Chapter 4

I didn't need any distractions currently. I had too much going on as it was, so I refused to let his appearance bother me. I was going to pretend he wasn't in the same school as me and I'd go on with my life the same way I had been before he arrived there. I was curious,of course I was. I wanted to know why he had left Phoenix and moved all the way to Colorado. But I was going to dampen that curiously until it faded, I wasn't going to go anywhere near him. I had avoided Jenna for over a week and it had been working out quite well,who's to say that I couldn't do the same with him?

I was intent on making sure him and I never...

My thoughts came to an instant halt when the door was unlocked and he stepped in. 

It was twenty minutes into the lesson, the teacher had just finished distributing the latest text which we were supposed to go through. Wuthering Heights. All the other students had already flipped through the pages,but my copy remained untouched on my locker. 

I as well as every other student in the classroom looked up. I couldn't help but wonder why fate was being so cruel,I felt as if it was trying to ensure none of my plans succeeded. I was seated on the second row, and I was glad when I looked around and realized there were no extra seats close to me. The girl seated beside me sighed and I felt like scoffing loudly. 

I didn't want to look at him for long because for some reason, each glance had my heart racing and my brain going in circles. The teacher, Mrs.Fisher, slowly turned towards the door and crossed her arms, then she smiled a find smile on realizing that we had a new student. She was my favorite of all my teachers, the kindest one as well. 

" Oh class, looks like we have an addition to our class," she said. Then she gestured to the front of the class and asked Austin to stand there and introduce himself. His reply was unprecedented, it had me raising my brows as I wondered whether he'd just said that. 

" I'll pass. "

He said it in a tone that implied that was the end of it, that she shouldn't try and urge him to do so because he wasn't planning to. I frowned, that wasn't like the Austin I had known, but then again, I had come to a conclusion that I had never really known him. 

" I beg your pardon?" Mrs. Fisher asked, uncrossing her arms and knitting her brows together as she stared at him. He was however, busy looking around the class, trying to find a vacant seat. He saw one at the back, and I turned and watched as the guy seated next to it removed his backpack to free the space. 

" Hey, excuse me young man, " Mrs. Fisher tried to call him out, he pretended he couldn't hear her. And when I expected him to walk over to the vacant desk, he rather turned to me. And in the seconds that followed, I watched as a smirk grew into his features.

His perfect, unforgettable features. 

Then he started walking over to me and my entire body tensed in a way I didn't like. I felt anxious all of a sudden. He stopped at the desk beside mine and placed his fingertips on the surface. 

Everyone, including the teacher, was watching him closely, wondering what he was doing. 

" I have an eye problem, I can't sit at the back, " he said.

And all I could think about was how much his voice had changed, how deep it was, how enticing it had become. He looked at the girl that was occupying the desk, then he turned to me for a second before returning his attention to her. 

" Do you mind?" He asked her. She immediately shook her head, her face seeming completely flushed. 

" No, not at all!" 

I watched as she started to collect her things, ready to leave. And if there was one thing I was sure of, it was that he didn't have any issues with his eyes. Unless they had manifested over the last five years,which I doubted. I watched as the girl stood, and part of me wanted to hold her wrist and pull her back down. Warn her against placing me in such a situation. What the hell did he think he was doing?!

After she left, he took off his backpack and sat down. 

" Okay, let's try this again, " Mrs.Fisher said. Picking another copy of the book and walking towards Austin, a focused and stern look on her face. She stopped Infront of him and clutched the book in both her hands.

" Introduce yourself, " she repeated. A hard edge to her voice that was normally never there. He looked at her, straight in the eye. Then he licked his lower lip and stood.

I caught the action,and I replayed it over in my head. Crap! What was I doing?

He turned towards the class, I didn't want to be looking at him,I wanted to act as if he wasn't even there, but instead I ended up glued to him, hanging on his every word. 

" Hi, my name's Austin O'Grady, " he turned to the teacher and raised his brows inquisitively. As if asking her whether she was satisfied. That was definitely not the way to make a good first impression. What was wrong with him?

" Could you tell us a bit more about yourself, Austin? " she asked. He shrugged, then he asked, " Like what?" 

The teacher didn't take it offensively, she tilted her head from side to side as if she were thinking. That was the same scent I had caught in the hallways yesterday. That was the cologne I had once helped him steal from his dad's suitcase when we were young. 

" Where are you from? I saw you yesterday, how do you like it here so far." 

His lips parted slightly and he let out a sharp breath. He clearly didn't like being questioned. 

" I'm from Phoenix. And I hate it here, anything else?" 

I heard some whispers, I was taken aback. He glanced back at the class, then he used his hands to gesture to himself.

" Anyone else wanna ask me anything? We still have twenty five minutes.... " Silence, "No? cool. "

He settled back down on his chair and leaned back against the seat, Mrs. Fisher did not look happy and I'm certain she was going to do something about him later on. She placed the book on his desk and turned on her heels, then she walked back to the board and took in a deep breath.

He was too close to me, too close. 

I kept my eyes fixed on the board, and I intently listened to everything the teacher was saying. But then all I could think about was the boy seated next to me. And the one time I risked a glance,it was to find him staring straight at me. I suspected he had been doing so from the moment he sat, I could feel his stare throughout the class. 

I looked at the book that remained closed on his locker, and I wondered whether he even knew that we were in class. 

" Mr. O'Grady, do you happen to own a notebook?" Mrs. Fisher finally asked after the question ate at her too much. Austin turned to her, then he casually shook his head. 

" Next time make sure you bring one with you, for now you can list down the pages I need you to go through and underline the lines you need to mark. " 

She was struggling to maintain her cool. But I knew he was slowly getting on her nerves. He apparently didn't have a pen either, and if he did then he didn't bother to take one out. 

I wanted to call him out, ask him what exactly his problem was. Why he was acting the way he was, but instead all I did was hand him one of my spare pens and return my focus on the board. 

" Well thank you Stevens, " he unexpectedly said. I looked at him, I had never thought I'd get to hear those words again. I had never expected anyone to call me that ever again. The stupid memories tried to rush back but I blocked them expertly. I was used to doing so after all that time. 

He flipped the textbook open, then he went back to staring. At me. 

I grew uncomfortable all over again, he wasn't even trying to hide it. I'm certain that everyone in that class had realized what he was doing and they must have been wondering what the story there was, how come he knew my name. I didn't need any of that. 

All I could do was try to pretend that he wasn't there. The bell rang, and Mrs. Fisher struggled to talk past the commotion as everyone started making their way out. 

I had an essay I had written and wanted her to go through, but I figured I could always hand it to her later, currently my top priority was to make my way out of there. Fast. 

Max could always catch up with me. 

But the second I stood so did he, I grabbed both my books and my my bag and I started making my way to the door. 

" Stevens!" His voice close to my ear as he called out my name, then I felt his hand on my arm and immediately stood and turned around to face him. That touch, that firm hold had my breathing hitching.  I didn't want to draw any attention so I refrained from shouting. I looked him right in his captivating grey eyes and I thought about what he had once said, what he had once done. the rage returned in one vicious blow. 

" Get your fucking hand off me!" I ground the words out past clenched teeth. I hardly ever cursed, but he had a way of making me lose it. He blinked, and when I thought he'd refuse, he let go and took a step back. 

" Kyle?" Max called my name as he slowly approached us. I inclined my head to the door and told him we should go. That classroom suddenly felt smaller and I didn't want to spend another second in there.