Chapter 2: Damn. Just Leave Me Alone

An Alternate Universe

A/N:- Uh...Well, I don't think the first chapter did so good with ya'll, so I've just decided to post the second one and see how it goes. I do hope it is good.

Chapter 2: Damn. Just Leave Me Alone

Disclaimer:- All these lovely characters belong to Meg Cabot. I can only wish that Paul belonged to me...

That's when the bell rang and brought me and the new guy and all those surrounding us out of our little daze.

I rushed past Paul and entered the classroom. It felt good to escape to my desk by the windows with the scenic view of the Pacific.

Saved by the bell, I thought to myself.

CeeCee took her seat next to my desk and in a hurried and hushed tone, as the other students were filing in, asked me, "Geez. You all right, Suze? What's wrong with you? You've seriously been acting weirdly since morning."

"It's nothing." I managed to hiss in a strangled voice. "And shut up about that, will you?"

She turned her back to me. Scowling, probably. She sure didn't like being talked rude to.

Suddenly I noticed that someone had quite stealthily managed to sneak into the only empty seat in the classroom that also happened to be behind mine. And that someone was surely no one I wanted to sit near, for some reason unknown to me.

Paul Slater.

Yeah, right. That guy was not only in this school but also in my, my, class room.

But the bigger question was why did that guy, whom I didn't even happen to know made me feel like this. Like being in an alternate universe where things had been messed up. I guess it was because of those steely blue eyes of his. They made me feel naked. Like he knew something, something that he shouldn't know. A secret may be. As if he and I had met in some past life time. Something was indisputably wrong with this picture.

The teacher entered the classroom with a gruff expression on his face. This was definitely going to be a very cheerful year, I could see.

I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I knew who it was. But I didn't want to turn around and face those knowing eyes. And also because I was terrified that Mr. Spurtnook, our homeroom teacher, was not going to be happy with some talkative student. So I leaned behind as far as my bench allowed me.

"Hey." Paul said coolly.

"What?" I asked brusquely. I really didn't want to converse with a guy who made me feeling so terrified as well as made my knees weak.

"You dropped this." He said, handing me a tortoise shell clip. "I found it on the floor."

I hadn't realized that I'd dropped the clip. It must have happened when I'd bumped into him and behaved like a moron. "Keh thanks, bye." I replied coldly, not wanting to further the conversation and taking the clip from him.

The rest of the class passed away in a haze with a feeling of blue-eyes boring into the back of my neck and making me shiver unnecessarily.

"Suze, you've got to explain everything right now before I enroll you at the loony bin." CeeCee demanded grabbing my arm as leading me towards an empty table in the courtyard where we usually sat for lunch.

"Hey, wait up you guys." Adam was scurrying, trying to keep up with us.

"Look, it's nothing alright. I'm fine, really." I lied between gritted teeth while settling down on the wooden bench and placing my face in my hands.

Certainly, CeeCee didn't believe me that I was fine. Instead she continued to poke questions at me after banging her lunch tray on the table.

"You're kidding me right? Look at you; you start the day off literally woolgathering. Then you bump into some new kid and behave as if you have encountered a fire-breathing dragon. And you expect me to believe you when you say you're alright? Do I look like a fool to you?" And she went on blabbering.

"Excuse me. But I don't get a word of whatever gibberish is going on here." Adam looked confused. CeeCee shot him an unwelcome look that suggested that he back off from here. "Or I think that I'll just sit by with the Chess Club today." He excused himself from our table.

"Now, you better start spilling or I am gonna have to force it out from you."

"CeeCee, chill. I said I'm fine and I really am. Look," I flashed a bright smile. "Nothing is going on, I swear."

"Yeah, right." She retorted.

"Seriously CeeCee, nothing is. I swear." I said, looking down at my feet. "And if something is even going on, I don't understand it myself. It's just a very confusing situation." I said in a low voice.

"Whatever. But I won't stand you behaving like a zombie. So you better cheer up and put the shit behind you." She ordered.

"Aye, aye Captain." I said genuinely smiling. "So, how 'bout hitting the waves after school?"

"No can do." CeeCee said, munching on her apple. "The Paper Committee is meeting after school."

"Oh, all right." I sounded somewhat hurt.

"And don't you have VP meeting today?"

"Yeah, that's right. An hour with the Mean Queen and her subjects. I'll be sure to have a blast." And we laughed together at Kelly's expense.

Well, I sure did have a blast. The hour went better than expected actually.

Kelly accidentally tripped on a can of red paint and ended up looking exactly like a mashed tomato. It was really a hilarious sight. I wouldn't have missed it for the world how she went on cursing the poor fellow who has left the can open on the gym floor. I really felt pity for him, whoever he was.

This did mean that the meeting had to go on for longer than expected thanks to Kelly having to take long to get cleaned up. I'm sure she must have devoured at least two whole boxes of Kleenex.

I was taken out of my reverie when I noticed that the parking lot was empty except for a shiny silver BMW. Well, I sure didn't have a ride home. Thanks to the Mean Queen again. I was just going to suck it up and walk the two miles to my home.

"Suze." A voice that I did recognize and dread called out from near the BMW.

I turned around to face whoever it was that had called out to me. Of course, I knew who it was. But I just wanted to make sure that my fastened heart-beats were not wasted for no reason.

"Hey." I called out in a tiny voice. "How did you know my name?" I asked surreptitiously.

"Well, that's a secret." Paul Slater smiled sultrily. "So, I noticed you don't have a ride home. Can I drop you somewhere?"

"My mom told me not to get into cars with strangers." Though I wouldn't have minded getting into that BMW with that stranger.

"Aw. C'mon Susannah. You're not really going to walk all the way home in those heels, right?" He asked with a sigh.

"Look, Paul. I don't really know you and I sure don't want to. So, I would appreciate it if we refrain from having any conversations in the near future." I said curtly even though that was far from what I wanted to say. I mean, here was this guy, this God, who was gentleman enough to give the girl a free ride home even though the girl had been totally rude to him earlier and here the girl was, I, who was intent on making a fool of herself.

He was looking at me as if I'd been bitten by a bug. Well, I couldn't blame him. I bet I looked uncomfortable standing in the afternoon sun, at least I felt it. But he went on looking at me, unaffected by my rude words.

He was smiling at me. He really had a warm smile for such cool eyes. Those full lips tilted upwards…

"And may I ask why you say so?" He asked; bringing me out of my daze. I sure seemed to be dreaming a lot around him.

"Uh…Yeah, well, you see…" I was struggling for words, "I really don't want to get into all of that right now. So if you will, excuse me."

I was about to make my way around him and I almost did but all of a sudden his hand shot up and grabbed why wrist. It was tight but gentle enough not to hurt me.

"Really, Suze. I don't mean you any harm. I just want to get to know you, okay?" He said a hint of hurt in his deep voice. "Is that such a crime?"

That's when I made my first mistake. I turned around and gazed into his steel blue eyes, my knees went weak and I was grasping for words.

And that's when I made my second mistake. I blurted out, "Damn. Just leave me alone."

A/N:- So what did you think? Good enough for your approval or does it need some more work? Do let me know please...And remember, review to inspire me :P Thanks.