Guardians

King Lazarus.

"Chris keeps looking at you, Alex. I have a feeling he likes you" said Mandy as she forked some lettuce off her plate during lunch whilst sitting with Alex, Clair and Jennifer at their table. Alex turned around to take a glimpse of Chris who was casually talking to his friends, not even aware of the fact that Alex was around having lunch with her friends.

"Well, you can't blame him, you look really pretty today Alex, did you put something on your face before leaving today?" inquired Jennifer.

 "Yeah, I washed it with water. Mandy, Chris doesn't even know I’m here, stop making stuff up" Replied Alex whilst rolling her eyes and thinking about how unusual her friends are being today.

"But he looked at you! I saw him! Even Jake was checking you out during third period, I’m not making it up" Mandy defended herself.

 "Uhuh" was all Alex said. Alex wasn't really interested in any boy as more than a friend. She found the concept of dating very asinine, especially when you're just a teenager and not even aware of who you are. She never had a boyfriend or a liking for anyone around her age. Her friends were aware of this but were acting very odd today, they kept complimenting her, telling her how great she looked today and how almost every guy in the school kept 'checking her out' when all Alex did today was comb her hair and wash her face just like every day.

"Jennifer, can I have a word with you?" asked Alex as her friends got up to head to their classes as lunch was over. Mandy and Clair looked at each other understanding that they were not needed and left.

"Sure, what's-"

"What's going on?!" Alex asked, cutting Jennifer off.

 "What do you mean what's going on? You tell me what's going on? You've been acting unlike yourself for days, we've all been worried about you and you won’t even talk to us about it. Are you feeling insecure or something?" Jennifer asked concerned as she sat down, looking at Alex who suddenly shot her a bewildered look as she completed her sentence.

"Insecure? What? Why would I be insecure? Why would you think I feel insecure?" Alex questioned Jennifer confused.

 "Clair told Mandy and I that you were saying something about your face the other day in the girls' room. Alex, you're beautiful an-"

 "Oh my God Jennifer, I didn't mean it that way, is this why you guys are acting so weird today?!"

 "Well, Clair said tha-"

"I'm fine. It's not that."

"Well then what is it Alex?! What're you not telling us? We're worried about you."

 "Don't be. I'll tell you guys as soon as I figure it out myself" Alex replied while getting up and leaving for class, walking faster than usual so Jennifer doesn't catch up with her. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alex laid on her bed waiting for Avery to appear anytime as her mind flooded with thoughts about how maybe the writers of books that include magic, mythical creatures, powerful wizards and other absolutely fictitious creations might actually be telling the truth, maybe these writers have actually met other beings that are much stupendous than some simple, ordinary humans, maybe they're narrating their journey, who knows? If creatures who call themselves 'Guardians' can exist, that belong to a completely different universe that no one in this planet has been exposed to, then maybe there're other creatures too. There's so much more to discover. These thoughts gave Alex shivers, as though strings of electricity ran through her body.

 "What're you thinking of, child?" a very beautiful Avery spoke, disturbing Alex's thinking as she sat straight and faced Avery.

 "You're here."