4 04 | Be there

Mr. Carter enters the class with a bunch of white papers and his usual lively mood. I sat in the middle of the room on a blue plastic chair scribbling some free verses in my notebook. I can hear the two guys behind me whispering and chuckling. Unfortunately, Kate is not fond of literature so he's attending some other class.

"So," he cleared his throat, "I want each one of you to write a poem on the piece of paper I give you."

He began walking towards the back of the class and stopped near one of the desks where a student was sleeping, "Hello sir, what have I instructed you to do?"

Is that a question to ask someone who's been sleeping?

Whatever.

"Seems he's been dreaming," a guy from the back said. His smile looking as gentle as possible and his hazel eyes hazel eyes hypnotizing.

Slowly he moves his gaze from the sleeping beauty to me...

Oh no..

I was staring. What has gotten into me?

The door suddenly swings open and a group of familiar guys invade the lesson. Their coolness increasing with their every step. Seems as if the temperature of the room is increasing. Cool and hot... at the same time? That's a combo I've only known from my dreams.

I take my earphones from my pocket and plug them into my ears. Chris Brown's soothing voice smoothly flowed in my brainwaves and wiping away all my worries. I forget all that was taking place until the atmosphere around my desk tenses as two beauty idols stood there looking at me with piercing cat's eyes. For a moment I hold my breath, then I start breathing again. My body seems to have mal-functioned now. I feel so crippled in front of them.

The one on the left plucks out my earphone and I give him the look of a lifetime... if that actually means anything. I really wish some of that hotness drips onto my desk and I accumulate it.

"Can't you see someone's talking in front of you?" the long haired guy on the left asked.

"Who?" I ask acting all shocked.

"Look up front."

"Ohhh that guy... well I'm simply waiting till he's done then I can finish my literature and make my way home,"

"What??" The guy on the right nearly screamed in utter disbelief, "It's not any random guy standing in front of you."

"Ummm, he's not in my dictionary... so he's definitely a random guy."

"Who-"

"Wait a minute," I interfere. "What's so special about him? If you ask me, he's just like any other guy I've come across."

A small smirk appears in the corners of both their lips.

"You're in for a treat baby girl."

"Baby what?"

"Girl," he repeats himself.

"Excuse me, it wouldn't hurt if you asked me my name."

Before he can give me a reply a voice sounded from the front, or maybe just a few feet from me, "Eyy Xander, you been chatting with that chic for long, whassup?"

The long haired guy turns his hand and answers, "Well CJ, this-" he cuts himself midway and leans towards me, "What's your name again?"

"Alana," I whisper back to him.

"Alana right here's got balls man?"

"What?"

"She's a tough one bro."

"Ohh," he looks directly into my eyes, "Be there."

What? Where? Will somebody tell me what on earth is happening?

***

I sit with Kate in the canteen and we peacefully munched our food.

"I've got a question Kate," I looked at her so I could see her reaction.

"Shoot."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

She nearly spits her drink and looks at me in a weird way.

"I had one... until he ditched me for my bestfriend," she forces a smile then looks into her plate.

"By the way, why did you say I shouldn't sit on that table? Why is it always deserted?"

"Well... look who's sitting there," Kate replies without even moving.

I really should have guessed this earlier. It's obviously the great CJ minions.

"Let's get out of here," I suggest.

"Are you crazy? In a few seconds something grand will happen and you really wouldn't want to miss it."

"What's that?"

"It's a surprise girl. Just wait for it."

Oh no!

"Please just hint me. Please please ple-"

"Chilling in the moonlit night,

Your eyes sparkle to it's light.

Dancing in the shadows of the night,

With your grip on me so tight."

The lyrics suddenly flow and the atmosphere turns romantic. The gorgeous voice invaded the noisy room and made it as silent as can be. All movement seems to have stopped at the pull of a guitar string. He slowly gyrated around the place as he let his beautiful lyrics sink into people's minds. CJ really has something on him.

Who is this guy?

"I can guarantee all of you that no girl in this room can sing better than him," Xander's tells everyone and all the guys cheer.

"It's a guy thing," CJ supports his friend.

"I always pray, you never leave,

Don't shatter my heart by going away.

You make my life what it is,

You feel my life with joy"

I sing the first line and suddenly I can't seem to stop. The lyrics flow out of my mouth despite my efforts to stop myself. Most probably because he doesn't want to ruin his performance, he duets with me the last verse.

"You're an ecstacy,

I've become addicted to you.

The only drug I ever see,

So come on hold my hand."

The whole school is staring at me with faces that resemble absolute shock. Jaws ajar like those of a kid who has just seen an amusement park. Kate simply frozen in her seat.

My head begins to spin all of a sudden and images become blurry, people becoming twos, threes, fours. CJ and his friends also looking at who just intruded their friend's performance then...