Look: Chapter 1: Who is That?
A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky outside my schoolroom window. I looked up from my test, a sigh escaping my lips. This thunderstorm had been going on all morning. Rain pelted the roof as the wind danced with the trees.
Someone somewhere just got struck by lightning, I thought to myself. Yes, I have random thoughts and most of them are weird. But is that possible? Is someone getting struck by lightning that often?
Someone tapped me on the shoulder.
“Five minutes left to the test,” my friend Venus whispered. She smiled and handed me my pencil that had fallen off my desk.
“Thanks.” I turned my attention to the test and quickly answered the last few questions.
“What happened back there? You just spaced out.” Venus laughed as we exited the room.
“I was thinking about lightning and all,” I said.
“Ahh, inspired by the thunderstorm?” she asked, raising one eyebrow.
“Yup.” I stuffed my notebooks into my locker. “We have lunch next.”
“Let’s go!” she turned and headed towards the cafeteria and I followed.
“Hey Olivia.” someone walked up next to me.
“Hello, Mathew,” I answered, trying to keep my cool. This guy bothered me everyday, wanting to know if I wanted to hang out. The only reason he wanted to hang-out with me was because my parents were rich. You’d think I’d be use to it by now.
“Do you want to hang-out sometime this week?” he asked, keeping pace with me. We arrived in the cafeteria before I answered.
“I’m really busy this week, you know,” I answered nicely. I quickened my pace, leaving him behind and joining Venus in line.
I wasn’t popular at school. Well, I was but not in the common sense. Everyone knew who I was but I didn’t hang out with the popular group or do anything with them. Why? Because I begged and begged and begged and begged and begged my parents to allow me to attend a public school. At the age of ten I had gotten sick of a private tutor and pleaded with them untill they allowed me. If I mess up once, make one wrong choice, they might yank me out. There would go my life!
“You zoned out again,” Venus sighed, plate in hand and back to me.
“Oh,” I said, grabbing a plate of my own.
“Yeah. I was talking about coming over and you’re just staring into space.” she said.
“Sorry. I was thinking.” I hate it when I zone out. The world around me just disappears and I’m in my own little world and then people get offended that I was annoying them.
“It’s okay. Will you listen this time though?”
“Yes.” I said, silently yelling at myself to pay attention.
“Okay. Mom and Dad are going on a date night and Jacob is going over to a friends house. I was wondering if I could hang out at your house for a little until Jacob is back,” she grabbed a slice of pizza and turned to me. “Whatcha think?”
“Sure! That’d be great! I was actually going to ask you to come over today anyway. Mom and Dad are gonna be at the office late but Shawn will still be there,” I explained.
“Shawn’s cool.” she nodded.
Shawn is my bodyguard. Surprised? Yeah, there was an attempt on to kidnap me once when I was younger. Ever since then, I’ve had Shawn, a dark African-American bodyguard.
“Okay, what time are you thinking about coming over?” we had sat down at a table, enjoying our lunch.
“Fiveish,” She said.
I noticed someone sitting at the corner table, arms folded in front of their chests. It was a boy with white hair that hung down to his face. A dark hoodie contrasted his bright hair and for just a second, our eyes met. I looked back down at my plate, embarrassed and feeling awkward.
“What?” Venus noticed I had gotten sheepish.
“I just made awkward eye contact with that guy over there,” I told her, not looking up from my plate.
“Where? Is he cute?” Yeah, that’s Venus for you.
“Sorta. Over at that corner table,” I said, nodding with my head.
“Livy, there’s no one there,” she said, disappointment in her voice. “They must have gotten up and left.”
“But,” I looked at the table, and blinked. There was stil someone there. Same person too.
He looked at me again only this time he was smiling. He winked, blue eyes flashing.
“Um, he’s still there,” I said, not understanding. “And he winked at me.”
Venus turned the whole way around in her seat to look. “No one’s there!”
“Yes! A guy is sitting right there right now!” I exclaimed.
“Describe what he looks like.” She turned back to me and folded her arms across her
chest. She didn’t believe me.
Keeping an eye on him the whole time, I said, “Really blonde hair, almost white. Blue eyes and a roundish face. He’s wearing a dark hoodie with black pants.”
“You really think he’s there, don’t you?” Venus asked.
“I’m seeing him with my own eyes!” I persisted.
“I have an idea. Take a picture with your phone and show it too me but be smooth about it. Don’t let him see you do it.” she instructed.
I took my phone out and pretended to be on the phone with my mom and at the same time I took a picture. Thankfully the flash was off. Thankfully.
“Here,” I handed her the phone. I could see him in the picture, bent over the table, piercing blue eyes searching the area around him.
“There’s nothing there!” Venus said, irritated. “Olivia, is this some joke?”
“No!” I was upset. So upset. Why could I see him but Venus couldn’t? “He’s there! I swear!”
“How ’bout this? We forget about this guy that only you can see and we get this school day over and done with so we can hang out? Okay?” she proposed.
“Fine.” As Venus got up to through away her garbage, I watched the boy in the corner.
He got up and left the room. As he walked past my table, he smirked. It wasn’t a mean smirk just a “So sorry for you” smirk.
The rest of the school day was okay, I only spotted the kid once or twice again. But who was he? It was driving me insane but I didn’t mention it to anyone again.
Maybe I was going crazy?
This is a new book I’m working on. I will continue to keep working ong Hybrid. This idea has been floating around in my head for a long time and it feels good to get it out. If you would like to read more, just let me know! I hope you enjoy this!