by M. K. ROZE
Kaylee texted me back.
I’m in class, where you’re supposed to be?
“Crap.” I snatched my bag, shoved my phone in the side
pocket and rushed out of the car.
With two minutes until class, I ran across the grass and
into the building. A few students laughed as I sprinted down
the hall.
As I entered the classroom, Sara snickered at me. I
hurried and sat in the front of the room like I always did with
what some students called the geek squad. Sara and the other
popular kids took the back row so they could talk about
everyone they didn’t like.
As soon as my morning classes were over, Kaylee texted
me.
Meet me at the Carriage café.
Are you sure you want to go there? I replied.
Don’t skip out on me now.
I’ll be right there. I sighed and sent it.
I walked across the lawn and went inside the café. I
stood near the exit door waiting for Kaylee. When a few girls
stared me down and laughed, I turned away as usual.
Liam walked in and hugged me. “I can’t believe you
showed up.”
I looked around. “Why? Is Sara here?”
“No, not yet.”
“I hope she doesn’t come.”
“Will you stop letting that skank get to you? You’re
better than that.”
I lowered my head.
“What’s with the bags under your eyes? You look like
you haven’t slept in three days.”
I put my sunglasses on. “It must be the new makeup
Mom got me.”
⁓
⁓
“Yeah, okay. So, how is your first day back going?”
“Same crap.” I focused on the same girls laughing at me.
“The year will be over before you know it,” he assured
me.
“Hey, Liam,” his friend shouted.
Liam turned to him. “Hold on.”
“Don’t get mad, but I’m going to hang out with my boys
today.”
“Go ahead. Kaylee and I will be fine.”
“Cool. I gotta run.”
“Stay out of trouble.”
“I will,” he promised while walking backward. He spun
around and joined his friend at a table with a few more of his
buddies.
Liam always had tons of friends. He introduced me to
them, but most of them had no interest in me. I even tried
hanging out with a few popular girls in middle school, but
they looked at me like I was a freak, so I gave up. High school
was no better.
I was about to leave but Kaylee approached me. “Hey.”
“Are you sure you want to hang out here?”
“Viata, stop. If Sara says anything, I’ll kick her ass.”
“No, please don’t say anything. I don’t need any more
attention.”
“Where is Liam?”
I pointed to where he was sitting. “He’s hanging with
his football friends.”
She waved at him. “Whatever. Are you hungry?”
“Kind of.”
“Go get something quick before we have to go back.”
“Aren’t you going to eat?”
⁓
⁓
“No.”
“Will you come with me?”
She sighed. “No, you’re a big girl. Now stop.”
“Okay, no need to freak out on me.”
She smiled and gently pushed me toward the counter.
After I got my food, we went outside and sat at a table
across from each other.
“Have you had any more encounters with your dream
lover or the dagger lady?”
“I had one with Bain again, but don’t tell Liam. I don’t
want him making fun of me again.”
“I won’t. What happened?”
“It was fast and weird. Bain was wearing clothes from
like four hundred years ago, and he walked up to me and
kissed me. I didn’t even stop him. It was like I knew him or
something.”
“That’s hot. Too bad it was only a dream.”
“I know. When I kiss someone in real life, I hope I feel
the same rush of emotions like I did with Bain.”
She looked at me with suspicious eyes. “Are you sure
you never kissed anyone before?”
“Why would I lie, especially to you?” I sighed, thinking
about him again.
Kaylee leaned forward. “What else is bothering you?”
“Nothing.” I took a bite of my turkey sandwich and
quickly swallowed it. “I lied. I had another dream right after
that.”
“Of who?”
“Remember the woman that stabbed me with that
dagger?”
“Yeah.”
⁓
⁓
“She told me her name was Savina, then asked me if
we’d met before. When I told her no and walked off, she
grabbed me like she was ready to kill me again.”
“Savina’s a badass name.”
I scowled at her.
“Did she kill you again?”
“No, that’s the weird part. And what’s even weirder is,
Bain called out for me, and she took off running like she was
scared. I guess my dreams must have merged together
somehow.”
“Maybe you were hooking up with her husband, and she
wanted to kill you without him catching her.”
“I have no clue, but I’ve been downing energy drinks
like water just to avoid dreaming of her.”
“If you stay up again because of some stupid
nightmares, I’m going to hold you down while Sara kicks
your ass.”
“Alright, can we talk about something else?”
Kaylee grabbed the other half of my sandwich and took
a bite. “Do you want to look at some apartments together
after school?”
I looked at some girls taking selfies. “What’s the point?
We can’t move in until you turn eighteen.”
“That’s only a few weeks away. Are your parents still
going to let you move in with me?”
“Yes, but we have to find a landlord that will allow me
to move in because I’m not eighteen yet.”
“This is why I want to start looking now.”
“Okay, but what we look at now will be gone by then.”
“Fine, I’ll look without you.”
⁓ ⁓
I balled a napkin up and tossed it at her. “Hey, you
promised we’d pick out one together.”
“Just kidding. I wanted to see the Viata I know come
out.”
“Not funny.”
Kaylee’s jaw dropped. She reached across the table and
pulled on my shirt as she looked past me. “Holy crap.”
I looked over my shoulder. “What?”
“Hurry up and sit on my side,” she insisted still looking
in that direction.
“Is it Sara?”
“No, just get over here.”
I pushed my plate across the table, got up and sat next
to her. “What’s the big fuss?”
“Him.”
“Him who?”
“The new dreamy guy in town with the short brown hair
and the hot body. Do you see him? He’s in the white shirt
with ripped jeans sitting alone.”
When I glanced over at him, his wide green eyes foun
d
mine. The way he looked at me was as if he knew me.
I lowered my head. “Crap, he caught me looking.”
“Who cares? He’s gorgeous. Do you think he goes to
our school?”
“I have no clue.”
“He’s so freaking hot.”
I rolled my eyes. “Go say hi then.”
She giggled. “No way. You go.”
Sara and her three other snobby girlfriends sat at his
table, blocking our view.
⁓
⁓
“Too late.” I placed my bag in front of me, hoping Sara
wouldn’t see me, and took another bite of my sandwich.
Kaylee sighed. “Dammit. Those girls always get all the
hotties.” She took my bag and set it on the ground. “Stop
hiding from that bitch.”
As I sat up straight, the new boy leaned to the side and
looked at me. Sara peeked over her shoulder and gave me a
dirty look. I rolled my eyes and turned to Kaylee.
She grabbed my hand. “Oh my God. He keeps looking
at you.”
I jerked my hand away. “I’m not interested.”
“Are you nuts?”
“Not interested,” I repeated and took another bite of
my sandwich.
After lunch, we walked back to school, and the new guy
was in front of us heading that way too.
Kaylee grabbed my arm. “Holy crap! He goes to our
school.”
“Shh. He can hear you. And stop grabbing me.”
“Sorry.”
Inside, we went our separate ways, and I continued to
gym class. As I approached the locker room, Sara walked in
with the new guy. I sighed and continued inside. After I
changed into my gym clothes, I put my hair up in a ponytail
and went back out.
As I joined the rest of the class, the new guy’s eyes
followed me as I passed him. I glanced over my shoulder and
our eyes met. I quickly turned around and listened to the
teacher talk about us running track. Only seconds had
passed, but I couldn’t resist. I peeked over my shoulder
again, and he smirked at me.
⁓
⁓
I gulped and swiftly turned around.
Sara walked up to me and cleared her throat. “Hey,
zombie girl. You will never have a chance with him, so give
it up.”
I sneered at her and followed the other students outside,
immediately sweating from the muggy ninety-degree
sunshine. It was going to be a brutal 400 yards. As I ran, I
felt like I was going to fall flat on my face from being so tired.
The new guy was in front of me. He turned to me and
slowed down. I looked at the cars passing by on the main
road as I ran past him.
He caught up to me. “What’s your name?” His voice
was soft and sweet.
I turned to him and looked up, examining his long
eyelashes and thick eyebrows. “Viata.”
“Your name is as beautiful as your contacts.”
As he spoke, I couldn’t help but stare at his perfect
jawline. “I’m not wearing any. I was born this way.”
He smirked. “Lucky you. Well, they’re beautiful.”
There was something familiar about him, but I couldn’t
pinpoint it. I was hoping he was going to get freaked out
from my eyes and walk away. “Thanks.”
“I’m Constin Silivassi.” He cleared his throat.
I slowed down and turned to him. “Why did your accent
just change to Romanian when you said your last name? Are
you from there?”
He kept his eyes ahead. “No, but I have traveled there
and many other places with my father for business trips. I
guess I’ve picked up some accents along the way.”
I faced forward. “When were you in Romania?”
“A few years back. Why, have you been there before?”
⁓
⁓
“Yes, I was born in Brasov. My parents took me there
over the summer.”
“I’ve never been there. We stayed in Bucharest. Are you
Romanian?”
“No, my mom decided to take a trip when she was nine
months pregnant.”
Sara glanced over her shoulder and shook her head.
“She’s pissed now.” I slowed down, trying to catch my
breath.
“She’ll get over it,” Constin said.
I couldn’t help but smile. I came to a full stop. “You’d
be the first person that wasn’t head over heels for Sara.”
He stopped and faced me. “I’m not your average guy.”
I was unable to stop staring at his muscular chest that
was showing through his sweaty white T-shirt.
“Would it be too much to ask you to show me around
the school?” he asked.
I looked at Sara looking back at us. “Ask her. I’m sure
she would love to.”
“I’m asking you.” His tone was sincere.
I thought about it for a few seconds. “Sure.”
“Great. Well, I’m going to run off some steam. Would
you like to join me?”
“No, you go ahead.”
“Nice meeting you.”
I smiled.
Constin took off running, going past everyone else. Sara
tried to catch up with him, but he was too fast for her. I’m
sure she was insulted being she was the fastest runner in our
school. Well, she used to be.
⁓
⁓
When he passed me again, I slowed down to a walk,
wondering why he talked to me, and I took off running again.
After a few more laps, the gym teacher walked up to Constin
and started talking.
I went into the locker room, still wondering why he
spoke to me. It wasn’t normal for a boy in school to
approach me. Most of them avoided me if I got close to
them.
Sara walked up to me. “Constin is only talking to you
because he feels bad for you. He told me himself at lunch.”
When her friends laughed, I ignored them and retrieved
my clothes out of my locker.
Sara jerked my arm. “Hey, alien eyes, did you hear me?”
I turned to her. “Can’t you come up with a better name?
You’ve been using that one since middle school.”
“How about freak. Is that better?”
I exhaled. “How old are you again?”
She ripped her hair tie out of her blonde hair and stared
me down with her brown eyes. “Old enough to kick your
ass.”
I smirked. “I gave you that option in middle school, but
you chickened out.”
She looked at her friends next to her who had stopped
laughing. “No, I didn’t.”
“Sara, everyone knows you had your brother help you
lock me in a dumpster because you were afraid of me.”
“No, I wasn’t. I was only getting rid of the trash.”
I shook my head and changed back into my jeans.
Come on girls,” she demanded and walked away.
In my math class, I sat in an empty seat that was next to
a new girl.
⁓
⁓
She leaned toward me with her long brown hair and big
brown eyes. “I love the contacts,” she said in a southern
drawl.
/>
I faked a smile. “Thanks.”
“What’s your name?” she asked.
I hesitated because I was still upset about what Sara said.
“Viata.”
“Nice. I’ve never heard your name before. It’s pretty.”
“Thank you. What’s your name?”
“Maria Jewell.”
“Nice to meet you. We’ll talk later, okay?”
“Sounds good,” she whispered.
When class was over, I gathered my books and walked
to my next class. On the way, someone touched my arm. I
turned to Maria. “What’s up?”
She smiled. “Can I walk with you?”
“Sure.”
“Did you grow up here?” she asked.
“Yeah. Where are you from?”
“Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. My mom and I just
moved here.”
“Nice.” I stopped at my next class. “I have to get inside.
It was nice meeting you.”
“You too. Would you like to exchange numbers?” She
handed me her phone.
She was pushy, but I felt bad because she was new.
“Sure.” I took her phone and programmed my number in it.
She smiled at the phone as she took it. “I’ll text you
later,” she said and walked off.
I went through the rest of my classes still upset about
my encounter with Sara. When school was over, Kaylee and
⁓
⁓
I would normally hang out at her house, but I wanted to be
alone. I felt like I was changing and didn’t fit in.
In my car, I sat there thinking of something to do
besides going home and fantasizing about a man from my
dreams or having another nightmare with Savina.
The mall sounded like a good idea. I needed to buy a
few things for the new place I was getting with Kaylee soon.
I didn’t mind staying with my parents, but I was turning
eighteen, so I felt it was time to become an adult.
I walked the mall for a few hours and bought some
towels and washcloths from Macy’s. On my way out, I asked
a security guard to escort me to my car because it was late.
He was sweet and even offered to carry my bags.
At home, Mom and Dad were in the living room
watching TV. I wanted to go straight to my room, but when
they asked me about my first day, I sat and told them.
An hour later, I went into my room and danced to
Zumba, trying to avoid going to sleep. It wasn’t working. The