Troubled

TWENTY ONE

CORA PHILIPS

I stalked off to class. I was infuriated. Who does he think he was? God I couldn't stand the boy. He always does what he wants doesn't he? I blame this school, he played football for them and always brought victory to them, so they worshipped the ground he walked on. The teachers made it seem like they weren't doing that, but it was obvious to whoever wasn't under his spell.

Every girl that attended our school wanted to be with him, be noticed by him. Guys wanted to be him. So obviously it all got into his head. I felt like shoving his ego up his ass, see how he likes it then.

A loud bang brings me back to my immediate surroundings. I had come back to class and the history teacher was already in, she was saying something in front of the class but currently she was facing me. And so was every other pair of eyes in the classroom.

I trace what they are looking at to find my palm pressed against the door. I had banged it against the wall earlier, that was what made the banging sound. I duck under their stares and walk back to my sit. I was feeling mortified.

"Cora.. you're late." The history teacher, Mrs Pamela stutters. She was one of the teachers that showed that they were terrified of me. I roll my eyes, she was merely stating the obvious, I didn't know what she wanted me to say.

She got back to her lessons once she confirmed that I wasn't going to respond. If I didn't need the subject for my college application I would have flanked it without remorse.

"Why were you summoned?" Xander whispered to me.

I remember that big i***t with a serious god complex.

I was going to respond to Xander, but I didn't want the whole school to find out I was applying. Even if my name was on display for everyone else to see, I didn't want them to know. At least not just yet. So I shrug at him. And he nods as if he understood. I guess he thought I meant i was going to tell him when class was over.

I tried to pay attention, I really did, but the only thing that I could focus on was my lack of dream eye. I totally forgot to ask him for it, just Incase him or anyone else had seen it. Stupid me.

I pull out another sheet of paper and start to make another one. I couldn't risk seeing it again in my dreams. This time, I decided I want it glamorous. Not so grotesque as in my dream but I will be keeping the main parts true. The pencil would be in the eye but I knew I could make it less terrifying than it was.

"Woah. What is that?" I hear Xander gasp.

When I look up at him I find him staring at it in complete awe. It elicited a chuckle from me. He had this childlike innocence as he looked at the drawing, reminding me of Cory.

"I didn't know you could draw. s**t, I didn't know anyone could draw like that."

He said the 'like that' like what I was doing was very sacred.

"Well what do you know? I have so many hidden layers I could be an onion." I say as I lean into my side of the desk.

He chuckled so loud that Mrs Pamela shot a glare in our direction then she quickly directed it elsewhere after seeing me.

This time I chuckle along with Xander. The teachers here are worse than students. They eat up the rumors so much that they became cowards. Pathetic. I was grateful that they didn't give me free passes on my grades because they were terrified of me, that made me think there was still hope for them after all.

"What are you doing today after school?" Xander whispered to me.

I look over to him, his eyes sparkled with hope, hope that I wasn't going to have anything to do after school. Wasn't that insulting?

"Nothing really, why?" I threw in the really to let him know it gravely depended on what he had to say next.

He couldn't have lany more excited. He clapped his hands together but this time Mrs Pamela didn't say anything.

"My favorite pianist in the entire world is having a recital here in our city, and I need an escort so I don't go in there looking like a loner."

He looked so cute when excited that I want to say yes. I don't want to watch that face fall.

"I already lost all of my friends you see, I have just you now." I bet he added that part to get me weak in knees. I snort, the bastard.

"That was guilt tripping."

He nods, not even bothering to look guilty.

"Yup it is, is it working?"

"Where is the recital?"

He looked like he just won the jackpot.

"The city hall. They needed the largest place they could find since she has little a million fans."

He lost me at the city hall. I couldn't go to such a place. I knew that place, it was huge. I could lost in the thousands and rows of seats. And I could also let a disaster loose and harm people there. My biggest rule was, no crowded places.

I look at his face to say no but the look on his face made my mouth to clamp shut. He looked really excited at the thought of going.

"You really can't go alone?"

He nods vigorously.

"What about your parents, surely they would want to go with you."

He laughed into his palm. He looked cute then.

"They are busy with work."

"Siblings?"

He shook his head.

"They don't like recitals. Plus, they are in boarding school."

I sigh. Then open the sheet of paper Miss Suzie had given me, just to find n excuse. Nope, the dates written were Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. And today was Tuesday.

"It's today?"

He nods again.

"Xander.. I'm sorry..." I started.

He laughs a little but I can see it's forced.

"You don't have to be sorry, I can watch it alone.. but can I ask why?"

I swallow and decide to go for the truth.

"I don't do so well in crowded places." Well half truth.

He nodded understandingly.

"She has her own channel, we can watch everything live from my house." The hopeful glint were back in his eyes.

How could I disappoint a guy twice?

"We have popcorn, snacks and drinks!" He added.

I laugh a little. It's his house... His parents have to work, his siblings in boarding school. It would be just us.

What could go wrong?