Chapter 2:

What’s wrong with him??

Jason’s quivering eyes quickly darted to his front and he nudged his head to the right. 

It was then I caught sight of the person I was trying so hard to ignore. 

Him.

There he was. 

Just standing there as if he’d found something he’d been looking for, for years. Was it me he was staring at like that? It made me uncomfortable, his pale face, dark eyes and light colored stone-like lips. I couldn’t tell whether he was frowning or not, brown curls covered his eyebrows a bit. 

As I locked eyes with him that day, I had no idea that this person would change the entire course of my life in an instant.

“Um. Can I help you with anything sir?” I tried to speak confidently. 

Jason meekly moved out of the way, urging me to take his place behind the counter. 

The man- no boy(?), shook his head gently. 

"Just red paint.” he said very slowly, his intense eyes still glued to me. 

His voice was deep and rich, almost hypnotizing…

But red paint? We’re out of red paint! 

“Right. Um, Please excuse me first.” 

I pulled away from the counter and went into the back to frantically start looking for any can of red paint. 

How ironic. A hardware store missing paint of all things. 

I ruffled through the stuff in the basement hoping to find anything similar to that. Even a dark red would do. He wouldn’t notice right? 

Aha! Oh, it’s pretty small though. 

I did find a small bucket of red paint, but it was a mini size. Whatever. 

I went out with it and put it on the front counter. 

"Well…we only have this size, sir…" 

He didn’t even look down at the counter. Not even once. 

His hand swiped at the bucket and held it by the handle at his side.

“This will be alright.” he said. 

He scattered one bill and some coins on the counter and walked out the door without looking back once. 

I stared at him all the while until he left this street and could no longer be seen through the clear windows of our store. 

I was lost now, not really thinking of anything or anyone in particular.

It’s just his face… it seemed…

“WHEEEW!"

Jason’s exasperated sigh pulled me from my reverie. 

“That guy was a CREEP. Big time!”

I turned around to face Jason but it seemed like I was still in a daze, almost dizzy. 

“Look, sorry I made you deal with that ok? That guy just gave me the  HEEBIE JEEBIES JESUS CHRIST!” he said, shuddering.

“It’s ok. I don’t mind.” I finally said. My consciousness was still knocked up.

“He just seemed very odd, that’s all.” 

Jason’s eyes widened and he raised an eyebrow saractisically. 

“Odd? ODD?! That dude looked like he walked straight out of a horror novel! My goodness. He is good looking though.” he admitted.

No… Good looking? That didn’t seem like enough of a word to explain it. He looked unreal, otherworldly. And Jason was right. The aura he had was so off that it gave me goosebumps, which I just noticed I had. I was way too focused on his face.  

“This is a sign that we shouldn’t switch positions ever again.” I said smiling. 

“Yup. Me back, you front?” Jason asked.

I nodded stiffly. 

Like that, Jason and I (the only two employees today) finished our shift in the biggest hardware store in town. 

Afterwards, I arrived at school getting ready for classes to start.

Great. I’m almost late for 1st hour again. It’s all because of that traffic. Ugh. Definitely choosing the afternoon shift next time. 

I was still in the parking lot and slamming the door of my car shut while I struggled with textbooks in my other arm. 

I can still make it before the bell! I can do it! My feet took over my brain. 

Now, I was screeching to a stop in the hallway after running like a mad woman.

My American History class was only two doors away, so it’s best to walk now so I don’t come in class panting like a dog that just ran an 8 mile marathon. 

I opened the door slightly and saw my History teacher Mrs. Burks, who was standing at the front of the class with a tardy paper in her hand. The bell hadn’t rung yet. 

“Oh! Well isn’t this rare. Ms. DeMarco isn’t late for the first time this week.” Mrs. Burks said as I slipped into the classroom. 

“The traffic was really heavy today Mrs.Burks.” I said smiling. 

“Mhmm, the same excuse every time.”

Her Southern accent was so strong, I could barely understand what she was saying, but I'm sure it meant that I should sit down and stop embarrassing myself. 

Of course, I sat at my regular spot and threw my books over my side of the table. No one sat next to me, thankfully, but it always meant that I needed to work on projects alone. 

“Ah! Well since it’s your first day I’ll excuse it!” I heard Mrs. Burks giggling to somebody who had entered the room. 

My head was down so I couldn’t see who it was. 

“That girl is always late. But this is the first time this week she hasn’t been late!” she laughed even harder. 

Is this woman seriously gossiping about me right now??! I honestly don’t understand why some people get hired for certain jobs. A highschool teacher who hates teens…how ironic. 

I’m so tired already and it’s only first hour… NEVER take the morning shift ever again….

A cold breeze suddenly blew by me and the hairs on my arm stood.

I specifically picked this seat because it’s far away from the AC vent! 

It was a weird feeling. 

But somehow I knew. 

I just did. 

So by the time I raised my head, I didn’t need to look to my left. 

 But I did it anyway. I don’t know why. 

Perhaps…if I didn’t look his way that day, could all this chaos have been avoided?