Within Temptation

I park my car in my assigned spot the next day. As I step out of the car and slide my book bag over my right shoulder, I couldn’t help but to look up at the sky. The sun was shining so bright today and I found myself smiling. Suddenly I feel myself been watch. I could literally feel it. I looked around the parking lot and my eyes suddenly stop in surprise as I stare at Reed who was leaning his back on the trunk of his car with a smirk on his face as his eyes looked over me. I feel myself caught up in his spell again. His smirk grew wider and his left eyebrow raise and if it was even more possible he looked more sexier than the day before. I walked toward him but then stop as a sudden angry hated glare next to him was looking at me.

I couldn’t help but stare at her. She was definitely taller than me with long blonde hair reaching past her shoulders, her eyes were an outstanding shape of a blue diamond, and her skin seem to glisten with the sun. She was what guys called beautiful. I looked at her then looked at Reed who was looking away talking Daren. Somehow it didn’t come to a surprise that they were friends. I took a deep breath and let it out gathering my courage. I wasn’t going to be afraid of this girl. But she will definitely hate me and jump on me if I get any closer toward Reed. Her posture told me that. But there was nothing to be afraid of with me right? I couldn’t help but think. At that moment Reed’s eyes locked into mine with a small smile on his face doubting on whether not to laugh or not. It was almost like he read every thought that cross my mind.

“Hayley…” he said with an amusing tone then gesture with his left hand to come closer.
I walked closer toward him as the blonde watch my every move. I stop in front of him. He grin at me.

“Hi Reed.”

“Hi.” He said politely.

“Is there something you want?” the blonde asked me looking at me with hatred on her eyes.

“I…I just wanted…I wanted to return this.” I said mumbling nervously through my trembling lips for a minute. I pulled out the shirt out of my bag and hold it out. As Reed started to reach for it, the girl next to him took it on her hands and bring close to her chest.

“Thank you.” She said with an angelic smile at me.

I nodded at that shaking my head. My hair fell toward my eyes shielding them then I reach out with a hand and move it back. I chew my bottom lip nervously wondering why I was still standing there. I looked at the girl again knowing very well she was looking at me.

“You are very pretty.” She said as her eyes looked at me up and down.

I looked down at myself. I was wearing jeans with a red shirt and black converse sneakers. There was nothing wrong with my outfit I suddenly thought wondering why she was staring in such way. It was like she hated me. But why I didn’t even know her?

“Thank you.” I said looking at her.

“There is no need.” She said.

“Hayley…this is Victoria.” Reed said introducing us.

“I prefer Tori than Victoria.” She add smiling at him still holding his shirt tightly against her chest not wanting to let it go.

“Nice to meet you.” I said holding a hand for a shake but she stood there looking at it like it was some kind of disease. I drop it and fix my book bag straps.

“And this is Daren…” Reed add gesturing the guy next to him.

“We already met.” Daren said with devilishly smile. “Hi Hayley.”

“Hi.” I said smiling back at him.

“Anyway I gotta go. I’ll see you later.” Tori said to Reed then reach up slowly and tried to kiss his left cheek but failed when he moved his head away from her with a deadly glare on his face looking at her. She pucker her lips at him along with a hurtful expression on her face then she throw him back the shirt and walked away hitting me on the shoulder with hers as she walked.

I turned around to looked at her walking away. Guys from every direction turned to looked at her as she walked wearing her mini skirt, black boots and black sleeveless shirt. But she didn’t look back at any of them. She turned her face to meet my eyes as she walked and her expression told me very clearly that I better watch out when it came to Reed. I breathe out.

“Ooo, somebody is in a bad mood early in the morning.” Daren said as I turned to looked at him. He grin at me. “But don’t worry, she doesn’t bite.”

“Bite.” I couldn’t help but whisper to myself. Why did those words make me feel fear underneath my skin?

“Don’t worry about it. She can be moody sometimes but she will behave.” Reed said in calm tone as move and turned to open his trunk then dump the shirt inside then close it.
Some part of me couldn’t believe that he did after I wash it last night for him but then I realize that it landed on a box of books. It must have been a guy thing.

He turned to looked at me.

“Is she your girlfriend?” I asked wanting to know hoping I didn’t sound desperate in wanting to know.

He glare at me as Daren burst out laughing. “No, she is not anything of that sort.” He said as he slide his book bag over his shoulder. I couldn’t help but looked at Reed. He was wearing jeans again but with a dark grey shirt this time and his black boots. He was so breathtaking.

“Drool much.” Daren said standing now next to me. I blink my eyes. How did that happened? He was standing next to Reed not even a few seconds ago? How did he move so fast? I blink my eyes then looked up at him.

“No.”

“Hmm, if you say so. Now let’s head to our first period class together.” He said then carefully place his arm around my shoulder bringing me closer to him. I looked at his hand then back at him. He wink at me then as he started to walked he make me walked along side of him.

“I can walk by myself.” I whisper but something told me he didn’t hear me because he didn’t pulled away from me whatsoever.

As we walked through the halls, I couldn’t help but notice that girls turned around to looked at him. I also notice that some of the jaws were drop open. I couldn’t blame them. Daren was sure something you could be staring for, for a whole day and never got bored. He suddenly chuckle at something and I turned to looked up at him. He looked down at me and smile at me. Why was he so happy all of the sudden?

We walked into our first period classroom together and I pulled his arm away from around my shoulder. I left him standing there as I walked toward my chair that I sat on yesterday and sit down.

“Hi Hales.” Melanie said making me looked at her.

“Hi.” I said turning to looked at her. “So I take it your car is already fix?” I asked feeling kind of sad that she didn’t called me this morning for a ride. It felt like a long deep silence ride without her.

“Yeah, I am sorry. I forgot to tell you.” She said with a sad puppy face look on her face. I
smile at that.

“It’s okay.” I said honestly.

She smile at me. I looked at Melanie. Melanie and I were about the same height with curly clear brown hair falling down her shoulder, green eyes and clear tan skin showing her latina side of her.

“So, you and Daren, huh?” she said after a minute of silence between and as we wait for the bell ring and class to start.

I looked at her as I feel Daren walked by behind me and sit down on his chair breathing out and looking bored.

“Nothing. He just happened to be Reed’s friend.”

“Reed?” she asked me looking confused as she raise her left eyebrow at me.

“The guy that I met on my birthday.”

“Ohh, you mean the hot incredible sexy shirtless guy from yesterday.” She said with a smile on her face. Somehow I knew she was going to remember that part. “His name is Reed. How sexy.”

I rolled my eyes at her. Reed was like any other name in the world. But somehow it suit him, it suit him perfectly and to the bone. Still I have this strange feeling that I have seen him before but where? Where I have seen him before? The bell ring, as I buried myself more into my thoughts losing myself in them and making me jump in the desk chair starling me.
Daren laugh at that and I turned to looked at him.

“What?” he asked raising his eyebrows at me which made him looked sexy all of the sudden.

“Nothing.” I said brushing it off. I really didn’t care if he was laughing at me.

“You are really are interesting, Hayley Nichols.” He said leaning toward me to looked at me closely as I continue to looked at him.

“How do you know my last name?” I asked wanting to know.

He knew my name which was okay since we were in a class together. But he knew my last name too. How did he?

“We are in this class together, little missy. Have you forgotten?” he said taking off his sunglasses which now I realize he was wearing. I stare into his eyes. They were unbelievable. Blue eyes with a hint of green making them looked an ocean when the sun hits them. They were beautiful. He frowned by the looked on my face. “Are you okay?” he asked wanting to know.

“Your eyes.” I said still feeling myself loose in them.

“What about them?”

“They are so unique.” I said then woke up from the trance I was under and blink my eyes.

A sudden killer sexy smile appear on his face as he move even closer to me.

“Are you falling for me?” he asked as now I notice too that his voice carry a British accent that made my skin feel Goosebumps just hearing it.

“No. I don’t even know you.” I said honestly and turned around on my chair facing the classroom.

“It’s okay, you will.” He whisper in my ear then he sit back down on his chair.

Somehow that made my skin tremble in fear and I knew this wasn’t going to end well. Why did I have to be so bold when it came to people?

When the bell ring to change class, I walked out of the classroom as Melanie and Daren headed in the opposite direction telling me that they will see me at lunch. I walked through the crowd of students carefully hoping I wouldn’t fall or get run over by students who were running toward their classes. I breath out in relief when I spotted the door of my second period class AP Calculus. Just when I was about to step in the classroom, I feel something pulling me and throw me inside a supply closet. I luckily didn’t fall on my face since I was so clumsy. I turned to looked Ashley who was staring at me.

“What…” I started to said but she cut me off.

“I am going to give you a warning and you better do as I say or I am going to make your life a living hell.” She said angrily at me.

I stood there in silence waiting for her to continue. How could she possibly make my life a living hell when she already is doing that since we meet in fifth grade?

“Stay away from Reed. You got that. I saw him first.” She said threatening me.

“I…” I started to explain but she cut me off again.

“You can have Daren from all I care. I saw you walking with him this morning and to be honest Reed is so much better looking. By the way here is a tip for you; he is too much of a man to be with a girl like you. So you better back off. Okay.” She said then with an evil smile she turned and walked away.

I breathe out and move my hair out of my face. Something tells me this was going to be longest year of high school that I ever had to face. I slide down and buried my head in my knees.

“Please god, help me.” I whisper into the silence of the dark supply closet.

This year, my senior year, was not going to be easy at all!

I didn’t know how long I was there but I knew the bell ring and the door swung open minutes later after it did.

I looked up to find Reed standing there looking down with a frown on his face as if he was wondering why was I here all alone in the first place?

“Get to class, Hayley.” He said then walked away.

How did he even know that I was here? I couldn’t help but think.

"Wait Reed." I cried out standing up and walking out of the closet. I looked around both of my directions and nothing. He was gone. He was gone in the thin air.