Chapter 2:

After school I quickly made my way through the students to my car. School
made me feel so trapped, everything was so regulated, uniform, watched. It felt good to be somewhere where I could just- breathe. I slammed the door shut and sat in the driver’s seat. I sat there for a while, my eyes closed, just breathing.

After what seemed like forever, I took two big breaths and opened my eyes. The parking lot was empty, except a few cars in the back who must have been some over dedicated teachers who were staying late to grade papers or something. But most of the school’s lights were off.


I was alone.

Most people I know would have felt uneasy at this observation but I felt – relieved. I’m the kind of person who feels relaxed when alone, I guess. Just another mildly disturbing fact that set me apart from the rest.
I sighed.
It started to rain.
I sat there for a little bit longer, breathing again, watching the rain come down the windshield in front of me, noting the patterns of the raindrops as they descended from the dark sky above.
I should probably go home now.
I thought reluctantly.
Zack will be waiting for me.
I started the car and drove out of the school parking lot and down the road.
I had only been driving for a little and was almost at the road to my house when something jumped out in front of me.

I screamed immediately and slammed the breaks.

And that was the first time I saw him.
He had dark hair and bright sapphire blue eyes. He looked about my age. He was wearing a black sweatshirt and black pants. His hood was up on his sweatshirt but his bright blue eyes could be seen even through the darkness. He was running across the street when I almost hit him.
He looked shocked, and I’m sure I did too.
Then our eyes met.
We stared at each other for a long time, not able to tear our eyes apart.
His blue eyes were so deep. It was like I could see the sadness in his eyes, all his emotions- in those beautiful eyes.
Finally we both turned away quickly, releasing our gaze.
I realized I was blushing.
I looked down at my jeans, trying to make myself not stare at him again.
It felt like I was fighting some inexplicable force keeping my eyes off him, like gravity –only stronger.
Finally I couldn’t fight it any more, no matter how rude it was to stare. But when I looked up again, he was gone.
Where was the boy with the beautiful eyes?
Why did he go so quickly?
Did he feel the gravity feeling too?
Then I reevaluated where I was, my car stopped in the middle of the dark, back road that led to my house. Why would anyone be walking on this road at this time of night, wearing black, almost get hit by my car, stare at me with inhumanly gorgeous eyes, then disappear.
Was the boy with the eyes really here at all?
Had this boy just been a figure of my imagination, gone wild after a stressful first day of school? But, was my mind even cable of dreaming up this strangely captivating boy?
No.
There had been a boy here, a boy beyond anything my mind could have created.
But why did he leave?
Why did he come?
No one who lived in Hazleton looked like that.
It was a small, out of the way town.
No one came here without a purpose.
So what was his purpose here? To come to me on this dark road and complicate my life? Or maybe he didn’t come here, maybe he was sent. But who would send him and why would he come to me? I got the feeling that him and I crossing paths wasn’t a coincidence. No, there was something more here. But what?

I wasn’t sure of many things but I was sure of this: there was a part of me that still tingled from the gravity-like pull I felt from that boy and no matter how hard I tried to conceal it, I was anxious to see him again.
I needed to see him again.