Chapter 3: 

I couldn’t look at him any longer. 

It had only been a few seconds, but I'm sure he noticed me staring at the side of his face. 

Quickly, I looked away and gasped for air.

HOW THE HELL IS HE HERE??  THE GUY FROM THE STORE???

Calling it coincidence is a bit of a stretch. This is a small town and any one could find their classmate anywhere. 

“She’s very dramatic isn’t she?” 

That voice couldn’t be his, it couldn't ! 

My head was facing towards the right because I was trying to look away, but I can’t be rude! 

“W-what..?" I said nervously when I finally faced him.

Like I thought, he was completely inclined in my direction and his face was in my full view. 

I wasn’t sure whether he looked like a Greek god or a fallen angel from Heaven…

“I said she’s very dramatic right? The teacher is complaining about you being late all week

even though it’s only Tuesday.” he said smiling, a bright, gleaming smile. 

I nodded awkwardly, and tried to smile back, “Well..she’s like that most of the time. I just got used to it.”

“Hmm.” he hummed. 

It was very odd, the last time I saw him (which was just a few hours ago) he seemed drab, stone-like, and almost inhumane. 

Now, he still seemed very pale, but brighter. Perhaps I wasn’t seeing things right before. Yeah..It was early morning anyway. Everyone looks a bit tired. 

“Since you’re my new table partner you might as well tell me your name.” I said confidently. No need to be nervous around him. He’s just a new student. 

The boy seemed taken aback by this very normal question. He stopped smiling and pursed his lips into a straight, hard line. 

With both his elbows across the table, he hunched his back a little, blinking ferociously. 

He sucked in a short breath and answered me. “Lucy. You can call me Lucy.” 

Lucy….Lucy…Lucy…?

That name struck a chord with me and I wasn't sure why. No, it’s not an uncommon name. And no, it’s not my first time hearing it. 

I’ve heard hundreds of people called Lucy before, but this one…It didn’t seem right for him. Incomplete. 

“My name’s Aurora.” I finally said.

“It’s nice to finally meet you Aurora.” and he began smiling again.

I don’t know why he said it as if he’d known me already. Perhaps he’s stalking me? I mean how else would he find me here?  Haha…

“Alright! Notebooks out! Today we’re gonna start with the 1800s. Miserable times I swear.” Mrs. Burks interrupted our non-conversation with her loud announcement. 

Thank goodness. Now I have an excuse to look away.

His dark brown eyes, although beautiful, conjured a strange feeling in my chest. I didn't like it.

I quickly faced forward and opened my textbook, for the first time grateful for this godforsaken teacher.

He did the same, and the rest of the period went on like this. Writing notes, all while being vaguely aware of his head turning an inch in my direction every now and then. 

After the bell rang, I once again hid my face within the dark tresses of my hair while packing my bag. 

Would it be ok to say something like “bye” or “see you later” to him? I didn’t want to act too comfortable but I couldn’t just say nothing. 

I finally mustered up the courage to give him a simple goodbye. 

But by the time I looked up, no one was there. 

What?? Where is he?

I quickly searched around the room and found him already walking out the door swiftly with one book at his side. 

…  

Whatever. 

I was relieved actually. He’s gone now…

While I was walking out, I noticed that practically the whole class was looking in my direction and following my footsteps. 

So, they never paid attention to me before, but they are now? It must be because of him. 

Despite his black clothes and dark aura, he was definitely an attention magnet. Not that I wanted to pay any attention to him myself...

Anyway, the rest of the day continued at its regular pace and I didn’t think of the boy  --Lucy, again. 

“Soooo??! Have you seen him yet??!!” Clover said, clutching her books tightly and grinning ear to ear. 

The last period was over now, and it was time to go home. 

“Seen who?” I asked, shutting my locker. 

“That hoooot guy! The new one. The owner’s son. I haven’t seen him yet, but everyone that did said he looked like a freaking PRINCE! Ughhh!!” 

“Wait- Do you mean the new student, the boy?!” 

Clover raised an eyebrow at me suspiciously. 

“Well, obviously…” 

Literally no way.  Lucy is Mr. Store guy and the owner's son??? 

“Did anybody say something about his name though?” I asked, curious at this new possibility. 

Clover smiled slyly. 

“Yesss. I heard its…” then she bit her lip and said, “Luciano.” 

Luciano? Luci-who now? That must be his full name. Luciano… Dang. Why didn't he tell me that?

“Sounds fancy right? It’s Italian apparently.” Clover continued. 

We were out the exit now and making our way into the parking lot. 

“Hm, well he didn’t mention that first period..” 

Her head snapped at me. 

“What! You have a class with him??? No fair!!!”  

“It’s really not a big deal.” I laughed. 

I unlocked the car and threw my bag in the back before getting in the front seat. 

“What? Is it that upsetting to you?” 

Clover was pouting in the passenger's seat, upset that she didn’t have a class with the school’s hot new gossip topic. 

After dropping a heavily disappointed Clover off, I went home waiting for dad to come back. 

Today was a voluntary charity event at the hospital, and I was going to be part of it. It was an annual thing, once every year.

Toooootally not just doing it for the volunteering hours, yup. 

The sound of dad’s engine came from the driveway and I quickly rushed downstairs to open the door for him.

“Dad! You ready for the charity event?” I asked, amused with him struggling to get his ER cross bag over his neck. 

He was just getting out of his car now, shutting the door. 

“I should be asking you that. I know you don’t actually care about these things.” he said smiling. 

“Yes I do! I just care about the volunteering hours even more, you know that. At least I'm not like Dante, he’s only coming because he thinks the nurses are hot.”

Dad frowned. “Uh, I beg to differ.” 

Haha. 

When we both got back into the house, Dad started talking again about the close promotion he can “feel” coming. I’ll believe in him as well. I want to. 

Some hours later, it was time for the charity event. We decided to take our separate cars, but only because we knew we would be carrying lots of food back home (they give a lot of food to make up for the long hours the volunteers are there.)

I was just now pulling up to the big parking lot of the hospital and preparing myself mentally for all the "look how much you've grown!" comments from my dad's coworkers. 

"Hey!! Aurora!!!" a familiar voice called out to me. 

I was still in my car but I could hear his voice loud and clear. I waved hello through the windshield.

Dante was in front of the hospital entrance waving back at me with both his arms up into the air. 

Him and his big muscle-y self…

I parked right where he was and got out of the car. 

"Are you sure you should be parked here? Won't your car get towed?" he asked, looking at my car worriedly.

"No, what are you talking about? I always park here." 

He shrugged it off "Mm, well ok then."

I walked through the main front entrance with Dante. My dad would have parked in the employee section, behind the hospital and be getting ready there.

Meanwhile, Dante was complaining to me about how the nurses never paid any attention to him anymore. Before, he was quite popular when he used to come in all the time, after getting injured during football games.

It was more concerning to me how some of the women he was after were double his age…

"Yeah! And they're all preoccupied with that owner's son coming today. It's ridiculous!" he complained again.

If I were not paying attention to his rambles before, I was now. 

"Wait, you said the owner's son is going to be here? For the charity? Today??"  

"Uh yeah- his dad owns the freaking place. What did you expect? And don't tell me you're fawning over the dude too?!" He drabbed.

I had already tuned him out by now. 

The idea of seeing that guy for the 3rd time today makes me feel a little weird.

This can’t ALL be a coincidence.

 Jesus Christ.