayla amongst the large group of people, laughing and mingling. As though she had sensed me watching her, she glanced in my direction. I glanced at her with a blank expression, then looked away and walked towards the locker. I turned the combination and pulled it opened, placing my belongings inside and clutched my books for my next class. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my scratched cell-phone, seeing an unread message.

we need to talk pronto. this isn't working out.

I didn't dare look at the rest of Kayla's message and shut the phone. What wasn't working? Our friendship? Was that it? Or was it me? Was I just not making things work? I knew it was me destroying everything good left around me, but I didn't want to admit it and I wouldn't take the truth. I wasn't going to send a text message back, because what would I say? It would be exactly the same things I had been saying for the past two years. I would change, and I would do this and that. I didn't want this anymore.

I walked into my classroom a few seconds after the bell. The teacher sent me a soft smile, which I returned and I retreated to the back of the class, where my seat was located. I placed my books on the desk and sat down. I opened my textbook and my notebook, before I slouched over my stuff and paid attention to the lesson already starting at the front. A few late students raced into class and sat down, sending an apology to the teacher, before she returned to teaching.

"It'll be a work period today. Next week, you'll be writing a unit test about everything you've learned for the past month. What I'm passing around now is the review. If you have paid attention and written all the notes for this unit, you won't have to look any further than your notes. If you study, you will pass the test, no doubt about it. If you refuse to the study, then good luck," the teacher said, loudly, walking up and down the aisles, handing out the review.

"Wait - what if you don't have all the notes?" a blond teenager asked, loudly, who was seated at the front. The teacher rolled her eyes and walked towards his desk, patting his shoulder.

"Then you're going to fail this test," the teacher claimed, and a chorus of laughter followed after. The teacher chuckled and shook her head, "Whatever notes you don't have, ask one of your peers. I'm sure they'll lend you a hand."

"Alright! Yo, Lisa. Can you lend me a hand?" the boy asked, wiggling his eyebrows, suggestively at a red-headed girl sitting at the front corner of the classroom. She rolled her emerald eyes, but nodded nonetheless, and waved a hand towards her. He grabbed his chair, his binder and walked towards her, dumping all his belongings onto her neatly organized desk. She sighed, heavily and ran her fingers through her thick hair, ignoring the smirk working onto his cheeks.

"What don't you have you?" she asked, gently.

"Everything," he chuckled.

"Oh Jesus," she mumbled and again, sighed, before grabbing the review and starting to work on it.

Turning my attention back to my review, I grabbed my pen and began writing down a few things for the questions I knew. Just as I was writing an answer for question five, I felt my phone vibrate against my thigh. Jumping slightly, I reached into my pocket and discreetly pulled my phone out, looking down at the unfamiliar number.

meet me outside.

I arched an eyebrow and wondered if it was David. He was the only other person who still had my number on his phone. I only knew this fact because he had told me a few months back and always seemed to send me a message when he went to house parties and got drunk. But the number wasn't his and it wasn't Kayla's either.

uhm. whose number is this? do i know you?

I placed my cell on my lap and continued working on the review. The number was unfamiliar to me and if I didn't know it, there was no point in caring. I reached for my textbook and placed it over my binder, flipping threw some pages looking for one of the questions. I glanced down at my cell, and sighed when I didn't recieve an answer. Slipping it back into my pocket, I went back to working.

It had been twenty minutes and I was half-way through my review. The blond was still working with the red-head, and I could see everytime she looked up at him, she wanted to strangle him. The only thing he was interested in was trying to flirt with her and to say the least, he was failing miserably. Anytime he'd ask her on a date, she'd refuse. Even though it might've been the twentieth rejection, he continued on persisting, until she finally gave up and agreed on a date for saturday, after she finished work. After his triumph, he started on the review.

"Uhm, Karissa, is it?" it was a nervous voice that made me turn away from the two up at the front and turn my attention to a small girl with lots of acne covering her face and green glasses. Her face was framed by extremely curly blonde locks pulled into a ponytail and today's outfit, consisted of a bright green tee shirt, a denim skirt with yellow and black striped tights. Her style was always a mix of different colours and she seemed to be really artsy, but I wondered why she had to show her uniqueness so much.

When she began talking to me, I noticed a brown spot embedded in her braces. I wanted to say something, as I stared at it, but I glanced up quickly and refused embarrass her like that. Instead, I listened to her and tried keeping my eyes on hers. "Well. I don't have question, uhm, five to ten. I was just wondering, uhm, if you have the answers?" she asked, shyly, before she blushed and looked away.

"Yeah, I do. Here," I replied, and handed her the review.

"Thank you. I'll be done in a second," she said, softly and smiled.

"Take your time," I said, gently and leaned back against my chair, giving thanks she took the review off my hands for a few minutes. I glanced at the girl again, I think was named Lilianne and noted she was writing, quickly. I was going to tell her I was in no rush to continue the review, when I recieved another text message. I reached into my pocket and glanced at the number, again. It was the same one from before and when I opened the message, my heart nearly stopped.

it's deryk. come outside, pls?

I nearly dropped my phone, as I stared at the name. How had he gotten my number? I didn't remember giving him my number when I had last saw him two weeks ago. I might have been under the influence of drugs, but I remembered every single thing that had happened that day and I knew it was because Deryk was there. If it had been any other person, I'm sure I wouldn't have given a damn.

ok. where are you?

I glanced up at the front, where my teacher was seated at her desk. She'd look down at a few papers, before turning to the computer and examining the screen. I kept my hands in my lap, hoping that would ease the sudden nervous tremors that ran through my body. I looked at the clock and wondered what was taking him so long to reply. It only been a few minutes since I had last sent him a message and he hadn't returned one. Again, I jumped and instantly, I glanced down at my phone and opened the message.

front doors. i'll be waiting just outside.

I sent a quick reply and my hand shot up in the air. I waited a few minutes, until the teacher glanced at me and smiled, gently. "Yes, Karissa," she demanded, and turned her body to face the rest of the classroom.

"Can I go to the bathroom?" I asked, quickly. Once she nodded, I stood up from my chair, tucking my cellphone into my pocket. I opened the door and stepped into the empty corrirdor, shutting it behind me. I looked down the opposite direction I was heading and felt slightly guilty for lying to the teacher. Students did this all the time to meet with their boyfriends or friends, but well, I didn't have any of those, now did I? I never had found a point to leave class, unless if I needed to use the bathroom.

Today was different.

Quickly, I made my towards the front doors, but just as I started reaching for the doors, I stopped. My hands instantly flew up to flatten any hairs that might have thought it funny to stick up. I ran my hands down my cheeks, incase I had any tooth paste living on them and once my personal inspection was complete, I pushed the doors opened and shivered, as a gust of wind circled me.

When I stepped outside and saw no one, I wondered if I was at the front doors in the first place. I glanced up and saw in big letters, the name of the school and I realized this was the front of the school. Deryk wasn't here and I was wondering if it was actually him who had sent me a message in the first place. I didn't understand why he would waste his time on me and for all I knew, he had already been told all about me. He probably already knew I was the school slut and the knock-up.

I wanted to run home and hold my daughter close to me, while I cried, but I didn't want to feel weak anymore. I hugged myself, tightly and rolled my tired eyes, turning on my heel to grab the front door. Just as I wrapped my hand around the handle, I heard my name and I felt my heart leap. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Deryk leaning against the staircase railing, watching me, intently.

As always, he was beautiful. Everytime I laid my eyes on him, I was always shocked at his immense beauty and all I wanted to do was bath in his glory. He smiled, softly and walked up the stairs, gracefully. When he reached me, I recieved of waft of vanilla and Axe, and I felt myself lean into him, slightly. I didn't want to speak, because I knew my tongue wouldn't work properly and everything would come out in a slurred jumble. Even moving sounded like a bad idea. My legs felt like jello and even though I wanted to touch him, I kept my hands to myself.

"How are you?" he asked me, gently. His tone surprised me, because he didn't look like the kind of person who spoke with such softness to a person, even if it was a girl. He looked aggressive and rough, like someone who took control and didn't give a damn who he hurt. With that impression in mind, it didn't bother me and I didn't fear him like I probably should have. It only intrigued me more and I wanted to know more about him.

"I - I've been alright. Thank you for asking," I said, nervously and ran my tongue along my dry lips. Then I added, stiffly, "So, uhm, how have you been? I haven't seen you around, lately."

"Right. Well, I've been alright, if that summarizes it. I've been busy," he stated, simply and turned to stare at something on the road.

"Oh, well that's good," I said, ackwardly and bit on my bottom lip. I glanced down at my dirty shoes and tried restraining the shiver that wanted to run down my body. I felt the goosebumps prickle my skin, before I saw them and a chuckle made me look up. Deryk smirked, playfully and shrugged out of his jacket. I watched his every movement, as he swung the jacket around my shoulders and hugged it around my body. He pulled me closer towards him and looked down at me, keeping that devilish grin on his face.

"Come on a walk with me?" he asked, softly and nodded towards the stairs.

"I - uhm, I don't know if I should. I asked to go to the bathroom and my teacher's probably expecting me back soon," I tried to keep my tongue from knotting, because I could already see myself acting like a complete fool. He was so close, that everytime he breathed, I could feel it on my face.

"If that's what you wish," he replied, with a half-smile and let go of his hold on his jacket. Then, he turned on his heel and jogged down the stairs, leaving me behind like he had two weeks ago.

"You're leaving, just like you did two weeks ago!" I called after him, and quickly, I covered my mouth. He stopped just before he hit the last step and looked over his shoulder, with a grin from ear to ear.

"You have to go to class, don't you? I wouldn't want to keep you away from your studies," I couldn't help but notice the hint of mockery in his tone. I narrowed my eyes, as I stared at him.

"Don't you have class?" I asked, with much more confident than I had expected.

"I chose not to go," he answered and turned back to continue to where ever he was going.

"Where are you going?" I called, running down the staircase and stupidly, my right foot caught with the back of my ankle. I shrieked, as I started tumbling to the ground and it wasn't the pain that would come after my lovely fall that worried me. It was the embarrassment and humilation of falling in front of Deryk that worried me to no end as I fell.

Thankfully, before I actually hit the ground, an arm wrapped itself around my waist and a hand clutched my forearm, pulling me up. I sighed, loudly and placed my hands on a hard surface, steadying myself before I stepped back. When I looked up, Deryk's face was above mine and I was utterly close. He didn't seem to mind, because his face stayed blank and composed, but I'm sure my face was blazing. "You're a clutz, you know that?" he mumbled.

"I've been told," I whispered. He smiled and slowly; cautiously, he reached up towards my face and brushed a strand of hair from my eyes. I felt my hand reach up towards his and run my fingertips along his palm, and the satiny feel of his skin made butterflies flutter inside my stomach. There was a faint sign of a smile on his lips, as I continued to touch his hand and I wondered if he was amused by the expression of fascination on my face.

By the time I realized what I was doing, my other hand had somehow reached his lips and I was mid-touch, when I pulled away quickly. My eyes widened, and I dropped my hands against my side, stiffly. I didn't want to admit I could still feel his fingers on my cheeks and how his skin felt on my fingertips. A smile touched his lips and he ran his fingers threw his hair, tilting his head to the side. When his eyes reached my face, I quickly avoided eye-contact and tried to stop blushing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, oh my God, I didn't mean to do that," I said, quickly and it didn't matter that I was already knocking words together. I had already made a fool of myself. I began walking around him and jogging up the stairs, hoping to get away from him. I didn't want to be in his presence anymore because of how stupid I felt.

"Karissa, where are you going? Please, don't leave," he said, quickly, turning on his heel to look at me, but I shook my head and opened the door. I flew threw it and sprinted to my locker, shaking my head.

I wasn't going to fall for the prince again.