Enchanted

The first day of school in Dulaney high always started off with festivity, even though I didn’t know what to celebrate. Some of the summer heat was still here and that was why I decided to walk to school, not like most of the kids in school that decided to drive their expensive cars and honked to some poor people in the sidewalks and then laughed at them when they jumped of surprised. The parking lot was crowded with guys sitting on their car hoods and the girls mooning to some of the popular guys.

One car and one couple stood out from other kids. The guy’s car was a Range Rover and he was surrounded by other popular kids. Alex Gaskarth leaned back onto the front bumper of his car with Shelby Morrison in his arms. Shelby was the head cheerleader and one of the dumbest girls in school. She was with Alex because he was popular and he wanted her because she was an idiot so he could get into her pants easily.

“Hey, Nate!”, Trisha linked her arm with mine as we walked through the double doors. “Such a party, isn’t it?”

“Well, It is senior year, but still, I don’t know what to celebrate.”, I huffed and made my way to my locker. “Besides, I don’t want to be late for my… History class.”, I slipped my class schedule into my binder before getting the textbook from the locker.

“Are you going to the pep rally after school?”, Trish asked as she leaned onto the locker next to mine. I closed my locker and turned around, right in time when Alex, Shelby and the rest of his goons walked by. Two of his best friends, Jack Barakat and Rian Dawson, followed his trails. An elbow nudged my ribs and I knew it was Trish because she had a huge crush on Jack ever since they were lab partners in Chemistry back in Sophomore year.

“Can that guy be anymore adorable?”, Trisha mumbled as I pulled her to our History class. When we got there, the class was almost full, except two empty seats that were in the other ends of class. Trisha quickly sat on the one next to Penelope Chang, because she was the smartest one in our year. That left the seat next to… Alex Gaskarth.

I took a deep breath and made my way to the only empty seat before sitting down. Was it only me or I could feel someone next to me burning a hole on my head with his eyes? From the corner of my eyes, I peeked to my side and caught Alex glancing at me. “Can I help you?”, I asked boldly.

He looked like a deer in the headlights, stuttering. It wasn’t himself and now I knew he wasn’t that confident when he was alone. “I-I… I forgot to bring a pen. Do you have one I can borrow?”

Of course he forgot. The only thing he remembered to bring was his gigantic ego. “Sure.”, I replied emotionless and took a watermelon pattern pen. He took it from me with a smile right in time when Miss Logan came into the room and told us to open our textbooks.

“You don’t have any pen that doesn’t smell, huh?”, Alex whispered with his nose scrunched. I narrowed my eyes and remembered that my pens were all scented. “I’m getting hungry because of the watermelon smell.”

“No.”, I answered sharply and rolled my eyes. Through out the class, I was taking notes of what Miss Logan explained while I peeked to Alex. He was twirling the pen between his fingers and yawned now and then.

When the bell rang, Alex was asleep and then he woke up because of the bell. “Is it over?”, he asked me groggily.

I nodded and gathered all my belongings before storming out from the class. ‘What an idiot!’, I exclaimed in my mind as I made my way to my next class, which was French. When I got there, I could almost scream to see who sat in front of my usual seat. Shelby, Jack and Rian were sitting in the row in front of mine, with Shelby sitting in front of me. There was an empty seat next to her and I didn’t want to think who would sit there. I walked to my seat and sat down, crossing my fingers that it wouldn’t be him that would sit next to Shelby.

My nightmare came true. Alex came into the room and his eyes widened when he saw me. “Hey, you forgot your pen.”, he smirked as he walked over to his empty seat and handed me my pen before sitting down. “Thanks.”, he added through his shoulder. Shelby snorted and grabbed Alex’s hand before lacing her fingers with his.
*************
Right after the last bell rang, I dashed through the swirling crowd in the hallway and made my way to the north end of the school. The choir room was unlocked and I got in. After closing the door behind me, I took a deep breath and smiled. I was the lead vocal in glee club but I quit last year because I got my tonsil taken out in the summer. Never know that it wouldn’t have any effect on my voice, but I was too late.

I got up onto the black grand piano and sat on the edge with my legs hanging on the air. It was my favorite spot and I could imagine my friends, sitting on the choir steps, waiting for me to sing something on our weekly meeting.

When I opened my mouth, my favorite song ever, Reflection, came out. It was somewhat my life soundtrack and I sang it to an empty room. I could hear my voice echoed against the wall and I even laid back onto the piano because I was really into the song.
Right after I finished the song, suddenly, applause was heard. I shot straight up and saw the last person I thought I would see here. Alex was clapping his hands with a grin spread on his face. “That was amazing.”

“I-I-I…”, I stuttered before getting off the piano and fixed my skirt. “W-What are you doing here?”

“Well, I was bored with the pep rally and I was putting some stink bombs in the north end bathroom, when I was on my way back to the field, I heard you singing.”, he shrugged his shoulder at the end of his words. “You sounded really good.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “No, I’m just… good.”

“Natasha, right?”, he asked and my eyes widened. How the heck he could know my name? “You were our shining glee star, but somehow, I didn’t see you singing in our junior prom.”

“I-I-I…”, I stuttered again but Alex was already turning around on his heels, ready to leave.

“See you around, Natasha.”, he winked and then disappeared as he walked away.