Serenading Sirens

The name still didn't make sense, but I automatically knew whom it was. Well, I had a one-in-four chance to be right. Of course it was one of the boys that had filled my day. My lips moved with profanities while I sat in the uncomfortable chair. Hadley repeatedly asked what was going on. It was going to end in an outburst from me if I didn't answer within seconds. But I just couldn't stop staring blankly at the screen.

"One of them has my screen name," I finally replied in a whisper to Hadley. It was impossible to get my voice any higher. This was still a shock.

I knew it shouldn't be.

Before it even occurred to me, there were already words in response. They asked who it was, so at least functions did what I wanted them to. My best friend may have been silent on the other end of the phone. Or I may have been too focused to realize if she was speaking or not. She was surely going to be angry with me after all the events of the day were finally over.

"Jeez, we have a heart-to-heart today and you don't even realize it's your BFF," the other person mocked hurt through the text.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, I could hear Hadley asking what was wrong again. "I'm on the phone with my best friend right now. So shut up, Zack," I teased. I didn't let my conscience rest at how at ease I felt now. He was probably going to argue the best friend thing further, but I diverted the subject by asking the most obvious question: how he'd gotten my screen name.

Expectations were mostly of witty remarks. He and Hadley both had that in common, I had noticed right away. But instead, he signed off, avoiding the question all together. That was the theory I was going to stick to anyway. I interrupted Hadley's inquiries to ask her what else it could possibly mean.

She scoffed before giving me feedback that was not at all helpful. "I don't know."

Now I felt bad. There weren't any distractions keeping me interested from feeling it now. All that was left was an annoyed girl that I had to deal with. I had already predicted it. But now I didn't have time to fix it.

"Call me tomorrow if you're not busy," she said during my thoughts. "Bye."

My mouth immediately opened to give a goodbye but the line was already dead. I said it aloud regardless, staring at the lifeless phone. After pressing the off button, I tossed it on the desk with little care what happened to it in result.

The bed beckoned me back, telling me that it was finally a perfectly acceptable hour to sleep. I glanced at the clock as I crawled across the comforter and through sheets. The time was understandable for someone in their seventies, but I had little care as my eyelids blocked out the neon light.

I was out within minutes.

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The morning brought little relief. I begged for more sleep, not wanting to face what lay ahead of me. Realizing it did no good since I was the one who woke myself every morning, I threw the covers off. The cold hit me like needles, but I trudged on to the bathroom. I was ready in record time; all in hopes of a worse look being the key to getting left alone. My hair wasn't washed and thrown up into a messy ponytail. I hadn't even used a brush or mirror as was usual. My makeup was also minimal to keep everything simple.

Breakfast wasn't a priority due to me already running late because of reluctance. Instead of my empty stomach being on my mind, I thought about my stubbornness all the way to school. I knew that I was breaking down. Denying it had done absolutely nothing. But I was still coming up with ways to get out of the spotlight. I knew for a fact that my look of the day wasn't going to do anything to save me from Alex. My hopes had worn down the moment I walked out the front door.

As slowly as I could possibly manage, I got out of the car and walked through the parking lot. I was dreading my first class. The twenty minutes between now and then was hardly enough time. This was like an imminent speech, one you've known about for weeks. No matter how long you put it off and how much more time you're given, it's still going to be waiting for you. More time wasn't going to make these four boys disappear.

I stopped at my locker to get the books that I would need before lunch. I threw my bag in after getting my favorite red hoodie from it. As my hand reached to close the door, someone else was already doing it. When I looked up, I met those chocolate eyes again. I let out a sigh and leaned against the row of lockers.

"Nice hoodie," Alex pointed out. "I have the same one." He extended a bended arm, probably hoping I would hook mine with it.

I walked forward, ignoring it. I wasn't going to give into something like that this quickly.

Alex followed me, not even stopping at the door to my homeroom. "Shouldn't you get going?" I inquired as he sat on the desktop of where I sat.

He shrugged. "I have Nelson. I'll tell him I was there and he'll believe me. Dementia," he laughed as he twirled his finger around his head.

I knew he was right, so I couldn't stop the chuckle that bubbled up from my throat. It didn't really matter to me that this pleased him. He was winning anyway. "You don't think my homeroom teacher will care?" I asked instead of bothering with my thoughts.

He slipped off the desk and took the seat in front of me. "You worry too much, Clarke. Have you not noticed by now how much of a sweet talker I am?" He laughed and wiped fake dirt off his shoulder to show how smooth he was.

I shook my head. I knew very well how much of a sweet talker he was. He had already won my attention over, hadn't he? Maybe he had realized and that was the exact reason he asked.

Melting into my seat, I stared at the side of his face rather than the TV for the announcements. It was weird of me, but I couldn't help myself. He obviously hadn't spent much time studying me, but I wanted to memorize him to simply know. His dark brown hair, the way he dressed, the chocolate eyes that spent a lot of time on pretty girls. Except with me.

My questions seemed infinite today. Another one came to my lips before I could stop it. "Why me?" I inquired, sitting back up with curiosity.

"Huh?" Alex turned to me, one eyebrow cocked. I had caught him off guard.

"Why me?" I asked again. "There's an entire freshman class full of pretty girls that you haven't hit up yet. And I'm sure you haven't even finished with the sophomore through senior class. Why are you… pursuing me," I was hesitant with the word, "when there are so many pretty -even beautiful- girls?" This question had to be obvious to him. If it wasn't, had he even really looked at me?

He clucked his tongue but kept a grin on his face. "Clarke, Clarke, Clarke. You are beautiful."

The bell rang at that moment. Alex stood and offered his hand to me. I didn't take it. I stood by myself and headed out the door. I walked right by our first period, heading for the bathroom. He really had a way of sending me into a frenzy.

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"Where's Clarke?" Rian asked as I sat down. "It's only the second day of school. She's not one to miss this early," he pointed out.

I nodded, "I know." I was still wondering myself where she had gone. "I sat in her homeroom. And when the bell rang, she took off," I told both him and Jack. I didn't find it important to mention the one part question and answer session.

Jack's eyes widened. "What'd you do, man?" he questioned frantically.

"Nothing!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands up. "I told her she was pretty, which she is. How awful of me," I complained sarcastically.

Both of my friends rolled their eyes. I would have noticed if I hadn't been watching the door intently. She had to come in; any second now.

Rian took me by the shoulders suddenly, shaking me until I looked at him. "Don't you think that would have been a little bit of a shock to her? A girl that doesn't talk to anyone in her high school. Of course no one has ever told her that, Alex. Even if she definitely deserves to hear it," he stated. He shook me once more for emphasis.

This had never occurred to me. And now that I thought about it, she had probably never told herself she was pretty, either. My thoughts were a contradiction to hers. "We need to change that," I whispered as I thought more. That's why she hadn't figured out my plan until I told her. She just didn't see herself for what she was.

"Alex, as your best friend," Jack started, bringing my attention back to them, "I have to say that I don't think that's going to happen. It certainly won't be easy." He was shaking his head.

He was probably right. Clarke had been trying to fight me off since the very beginning. But she was softening; finally talking to me was the biggest clue. Even if I couldn't reach my original goal, I was determined to make her see that she was as good, if not better than, every other girl in this town.

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I skipped English. It was out of my nature to skip a single class, and especially just because of a few words. But Alex put my mind on overdrive once again and I needed the time to think it over. It was hard to fathom how he thought that I was beautiful. He was unquestionably unique for this.

Jack was waiting for me in Calculus, leaving his friend in the back to sit in the front. They still held a conversation across the room as I walked slowly to take my seat. He acknowledged me with a small smile, still talking. I figured this would be the only time he would bother to recognize me, just like the day before. But once the prior talking had ceased, he turned in his seat to face me.

"There you are," he said, almost in relief. "I was all in a panic that Alex had caused you to run away permanently."

I would have laughed if the cause were different. I was still confused though. He was very close to the truth. "Almost," I admitted aloud. "I kind of figured that that might be getting a little rash." I tried to play it off like it was no big deal with a shrug.

Jack shook his head. "Do you want me to keep him away during lunch?" he questioned. He ran a hand through his hair, like he was truly stressed about it.

I sighed, "No." As I said it, I knew I meant it. There was no point in trying to keep him away. I had already thought about this on the way to school. Nothing could hold Alex Gaskarth back. "Don't worry about it, Jack. I'll recover," I reassured him.

He nodded this time, his eyes brightening slightly. I could tell that there was something he wanted to say, but he kept it to himself. My natural ability to never pry about anything kept me from asking what it was.

We both looked forward, prepared for the unnecessary lesson.

I found myself thinking about how I would miss the absence of any of them after this and before lunch. So Alex had pointed out false information about me. It really didn't matter to me now. I was beginning to enjoy the company they provided. Just another part of giving in, I figured. In the back of my mind, though, I could hear Zack's words.

We're friends.

Gaining four was just too many at once. I was definitely going to have to prevent this. It was just temporary of course. If I was already giving in, there was no point in stopping here. My already determined silence would probably only last one week at most. I scowled to myself at how weak that sounded to me.

What was tougher? Giving in or keeping quiet for just a short time?