Passing Glances

Flicking my black hair out of my dark blue eyes, I stole a glance of the new kid. The town had been humming with gossip for two months now, waiting in anticipation for the new student that would grace Bunratty's small country village. News spread like wild-fire in towns like such. There was something peculiar about him. Standing at five foot eight, he was the same as all the other seventeen year old males in the village. Emerald green eyes stood out on his shockingly pale face and his rich brown hair with a bit of length sat naturally messy. He was stunning; beautiful, even, I was willing to admit that. But being too good looking doesn't make you strange.
His head shot up suddenly, green eyes glaring. I bowed my head almost instantly, using my long hair as a curtain.

Shit.

"Lizzie, you coming?"

Laurie, my best friend, tapped my shoulder gently, breaking my thoughts.

"That Walken kid is looking at you funny," she mumbled.

"Eh?"

Turning my head slightly and raising my arms as if I were stretching, I looked over my shoulder. And sure enough, he was staring back with a mixture of disgust and pity painted on his features.

"Freak," I mumbled before grabbing my messenger bag and leaving the cafeteria.

When in doubt, turn to the bitchy defense.

We fought our way through the busy corridor to the Biology labs.

"Partners!" Ms Dolan barked, her harsh voice echoing off the hall walls.

"Shit," Laurie muttered under her breath, dragging me along with her, using her height of five-nine to her advantage.

"Ladies, you're late!" she near yelled as we stumbled through the door.

"The bell just went!" I protested.

"I'm splitting you two up! Parker, you're to partner with Gill from now on. Conlon, you're with Walken."

I dropped my Science books when she said his name. I picked them up quickly as the class, already seated, sniggered. After I gathered everything, I turned slowly around and looked to the back of the class. He sat at the very back in the left hand corner, not looking too happy. Sighing, I took the march of death. As I sat down I noticed him shifting his body away from my direction and pull his chair to the edge of the lab counter.

Rude much?

Ms Dolan explained the experiment we were to do on enzymes and handed out the equipment. We sat in silence for five minutes, working quietly.

"Seth, is it?"

He looked in my direction before bending over the beaker and hotplate once more.

"I'm Elizabeth," I introduced myself before extending my hand.

His body stiffened, eyes still fixed on the yeast mixture swirling about in the water bath.
Curling my fingers into the palm of my hand I lowered it back to my side.
I don't think the double could have dragged on any longer. The minute the second bell rang, he sprung up, grabbed his bag and ran out of the class. I stared back after him, my mouth hanging open in surprise. He was fast.

"What did you say to him? He looked really pissed at you," Laurie asked, appearing at my bench with her rucksack slung over her shoulder.

I digested her question, the anger seeping in at last.

"I only introduced myself!"

"Sure?"

"I didn't say more than ten words to him."

Her face crumpled into a confused expression before shrugging.

"C'mon, French time. Woo..." she trailed off with fake enthusiasm.

The class passed fairly quickly, even for a Friday evening. I told Laurie and Robert to go on into town without me, I wasn't in the mood for getting the bus in and then back out to my house situated beyond the arsehole of nowhere. I was alone in the classroom, humming quietly to myself as I pulled all the books I needed for the weekend out of my small locker.

"Fuck it," I muttered to myself as I grazed my knuckle when pulling my music book out of the ridiculously small cubby-hole that the school called a locker.

I closed it over and gasped when I saw Seth standing beside me. I didn't hear him come in at all. His green eyes bore into mine, making me feel like he could hear all my thoughts. I stood still, wondering if the caretakers were still in the building and if they were, would they come to my rescue if they heard me scream?

"Can I get to my locker, please?"

His voice was soft yet deep and drifted like a light melody; Bliss for the ears. I followed his long, pale finger to my torso. I gulped before I realised that he was pointing to the locker below mine.

"Oh...Oh, sure," I whispered and moved out of his way.

I pretended that I was organising my book bag when really I was watching him taking out all of his books and placing them gently on the desk beside him.
I did honours everything, but I chose the easiest subjects I could like Art and Music while still being able to get a good course in University.
Honours Math, Chemistry and Physics.
I nearly had a heart-attack then and there. He didn't so much as glance at me as he left the room and I realised that I had been holding my breath. Letting it whoosh out of me, I put on my school jacket and scarf before gathering everything and leaving the school grounds, the sharp wind making me shiver. I was shocked to see frost on the paths at half four. The sky was growing dark and the wind was getting harsher. January is a bitch in the west. I walked briskly to the depot, grumbling when I remembered that it wouldn't arrive until five. Joy, a half hour of watching Clara eat the face of her boyfriend, Mike. I groaned to myself when I saw the two of them at it in the distance. I walked slower, near depressed when I reached the shabby depot and sat down as far away from them as possible. I tried to think of the weekend lying ahead to distract myself from the noises coming from them. But all I could think of was Walken's deep, green eyes and the way he looked at me.