4 | 𝒫𝒶𝓎 𝒜𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃

Sophia's POV

So, I was just drawing on the cover of my biology book, not really paying attention to my surroundings, when two hands slammed down on the table. Startled, I looked up to find myself staring wide-eyed and with a slightly opened mouth at a boy about my age, maybe a bit older. He was fairly good-looking, not extraordinary though. But I didn't know why he was here; I didn't even know who he was.

"Hey. You're new here, right?" the boy asked, sitting down in the seat next to me. Why was he speaking to me? I kept on thinking.

"Hi, and...yeah," I answered slowly, feeling quite shy as I saw all of his friends looking over in our direction. He hummed at my response and smirked for whatever reason.

"So, uh, how old are you," he asked me, the smirk still visible on his face. Why was he asking me all those questions? Maybe, just maybe, he wanted to become friends.

"Sixteen," I said, and to make more conversation I added, "What about you?" He raised his eyebrows, looking very smug all of a sudden. "Sixteen, huh?" he repeated. I nodded.

"Seventeen." Seventeen, only a few months older since I'm turning that same age in a couple of days.

"Let me guess, your name starts with an 'S' and ends with 'ophia'?" he questioned, I furrowed my eyebrows together. How did he know that? Maybe he's a magician. Yeah, probably that...

"How did you know?" I asked skeptically. I mean, magicians exist, but still, he behaved a bit odd if you ask me.

"Oh, well you are the talk of the school at the moment." He said it like it was obvious. I frowned, not knowing how to react to that. Was I still the talk of the school? I thought I was old news, well I more like wished I were old news...

I made an 'o' form with my mouth in understanding nonetheless.

"So, you free today after school?" he asked me. Was he...asking me out? What do I say? I don't really know him that well, but he seemed alright, I guess.

Gosh, Sophia, for once just be brave! I argued with myself.

"Okay, sure. I just need to check with my parents—" I started but got interrupted by an angelic voice that I secretly missed.

"No," came his short interjection. The both of us turned around to look at Grayson entering the room, he wasn't even looking at either of us. How did he hear us? Was he even talking to us?

I looked at the boy whose name I didn't even know yet, he was looking at Grayson with displeasure. He cleared his throat and started speaking again, as if Grayson weren't there. "So, Sophia, was that a 'yes'?"

"Um, yeah, I just need my parents' permission—" He interrupted me yet again, by shaking his head, still not making eye contact with me.

"Didn't you hear me? No," he said impassively. If I had to be honest, it kind of scared me, he was so unpredictable, you wouldn't be able to tell when he'd explode.

"Well, I think it's her choice if she wants to go or not," he challenged. You could hear the irritation in his voice as he made no effort to hide it.

Grayson finally looked up and gave a frightening glare in the boy's direction. You could see the twinge of fear the boy had in his eyes, but he didn't back down. Perhaps trying to impress his friends that were still watching intently.

Grayson, who still hasn't taken a seat, started taking a few alarming steps towards the boy, and I swear I heard a squeak coming from him. Though it didn't surprise me as I, myself found Grayson absolutely intimidating.

But I wonder why Grayson is acting this way. Why didn't he want me to hang out with this boy?

"I said no. Do you want me to repeat that, because it seems to me that you're deaf? Or maybe I can show you as well," Grayson said, trying to keep himself calm, as he said it between gritted teeth. His fists clenched so hard, his knuckles turned white, and it made me try to make myself as small as possible in my chair. It didn't take a genius to figure out what he meant by that.

Just as Grayson was going to take another step forward, the teacher walked in, unknowingly stopping a fight from happening. I let out a breath I was holding and looked between the two boys, hoping Grayson will let it go. But Grayson wasn't looking at me, his focus lay undivided on the other boy, who quickly stood up and walked past Grayson, back to his friends.

After a couple of slow, painful seconds, Grayson sat down in the seat where the boy previously sat in, which was next to me.

He didn't say anything, he didn't even acknowledge me as he kept his gaze to the front of the class. The teacher was oblivious as to what just happened and told everyone to get their books ready to start the lesson.

I couldn't concentrate on what the teacher was saying with Grayson sitting only a few feet away from me. Every time I'm near him, I get extra tense and self-conscious, while he doesn't even see me. I almost feel invisible around him, and I don't know if that's a good thing or not. Because yes, I don't want any attention on myself, but if it's with him, I don't mind that much.

It's weird what someone can do to you, even if you've never even said a whole sentence to them.

I started doodling again since I couldn't listen to a word the teacher was saying. I began drawing simple hearts and flowers, but then I got really into it and started sketching a girl. It wasn't a girl I knew, I just created her in the moment.

She had freckles - I always wanted to have freckles, I think they're so cute and give off a fairy vibe. I gave her thin lips - I never understood my attraction to thin lips either. She had curly, black hair - only my best friends know how much I want to have black hair with curls, but it just doesn't fit me I guess. Plus, I wasn't allowed to dye my hair a different color, at least not until I'm eighteen. I wanted to give her brown eyes - Brown and grey eyes are my favourite. Doesn't matter if they're almost black or a light hazel brown.

I have blue ones, but I just think that they look so sharp and... I don't know, it's hard to explain.

I found a name for my new drawing: 'My opposite reflexion'. It fits perfectly because she's the opposite of me. She looks so confident and happy in her own skin. She has every facial feature that I desire and don't have. This is what I want my reflexion to look like. If I stare in the mirror, I want to see her standing there.

I completely zoned out and forgot that I was still in class. The teacher called out my name, at first I didn't react, I was too deep inside my own world of imagination. After a few seconds, I felt someone nudge me gently. Faintly startled, I looked to my right, meeting his piercing stare. Those beautiful green eyes gazing back at me were so captivating.

What I didn't notice was the whole class witnessing this exchange, they were all waiting for me to say something. Grayson showed me the page number in his book, I quickly turned to the right page and skimmed through the text they were reading. Unfortunately for me, I didn't understand one bit of what I just scanned through.

Grayson motioned with his head to the front. The teacher was standing there, impatiently awaiting my answer with her arms crossed over her chest.

I cleared my throat softly. "S-Sorry, Ms. May you please repeat what you said?" I asked, barely audible and hoping that she wouldn't be mad at me. I was completely lost, I didn't even know the teacher's name!

"And why should I repeat myself to you?" she replied with, quite rudely, if you ask me.

"Because I...uh, wasn't paying attention?" I answered but it resembled more of a question. My sentence ended in a whisper as the stress overtook me. That's what I hate about teachers, they make you feel so ashamed of yourself and embarrass you even more by letting the whole class listen and watch.

She hummed in response, as if debating on repeating herself or not. "I asked you if you could name the three auditory ossicles," she said, pointing to a drawing on the black board. What? Shoot, this was, like, the one thing I always forgot!

I inhaled deeply. I think we did this last year...

"I think it's called the..." I stopped myself, I had no idea what I was saying. God, please help me get away from this humiliating nightmare.

"The malleus, incus and stapes," I heard someone say from my right. Without looking, I knew it was Grayson. I didn't want to make it obvious, so I simply repeated Grayson's words, not glancing at him once.

The teacher seemed pretty irked that I - well, Grayson - knew the answer. She cleared her throat, saying, "Yes, that's correct. Next time, pay attention." She turned around, her back now facing me.

It would've been impolite if I'd not thank him for helping me, so after a while of pondering over what to do, I shifted slightly in my chair. He wasn't looking at me at first, but when he felt that eyes were on him, he turned his head a bit and raised his brows, still avoiding my gaze, but telling me he was listening.

"Thanks," I whispered so we wouldn't disturb the class and get caught by the teacher. He finally looked at me, his green eyes lighter than usual, maybe he was in a better mood.

"For what?" I was dumbfounded. Is he serious?  Did he not help me on purpose or something?

"Well, you know..." I said. He narrowed his eyes and shook his head.

"No, sorry, I don't." What?

"You... You helped me. Just a few moments ago," I said, really getting confused by his behavior.

"I don't believe I know what you're talking about... What was it? Sarah? Sonja?" I couldn't see if he was messing with me or not. He had an emotionless expression on that was impossible to see through.

"But you just told me the answers." My tone was louder now. The teacher didn't hear, but a few students eyed us. I hid behind my hair to secrete my blush from everyone.

I heard him chuckle and turned around almost instantly. He had an expression of delight on his face. The snake was enjoying it! He knew what I was talking about, he just wanted me to embarrass myself again!

I gaped at him while he raised his eyebrows as if challenging me. He didn't need to say the words for me to understand what he was thinking: What are you gonna do about it?"

It was my turn to shake my head at him and move my sight to the front again. I could still feel his stare on the side of my head, but I didn't want to give him the satisfaction by looking, so instead I started drawing with my pencil on my page once more. The teacher probably wasn't going to pick me again after I - Grayson - answered correctly.

"Watch out, you don't want to embarrass yourself again," I heard him tease under his breath.

-

After biology finished, I packed up my things and was about to leave the room, when Grayson squeezed through the door right in front of me! Can you believe it? He's doing it on purpose, again!

He didn't even look back, but I just knew he had that stupid - and sort of hot, in a way - smirk on his face. I scoffed and waited outside the door for Logan, I remembered that he told me he'd find me here. Is he even going to come? I mean, I wouldn't blame him if he decided not to-

"Hey, Princess." I peeked over my shoulder and saw Logan standing there, open and proud. He grinned as he placed his arm over my shoulder again. He also seemed to be in a good mood today. Well, come to think of it...

"Are you ever not in a good mood?" I asked him out of the blue. He peered down at me and I quickly added, "Not that I mind, just wondering."

"Never when I'm with you, no," he said, giving me a cheeky grin. I giggled subtly and blushed.

-

The next few hours of school were ordinary, nothing special happened. Logan took me to all my classes and we got to know each other better. He also invited me to sit with him at lunch, but I kindly declined. He always sat with all of his scary and tall friends, so I'd rather eat with Natalie again.

After I finished my sandwich and glass of orange juice, I told Natalie that I was going to the bathroom. And as I was walking through the corridors with only a few other students, I rounded a corner, but as I did so, I bumped into something hard.

I groaned, rubbing my forehead. At first I thought it was a wall, then a stranger, but apparently it was neither. I swiftly took a few steps back, opening my mouth, but nothing came out. There he stood, Grayson, with two of his friends, looking down at me with raised eyebrows.

How did he always look so good? There wasn't one time that I've seen him when he didn't look like a freaking God! His friends were also very charming and appealing, but none of them beat Grayson. I don't think anyone ever will, to be honest.

"Sorry," I almost spluttered out, trying to walk past them and avoid eye contact with him by ogling my shoes.

As I walked past him, our arms brushed ever so slightly, and he suddenly took my wrist in his big, strong hand, making me gasp lowly. I looked up with big eyes questioningly.

He bent down a bit and then moved closer. At first I thought he was going to kiss me, so I did the only thing I could. My whole body froze whilst my heart began doing pirouettes, I was scared it'd jump right out of my chest. But then he moved past my face and I felt his hot breath fan my neck.

"Don't meet Shawn after school," he spoke, but so softly, the others couldn't hear.

I wondered who 'Shawn' was. Is that... Oh, it's probably the guy that wanted to hang out with me.

"Why?" I whispered. If I tried to talk out loud, I'd probably end up fainting, my breaths were already shallow enough.

"Believe me, you don't want to go." I swear I couldn't function like a normal human being in here.

"But why?" I couldn't help but ask. It didn't make sense.

I think I heard him growl a bit, but ignored it as he continued. "Just promise me, Sophia. He's not the welcoming student you're looking for." When my name rolled so smoothly off his tongue, my breath hitched in my throat.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. But I guess that wasn't good enough for him. "Promise me." He sounded...desperate. I shook it off and gave him what he wanted.

"I promise." He hummed in contentment and started pulling away, but then stopped abruptly.

"And I really liked your drawing, by the way," he commented and came back to his full height. I forgot how tall he was, he's literally towering over me.

My eyes were so wide, they might fall out of my eye sockets and my cheeks were on fire. I just knew he could see it by the smug look on his face. He knew the effect he had on me, just like all the other girls in school. I wanted to say 'thank you', but he already started walking away.

"You're welcome," he said over his shoulder.

"Yes, thank you!" I quickly shouted back, not wanting to sound rude. I heard him and his friends chuckle as they rounded the corner. Wow, I blew out a puff of air. That was...yeah. That just happened.

Now I at least know why all the girls want him...

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A/N: Tell me what you thought about this chapter in the comments please, I really want to know how I'm doing :)

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