A series of events began to worry Jason as he took his assigned seat. The bell rang, signaling the start of their homeroom period. First there was the incident on the train that morning. Though he wanted to move past it, Jason couldn’t shake the feeling that he had a right to be concerned. Next Jason had overheard his homeroom teacher complaining in the hallway that his class already had a transfer student being added at the last minute and they wouldn’t be showing up till halfway through the day. Lastly, Jason’s assigned seat was in the back corner of the room, next to the cloudy windows that hadn’t been properly cleaned in a long time. 

Normally Jason would be all for this kind of seat, his cause of concern, however, was seated right next to him. A girl with red highlights running through her black hair had stared directly at Jason from the moment he entered the room to when he took his seat. Jason nervously pulled at his gloves as he tried to ignore the amber eyes that continued to openly observe his actions. 

Does she ever blink! Jason thought to himself as he subconsciously kept glancing at the strange girl.

Under normal circumstances, Jason would probably be excited at the attention. He wasn’t blind. It was clear from the moment he sat down that the girl next to him was extremely attractive. Her raven black hair reached her shoulders and the deep red highlights added a thrilling appeal that not many girls could pull off successfully. Though in clear violation of the dress code, this girl had the first two buttons of her shirt undone. It wasn’t to the point of actually showing cleavage, but Jason’s eyes struggled to avoid her exposed collarbone. Her skin looked incredibly smooth and soft to the touch. 

“Dude, can you believe my rotten luck, I’m all the way at the front.”

Jason’s attention snapped up to his best friend’s whining voice as he approached. 

“The bell has already rung.” Jason pointed out.

Hayden shrugged and stopped in front of Jason’s desk. “Teacher’s not here yet. Had to step out or something.”

Jason shot a quick look at the girl but she didn’t even flinch at Hayden’s sudden appearance. However, Hayden noticed her right away.

“You’re Courtney right? We had homeroom together last year, but I don’t think we ever had the chance to officially meet. I’m Hayden.” Hayden flashed a smile and gave a slight bow of his head.

The girl blinked slowly and turned her head to inspect Jason’s friend who was clearly expecting a reply. Courtney simply snorted and turned her gaze in the opposite direction. Jason winced as Hayden’s heart took a direct hit from the rejection. The blond haired boy let out an empty laugh and turned to Jason.

“Can you believe they’ve got me sitting all the way at the front?” Hayden sniffed but continued to pretend his pride was intact. “How am I supposed to not pay attention and not get called out for it now?”

“Did you want to switch seats?” Jason asked, hopefully.

“Uh…” Hayden’s eyes twitched towards Courtney, who was still looking towards the far side of the room. “I should probably just pay attention…”

Hayden slunk back to his chair with heavy shoulders. Jason was torn, he didn’t want his best friend to be forced to sit next to a girl who had so obviously rejected him, but at the same time, he also was a bit timid about remaining in the seat himself. 

What if Courtney…

His thoughts were interrupted by a flash of movement from the front entrance to the classroom. A cascade of long, dark hair whipped out of sight just as his eyes focused in on the door window.

“Do you know her?” A voice sounded right next to Jason.

He jerked back in his chair and turned to find Courtney watching him once again.

“That girl in the window that just left. Do you know her?” She tilted her head towards the door as she repeated her question.

“Ah, no. I don’t think so?” Jason fidgeted with his gloves again.

His mind began racing. Someone was watching me from the window? Was it the same person from the train? Did I not imagine it after all?

Jason’s heart picked up its pace.

“Why are you wearing long sleeves?” Courtney’s next question caught Jason off guard.

He blinked and met her gaze once more. “What?”

“The long sleeves. No one else is wearing long sleeves yet. Isn’t the weather still too warm?” She tilted her head and lifted a questioning eyebrow.

Jason glanced around and, sure enough, he was the only one wearing a long sleeve, school approved shirt in class.

“I, uh, I have a skin condition.” Jason lowered his arms below his desk, embarrassed about being asked so directly.

Courtney’s brow furrowed slightly. “A skin condition? That’s why you wear gloves?”

Jason nodded and gave her a sheepish grin. “Yeah I’m not some Michael Jackson wannabe. My skin from the neck down tends to break out in hives and splits open if not covered.”

She pursed her lips but didn’t ask further. Jason had a few more fake medical information ready just in case but people didn’t typically pressure him for more information at this point.

Courtney shook her head and pulled a loose strand of red highlighted hair behind her ear.

“You’re either a really good liar or you honestly didn’t write it.”

Jason frowned. “What are you talking about?”

Courtney reached down into her school bag, Jason had to look away quickly as her unbuttoned shirt was facing him directly at this angle.

“You’re saying you don’t recognize this?” She lifted up a folded sheet of paper between two fingers.

“What is it?” Jason asked, genuinely confused at this turn of events.

Courtney flexed her fingers and flipped the paper onto Jason’s desk. It slid to the far side and nearly fell off. Jason slapped the paper down before gently unfolding it. Inside, written in a printer-like font, was a short note.

“You look as bored with life as I once was. The boy that sits to your left in homeroom has something you didn’t know was missing. Trust me, your food will regain its flavor.

Ps: Don’t let him read the second note.”

Bewilderment crowded Jason’s mind as he finished reading.

“What does it mean by, ‘second n-” Jason lifted his face to ask Courtney directly but stopped short when his cheek ran into something.

His fearful eyes dropped down to find Courtney's slender finger gently prodding his right cheek.

The corners of her lips lifted in the first smile Jason had seen on her elegant face.

“Interesting.”

Jason fell back, his head slamming into the windowsill as he scrambled to get away from her touch. Courtney let her hand drop back down to her side. She placed her other hand under her chin and watched Jason flounder in his seat with a humorous curiosity.

Out. Jason’s brain screamed. I’ve got to get out.

Without another thought, Jason stood and sprinted for the back classroom door. A few heads turned to watch him go. Jason might have heard Hayden call out to him but he wasn’t about to stop and check. As luck would have it. Jason stormed out the back door just as their homeroom teacher entered the front. He sprinted down the nearly emptied hallways before ducking into a nearby restroom.

It’s all right. Jason shakily turned on one of the faucets and began to splash his face with cold water. It was only the tip of her finger. That’s not enough contact to trigger anything… Right?

He turned and looked at the blue tiled floor of the restroom. Images flashed into his mind of police tape, chalk outlines, and crying students. The memory of a police officer showing him a picture of a girl stabbed to death in a bathroom just like this one. Not trusting his legs to remain stable, Jason leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed his aunt’s cell. She picked up in four rings.

“Jason, sweetie what's wrong? Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” Shannon’s worried voice was clearly coming from a car phone.

Jason took a deep breath. “Yeah aunty. I’m okay. It’s just…”

He trailed off while Shannon waited for him to continue.

This isn’t going to go well. Jason sighed.

“I may need to transfer schools.”

His eventual response didn’t do anything to soothe her concerns. “It’s the first day Jason. What could have possibly happened?”

Jason squirmed against the wall. “A girl in my class. She… touched my face.”

“Why?” Was the exasperated response from his aunt.

“Someone wrote her a note and she thought it might have been me… So she poked my face.”

Jason pounded his head lightly against the cold wall. It sounded so pathetic when he repeated it out loud.

His aunt sighed loudly. “Jason-”

“It’s real!” His voice raised in volume. “I’m telling you aunty! Girls that come in contact with me end up going crazy!”

“Really?” She shot back. “Every girl?”

“Well… no.” Jason responded, a bit deflated. “It only really affects girls around my age… and I think it’s only a certain type of person…”

“Jason.” Shannon stated firmly. “You had a traumatic event that no middle schooler should have had to live through. I understand that it’s impacted your life and how you view things. But this desperate need to make it your fault is not healthy Jason. It wasn’t your fault! No one blamed you for what that girl did to your classmate.”

I did. Jason brought his head up to his knees and set his forehead against them.

“Hey.” Shannon’s voice softened. “You still there.”

“Yeah.” Jason glanced up at the bathroom door as a few footsteps passed by.

Maybe I am overreacting. No one should be this paranoid.

“I agreed to fake this illness because I thought it would help you be more comfortable going back to school. I even allowed you to transfer when you thought there might be a problem at previous schools. This time, I’m putting my foot down Jason. You deserve to have fun in your final year of high school. You finally have a friend and I just know you’re bound to make more. Think how disappointed Hayden would be if you just pulled up roots and disappeared.”

Jason took a steadying breath and nodded. He was completely overreacting. He had to be.

“You okay?” Shannon asked again.

“Yeah.” Jason’s legs no longer felt like jell-o. “I think I just let a lot of things get to me today. I’m sorry.”

His aunt laughed gently over the phone. “It happens to everyone sweetie. Are you okay to stay or do you want to come home?”

Jason recoiled in surprise. “You’d let me leave?”

“I’m against transferring you away to some other school, but I wouldn’t be against letting you spend a day at home if it helps your mental state.”

Jason smiled. He loved his aunt to the moon and back.

“No.” Jason responded with a firm voice. “I’m okay now. Thanks aunty.”

“Stay strong Jason. I might not be able to pick up very often over my trip but don’t hesitate to call. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can no matter what. I promise.” Shannon’s smile could be heard over the phone. “Love you!”

“Love you too.” Jason hung up his phone and placed it back into his pocket.

Right then and there, Jason decided. Whatever was going on with him, whether it was all in his head or not, he was determined to figure it out.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Courtney’s bored gaze once again shifted to the back door the strange boy had left through. While she had initially considered the strange notes that she had received to be a stupid prank or idiotic love confession, Courtney was extremely glad she decided to play along. The tip of the finger she had used to poke the boy’s face still tingled, and the sensation seemed to be spreading to the rest of her hand and into her arm. It was a pleasant sensation, one that filled her with anticipation for more.

The teacher announced that he was going to retrieve something he left in the teacher’s lounge. As he departed, Courtney caught sight of someone standing just outside of the front door. That same dark haired girl she had asked the boy next to her about was back. The girl had an earbud in one ear and appeared to be listening to something with fierce concentration. The moment Courtney’s eyes met the girl’s, the mysterious outsider’s expression changed to one of pure malice and hatred. The gaze was fierce enough that Courtney was actually surprised the classroom door didn’t melt when it swung closed, cutting off the death stare.

Courtney was taken aback. This stranger obviously had no idea who she was or she wouldn’t dare look at her like that. Thinking back, Courtney was fairly certain that she had never even seen the girl before today. Though Courtney didn’t really care to remember anyone she’d ever run across in school.

What’s got her so twisted. Courtney thought as her gaze drifted over to the missing boy’s desk.

Unless… Courtney reached into her bag and pulled out an apple that one of her chefs had tossed in as a snack.

She took a small bite. Courtney’s eyes immediately widened as a sweet fruity flavor gushed into her mouth. A small laugh of pure joy escaped her lips as she took another, much larger bite into the delicious treat. Juice dripped from her chin and her hungry gaze once again swung back to the door the boy had departed from.

I hope he comes back. Courtney brushed a finger against a loose droplet and popped it into her mouth. Finally. Something interesting.

JTNestman

I do try to keep a high level of editing but I am by no means foolproof. If you run across any spelling or grammatic mistakes please let me know and I'll fix it. Thanks for reading and I hope to have another chapter out either tomorrow or the day after.