Arcane Guardians

Ring! The first bell sang as I walked down the hallway towards my class. “Ayden!” My friend Krista yells as she sticks her head out of the classroom. “Get in here before the late bell sounds.” Krista’s voice was in her usual joking tone. “But I wanna be late,” I said joking. Krista and I stood in the doorway talking. “So Ayden, what’s been going on, you haven’t been at school for a few days.” Krista said as she looked at me. I grabbed a strand of my blonde hair and started twisting it. “Well, I was on a vacation with my parents,” I lied to her. I was actually at home or anywhere else but school. I hate high school, especially 9th grade, it's like torture. I could quit, since I’m 16, but then I wouldn’t be able to hang out with Krista. Ring! The late bell rang, echoing through my mind. “Ok, we will chat after class,” Krista said as she headed to her seat. I nodded then turned to go to my seat.
As I headed towards my seat, I closed my violet eyes for a second, but when they opened, they were greeted by green eyes. Demitry Tayler was the owner of them. His black bangs hid one of his eyes, and the other eye was hidden under eyeliner. His skinny jeans were as black as night, and his black shirt had a wolf howling at the moon on it. The wolf has been my favorite animal, ever since I first met him. Demitry has been my crush since 3rd grade, and he almost always wore a shirt with wolves on it. Demitry will always be my crush. So what if he’s a bit weird, and misses a lot of school- just like me. I sighed and sat in my seat. "Students, please take out your science notebooks and work on them the whole class period." My science teacher said. I took my work out, but I didn't feel like doing any work, so I laid my head down on my desk.
Science class is my favorite class, but I slept through it anyways. When I woke up I looked up at the clock on the wall in the front of the classroom. Five minutes until this class ended. “Oh well.” I told myself. I yawned then counted down with the clock. Five minutes later the bell rang. I gathered my books slowly, like usual. I stood up, but as I did so a note was tossed onto my desk. I looked in the direction that the note came from, and standing there was Demitry. He was smiling. “Be there.” He said to me in a whisper, then glanced at my eyes and left.
My heart leaped, and I felt like I had to puke. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster and couldn’t get off. It was a new feeling, and I kind of liked it. “Oh my gosh!” What does it say?!” Krista shrieked as she ran towards me with her hands out. “I don’t know.” I told her. “Can I read it, please, please, please?” She asked reaching for the note. I yanked my hand with the note in it upwards, then pulled my hand down and placed the note in my pocket. “I’ll let you read it after school.” I told her. “Oh, ok.” She said disappointed. We left the classroom and walked towards our next class. As we walked, my heart pumped with pounding beats. “Hey, Ayden?” Krista said as she placed her hand on my shoulder. “Are you nervous about that note?” Krista asked. “No. Why would I be nervous?” I said as my breathing got heavier.
I looked at her, but she didn’t believe me. “Ya, I’m nervous; a lot.” I admitted to her. She patted my back and chuckled. “It’s okay to be nervous,” She said. “I was nervous when I got a note from my crush too.” She added. I looked at her. “Really?” I asked. She paused for a moment then answered. “No. Not really.” She chuckled. She looked at me and smiled, and I smiled back. She stopped in front of her classroom. “Well, this is my class. I’ll see you later.” Krista said as she opened the door. “Ok.” I said as she waved to me. I waved back and headed to my class. I stopped by my locker on the way. 12-37-20, that’s my combination. I opened my black locker, and put my science folder in it. I pulled out my Drama class folder, my black and green notebook, and my neon green pencil bag. As soon as I slammed my locker closed, Demitry took its place. A small yelp of surprise escaped my lips as I jumped backwards and fell to the hallway floor. “You scared me Demitry.” I said as my heart skipped a few beats.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Demitry said in his usual quiet voice. He put his hand out in front of me. “Here, I’ll help you up.” Demitry smiled as I grabbed his hand. He pulled me up off the ground and continued to hold my hand after I was standing. Demitry looked like he was in a dazed staring contest. “So…” I said to wake him from his daze. “Oh, umm…” He let go of my hand and cleared his throat. “Did you, umm… read the note yet?” He asked in a broken up voice. I looked at him then to my feet. “No…” I said. “I haven’t read it yet.” I looked back up, but when I did he wasn’t there. I sighed, “Guess he went to class.” I whispered to myself. I turned the lock on my locker until it was at zero, and then headed to Drama class.
“Ayden, why are you late for class?” Mrs. Hughes, the Drama teacher asked. “I was walking a friend to class, and then I went to my locker to get my Drama folder.” I told her as I stood in the classroom doorway. “I’ll excuse you this time, but next time go to the office and get a tardy slip.” She looked at me seriously. “Please take your seat now.” I sat down in the seat in the very back.
As soon as I sat down I pulled out a pencil and my notebooks and started drawing. “Why did I even pick this class if all I’m gonna do is draw.” I shut my notebook and looked around. I sighed and decided to finally pay attention in class. “Ok students, I will be p…” Before Mrs. Hughes could finish her sentence the door opened and someone came in, but I paid no attention . “Ok class, this is our new student. He is not new to this school, just this class.” After Mrs. Hughes finished talking, I rolled my eyes. “This is Demitry Tayler.” She said. I immediately turned my whole body around, and there he stood. Demitry - in my Drama class; what a dream come true. “Please, Demitry, take a seat.” Mrs. Hughes said as she pointed in the direction of the desks. Demitry looked around for a seat, and then spotted an empty seat near mine, the seat was two in front of mine. He sat down and glanced back at me. I pretended not to notice him, but it was useless. His eyes caught mine, and they locked together. I closed my eyes for a second, but when I opened them Demitry was facing forward. I sighed and looked at the teacher.
“Ok class, what I was trying to say earlier was that I will assign you a partner to practice your lines with.” She cleared her throat. “Your lines are in your folders on the back wall, please go and grab them, and then sit back down.” She said as she pointed to the back wall. “We will be rehearsing ‘Romeo and Juliet.’” She added. I stood up to get my folder, but when I stood up, I was greeted by Demitry. He had my folder in his hand. He handed it to me and then he sat down in his seat. I sat in my seat and opened my folder. ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written in big black words. “One more thing class,” Mrs. Hughes said to everyone, “After we rehearse, I will be choosing the two that were the best today. The two that I choose, will play the lead roles in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.” Mrs. Hughes went through her desk to find her folder with the characters from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in it. “The others who didn’t make the lead will play the other characters, but don’t be disappointed if you don’t get the lead, because we still have four more plays to do this year.”
Mrs. Hughes sat in her comfy spinning chair that was behind her desk, and opened the folder. Her eyes started scrolling down the list of names. “Ok. We will be rehearsing the kissing scene.” She paused to see the class’s behavior to what she said. A few students stuck their tongues out in disgust, and some were cheering silently. Me, I would only cheer if I was partnered with Demitry. If I was paired up with anyone else, then I will force myself not to practice my lines, although I love ‘Romeo and Juliet.’ There’s no way I’m kissing anyone else. I looked down at my opened folder, and took the papers out of it. I scrolled through the lines trying to find the scene we were to practice today. ‘Romeo and Juliet’, those words just echo through my mind. The play is just so romantic, and sad. That’s why I love it so much. I kept scrolling down, page after page, soon I finally found the scene with the kiss- my favorite scene in the play. I looked at that page for a minute, taking in all the words. “Ok. I will now pair you all up.” Mrs. Hughes said as she looked upon the students. “Stephanie and Blake, you two will be partners.” Stephanie and Blake looked excited when they heard the news-they are dating after all. Stephanie is the head cheerleader, and Blake is the star quarterback- a perfect match. “Blah!” I yelled in my head. Preps, jocks and I don’t get along so well.
“The next two to be paired together is Nicole and Luis.” Mrs. Hughes pointed towards Nicole and Luis. Nicole is a cheerleader also, but Luis is a geeky bookworm, he loves his books way too much. “Ewww!!!!!” Nicole yelled as she stood up with a disgusted look on her face. Luis did a kissy face towards her, then laughed and snorted. “Mrs. Hughes, I’d rather kiss a pig, than that dork.” Nicole said as she pointed at Luis. “Sorry Nicole, but it’s either you be partners with who I picked for you, or get an ‘F’, and you know what will happen if you get an ‘F’.” Mrs. Hughes said. “Fine! I’ll do it. I don’t want to get an ‘F’. If I do, my cheering days are over.” Nicole went through her pink purse and pulled out a little bottle of mouthwash, and breath spray. “If I do this, then that dork has to use these.” Nicole held them up towards Luis. “Ok. I’ll use them if it gets me a kiss from a cheerleader.” Luis walked over to Nicole and took the mouthwash, and the breath spray, then asked Mrs. Hughes to go to the restroom. “Yes Luis, but hurry back.” Mrs. Hughes handed him a bathroom pass, and Luis left.
Nicole mumbled something to herself, it sounded like she cursed at Luis, but I’m not entirely sure. Mrs. Hughes finished pairing students, but I started daydreaming after the incident with Nicole. “Is there anyone that does not have a partner?” I raised my hand, but at the same time Demitry raised his. “Ok, so Ayden and Demitry will be partners.” I looked over at Demitry and he looked over at me, he was smiling at me. I couldn’t help it, I smiled back. I tried to hide my face in my hands, but I couldn’t. “Go to your partner.” Mrs. Hughes told everyone. As soon as she said that Luis entered the room. “Luis, please go to your partner.” Mrs. Hughes pointed to Nicole, and Nicole stuck her tongue at Luis. “Loser.” Nicole muttered under her breath, but I still heard her. I stood up and slowly walked to Demitry. He was leaning on his desk, but when he spotted me he stood up straight. I stood beside him. “So, you sure were in a hurry to get to class earlier.” I said as I looked at him. “Huh?” he asked in his usual low voice. “At my locker, before second period started.” I looked at my feet, then back at his face. “Oh, umm… ya I didn’t want to be late, but I’m sorry I left you without saying goodbye.” Demitry looked sad. “Oh, no it’s okay. You don’t have to be sad.” I said as I put my hand on his shoulder. His sad face turned into a kinda happy, normal look now. “We will take turns rehearsing, if we don’t get everyone done today, then we will continue on Monday.” Mrs. Hughes finished her sentence. “Oh yeah, today is Friday. I totally forgot.” I told myself. I sighed then looked at the teacher. “First to go up is Stephanie and Blake, please go to the front of the classroom and begin whenever you are ready. Stephanie and Blake held hands on their way to the front. Stephanie let go of Blake’s hand, and they began. I ignored them. Preps and jocks shouldn’t be in ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ they’d just ruin the whole thing.
I sat in Demitry’s desk, and laid my head down on the cold surface. Demitry placed his hand on the back of my head and started brushing my hair back, moving the hair that had fallen in front of my face. “Let’s not let your face be hidden by your hair.” He whispered in my ear. It sent shivers down my spine and down to my toes. Demitry smiled. He had felt the shivers that came from my body. I placed my hands on the desk to feel it’s cooling comfort, but as I did so, Demitry’s hand grabbed mine. A sigh left the comfort of my mouth and filled the surrounding air. “Demitry?” I asked quietly. “Ya?” He asked back. “Why are you so nice to me now? I mean, well… you just now started to notice me.” I looked up at him, and he looked down at me. “Demitry, and Ayden, please go to the front of the class, it’s your turn.” Mrs. Hughes said as she pointed to the front.
“What? It’s our turn? Wow, I must have been daydreaming or ignoring the preps and jocks for like, almost the whole class period.” I said to myself. Demitry offered his hand to help me up out of the desk and I gladly took it. He pulled me up and we both walked slowly to the front of the class. “Demitry and Ayden, you may start when you are ready.” Mrs. Hughes looked at us, then she picked up a pencil and waited for us to start. I took a deep breathe in, and slowly let it out. I was really nervous for some reason, but Demitry, he was as calm as a possible. “Juliet, my love, you must come and run away with me.” Demitry started. “But I can’t, I love you so, but I can’t just leave.” I said in a soft and lovely voice. “But, why?” He asked just like Romeo. “I…,” Demitry cut me off. “I love you. From the very first time I saw you in 3rd grade, I fell for you.” Demitry said. “Demitry?” I whispered. “And I will always love you.” Demitry was crying now. What was he doing, those lines he just said were not in the play. “What are-” Demitry placed his hand over my mouth to shush me. “Do not speak, for all I have said is true, and shall stay true.” Demitry took his hand off my mouth slowly. “A minute ago you asked why I just now started noticing you.” He sighed. “I was too afraid to tell you my feelings for you, so I stayed away from you, and ignored you, and for that I am terribly sorry, and shall make it up to you with a kiss.” He looked into my eyes as he said those words. I was speechless, and I felt stupid that no words left my mouth. “I…” I choked out, but before I could try and speak, Demitry kissed me. I closed my eyes for a moment. When they opened, Demitry was looking at me and smiling, so I smiled back. I was a little uneasy and my breathing got heavy. Demitry took my hands and placed them over his heart. His heart was racing- racing faster than mine. He held my shoulders and pulled me into him, wrapping his arms around me, and I did the same.