A/N: Italicized words stand for Ever's thoughts.
I opened my eyes to find that my alarm clock (well, I need a clock to look at the time, right?) which I made yesterday with the wooden table rang hard. I groaned as I shifted from my former position, my body feeling heavy. I guess it wasn't used to much exhaustion like the old times. Maybe I forced myself much?
I sat by my bed slowly, as my eyes made it awake. Holding the ringing clock with my hand, I saw that it was time already. I pressed the stop button to shut it. I also checked Ever's presence, and I realized she is still sleeping and her thoughts drifting from the real world.
I rose, walked towards my old wardrobe, and opened carefully its brown doors by its light brown handle. This reliable and sturdy closet was an extremely old gift from a friend of mine. It would be a shame if I don't take care of it.
This time, I avoided contacts from my ex; so far, so good. It's nice to think that she was far away from me and from Ever. I mean, I don't have any grudge against her nor she didn't have anything against me, but with her, it was still just awkward. Even if we were friends. And even if we just became friends again.
I picked up a decent black long-sleeved shirt and a pair of dark pants. I wore my sleek motorcycle boots, as I grabbed her book copy. I went out of my private room as I made it locked from the inside the time I'm going down the stairs.
Opening the cupboard, I got some small bottles of the drink. I brought an extra and opened it, as I drank it while making my way to my BMW. I climbed in, locking the door as I put her book in my bag. I checked some painful assignments as I answered them smoothly with my pretty neat handwriting… which can be a pretty advantage if you want to fake being Mr. Perfect plus having high grades.
As I finished, I made my way out of the community, gesturing farewell to the woman guard, who still looked sleepy, by the way. I drove to my school as I parked my BMW. In a few minutes, we will be late together.
I went out, grabbing my bag as I made my way to the campus's entrance doors.
At the hallway, I saw Haven, Ever's girl best friend, while darting frantically, scanning the campus as she says, "Okay, the bell's gonna ring in less than five minutes and still no sign of Damen. You think he dropped out?"
She looked at Ever and Miles; yellow eyes wide with alarm.
"Why would he drop out? He just started," Ever said, heading for her locker as Haven skips alongside her, the thick rubber soles of her boots bouncing off the pavement.
"Uh, because we're not worthy? Because he really is too good to be true?"
"But, he has to come back. Ever leant him her copy of Wuthering Heights, which means he has to return it," Miles said, before Ever can even stop him.
I look alarmed, as her glare weighed on Ever.
"When did this happen?"
She put her hands on her hip, and stared at her. Hard.
"Because you know I called dibs, right? And why didn't I get an update? Why didn't anyone tell me about this? Last I heard you hadn't even seen him yet."
"Oh, she saw him alright. I almost had to dial nine-one-one she freaked out so bad." Miles laughed.
She shook her head, shut her locker, and headed down the hall instead. Silently, I tried to follow them without being noticed.
"Well, it's true," the guy shrugged, walking alongside Ever.
I walked fast enough not to be seen, as I make myself to the classroom door.
"So, let me get this straight; you're more of a liability than a threat?" Haven peered at her through narrowed, heavily lined eyes, her jealousy transforming her aura into a dull puke green.
"Yes, I'm a liability. I'm a huge uninsurable disaster waiting to happen. But, I'm definitely not a threat. Mainly because I'm not interested, and I know that's probably hard to believe, with him being so gorgeous and sexy and hot and smoldering and combustible or whatever it is that you call him, but the truth is, I don't like Damen Auguste, and I don't know how else to say it!"
Haven gasped as she looked forward, her face frozen as she looked at me, who was currently noticed by this girl. Wow.
"Um, I don't think you need to say anything else," she mumbled at Ever, who looked in my direction.
I can hear Ever's heart skip two beats as I opened the door. Despite of what I heard, I don't judge people. She still hasn't knows anything yet so I consider it as an accident. I smiled, still holding the door for her.
"Hey, Ever, after you."
She went in as I followed her, storming her way while avoiding Stacia's bag in her path narrowly. As I came to, I pushed Stacia's bag with my foot, and the girl ignored it, feeling sorry deep inside, having thoughts like "crap, I'm busted" or "oh my, he just put it aside". Meanwhile, I tried to observe Ever. Her thoughts were regretting in shame, so was her cheeks burning in embarrassment after she learned that I heard what "horrifying words" she just said.
She tossed her bag to the floor, slide onto her seat, lifted her hood, and cranked her iPod, hoping to drown out the noise and reflect on what just happened, assuring herself that a guy like me…
A guy so confident, so gorgeous, so completely amazing, is too cool to bother with careless words of a girl like me.
I regretted hearing her words to make her feel uncomfortable. So, I made myself an excuse to touch her hand. And the moment, I do that when she starts to relax she jolted, looking at me. Her thoughts confused of why she feels tingled, electrocuted from my touch, without seeing my past.
To satisfy her, I just smiled as I get her book from my bag.
"I wanted to return this," I said, as I handed over her book. Her mind became cleared the moment I speak, making her relaxed and chill.
Yet knowing how ridiculous that was, she shook her head and said, "Are you sure you don't want to keep it? Because I really don't need it, I already know how it ends."
I removed my hand away from her, after I give her silence of different thoughts.
"I know how it ends, too," I replied, gazing at her, but she quickly looked away. I wondered why. Then, the surroundings took me as noisy thoughts filled her head. I can hear them all, chattering and shouting all at once; words eating each other, sounds trying to wave one another. She tried to stop listening to it, as she put back her ear pods back to the music, which seemed a way to block them.
Seeing her case, I touched her hand, stopping the commotion inside her head, and helping her ease the pain of hearing people's thoughts for a while.
"What're you listening to?"
And the whole room went quiet again…
…Seriously, for those few brief seconds, there were no swirling thoughts, no hushed whispers, nothing but the sound of his soft, lyrical voice. I mean, when it happened before, I figured it was just me. But, this time I know that it's real. Because even though people are still talking and thinking and engaging in all of the usual things, it's completely blocked by the sound of his words...
She squinted, noticing how her body has gone all warm and electric; wondering what could possibly be causing it. Then, me touching her hand, is the first normal encounter she got remotely.
"I asked what you're listening to," I repeated with a smile, for the excuse that she didn't hear what I just asked, pulling her away from her mind that made her face flush pink. I'm somewhat making myself talk to her in private for the very first time – a normal chat with Ever, and it was exciting as every tick came by.
"Oh, um, it's just some goth mix my friend Haven made. It's mostly old, eighties stuff, you know like the Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus." Ever shrugged, unable to avert her gaze as she stared into my eyes, trying to determine their exact color. Well, she used to do that, too, at first, when she thought that I was a strange man and... Wait, that's a different story of long ago, but it didn't stop me from being amused with her actions.
"You're into goth?" I asked, brows raised, my eyes skeptical. She began to think of me taking inventory of her long blond ponytail, dark blue sweatshirt, and makeup-free, clean scrubbed skin.
"No, not really. Haven's all into it." She laughed, a nervous, cackling, cringe worthy sound, that bounces off all four walls and right back at her. She's trying her best to reply to me although she is a bit tensed.
"And you? What are you into?" My eyes were still on hers; I just hope that my face won't betray me.
Ever was just about to answer, but Mr. Robins walked in, his cheeks red and flushed, but not from a brisk walk like everyone thought it was. I leaned back in my seat, thinking why Mr. Robins, of all times enter the classroom at a very exciting part of our talk. Sometimes, he kills moods, too, and it's not very funny.
Even though I looked interested in Mr. Robins's classroom teaching lessons, I look forward to what Ever has in mind as she took a deep breath and lowered her hood, sinking back into the familiar sounds of adolescent angst, test stress, body image issues, Mr. Robin's failed dreams, and Stacia, Honor, and Craig all wondering…
…what the hot guy could possibly see in me.