The Boy Witch

13: Detention

"What the fuck was that?" Alex stares up at me, his mouth agape and eyes wide. Instead of addressing his rather delicately phrased question, I silently but quickly slip out of the tree, landing softly on the ground.

As I began to hurriedly pick up my stuff from the ground, Alex walks up to me. His silence made me feel like another panic attack was due and made me break out into a cold sweat under his piercing eyes. As I stand I could finally see him, though I keep my head down and look up at him from under my eyelashes. I know that it makes me seem less threatening and perhaps more innocent, and I think that I need that change in persona in order to make him think what he saw was nothing more than coincidence.

"North," he starts, but I quickly walk around him, trying to make it to the door. I can't deal with this right now, not when I'm still close to another panic attack. "North," he calls again. He begins to walk after me, but I quicken my pace. I'm almost to the door, just a little more.

A hand catches my arm, thankfully not on any exposed skin, but I still feel the flickering sparks race through the fabric. My heart clenches in my chest in panic as I quickly yank out of his grasp. "Don't!" I yell as I step back from him. I pause for a moment, trying to calm my racing pulse. "Don't," I repeat, hating how my voice wavered the tiniest bit, "touch me, Alex."

His bright blue eyes flash with hurt as he retracts his hand. I sigh quietly in relief when he takes a step back.  "What happened?" he asks quietly. He averts his gaze, suddenly finding the grass at his feet more interesting. "Why... can't I touch you?"

I look away from his pitiful expression. For some reason, it made my heart ache at the sight of him in this kind of pain. The feeling was foreign, and it scared me of the extent of influence he had over me. I swallow the lump in my throat and focus on the matter at hand. "I... had a panic attack," I said, my voice coming out rather thick. "I managed to push it down in the tree, but it's still liable to come back. Physical contact when I'm like this usually pushes me over the edge." My voice grew weaker as I continue on until it was just a whisper at the end.

"Oh," he said after a moment. A heavy silence weighs down on us, neither of us willing to speak first. Despite my raging instincts yelling at me to run away, I couldn't find it in myself to leave him like this. Still, I wanted nothing more than to be left alone and to run as far away from Alex as possible. My back itches with the nervous sweat trickling down my spine, my nerves twitching for the opportunity to bolt.

Finally, after what seems to be hours, Alex opens his mouth to speak. "North, I—" He was cut off as the shrill sound of the bell rings through the air. I turn so quickly I'm surprised I don't receive backlash for it as I practically bolt for the door. Talk about being saved by the bell!

"Lunch is over," I call out quickly over my shoulder. "We should get to class!" I don't wait for his answer and run into the hallway, leaving the door to close behind me.

I let out my breath, trying to ease the tight feeling in my chest. As of now, I should be heading to Mr. Wiser's class but I'm not. Instead my feet carry me to the boys' restroom, which was luckily empty and should give me a moment to collect myself. I know that if I went to that warlock's class in this state I would have a panic attack within five feet of his room.

I walk up to the sink, dropping my bag at my feet. Quickly, I splash some water on my face and finally look into the mirror. I rarely like to see myself, reason being I simply don't like myself. My raven black hair was too dark against my lightly tanned but pale skin, my green eyes standing out as the only hint of color on my being. I was only glad my hair was partially long enough to cover my ears some, which were a little more pointed than a usual human's. It was a mystery to myself as well as others.