Cruel beauty

Two

Alyssa

My mind is in a crazy cyclone I have no clue what is happening when I hear Dora say his name I whipped around still having trouble and it was made worse by the looks in his eyes as my best friend chewed his ass for being at my locker and so close to me, this made me take notice for sure, I mean we were friendly and neighbors our parents friends but he was always more Cassie’s friend then mine so it was even more of a shock when he pulled me into a hug. My body was being pulled in to many different directions my panic from a few moments ago the zing and pressure building in my low belly from having Reed wrapped around me and the fear that my best friend was going to be targeted for how she spoke to Reed was to much I’m going to black out any second. Not knowing what to do I was so stiff and then I felt his hot breath on my ear and though I’d die, but it’s what he said that made me start to loosen up he’s got me and though we were not really friends we were never enemies either. After a moment of collecting myself I realize I had my hands twisted in his shirt at his stomach, at this time I realized also that the entire hall was starting to notice this interaction, we didn’t talk at school or look at one another so I’m sure to this school hall we would be the talk of the week. With that came the realization that Dora was staring at me mouth hanging open looking between us like I had kept a secret from her. As quick as I could I tried to distance myself from Reed but he wouldn’t let me go so not wanting to but having to I looked up into his eyes that I couldn’t quite read I don’t know why he was here or felt the need to help me but I needed to put space between us and fast before the whole school thought this was something it wasn’t. Only after looking into his eyes so he release his hold on me and I did the same, taking a step back I ended up with Dora’s arm around me. This is the only thing that gave me the strength to speak to Reed, or try to it came out more of a mumbled whisper “thank you Reed” but he didn’t seem to hear me and stepped closer causing my eyes to shoot from his feet to his face and my eyes were the size of diner plates I’m sure but he just gave a slight nod without a word he turned on his heels and strode away I didn’t know what to think of this and was still trying to process what happened when Dora grabbed both my shoulders and looked terrified asking “ Alyssa what was that? Why did Reed Ashford just hug you and why did he know to hug you? We can’t talk here lets go I need answers.” Ash she tugged me to a private corner in the hall I also had no answer to give so I just have what I I could to we stood there for a few minutes just quiet before I spoke. “ Reed was one of Cassie’s best friends and he is my neighbor so I’ve known him my whole life and we my not be friends but we aren’t enemies either maybe he just noticed I was struggling or Cassie told him about my panic attacks but I don’t know that’s the first time he’s ever touched me” Dora looked like I just told her I could walk through walls like I was crazy and she didn’t know how to talk to me but that passed and boy did she have a lot to say “ how did I not know this, what do you need he lives next door to you, your telling me your super popular sister was friend with the scariest guy in school there so much I want to know do you guys like see each other out side school.” At this point I just need her to stop so I held my hand up and told her I would answer but that I also needed to process what the hell just happened because I’m pretty sure he growled when he hugged me and I don’t know if he is angry or what so I need a plan to deal. After explaining everything to Dora we had class to get to which we made it just as the door was closing so we were not late. The rest of the morning was less then eventful turns out I had worked farther ahead of the class when I was working at home so I didn’t have to do anything in class however I don’t like to have an idle mind so I did extra credit and when that was also done my mind wondered to the situation in the hall it was weird but not as weird as I would have thought and the weirdest part of it all was it was the same thing Cassie used to do to take away my panic how had he known? Did Cassie tell him? I can’t get this out of my head it seem so weird that he would have the same effect my sister did when she hugged me maybe his love for her and her love for me somehow made the howl thing work in a freaking cosmic way the more I thought about it the bigger my headache got so I was so happy it was finally lunch and I could eat and take a aspirin for my head.

After getting my lunch I looked for Dora it was hard to find her sometimes because of how small she was but when I did catch site of her I was even more shocked then I had been this morning she sat at a table with non other then Reed Ashford and Calvin Michaels I don’t know why or how this happened I just knew the guy I have had a crush on since I noticed boys had hugged me today and was now sitting with my best friend. Standing in the middle of the cafeteria debating on running and going over I was leaning towards running for my life when they caught site of me and by they I mean Reed Dora looked at what he was watching and waved me over, guh could I be rude and run or suffer and go to them having this debate didn’t last long with my sprite if a best friend came over and dragged me to the table I guess that answers that question.

This was a weird situation and I didn’t know what to say Dora had made it her place to speak to Reed and Calvin after spit up for class this morning is what I have gathered I shot a look at her like she was insane. When Reed caught that look he smirked like this was amusing him and maybe it was I don’t know we don’t really talk to each but what came out of his mouth with the smirk had all of us looking at him in shock he just continues to smirk after sayin “ how are you doing now sweetheart?” Like he didn’t just call me a pet name I guess sweetheart is better the what he called me when were younger around the house which was cupcake and as if he could read my mind his smile got bigger and my eyes got wider please don’t let that start again. But he could only half read my mind because he did in fact move on to my old nickname saying.” What’s wrong sweetheart would you prefer cupcake” with a raised brow like a challenge I was embarrassed my face was as red as it had ever been and he had teased me with that nickname for a long time but I never knew why he called me cupcake and I didn’t want to go back to it. I was about to loose it so I got up and left the cafeteria very quickly. Dora looked so confused and worried her head looked like a tennis match pinging between Reed and me like she was missing this hidden communication between us, which was and wasn’t that’s was my old nickname but I had no idea why he was back to it and what was going on today, so I hid in the bathroom the rest of lunch and avoiding everyone in the process.