Given half a chance

Chapter 2

Anna

Five years ago

I switch off my phone and slip it into the inner pocket of my blazer . Ian is sitting on the desk of our bench. My bench mate is standing in between his legs with her back pressed against his chest. He whispers in her ears and she giggles. She turns her head towards him and for once I thought they were going to kiss .

He pinches her cheek and she turns away. This cycle gets repeated a few times. Whispering , giggling and cheek pinching. Until it become too unbearable for me and I excused myself and leave the classroom . No one notices that .

The scene outside the classroom isn't much different. Just that the couple's out here in the corridor are unfortunately dating others who belong to different class or department.

There are couples everywhere. Against the locker , against the wall beside the notice board , leaning against the doorframe.

It's suffocating. Or maybe I am just jealous. Or maybe I am just unlucky . Or too picky. Everyone liked Ian. But he makes me cringe. Too sweet , too cocky and too fake. The entire class can tell the compliments he throws at Cath are just to make her happy. There is no sincerity in them.

I walk past the corridor that leads to administration office and principal's office. Someone called my name. I walk a few steps back until I am standing at the head of the corridor . It's our principal's peon. And behind him a tall , lean guy towering over Rufus' five feet frame.

I find myself devouring his beauty. I have seen more good looking guys than him . But only in films and music videos. I won't be lying if I say I haven't seen a better looking guy than him in real life .

" Anna please do me a favor ." I force my eyes back on Rufus as he speaks. From where I stand I can see his bald head shimmering under the fluorescent tubes too brightly . " Please take him to Mr Roth's class . He is a new transfer student. " I nod . Rufus mumbles a thank you and turns to look at the guy behind him .

Rufus cranes his neckless head back as far possible without stepping back from his position " she will show you around. She is the topper of her class. She can help you more than I ever can ."

Rufus walks away but for some reason his words makes me blush. Thank you Rufus for such a warm introduction to this beautiful stranger .

Now I can see myself dating . He is watching Rufus walking away . I am watching him. He turns towards me and now he is watching me . Our eyes meet .

" Hi . I am Sebastian Dane. It's nice to meet you ." He holds his hand out for me. His voice is deep and smooth. Not rough like dad or raspy like Ian .

I stare at his hands before shaking it . His hand is smooth too , just like his voice. They are warm and feels good . His hands are those kind of hands that you'll find yourself wanting to hold. I like the feel of his hands against mine .

The shake ends and we both retreat our hands back at the same time . Me reluctantly . But he has no idea how much a small handshake from him has riled me up.

Now I can really see myself dating. Dating Sebastian Dane.

Anna dating Sebastian . Sebastian dating Anna.

Sebastian and Anna. I like our names together .

I like his name. Sebastian. Sebastian Dane . Neither too small nor too difficult to pronounce. Just manly enough and sophisticated.

" Anna . Anna Delaney. " I say finding myself losing in his icy blue eyes. I have seen blue eyes before . Cath , my seat mate has blue eyes. Our music teacher Mrs Henderson has blue eyes too . But none of their eyes are this shade of blue. His are the faintest shade of blue I have ever seen. Like the tip of an iceberg.

" Are you also in Mr Roth's class ?" I nod . He smiles slightly. " That's good then . We will be classmates. " I join him in smiling.

It's beyond good . Till this day I've only hated Mr Roth. No one can salvage the math subject like him . But today I feel like hugging Mr Roth. Because of him , me and Sebastian will be in the same class . Or maybe it's our fate. Maybe we're meant to be together. That thought make me smile.

" Let's go then. " I gesture for him to follow me and soon he falls in steps besides me. I reach till his chin. Giving him a few extra inches above me. That's good . I've always liked guys who are taller than me . But not too tall as too make me feel like an ant . I decide I like his height too .

So I like his voice , his eyes , his hands , his height , his name.  I am eager to find out what else about him I like .

" So a new transfer student huh ?" I ask stealing a glance at him. There's a ghost of a smile playing along his lips . " Yeah. "

" Are you excited about the first day in your new school ?"

He looks at me. His eyes resembles ice . But the warmth they send rippling through my body in incomparable to anything . " I guess I'll find out soon enough. "

A moment of silence follows after which he initiates our conversation "Are you ?"

I frown at him " me what ?"

" Are you excited ? It's your first day of junior year. "

I wasn't. I was dreading a minute ago. But now I am . Because of you Sebastian .

" Yeah . I am ." I say as casually as possible because what I am feeling right now is far from what feeling casual means. I am feeling conscious . My entire body , each cell ,beach tissue and some organs more than others are way too much conscious right now. Conscious about his presence . Conscious of his effect on me and the causes of this effect .

We reach our destination . I enter the room and all eyes fell on the stranger beside me . Cath separates herself from Ian and walks closer to where we are standing.

" Okay class . This is Sebastian Dane , our new classmate . And Sebastian " I look back at him " This is your class now too. "

But he is starting at Cath . Cath is smiling widely at Sebastian. She steps forward and extends her hand " Hi . My name is Catherine Hawk. It's nice to have you in our class ." Sebastian takes her hand with a dreamy smile on his lips. " I am glad to be in the same class with you Catherine. " He looks excited now .

My smile vanishes . I try to bring it back . But my eyes assess the way Sebastian is staring at Cath . And it seems like my eyes have a better control over my smile than me. Or maybe it's just my heart taking over.

Ian wraps an arm around Cath's shoulder once Cath has dropped Sebastian's hand. " And I am her boyfriend . Ian McPherson . " Ian is putting his claim on her .

" Oh ." Sebastian's gaze looks from Catherine to Ian's arm around her and then at Ian . Catherine shrugs out of Ian's embrace and smiles gorgeously at Sebastian . Cath is one of those people who looks ever more beautiful when they smile. And I've always felt jealous at that smile of her . The smile that makes Ian drool and is now making Sebastian excited.

Sebastian is looking at Cath exactly the way I was staring at it a few minutes ago. Sebastian can see himself dating Cath . But Cath is with Ian.  So that's not possible .

I can feel the cracks on the cardiac muscles of my heart. The excitement transforming into something very painful. As if a thousand sharp needles being twisted hard and fast into my soul.

I stare at Sebastian as he shakes hand with the rest of the class. I watch him smiling and introducing himself and every once in a while looking in Cath's direction who is now standing beside Ian watching Sebastian.

The entire class is watching Sebastian. But I want to be the only one to watch him . I want him to only watch me.

I am attracted to Sebastian. And he is not attracted to me. And I don't like that about Sebastian. I don't like that he isn't attracted to me the way I am to him . I also I don't like how his eyes find Cath after every few seconds. And I don't like the way he looks at her.

I guess I just found out a few things about Sebastian that I don't like .