About Fifteen Hundred Words
New Guy
“Psst, Ashlyn!”
I felt her tap on my shoulder repeatedly as she continued to whisper, trying to get my attention. I slowly turn to look at her, glancing back at the teacher to make sure she wasn't looking.
“What is it Cass?”
“Do you want to know where Evan took me last night?”
“Where?”
“You'll never guess.”
“Then just tell me already,”
She was practically bouncing in her seat.
“He took me to the Deathrattle!”
“Oh my god, no way!”
The Deathrattle is the biggest club in town. We've been dying to go there for so long.
“Tell me everything that happened!”
Someone cleared their throat, making us look up. It was our teacher, and she didn't look at all pleased.
“Ashlyn, I know you're writing what's on the board like I asked, and not talking to Cassandra.”
“Yes, of course Mrs. Searle.”
She nodded, and turned back to the board. I turned my attention back to Cassie.
She mouthed 'Tell you about it later', and then I finally started to copy what was on the board. Not for long though, because Mrs. Searle supposedly had an announcement. I doodled in my notebook, not really caring about what she had to say. It was probably something really dumb.
“Class, it seems we have a new student.”
Curiosity getting the best of me, I looked up from my book. There next to the teacher's desk, stood the cutest guy I'd ever seen. He had long black hair, and baby blue eyes, similar to mine. He was clad in a Motionless In White t-shirt, black skinny jeans with rips in various places, and black Doc Martins. I almost thought I was dreaming. I had to be. Guys like that don't just show up in your classroom, especially in this small suburban town.
“This is Hayden.”
There were a few hello's from the class, but not many. Most of my fellow students didn't even look at him, apparently uninterested in the strange newcomer. Way to make a guy feel welcome. I really wanted to say hello, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was way too shy.
“Hayden, is there anything you'd like to share about yourself?”
He shook his head, hiding his face behind his hair. He clearly wasn't very talkative. But neither was I, so I guess that's one thing we had in common.
“Well then go take a seat so we can continue.”
For some reason, I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. Even as he walked towards me. I wanted to stop looking, so that I wouldn't appear to be gawking at him, but it was nearly impossible. His eyes met mine for a second, as he passed by my seat. I felt my face heat up and my stomach flutter. Then just as quick as our eyes had met, he looked away and continued on towards the back. It took everything I had not to twist around in my seat and continue to gaze at him.
“Alright everyone, back to work.”
But I couldn't focus on anything. All I could think about was the incredibly beautiful guy sitting in the back.
After class, Cassie was telling me about her amazing date with Evan, but I wasn't really listening. I was too busy wondering about the new guy. Where did he move from? Why would he move here? How old is he? And most importantly, would he like me? Or would he think that I'm just as lame as everyone else in this school?
“Hello, Ash, have you been listening?”
“Uhh, yes.”
She rolled her eyes.
“No you haven't.”
“Yes I have.”, I insisted.
“Fine, what was the last thing I said?”, she asked, crossing her arms.
“That I haven't been listening.”
“That's not what I meant. You really didn't hear a word I said, did you?”
“No, I'm sorry Cass, I really am. I just can't stop thinking about the new guy.”
“Aww, does somebody have a little crush?”, she teased.
“I'm serious, Cassie, it's so strange. It's like I can't stop looking at him and thinking about him. He's so mysterious.”
“Maybe you guys are soul mates, you know, meant for each other or something.”
I can't believe I even found the thought interesting, even for a minute. It was so ridiculous. We couldn't be soul mates. Things like that didn't exist, did they?
“I'm only messing with you Ashlyn. Don't look so serious.”
“I know you were kidding, I mean, there is no such thing as soul mates, right?”
She only shrugged.
“How should I know, I'm only sixteen.”
She draped her arm over my shoulder, as we walked towards the cafeteria’s entrance.
“Come on. We have our whole lives to figure it out, so for now, let's just enjoy our lunch.”
I felt her tap on my shoulder repeatedly as she continued to whisper, trying to get my attention. I slowly turn to look at her, glancing back at the teacher to make sure she wasn't looking.
“What is it Cass?”
“Do you want to know where Evan took me last night?”
“Where?”
“You'll never guess.”
“Then just tell me already,”
She was practically bouncing in her seat.
“He took me to the Deathrattle!”
“Oh my god, no way!”
The Deathrattle is the biggest club in town. We've been dying to go there for so long.
“Tell me everything that happened!”
Someone cleared their throat, making us look up. It was our teacher, and she didn't look at all pleased.
“Ashlyn, I know you're writing what's on the board like I asked, and not talking to Cassandra.”
“Yes, of course Mrs. Searle.”
She nodded, and turned back to the board. I turned my attention back to Cassie.
She mouthed 'Tell you about it later', and then I finally started to copy what was on the board. Not for long though, because Mrs. Searle supposedly had an announcement. I doodled in my notebook, not really caring about what she had to say. It was probably something really dumb.
“Class, it seems we have a new student.”
Curiosity getting the best of me, I looked up from my book. There next to the teacher's desk, stood the cutest guy I'd ever seen. He had long black hair, and baby blue eyes, similar to mine. He was clad in a Motionless In White t-shirt, black skinny jeans with rips in various places, and black Doc Martins. I almost thought I was dreaming. I had to be. Guys like that don't just show up in your classroom, especially in this small suburban town.
“This is Hayden.”
There were a few hello's from the class, but not many. Most of my fellow students didn't even look at him, apparently uninterested in the strange newcomer. Way to make a guy feel welcome. I really wanted to say hello, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I was way too shy.
“Hayden, is there anything you'd like to share about yourself?”
He shook his head, hiding his face behind his hair. He clearly wasn't very talkative. But neither was I, so I guess that's one thing we had in common.
“Well then go take a seat so we can continue.”
For some reason, I just couldn't take my eyes off of him. Even as he walked towards me. I wanted to stop looking, so that I wouldn't appear to be gawking at him, but it was nearly impossible. His eyes met mine for a second, as he passed by my seat. I felt my face heat up and my stomach flutter. Then just as quick as our eyes had met, he looked away and continued on towards the back. It took everything I had not to twist around in my seat and continue to gaze at him.
“Alright everyone, back to work.”
But I couldn't focus on anything. All I could think about was the incredibly beautiful guy sitting in the back.
After class, Cassie was telling me about her amazing date with Evan, but I wasn't really listening. I was too busy wondering about the new guy. Where did he move from? Why would he move here? How old is he? And most importantly, would he like me? Or would he think that I'm just as lame as everyone else in this school?
“Hello, Ash, have you been listening?”
“Uhh, yes.”
She rolled her eyes.
“No you haven't.”
“Yes I have.”, I insisted.
“Fine, what was the last thing I said?”, she asked, crossing her arms.
“That I haven't been listening.”
“That's not what I meant. You really didn't hear a word I said, did you?”
“No, I'm sorry Cass, I really am. I just can't stop thinking about the new guy.”
“Aww, does somebody have a little crush?”, she teased.
“I'm serious, Cassie, it's so strange. It's like I can't stop looking at him and thinking about him. He's so mysterious.”
“Maybe you guys are soul mates, you know, meant for each other or something.”
I can't believe I even found the thought interesting, even for a minute. It was so ridiculous. We couldn't be soul mates. Things like that didn't exist, did they?
“I'm only messing with you Ashlyn. Don't look so serious.”
“I know you were kidding, I mean, there is no such thing as soul mates, right?”
She only shrugged.
“How should I know, I'm only sixteen.”
She draped her arm over my shoulder, as we walked towards the cafeteria’s entrance.
“Come on. We have our whole lives to figure it out, so for now, let's just enjoy our lunch.”