When I First... [E.C.]

Shifting Glance

2

 When I first locked eyes with Edward, it was after that fateful chuckle. His head had cocked over to mine and my smile faded, my chicken nugget falling into the bowl of honey mustard like Jack in the Titanic, just without a door that could clearly fit two separate nuggets.

His lips had twitched for a fraction of a second at the action and I immediately looked over to Angela who was oblivious. She was taking photos of everything and everyone without fail, making me want to roll my eyes. She never stopped, always excited about the throws of high school and how these memories would make great stories someday.

Back then, I hadn't believed her.

I looked to Mike who was half-asleep with his head lying on top of his crossed arms. I thought I saw drool but, hey, I could've been imagining things.

Then I realized that the color of Edward's eyes were—

I looked back towards him. He was still looking at me, eyebrows furrowed, like he was trying to understand what was happening before him. I then finally noticed that his eyes weren't a regular color. They were golden. Like honey.

I looked down and tried to salvage my nugget with a plastic spoon and, when I was successful, I forced it down my throat.

Angela stood up, turning to me. "Come on, we gotta get to Chem."

I nodded, downing the rest of the Coke Zero that I hated as well. I turned to see Mike still passed out. "Mike," I shouted, tapping his head.

He sniffled and wiped away his drool, his eyes seeming to be somewhere else. "Yeah, Alison?"

I nodded my head over to the clock. "Time for you to go to Spanish, buddy."

He rubbed his eyes with the same drool hand — I think I almost vomited — and grabbed his backpack.

All three of us began walking, weaving in and out of older and much scarier students.

"How long was I out?" he asked, his voice still groggy.

Angela and I glanced at one another. She beat me to the punch. "Mike, it's our second day of high school and you have already fallen asleep twice." My eyes widened. She caught the glance. "English," she mouthed. I stifled my laugh.

He shrugged. "I don't know what's gotten into me. I've been having the same dream for the past few nights and I wake up scared."

"What is it?" I questioned.

"I come to school naked and everyone's laughing." Angela and I started laughing, pausing at the Chemistry door. "It's not funny!"

I smiled. "Of course it isn't. We'll see you later."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine."