Chapter 2
My heart thrummed in my eardrums staring at his face and into his amazing blue eyes. My eyes trailed over every facial feature, every perfect angle of his jaw, and lush full lips that sat in a grin. His face was familiar, but it's impossible that he had been in my dreams.
I tried using my own get-a-guy-tactics that I tried to teach Cecile earlier. “Um...Hi.” Very smooth.
A soft melodious voice traveled to my ears. “Hello, Rena.” Still sprawled out in his arms, I hopped up.
My eyes stayed on his. It felt like a trance kept our eyes locked. “How'd you know my name?”
A smile formed on his lips, and I had to keep myself from melting into a giant puddle of hormones in front of him. “People talk,” he shrugged. “I am Cryder by the way.” “Oh. Nice to meet you.”
Standing up quickly, dizziness took over and I started to fall again, but stopped when his arms wrapped around me. Butterflies waged wars against each other in my stomach, and I could feel heat simmering on my face as my eyes remained on those dazzling blues. He looked like him, but there's no way, right?
He helped me up, but held onto my shoulders making sure I wouldn't fall again. His hard stiff hands crept down my arms. “Well, it is definitely a pleasure to meet you Rena. I'm sure I'll see you again,” Cryder said and he dipped his head toward me.
It is him!
My mouth rushed my brain as I realized who he was. “Me-see-too-you-soon-again-soon.” That was my cue to walk away, and so I did.
I spun around to head in the complete opposite direction of Cryder, groups of girls watched us. Their stares held a lot of confusion. But when Cryder locked into their sight, their looks transformed to desire, and suddenly girly giggles swirled in the air. I felt like jumping into his arms and waving mine, shouting, “he's mine! I found him first!” But chastised myself for falling to the drama girls' level.
Glancing back, I hoped to get one more glimpse of his enchanting face, but he had vanished. His exit left a stinging in my chest. I felt pathetic, letting it affect me so much.
I began to make my trek to class, but then Cecile jumped in front of my path. Startling me. “So, what happened?”
“Nothing, we just said 'Hi', I mumbled, then walked away as fast as possible.” Uncertain if my mind could handle talking about my dream man coming to life.
Cecile followed me. “What happened to all that great advice you gave me?”
“Well, I said 'Hi' didn't I?”
She rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I was asking about why you were on the ground to begin with.”
“Chills and a headache. Do you think it could just be the heat causing all of this? Or do you think there really is something wrong with me, C?” A worried tone filled my voice.
“It's not something wrong with you, just a reaction from everything you've been through. We'll figure it all out. Promise.” She patted my shoulder in a comforting gesture. “So, did you know him?”
“Who?” I asked, as a smirk formed on my lips. How could I not know him, or his name?
“Cryder, Drake's cousin. The guy who had his hands all over you?”
“No. I didn't really know him. That's Drake's cousin?” She nodded. “How do you know him?”
“Oh, Jen gave me the scoop over by the fountain. I was asking about Drake, of course, but then we saw you and Cryder getting all sorts of cozy. So I asked about him too.”
“I think I've seen him before, but I'm not sure where.” I decided against confessing about my dreams, and Cryder being in them, until I felt absolutely certain. It was going to sound crazy no matter what, but I wanted to be one hundred percent positive.
“Well he looked pretty comfortable around you.” She winked.
“Oh, please. He just was there when my body decided to go crazy again.”
“Does it seem like it's getting worse?”
“Yeah, it does, and it kinda scares me. So, I think I'm going to set up an appointment for the doc, just to get checked out.”
“Okay. I think you need to go, it seems like it's getting worse to me.” Her usual look of concern was back, as she stared at me for a few seconds. The class bell rang, cuing the end of our conversation.
We walked down the hallway. I kept glancing behind me, hoping to see Cryder again before we went into class, but he wasn't anywhere around. Biology class started, and I pictured those dreamy blue eyes for a split second and they sent tingles to my stomach. Thinking about the beautiful smile he had on his gorgeous face, sent a shiver swimming up my spine.
I was brought back to the real world when I noticed everyone’s eyes on me. Mr. Pyler, my teacher, stood next to my desk. He apparently had been saying my name this whole time.
Short gray-haired Mr. Pyler, gestured his head toward his hand, which held a folded up piece of notebook paper. “It appears Ms. Vesten, you have dropped this note.” I stared at him blankly, and Mr. Pyler tapped his foot on the tiled floor.
A sure tone filled my voice. “That's not mine, sir. People don't pass notes anymore, we text. Writing notes is for the old timers.” Bad timing for a sarcastic comment.
“And bad form to pick up a chick.” Some guy from across the room mumbled under his breath.
Mr. Pyler turned toward the direction of the guy, then back to me and flipped the note over. There written in beautiful penmanship, was my name. “Take it now, or I will read it in front of everyone. And you better watch your tone with me, or I will be glad to offer detention for that mouth of yours.”
I snatched the note from his hand, feeling the heat from embarrassment grow warmer in my cheeks. “Um, thank you sir.” He pursed his lips. “If you don't mind, I would like to continue with class, and please do not litter my walkway again.” I nodded, as he stomped back to the front of class. After everything else that had gone wrong, this week needed to be over soon.
Staring at my name written in pretty calligraphy on the outside of the note, I picked it up, and brought it to my lap. Opening it, I first searched at the bottom of the page for a name, anything to give a clue to who had sent it, but there was none. I sat confused why someone would write a note, instead of text, it seemed almost archaic.
Again, no one jumped up and down waving their hands to confess about writing the note, or embarrassing me in the middle of class. I did notice a new student though, and wondered if he was the “hot” guy Cecile talked about. Cryder's cousin, Drake. I stared at the letter, the sentence actually, reading it over multiple times in my head.
Your blood is mine.
There was one sentence on the whole paper. My hands shook and my breath came in shallow gasps. The room around me started to go blurry and my knees began to tremble. I jumped out of my desk and hurtled myself through the classroom door, not caring who stared. Once I made my way to the bathroom I locked the door behind me. Shaking, I splashed water on my face to calm down. I read the note once more, turning it around and checking again that my name was still on the outside. I couldn't deny it. This one sentence was intended for my eyes only. The words scrambled around and around in my head, making me sick to my stomach. A dozen different emotions brought on by only a few words.
* * * * * * * * *
Heading outside for lunch, I found Cecile sitting in our normal spot; a bench by the fountain. We’d claimed that spot since we were freshman. We were complete opposites. Where she normally wore pastel pinks and pale purples with heels to accentuate her gazelle-like legs, my outfits consisted of tees and extra comfortable jeans. The loose clothing hid the curves that matured rapidly on my vertically challenged frame, without asking for my permission first. In my vain attempt to receive eye contact with the guys, I kept the girls fully-covered. We normally sat together, just the two of us. Instead of sitting and waiting for me today, she sat with the new student, Drake.
She noticed me standing there, and glided over in one smooth motion. “What happened, sweetheart? You just shot out of class after Mr. Pyler gave you that note.” She placed her arms around my shoulders and directed me to sit on the bench with the new kid.
“Started feeling sick is all. Apparently Mr. Pyler decided to tattle on me, because there was banging on the bathroom door in less than five minutes, and I had to go in and sit with Mrs. Stanley.”
“The principal? No way. What did she have to say?”
“That my behavior was uncalled for, and I better never do it again.”
With a roll of her eyes. “That's it? Any other student, and they would've gotten a month of detention. But not you, Miss Brainiac. Are you feeling sick still?”
“Not right now. It comes and goes.”
“Well I'm keeping my eyes on you, and I'm about two seconds away from dragging your ass to the hospital. You're really worrying me.”
“Let's just get through this day. “Kay?”
In a stern voice. “Fine. I guess, Rena. But if it doesn't go away by this afternoon, I'm yanking you by the hair to the hospital. Got it?” I nodded. “So what did the note say that had you all riled up?”
I gulped loudly and hoped like hell she didn't hear it. “This had nothing to do with the note. I was...in the bathroom. Seriously.” I hesitated, not wanting to spill my dramatic guts in front of the new guy. But his golden-gray eyes stayed on Cecile, following her every move.
With my comment, Drake turned to me with a knowing smile. “In Biology? That was extremely awkward between you and Mr. Pyler. I was glad to be sitting in the back and no where near his glare.” His whole body was turned toward me now.
“Did you...never-mind...Yeah it was.”
“I didn't see where it came from, but I bet it was an important note, to interrupt class like that.” His voice held a knowing tone, as if trying to coax me to say more.
“Oh, it just had a sentence. And it didn't make any sense.” I gave a slight shrug, trying to act nonchalant, even though inside I was shaking.
“I see.” Again his tenor voice held a tone like he knew my secret. His eyes stayed on mine for a brief second, before transferring to Cecile.
Cecile, obviously feeling left out, went to wrap her arms around him as if staking claim. That was odd behavior for Cecile. “Where are my manners?” Her voice was extra squeaky. “Drake this is my best friend in the whole wide world, Rena Marie Vesten. Rena, this is Drake Leone, our new student from...where are you from again?”
As if I hadn't known his name or heard all about him already, I said. “nice to meet you Drake.” We shook hands.
He was a thin guy, with a long torso and lanky legs. He had bronzed shaggy hair, the color of a penny, and thin lips that quirked up in a half grin every now and then. His eyes glowed with yellow sunbursts speckled in the pupils.
“Nice to meet you as well Rena.” A smile replaced his grin, and it looked better on his face than the smirk I caught earlier. “Ah yes, and I am from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.” He sounded old-fashioned, especially for an eighteen year old boy.
“Wow, you moved all the way from up north to as far down south as you could go, huh? So, why'd you move?” Cecile asked.
“Well,” he started. “My cousin and I decided that the town we lived in was becoming over-populated with controlling family members. They have different wishes for our futures, and so we came here.”
“So you live alone? So do we,” Cecile enthusiastically announced.
“Is that so?” Drake asked. The bell rang to indicate lunch had ended.
I gathered up my backpack from the ground and grabbed onto Cecile's arm. “Let's go, we've got class to get to.”
“We can stay a little longer.” Her starry eyes focused on Drake.
“It's Mrs. Lane, and I've heard tardiness equals extra work in her class. Plus, I've already gotten in trouble once today, I don't want to add to it. Let's go, please?” She finally stood up. “Nice meeting you Drake, hope we get to talk more.” I threw over my shoulder as we walked toward the building.
In the distance, a whisper floated on the wind from his direction. “Oh you will.”
Something wasn't right with the cousins from P.A. Their speech and the way they carried themselves, didn't fit the teenager's norm. And behind the golden flecks in their eyes, sat a long sad history. A past that went far beyond their claimed eighteen years of existence.
