Loving Apollo

Loving Apollo - C for Catherine

Word about a handsome new student quickly got around. He had accumulated a great deal of attention from the entire student body and it wasn't until lunch when I finally saw him. The glorious blue-eyed stud even the school nurse, Sheila, was talking about. There was never really any expectation for me every morning when I get to school. It was just me, myself, and a bunch of students I hang out with. A parking lot brawl or Sarah Jane's rumors was pretty much the most exciting thing I waited for every day.

Until I met his eyes halfway across the student's lounge when the jocks were tapping his back and surrounding him with praises. They were the bluest pair I've ever seen. News was he got in the football team as the new starting quarterback as soon as he tried out. Quarterback fitted him. Although he dressed like some businessman on a holiday trip in some cabin on the countryside with his cream collared cardigan, simple jeans, his stance showed he was confident. He was proud and that was what distinguished him from the others. He was a man. Not some school boy. I looked away from our stare.

It slightly terrified me, looking at him. He was shining this very bright light and it was hard to look at him as well as to resist looking at him. I lined up for bacon and cheese fries at The Pie - my favorite snack bar at the lounge. And suddenly, I felt someone behind me.

Having someone behind you on a line was one thing. But having someone behind you who radiated that kind of bright energy was downright different. It made my heart stop and then speed up immediately and suddenly, I was bereft of coherent thoughts. It was like being hit by this blast of energy that stripped me off of mobility and comprehension—and I knew... I knew it was him. The new guy.

"Hi." He said in this low, velvety voice that was barely above a whisper, his distance barely inches from me.

I pretended not to have heard him. Just then and there I had a list of things that could go wrong jotted down in my mind if I turned around and faced him. Instead of looking at him, I went on with the line and took my wallet out, disregarding his greeting with all my might.

"I know you heard me." He said in the same velvety voice. I could hear a bit of tease in his words. "It's alright if you don't look."

My eyes widened and I froze on my spot. I could feel life slipping out of my frigid body. His accent was thick, but mellow. Like his words were covered in chocolate but like really, really dark and thick chocolate.

"I just felt compelled to allow myself to come up here and talk to you." He continued.

I walked a couple of steps towards the cashier as the line drew down, still denying him of acknowledgement.

"I'm Cal." He said, still in a soft voice, and then I felt his warm breeze of a breath at my neck. All the hair behind my neck stood up and I knew I was breaking a sweat. And then he slowly said. "And soon, you'll... be... mine. That, don't pretend you didn't hear."

And then he was gone.

Apparently, I was tremendously correct about the confident part.

It slightly terrified me when I found out that he was in all of my classes. There was zero chance of ever getting hundred percent same schedule with another student with the same class. It was completely surreal... And absurd. Yet it happened and we both had it. And the aftermath had been merciless.

The new student—Cal stared at me the entire time. Calculus, Physics, Accounting, Social Studies, Economics. He even offered to walk with me to Gym. He was always there. He was always staring; smirking... Always making his presence known and not even embarrassed about getting caught. It freaked me out. But at the same time, it felt chivalrous. Out of everyone, it was me who caught his eye. Weird as it may be, realizing that gave me some sense of consolidation.