Tamagirl_Desy
Well-known member
Hey guys! I've been writing a new story these passed few days, and I'm really getting into it. It's already quite long, so you won't be able to sit and read it all. Ill only post some of it. 
Thanks.
Chapter One
Jynal
It was just another ordinary day when I saw the love of my life.
I had been sitting in Rona's coffee shop after a long, hard day of shopping. My limbs were sore and my eyes were heavy. The only thing that was keeping me awake was the caffeine the coffee provided.
I was studying the shop's interior decoration when I heard the bell on the door ring as another customer strolled in. Normally I wouldn't look up, but the loud sound alarmed me. I glanced at the new customer, and my heart stopped beating. He was beautiful. Perfect. A strong body, ruffled, silky hair, sea blue eyes, and glowing skin. His beauty enchanted me and I couldn't look away. He obviously noticed my
stare burning into his back, as he glared in my direction. I forced myself to concentrate on my drink.
"Just a coffee, please." I heard him say to the lady at the counter. She was much older then him, but a flirty tone crossed her voice.
"Of course, sir. Anything you'd like." she said. Moments later, the chair on the opposite side of my table squeaked. I gazed up from my coffee to see the beautiful man taking his seat.
"Hello." he said, his voice calm and soothing. I couldn't speak for a moment. My breath was caught in my throat.
"Hi." I managed to choke out. He laughed.
"I'm Jynal." he told me, and his eyes flickered with hurt as he saw my expression change from shock to humor. I couldn't help myself. I hadn't ever heard a name like that before.
"I'm Karen. It's a pleasure to meet you." I said, my name sounding all too simple. Jynal smiled at me, causing the blood in my veins to rush. I smiled back meekly. Why was he bothering to talk to me anyways?
"You looked rather lonely...I thought I'd come see if you'd like some company." he explained, as though he could read my thoughts. I nodded quickly.
"Thank you." was all I could say. There was an awkward silence between us, though Jynal didn't look like he minded. He just stared at me, intently, like he was trying to figure something out. I began tapping my fingers
on my coffee cup, humming. Automatically, he did the same.
"How old are you?" he asked suddenly, his eyes narrowing. I sighed a little. The silence was finally broken.
"I'm sixteen. What about you?"
"Sixteen." he responded, his expression bland. I chuckled quietly. Jynal shot me a confused look.
"You look much older than that." I said, not being able to hide my smile. He smiled back, content once more.
"I've been told that many times." he exclaimed, then snorted. "You don't look a day over 14." My cheeks flushed bright pink.
"I know." I whispered, pretending to be suddenly interested with the design of the chair. Jynal sensed my embarrassment.
"But it's okay. When you're older, it'll be nice to have a younger face." he said, attempting to rise my spirits. I smiled slightly but didn't respond. All this small chat was making me nervous. There was yet another
awkward silence. After what seemed like hours, Jynal glanced down at his watch, then said quickly, "I must be going now. Maybe I'll see you around." I nodded, somewhat relieved that he was finally leaving, though
deep down I wanted nothing more than to stare at his intense beauty.
"Goodbye." I sighed as I watched him get up and head to the door. He peered at me for a moment as he stood with his fingers on the handle, his expression unreadable. Then without another word, he left me with
my thoughts.
Twenty minutes later, I was jamming my key into the door of my small home in the suburbs. My neighborhood was quiet enough, but I'd always wanted to go and live a life in the country without the bustle of the city
around me. My mom had a job here, though, in New York, and wasn't planning on moving anytime soon. I jiggled the key around a little bit, and finally the door swung open, then I slammed it behind me. The house was dark and deserted. I walked into my cozy, Spanish-styled kitchen and found a note hanging off the fridge. I read the messy writing quickly. Karen, I went out with the girls. I'll be back before 11:00. Eat your supper and be good. I was happy for my mom. She hadn't had a night off for the longest time, and deserved to have some fun. I stumbled my way up the stairs and into my bedroom. The purple walls and white carpet calmed me. I sat down on my bed and gazed at the ceiling, thinking of the days events. My boyfriend, Nick, giving me roses. The silly texts I received from my best friend Mandy. Most of all, though, my thoughts led to Jynal. His beauty, his voice and his laugh. Chills spread across my back. Had I developed a crush on someone I had only briefly met, and would never see again? No, it wasn't possible. I had a boyfriend already. Little did I know that the meeting at the coffee shop wouldn't be our last.
I woke up the next morning fairly early, so I had enough time to pretty myself up for the first day of school. I was going into grade eleven, which, to me, seemed like a rather large and frightening number.
Then I remembered about Mandy, Nick and all my other friends. I felt more relaxed. Heading downstairs for breakfast, I could smell the scent of pancakes wafting through the air. I stepped into the kitchen. My
mother was setting a plate of hot patties on the table for me.
"Good morning, honey." she said cheerfully, her eyes bright. Her pretty features were happy and relaxed. Her wavy blonde hair was flowing loosely, and her eyes indicated she hadn't come home until much after
eleven o'clock.
"Good morning, mom." I said back, my voice uneasy and tired sounding. "You didn't have to make these. I could have done it." I added. Mom smiled at me, her white teeth sparkling.
"Oh, it was not a problem. Your first day back to school must be nerve racking, so I didn't want to force you into making your own breakfast too." she explained, overly bubbly. I nodded in thanks, but I would have
much rather made my own. It would have kept my mind off things. I riffled through the pancakes hungrily, then chucked my plate into the dishwasher.
"Thanks." I said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. There was a sudden hurt look in her eyes. "Oh, yeah, did you have fun last night?" I asked, trying my hardest to sound interested. Mom smiled widely, pleased I had asked.
"Very fun! I got a new dress, and a pair of shoes. We also went to a little Italian restaurant." she explained, her eyes twinkling. I shot her a smile.
"Great! Well I better go and get ready." I raced back upstairs to get dressed. The other day Mandy and I had a shopping spree, though I ended up only buying one shirt and a pair of jeans. After
slipping on the outfit, I stared at myself in the mirror. The shirt I was wearing was colored light pink, and had lacey sleeves. The jeans were simply light blue. After a few moments of peering into the mirror, my reflection began to appear not as a attractive as I would have liked. I pulled out some make-up from my make-up kit my Aunt Lynn had bought my last Christmas. It had pretty much remained untouched until a few months ago when I began dating Nick. I put on some light blue eye shadow, pink lip-gloss and mascara. Simple, but pretty. I tied my messy blonde hair into a tight ponytail. Butterflies filled my stomach as I thought of school; the new faces, the old, the work, the teachers. No more free time. No more afternoons at the beach, Nick holding me in his soft arms. I sighed sadly, then slowly walked downstairs to the front hallway.
"Karen! Do you have all your school stuff together?" Mom called out from the kitchen, but from the sound in her voice I assumed she knew I hadn't.
"Doing it now." I promised, as I stuffed some notebooks and pencils into my book bag. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering more then ever. "I'm leaving." I said, more so to myself.
I still had tons of time until school but I had to get out of my over-heated house.
"Really? I thought I was driving you, though. It's much too early to drive you over now."
Mom cried out to me, a sharp edge in her voice. I slung the book bag over my shoulder and opened up the door.
"I know. I'm walking there." was simply all I said. I quickly stepped outside and shut the door behind me before she had a chance to disapprove. As I left the comforts of home, a cold breeze began to blow. I shivered a little, wishing I had brought a jacket.
"Here." said a faint voice from behind me, a sudden jacket being slipping on my arms. At first I thought it was Nick, but the scent on the jacket wasn't his. It was much stronger, nicer and sweeter. I turned around, surprised to see Jynal. He smiled so big it touched his eyes. Again, my heart stopped beating as I took in his breath-taking beauty.
"Thank you." I choked out, closing my eyes for a few moments. I wasn't sure if I could handle his perfect looks. Jynal's hands were suddenly cupping my chin. I opened my eyes slowly. His face was only a few inches from mine. For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me, but as soon as that thought crossed my mind, he dropped his hands.
"That's better. I don't like not being able to see your eyes." Jynal told me, his voice cheerful yet serious. I didn't answer. I was much too confused.
"Why are you here? Do you live in this neighborhood? I've never seen you." I questioned curiously. He laughed smugly.
"Nope. I knew YOU lived here though." he explained. Even in the warmth of the jacket, I shivered. How did he know that? I hadn't told him. It seemed like he knew exactly what I was thinking. "Don't be scared." he said, almost mockingly, "You left your wallet at the coffee shop. I had went back there earlier this morning, and Rona, the owner, requested I brought it to you. Your wallet had all the info I needed to find you." I sighed with relief, knowing he wasn't stalking me or anything. Jynal pulled an object out of his back pocket and handed it to me. My wallet! I smiled at him.
"Err, thanks. I really appreciate it." I said quietly, realizing how many times I've said ''thank you'' to him. Luckily, he hadn't seemed to notice.
"Let me walk you to school." he offered. I shook my head.
"That's ok. It's far and you need to head off to your own school." I told him, hardly noticing that we were already out of the neighborhood and on one of the more busier streets. He grinned.
"I'm on my way there, anyways. I'm a new student to West Wood High." he said. I gasped. No way! West Wood High couldn't handle a boy as beautiful as him. Jynal stared at me, looking amused.
"That's...great." I said sincerely. I actually wouldn't mind him being there. I think I'd really enjoy it. He seemed like a very good friend. Jynal seemed pleased.
"Mhm. It is. Now I can keep an eye on you." he said to himself quietly, and glanced up at me, looking panicked like he shouldn't have said that. I felt confused. What did he mean by "keep an eye on you"? A shiver crept down my spine. Maybe I didn't want to find out.
The walk to school seemed to take forever as Jynal and I walked in silence. His expression was pained, and I couldn’t understand why. Finally, we arrived at the front doors. He politely opened them for me. I smiled in thanks, and walked through, Jynal following close behind. There wasn’t anybody at the school yet, except a few teachers. I should have known. I glanced at my watch. We were 15 minutes early. Jynal led me to a nearby bench, then sat down. I did the same. He stared into my eyes attentively. I gazed back at him, not being able to look away.
“You are very beautiful.” he whispered. My breath caught in my throat. He thought I was beautiful? Hadn’t he looked himself in the mirror?
“Thank you.” I said. My voice was calm, but my body was shaking with excitement. Why was Jynal so intimidating? Why did I find him so attractive? I had a boyfriend. I knew that. Yet, sitting there with a perfect angel, I couldn’t help myself. Jynal smiled broadly, then looked away from my face.
“Karen…I need you to promise me something.” he said, his voice suddenly dark and distant.
“Okay.” I croaked. The tone in his voice had startled me. Jynal gazed at me, trying to find the right words. I waited patiently.
“If something I do troubles you, don’t be upset with me. It’s not my fault.” he told me slowly. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. Perplexed as I was, I nodded in response.
Jynal’s serious face lightened slightly.
“Good.” was all he said. Then, the bell rang, making me jump off the bench in alarm.
Jynal stood up as well. “I’ll see you later then, Karen. I have to go and get my schedule.” I didn’t respond. Jynal smiled crookedly then walked off. I sighed, and trudged off to my first class. Luckily, I had gotten my schedule in the mail a few weeks earlier. Science wasn’t one of my best subjects, but fortunately I had Nick and Mandy with me. As I took my seat, I immediately saw Nick coming in behind me. He took his seat beside mine, then leaned over and kissed my cheek. Usually , when he touched me in any sort of way, it sent sparks flying in my heart. This time, I felt nothing. Nick beamed.
“It’s so nice to see you, Karen. Feels like forever.” he told me, chuckling. Weakly, I smiled back. How come Nick’s presence wasn’t affecting me, like it always had? Nick wasn’t bad looking. He was actually above average. Smooth, chocolate brown hair, deep hazel eyes, and tanned skin. Yet, thinking back to Jynal, there was no comparison. Jynal was beauty beyond compare. I glanced up to see Mandy hurrying to the seat on the opposite side of me. She grinned.
“Hiya. Good thing I’m not late. Mr. Williams would have gotten mad at me.” she explained, her voice cheerful and merry. It was hard to return the enthusiasm.
“I heard that Mr. Williams has a bad habit of being late himself. He’s not even here yet.” I said back quietly. Mandy was about to say something else when a tall, lanky looking man lumbered into the classroom. Everyone stopped talking at once to gawk. The man was as thin as a skeleton, with slick grey hair and his emerald green eyes peered from circular glasses.
“Hello class. I’m Mr. Williams. I’ll be handing out your science textbooks in a moment.” He sounded friendly enough. Unexpectedly, Jynal strode through the door. All the students in the class gaped. Mr. Williams glared at him.
“Late, I see. I don’t like people being overly late.” he explained, a warning lingering in his voice. Jynal put a hand on the old man’s shoulder, whispered something into is ear, then walked to an empty seat a few desks behind me. Mr. Williams seemed unfazed, and began handing out science books. I tried my hardest not to look back at Jynal, but I could feel his eyes burning into my back. The burn didn’t feel good. I innocently glanced back, pretending to be studying the wallpaper design. Jynal looked upset, puzzled, and angry. I had no clue why. Finally, my gaze met his. He glared at me harshly, then looked away. So I did as well, feeling hurt and bewildered. Then I felt a note being slid onto my desk. I saw Jynal’s hand for a quick moment, then he turned around and went back to his seat. I opened up the note, irritated. Meet me after school by the benches it read. I crumpled the note up and stuck it in my pocket before Mr. Williams had a chance to see.
The rest of science went by slowly, and I was more then happy to go to History when the bell rang. I could still feel Jynal staring at me closely, so I sprinted out of the classroom. There was no familiar faces in History. Nobody I recognized from previous years. Nobody who looked friendly. I sat down near the back, and tried my hardest to pay attention to the droning of the teacher, Mrs. Riley. After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang for lunch. I headed to the cafeteria by myself, not knowing where I was supposed to sit. With Nick? Or would he be sitting with his football friends? I slid into line for my lunch, scanning the room for an empty seat where I could think quietly. But there wasn’t any. All the seats were filled, except for a spot across from Jynal, and spot beside Mandy. Jynal turned to stare at me, his eyes infuriated. Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry anymore. I stepped out of line and walked towards Mandy, taking as much time as I could.
“Hey, Karen!” Mandy called out, waving. I feebly waved back. As I took my seat, Mandy started to whine about how she hated Mr. Jacobs, her Math teacher, and how he yelled at her. I pretended to be concerned, but all I could focus on was Jynal. I kept peeking over my shoulder at him, to see if he was still angry. After a few minutes, his eyes relaxed and he mentioned to the seat across from him. Me? He wanted me to sit there? Mandy become aware that I wasn’t listening anymore, so she also looked over her shoulder. “He wants you to sit with him, I think. Do you want to go over there?” she asked me, though I could tell she would much rather I stayed with her. I nodded slowly, got up, and took my seat crosswise from Jynal. For a few moments, he didn’t speak. He didn’t even look at me. Then, he sighed heavily, and said,
“Karen, we need to talk. Not here, and not now. After school by the benches.”
I pulled his note out of my left pocket, and shoved it across the table.
“You already told me that.” I reminded him, raising my eyebrow. Jynal’s expression was solemn.
“I know, but I had to make sure you knew I was serious.” he clarified. His words sent a cool breeze down my neck. Abruptly, his face changed from grim to smiling.
“I have Gym next period. What about you?” he said, rubbing his neck with his hands. I smirked at him. Gym was my best class, and it just so happened I had Gym next, too.
“What a surprise…so do I.” I told him, though there was a minor tone in my voice that pointed out I was a little annoyed. Well, I was. Why did he seem to be everywhere I was? At the coffee shop, in my neighborhood, at my school, in my classes….what next? My house? Jynal didn’t notice my aggravated attitude. He merely grinned at me, stood up, and began walking away.
“I guess I’ll see you there, then.” he hollered over his shoulder. I glimpsed up at the clock. Lunch was over. I had hardly noticed the lack of students still in the cafeteria. I groaned quietly and headed off to class.
Chapter Two
Somewhat Confessions
I dashed to the Gym as fast as my legs could carry me. Unfortunately, it was at the other side of the school. When I finally arrived, the other students were already changed into their gym clothes and were huddling around Mr. Clemet’s, the gym instructor. I could see Jynal standing at the back of the crowd, not paying any attention to the directions Mr. Clemet was giving out, but watching me. I shyly slithered into the change room and hastily got dressed. I was eager to go and impress Jynal. When I headed back into the gym, the crowd had spilt up into pairs. A mob of girls were surrounding Jynal, willing to be his partner. Yet, as soon as he saw me, he called out,
“Karen! Let’s be partners.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. I didn’t have a choice. I walked over to him, and the group of girls trailed off in disappointment. Jynal smiled crookedly at me. I smiled back, my heat beating faster than usual.
“None of those girls good enough for you?” I asked casually. Jynal shook his head.
“No. Too keen on being my partner. I don’t like that. You, on the other hand, didn’t bother me at all.” he put in plain words. I looked at him thoughtfully.
“Most guys like that.” I pointed out, matching his pace as we ambled over to pick up our badminton rackets. Jynal laughed lightly.
“Not me.” was simply all he said. Once we both had our rackets and birdies, we began to hit it back and forth. He wasn’t very good. He kept missing it, or striking it in the wrong direction. I couldn’t help but giggle.
“You’re not very good at this.” I said truthfully, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“I know. Badminton isn’t my thing. Soccer, though, is a whole other story.” he told me, grinning from ear to ear. It was hard to believe that someone with his perfection could be bad at any sport.
“Soccer, badminton…whatever sport it is, I’m excellent at it.” I bragged good-naturedly. He chuckled.
“I’d like to see that.” he said, smiling. From somewhere at the front of the gym, a whistle blew.
“Alright. Enough warm-ups. Time to put your body to the test. Everyone do 20 push-ups, 35 sit-ups and 15 crunches.” Mr. Clemet explained quickly, then blew his whistle again. Before I could whisper to Jynal how unfair the teacher was being, Jynal was already on the floor doing what had been asked. I sighed and did the same, my body aching with discomfort. When I finished all the exercises, I stood up. Wobbling back and forth, dizziness started to over-come me. The pain in my limbs caused me to lose balance and fall backwards. I braced myself for the hard floor, but instead I fell into a pair of muscular arms. I recognized the scent of Jynal immediately. I was about to thank him when I slipped in unconsciousness.
I woke up in a petite, white bed inside a strange room. A room I’ve never been to. Looking around, I recognized where I was. Eye-sight charts, needles, and gloves were hanging on the wall behind me. The nurse’s office. I never had to go there before.
“You’re awake, finally.” said a remote voice. I glanced over to see Jynal sitting in one of the cushioned chairs. He looked tired and impatient.
“You stayed with me?” I asked, my voice giving away my enthusiasm. He nodded.
“Yes. It wasn‘t as interesting as class, though.” he said, grinning. I ignored him.
“Why did you stay?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes in curiosity. Jynal’s grin stayed in the exact same place as he said,
“I’m your friend. Besides, if it wasn’t for me, you would have been hurt badly.” he explained, his eyes searching my face for a sign of thanks. I smiled faintly.
“Oh, thank you. For catching me and staying here.” I said earnestly. He just nodded, and didn’t answer. There was an uncomfortable stillness until the nurse came into the room. A huge smirk was across her face.
“Any better from passing out?” she asked, but didn’t sound overly concerned. She was young and pretty, but Jynal took no notice.
“Yes. Much better.” I said, flashing my eyes to Jynal. Suddenly, Nick came bursting into the room.
“Karen! You’re awake. I was so worried.” he cried, running over and wrapping me in his arms. I didn’t hug him back, but I let him hold me.
“Honestly, Nick, I’m fine. The workout was a little too much for me after a summer of no stretching.” I exclaimed, but he still didn’t let go.
“You scared me to death.” he sighed.
“Sorry.” I murmured, but didn’t mean it. He could have come earlier, and stayed with me like Jynal did, but he didn’t. He probably just found out. At last, he let go of my limp body.
“I’ll take you to class.” he offered, but Jynal cut him off.
“No. She should stay here for the rest of the day. There’s only twenty minutes left until it’s time to go home. She needs as much rest as possible. You go. I’ll stay.” he stated sternly. Nick was about to say something, but because of the warning in Jynal’s voice, he turned on his heel and left.
When the bell rang signifying the end of the day, Jynal helped me out of the nurse’s office. I could have managed perfectly fine on my own, but I found the gentleness of his touch irresistible. We walked together, our arms locked, to the benches. That’s when I remembered Jynal’s words in the cafeteria, and the note he had given me. I reluctantly sat down, and he did the same. Jynal placed his hand on mine. It felt warm. He stared deeply into my eyes.
“I guess it’s time to tell you what I need to tell you.” he said softly. He looked upset, like he was doing something wrong. I waited tolerantly as he tried to find the right words.
“I’m supposed to keep an eye on you. For a friend. He wants you for himself, so he sent me….to, um, check you out.” he admitted, though his eyes looked untruthful. I stared up at the cloudless sky, baffled. Why would someone want me for themselves? More to the point, why would they send someone to see if I was good enough? That was a little shallow. I turned to look at Jynal. He looked back warily.
“Who is it?” I inquired, my voice calm and collected. Jynal shook his head.
“I’m sorry. I can’t say anymore then I already have.” he told me, a pleading tone surfacing in his voice. I understood at once that he wasn’t supposed to have told me anything.
“Okay.” I said simply. I didn’t want him to feel bad. Jynal shot me a gloomy smile, then got up to leave. “Wait!” I called out, and he immediately turned back around to face me. “Is it someone from school?” I asked quietly. Jynal gazed at me gravely.
“No.” he said, then walked off.
Thanks.Chapter One
Jynal
It was just another ordinary day when I saw the love of my life.
I had been sitting in Rona's coffee shop after a long, hard day of shopping. My limbs were sore and my eyes were heavy. The only thing that was keeping me awake was the caffeine the coffee provided.
I was studying the shop's interior decoration when I heard the bell on the door ring as another customer strolled in. Normally I wouldn't look up, but the loud sound alarmed me. I glanced at the new customer, and my heart stopped beating. He was beautiful. Perfect. A strong body, ruffled, silky hair, sea blue eyes, and glowing skin. His beauty enchanted me and I couldn't look away. He obviously noticed my
stare burning into his back, as he glared in my direction. I forced myself to concentrate on my drink.
"Just a coffee, please." I heard him say to the lady at the counter. She was much older then him, but a flirty tone crossed her voice.
"Of course, sir. Anything you'd like." she said. Moments later, the chair on the opposite side of my table squeaked. I gazed up from my coffee to see the beautiful man taking his seat.
"Hello." he said, his voice calm and soothing. I couldn't speak for a moment. My breath was caught in my throat.
"Hi." I managed to choke out. He laughed.
"I'm Jynal." he told me, and his eyes flickered with hurt as he saw my expression change from shock to humor. I couldn't help myself. I hadn't ever heard a name like that before.
"I'm Karen. It's a pleasure to meet you." I said, my name sounding all too simple. Jynal smiled at me, causing the blood in my veins to rush. I smiled back meekly. Why was he bothering to talk to me anyways?
"You looked rather lonely...I thought I'd come see if you'd like some company." he explained, as though he could read my thoughts. I nodded quickly.
"Thank you." was all I could say. There was an awkward silence between us, though Jynal didn't look like he minded. He just stared at me, intently, like he was trying to figure something out. I began tapping my fingers
on my coffee cup, humming. Automatically, he did the same.
"How old are you?" he asked suddenly, his eyes narrowing. I sighed a little. The silence was finally broken.
"I'm sixteen. What about you?"
"Sixteen." he responded, his expression bland. I chuckled quietly. Jynal shot me a confused look.
"You look much older than that." I said, not being able to hide my smile. He smiled back, content once more.
"I've been told that many times." he exclaimed, then snorted. "You don't look a day over 14." My cheeks flushed bright pink.
"I know." I whispered, pretending to be suddenly interested with the design of the chair. Jynal sensed my embarrassment.
"But it's okay. When you're older, it'll be nice to have a younger face." he said, attempting to rise my spirits. I smiled slightly but didn't respond. All this small chat was making me nervous. There was yet another
awkward silence. After what seemed like hours, Jynal glanced down at his watch, then said quickly, "I must be going now. Maybe I'll see you around." I nodded, somewhat relieved that he was finally leaving, though
deep down I wanted nothing more than to stare at his intense beauty.
"Goodbye." I sighed as I watched him get up and head to the door. He peered at me for a moment as he stood with his fingers on the handle, his expression unreadable. Then without another word, he left me with
my thoughts.
Twenty minutes later, I was jamming my key into the door of my small home in the suburbs. My neighborhood was quiet enough, but I'd always wanted to go and live a life in the country without the bustle of the city
around me. My mom had a job here, though, in New York, and wasn't planning on moving anytime soon. I jiggled the key around a little bit, and finally the door swung open, then I slammed it behind me. The house was dark and deserted. I walked into my cozy, Spanish-styled kitchen and found a note hanging off the fridge. I read the messy writing quickly. Karen, I went out with the girls. I'll be back before 11:00. Eat your supper and be good. I was happy for my mom. She hadn't had a night off for the longest time, and deserved to have some fun. I stumbled my way up the stairs and into my bedroom. The purple walls and white carpet calmed me. I sat down on my bed and gazed at the ceiling, thinking of the days events. My boyfriend, Nick, giving me roses. The silly texts I received from my best friend Mandy. Most of all, though, my thoughts led to Jynal. His beauty, his voice and his laugh. Chills spread across my back. Had I developed a crush on someone I had only briefly met, and would never see again? No, it wasn't possible. I had a boyfriend already. Little did I know that the meeting at the coffee shop wouldn't be our last.
I woke up the next morning fairly early, so I had enough time to pretty myself up for the first day of school. I was going into grade eleven, which, to me, seemed like a rather large and frightening number.
Then I remembered about Mandy, Nick and all my other friends. I felt more relaxed. Heading downstairs for breakfast, I could smell the scent of pancakes wafting through the air. I stepped into the kitchen. My
mother was setting a plate of hot patties on the table for me.
"Good morning, honey." she said cheerfully, her eyes bright. Her pretty features were happy and relaxed. Her wavy blonde hair was flowing loosely, and her eyes indicated she hadn't come home until much after
eleven o'clock.
"Good morning, mom." I said back, my voice uneasy and tired sounding. "You didn't have to make these. I could have done it." I added. Mom smiled at me, her white teeth sparkling.
"Oh, it was not a problem. Your first day back to school must be nerve racking, so I didn't want to force you into making your own breakfast too." she explained, overly bubbly. I nodded in thanks, but I would have
much rather made my own. It would have kept my mind off things. I riffled through the pancakes hungrily, then chucked my plate into the dishwasher.
"Thanks." I said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. There was a sudden hurt look in her eyes. "Oh, yeah, did you have fun last night?" I asked, trying my hardest to sound interested. Mom smiled widely, pleased I had asked.
"Very fun! I got a new dress, and a pair of shoes. We also went to a little Italian restaurant." she explained, her eyes twinkling. I shot her a smile.
"Great! Well I better go and get ready." I raced back upstairs to get dressed. The other day Mandy and I had a shopping spree, though I ended up only buying one shirt and a pair of jeans. After
slipping on the outfit, I stared at myself in the mirror. The shirt I was wearing was colored light pink, and had lacey sleeves. The jeans were simply light blue. After a few moments of peering into the mirror, my reflection began to appear not as a attractive as I would have liked. I pulled out some make-up from my make-up kit my Aunt Lynn had bought my last Christmas. It had pretty much remained untouched until a few months ago when I began dating Nick. I put on some light blue eye shadow, pink lip-gloss and mascara. Simple, but pretty. I tied my messy blonde hair into a tight ponytail. Butterflies filled my stomach as I thought of school; the new faces, the old, the work, the teachers. No more free time. No more afternoons at the beach, Nick holding me in his soft arms. I sighed sadly, then slowly walked downstairs to the front hallway.
"Karen! Do you have all your school stuff together?" Mom called out from the kitchen, but from the sound in her voice I assumed she knew I hadn't.
"Doing it now." I promised, as I stuffed some notebooks and pencils into my book bag. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering more then ever. "I'm leaving." I said, more so to myself.
I still had tons of time until school but I had to get out of my over-heated house.
"Really? I thought I was driving you, though. It's much too early to drive you over now."
Mom cried out to me, a sharp edge in her voice. I slung the book bag over my shoulder and opened up the door.
"I know. I'm walking there." was simply all I said. I quickly stepped outside and shut the door behind me before she had a chance to disapprove. As I left the comforts of home, a cold breeze began to blow. I shivered a little, wishing I had brought a jacket.
"Here." said a faint voice from behind me, a sudden jacket being slipping on my arms. At first I thought it was Nick, but the scent on the jacket wasn't his. It was much stronger, nicer and sweeter. I turned around, surprised to see Jynal. He smiled so big it touched his eyes. Again, my heart stopped beating as I took in his breath-taking beauty.
"Thank you." I choked out, closing my eyes for a few moments. I wasn't sure if I could handle his perfect looks. Jynal's hands were suddenly cupping my chin. I opened my eyes slowly. His face was only a few inches from mine. For a moment I thought he was going to kiss me, but as soon as that thought crossed my mind, he dropped his hands.
"That's better. I don't like not being able to see your eyes." Jynal told me, his voice cheerful yet serious. I didn't answer. I was much too confused.
"Why are you here? Do you live in this neighborhood? I've never seen you." I questioned curiously. He laughed smugly.
"Nope. I knew YOU lived here though." he explained. Even in the warmth of the jacket, I shivered. How did he know that? I hadn't told him. It seemed like he knew exactly what I was thinking. "Don't be scared." he said, almost mockingly, "You left your wallet at the coffee shop. I had went back there earlier this morning, and Rona, the owner, requested I brought it to you. Your wallet had all the info I needed to find you." I sighed with relief, knowing he wasn't stalking me or anything. Jynal pulled an object out of his back pocket and handed it to me. My wallet! I smiled at him.
"Err, thanks. I really appreciate it." I said quietly, realizing how many times I've said ''thank you'' to him. Luckily, he hadn't seemed to notice.
"Let me walk you to school." he offered. I shook my head.
"That's ok. It's far and you need to head off to your own school." I told him, hardly noticing that we were already out of the neighborhood and on one of the more busier streets. He grinned.
"I'm on my way there, anyways. I'm a new student to West Wood High." he said. I gasped. No way! West Wood High couldn't handle a boy as beautiful as him. Jynal stared at me, looking amused.
"That's...great." I said sincerely. I actually wouldn't mind him being there. I think I'd really enjoy it. He seemed like a very good friend. Jynal seemed pleased.
"Mhm. It is. Now I can keep an eye on you." he said to himself quietly, and glanced up at me, looking panicked like he shouldn't have said that. I felt confused. What did he mean by "keep an eye on you"? A shiver crept down my spine. Maybe I didn't want to find out.
The walk to school seemed to take forever as Jynal and I walked in silence. His expression was pained, and I couldn’t understand why. Finally, we arrived at the front doors. He politely opened them for me. I smiled in thanks, and walked through, Jynal following close behind. There wasn’t anybody at the school yet, except a few teachers. I should have known. I glanced at my watch. We were 15 minutes early. Jynal led me to a nearby bench, then sat down. I did the same. He stared into my eyes attentively. I gazed back at him, not being able to look away.
“You are very beautiful.” he whispered. My breath caught in my throat. He thought I was beautiful? Hadn’t he looked himself in the mirror?
“Thank you.” I said. My voice was calm, but my body was shaking with excitement. Why was Jynal so intimidating? Why did I find him so attractive? I had a boyfriend. I knew that. Yet, sitting there with a perfect angel, I couldn’t help myself. Jynal smiled broadly, then looked away from my face.
“Karen…I need you to promise me something.” he said, his voice suddenly dark and distant.
“Okay.” I croaked. The tone in his voice had startled me. Jynal gazed at me, trying to find the right words. I waited patiently.
“If something I do troubles you, don’t be upset with me. It’s not my fault.” he told me slowly. He bit his lip and closed his eyes. Perplexed as I was, I nodded in response.
Jynal’s serious face lightened slightly.
“Good.” was all he said. Then, the bell rang, making me jump off the bench in alarm.
Jynal stood up as well. “I’ll see you later then, Karen. I have to go and get my schedule.” I didn’t respond. Jynal smiled crookedly then walked off. I sighed, and trudged off to my first class. Luckily, I had gotten my schedule in the mail a few weeks earlier. Science wasn’t one of my best subjects, but fortunately I had Nick and Mandy with me. As I took my seat, I immediately saw Nick coming in behind me. He took his seat beside mine, then leaned over and kissed my cheek. Usually , when he touched me in any sort of way, it sent sparks flying in my heart. This time, I felt nothing. Nick beamed.
“It’s so nice to see you, Karen. Feels like forever.” he told me, chuckling. Weakly, I smiled back. How come Nick’s presence wasn’t affecting me, like it always had? Nick wasn’t bad looking. He was actually above average. Smooth, chocolate brown hair, deep hazel eyes, and tanned skin. Yet, thinking back to Jynal, there was no comparison. Jynal was beauty beyond compare. I glanced up to see Mandy hurrying to the seat on the opposite side of me. She grinned.
“Hiya. Good thing I’m not late. Mr. Williams would have gotten mad at me.” she explained, her voice cheerful and merry. It was hard to return the enthusiasm.
“I heard that Mr. Williams has a bad habit of being late himself. He’s not even here yet.” I said back quietly. Mandy was about to say something else when a tall, lanky looking man lumbered into the classroom. Everyone stopped talking at once to gawk. The man was as thin as a skeleton, with slick grey hair and his emerald green eyes peered from circular glasses.
“Hello class. I’m Mr. Williams. I’ll be handing out your science textbooks in a moment.” He sounded friendly enough. Unexpectedly, Jynal strode through the door. All the students in the class gaped. Mr. Williams glared at him.
“Late, I see. I don’t like people being overly late.” he explained, a warning lingering in his voice. Jynal put a hand on the old man’s shoulder, whispered something into is ear, then walked to an empty seat a few desks behind me. Mr. Williams seemed unfazed, and began handing out science books. I tried my hardest not to look back at Jynal, but I could feel his eyes burning into my back. The burn didn’t feel good. I innocently glanced back, pretending to be studying the wallpaper design. Jynal looked upset, puzzled, and angry. I had no clue why. Finally, my gaze met his. He glared at me harshly, then looked away. So I did as well, feeling hurt and bewildered. Then I felt a note being slid onto my desk. I saw Jynal’s hand for a quick moment, then he turned around and went back to his seat. I opened up the note, irritated. Meet me after school by the benches it read. I crumpled the note up and stuck it in my pocket before Mr. Williams had a chance to see.
The rest of science went by slowly, and I was more then happy to go to History when the bell rang. I could still feel Jynal staring at me closely, so I sprinted out of the classroom. There was no familiar faces in History. Nobody I recognized from previous years. Nobody who looked friendly. I sat down near the back, and tried my hardest to pay attention to the droning of the teacher, Mrs. Riley. After what seemed like an eternity, the bell rang for lunch. I headed to the cafeteria by myself, not knowing where I was supposed to sit. With Nick? Or would he be sitting with his football friends? I slid into line for my lunch, scanning the room for an empty seat where I could think quietly. But there wasn’t any. All the seats were filled, except for a spot across from Jynal, and spot beside Mandy. Jynal turned to stare at me, his eyes infuriated. Suddenly, I wasn’t hungry anymore. I stepped out of line and walked towards Mandy, taking as much time as I could.
“Hey, Karen!” Mandy called out, waving. I feebly waved back. As I took my seat, Mandy started to whine about how she hated Mr. Jacobs, her Math teacher, and how he yelled at her. I pretended to be concerned, but all I could focus on was Jynal. I kept peeking over my shoulder at him, to see if he was still angry. After a few minutes, his eyes relaxed and he mentioned to the seat across from him. Me? He wanted me to sit there? Mandy become aware that I wasn’t listening anymore, so she also looked over her shoulder. “He wants you to sit with him, I think. Do you want to go over there?” she asked me, though I could tell she would much rather I stayed with her. I nodded slowly, got up, and took my seat crosswise from Jynal. For a few moments, he didn’t speak. He didn’t even look at me. Then, he sighed heavily, and said,
“Karen, we need to talk. Not here, and not now. After school by the benches.”
I pulled his note out of my left pocket, and shoved it across the table.
“You already told me that.” I reminded him, raising my eyebrow. Jynal’s expression was solemn.
“I know, but I had to make sure you knew I was serious.” he clarified. His words sent a cool breeze down my neck. Abruptly, his face changed from grim to smiling.
“I have Gym next period. What about you?” he said, rubbing his neck with his hands. I smirked at him. Gym was my best class, and it just so happened I had Gym next, too.
“What a surprise…so do I.” I told him, though there was a minor tone in my voice that pointed out I was a little annoyed. Well, I was. Why did he seem to be everywhere I was? At the coffee shop, in my neighborhood, at my school, in my classes….what next? My house? Jynal didn’t notice my aggravated attitude. He merely grinned at me, stood up, and began walking away.
“I guess I’ll see you there, then.” he hollered over his shoulder. I glimpsed up at the clock. Lunch was over. I had hardly noticed the lack of students still in the cafeteria. I groaned quietly and headed off to class.
Chapter Two
Somewhat Confessions
I dashed to the Gym as fast as my legs could carry me. Unfortunately, it was at the other side of the school. When I finally arrived, the other students were already changed into their gym clothes and were huddling around Mr. Clemet’s, the gym instructor. I could see Jynal standing at the back of the crowd, not paying any attention to the directions Mr. Clemet was giving out, but watching me. I shyly slithered into the change room and hastily got dressed. I was eager to go and impress Jynal. When I headed back into the gym, the crowd had spilt up into pairs. A mob of girls were surrounding Jynal, willing to be his partner. Yet, as soon as he saw me, he called out,
“Karen! Let’s be partners.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. I didn’t have a choice. I walked over to him, and the group of girls trailed off in disappointment. Jynal smiled crookedly at me. I smiled back, my heat beating faster than usual.
“None of those girls good enough for you?” I asked casually. Jynal shook his head.
“No. Too keen on being my partner. I don’t like that. You, on the other hand, didn’t bother me at all.” he put in plain words. I looked at him thoughtfully.
“Most guys like that.” I pointed out, matching his pace as we ambled over to pick up our badminton rackets. Jynal laughed lightly.
“Not me.” was simply all he said. Once we both had our rackets and birdies, we began to hit it back and forth. He wasn’t very good. He kept missing it, or striking it in the wrong direction. I couldn’t help but giggle.
“You’re not very good at this.” I said truthfully, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“I know. Badminton isn’t my thing. Soccer, though, is a whole other story.” he told me, grinning from ear to ear. It was hard to believe that someone with his perfection could be bad at any sport.
“Soccer, badminton…whatever sport it is, I’m excellent at it.” I bragged good-naturedly. He chuckled.
“I’d like to see that.” he said, smiling. From somewhere at the front of the gym, a whistle blew.
“Alright. Enough warm-ups. Time to put your body to the test. Everyone do 20 push-ups, 35 sit-ups and 15 crunches.” Mr. Clemet explained quickly, then blew his whistle again. Before I could whisper to Jynal how unfair the teacher was being, Jynal was already on the floor doing what had been asked. I sighed and did the same, my body aching with discomfort. When I finished all the exercises, I stood up. Wobbling back and forth, dizziness started to over-come me. The pain in my limbs caused me to lose balance and fall backwards. I braced myself for the hard floor, but instead I fell into a pair of muscular arms. I recognized the scent of Jynal immediately. I was about to thank him when I slipped in unconsciousness.
I woke up in a petite, white bed inside a strange room. A room I’ve never been to. Looking around, I recognized where I was. Eye-sight charts, needles, and gloves were hanging on the wall behind me. The nurse’s office. I never had to go there before.
“You’re awake, finally.” said a remote voice. I glanced over to see Jynal sitting in one of the cushioned chairs. He looked tired and impatient.
“You stayed with me?” I asked, my voice giving away my enthusiasm. He nodded.
“Yes. It wasn‘t as interesting as class, though.” he said, grinning. I ignored him.
“Why did you stay?” I questioned, narrowing my eyes in curiosity. Jynal’s grin stayed in the exact same place as he said,
“I’m your friend. Besides, if it wasn’t for me, you would have been hurt badly.” he explained, his eyes searching my face for a sign of thanks. I smiled faintly.
“Oh, thank you. For catching me and staying here.” I said earnestly. He just nodded, and didn’t answer. There was an uncomfortable stillness until the nurse came into the room. A huge smirk was across her face.
“Any better from passing out?” she asked, but didn’t sound overly concerned. She was young and pretty, but Jynal took no notice.
“Yes. Much better.” I said, flashing my eyes to Jynal. Suddenly, Nick came bursting into the room.
“Karen! You’re awake. I was so worried.” he cried, running over and wrapping me in his arms. I didn’t hug him back, but I let him hold me.
“Honestly, Nick, I’m fine. The workout was a little too much for me after a summer of no stretching.” I exclaimed, but he still didn’t let go.
“You scared me to death.” he sighed.
“Sorry.” I murmured, but didn’t mean it. He could have come earlier, and stayed with me like Jynal did, but he didn’t. He probably just found out. At last, he let go of my limp body.
“I’ll take you to class.” he offered, but Jynal cut him off.
“No. She should stay here for the rest of the day. There’s only twenty minutes left until it’s time to go home. She needs as much rest as possible. You go. I’ll stay.” he stated sternly. Nick was about to say something, but because of the warning in Jynal’s voice, he turned on his heel and left.
When the bell rang signifying the end of the day, Jynal helped me out of the nurse’s office. I could have managed perfectly fine on my own, but I found the gentleness of his touch irresistible. We walked together, our arms locked, to the benches. That’s when I remembered Jynal’s words in the cafeteria, and the note he had given me. I reluctantly sat down, and he did the same. Jynal placed his hand on mine. It felt warm. He stared deeply into my eyes.
“I guess it’s time to tell you what I need to tell you.” he said softly. He looked upset, like he was doing something wrong. I waited tolerantly as he tried to find the right words.
“I’m supposed to keep an eye on you. For a friend. He wants you for himself, so he sent me….to, um, check you out.” he admitted, though his eyes looked untruthful. I stared up at the cloudless sky, baffled. Why would someone want me for themselves? More to the point, why would they send someone to see if I was good enough? That was a little shallow. I turned to look at Jynal. He looked back warily.
“Who is it?” I inquired, my voice calm and collected. Jynal shook his head.
“I’m sorry. I can’t say anymore then I already have.” he told me, a pleading tone surfacing in his voice. I understood at once that he wasn’t supposed to have told me anything.
“Okay.” I said simply. I didn’t want him to feel bad. Jynal shot me a gloomy smile, then got up to leave. “Wait!” I called out, and he immediately turned back around to face me. “Is it someone from school?” I asked quietly. Jynal gazed at me gravely.
“No.” he said, then walked off.
