⋆ him → an original character (oc) of mine ⋆

[; adapted from one of my unpublished books, 'Him'.]

word count: 913

summary ↬ the first time ever meeting...Him 

- ¿ -

"KENJI!" THE GIRL'S voice sings out.

I realise now that I never knew his last name. She was in the year above us but seemed to have known him for longer than many people thought. Maybe, they were even dating.

That shouldn't concern you, my thoughts hiss at me. Focus on your work.

But once more, it was a game of listening to your heart or your head. In this case, I listened to my heart, which itched to see his face again.

I say again because the last time I saw him was an incident that went by in a flash.

The first thing everyone noticed, all girls complemented and all boys were jealous of, was his absolute mass of brown looped curls atop his head. Sometimes, they covered his face, and he'd deal with it by lightly blowing upward to get it out of the way. Everyone touched it, no matter how many times he expressed how much he hated it, yet even I itched to handle it. Just one run-through with a single hand may satiate me.

Next were those dark, chocolatey brown eyes that stared you down when he spoke. He never goes without using eye contact. I overheard him say it was something he looked for in a girl. What a shame that I knew I'd fold like laundry if he ever looked at me that way. They were beautifully guarded by sharp, flat monolids, with dark creases that gave the effect of a very discreet use of guy-liner.

His skin was tan- slightly dark like it was mixed with honey and creme. His face was freckled slightly, lips full and thick, tinted a natural, ravishing rose.

He licked them often, even as he did something as simple as scribbling away in that matte black notebook of his instead of writing notes like he was supposed to.

The bell rang. It was a shrill, high-pitched sound that only lasted a few seconds, making everyone shield their ears with both palms each time it happened. His were too, exposing the single, plain silver band on his middle finger, and his braided bracelet.

It was eight forty-five, time to pack up. I did so, head down. This meant I'd failed to notice him approaching me, hands in his pockets.

"Hey, uh, Honey?"

I nod, to flustered and stupid to open my mouth properly to speak.

"You're new, right? I'm in your biology class, and that's what we have first. Care to join?" He asks.

"Join?"

"Oh, my bad." He chuckles. This exposes his teeth, which are lined with braces tinted blue. "You're the only one here who has that class with the rest of us. We're only about six. I didn't want to leave you out."

So it was out of pity? "No, no." I forcefully smile. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You're new and finding the lab might be pretty hard."

"I'm okay, thank you," I respond firmly, head still down, packing things away even faster.

"Okay then. Suit yourself." He says sweetly, walking away with someone I assume to be a close friend.

Sighing, I leave the classroom with my stuff, prepared to go on a hunt for the lab on my own. I turn round and round, from hallway to hallway. Since it was a fairly large and disciplined private school, they were all empty, void of even a whisper of a human being. Overwhelmed, I found the nearest toilet and shut myself in it, trying to calm myself down by taking deep breaths.

After what felt like hours, I finally felt ready to leave, only to hear the door swing open and at least four different female voices and heels clicking on the tiled flooring.

"Did you hear about Lucas' party this Saturday? It's apparently invite-only."

I hear a few 'awws's and grumbles.

"Cherry, you'd definitely be going!" Cherry? "You're his best friend's ex, and as you said, you and Lucas had a thing. You could totally use this as an opportunity to get him jealous."

A girl, I presume to be Cherry, speaks. "That actually doesn't sound too bad."

"But what about Mila?"

"What about Mila?"

"Didn't you hear? She was spotted leaving his house the other night with a massive hickey on her chest."

My heart sinks a little.

"That prick! Didn't you both break up over the summer?"

Cherry speaks up again. "Yeah, but that was literally a month ago. I'm sure she's just a rebound."

"She has to be. I mean, look at her."

They all collectively laugh and finally - finally- leave.

I'm about to leave too when the door opens again and my heart stops beating for a second. A girl with dark hair and her skirt a little too short walks in, eyeing me.

"You Honey?"

"Yeah?"

"Good. Come with me."

"Why, what's going on?" I ask as she grabs me by the wrist and practically drags me along with her outside.

"Nothing too important. Mr Robinson said I should get you, tell you you're late to biology."

Is this a sign?

"I'm Maddison, by the way."

"Hey, Maddison. You already know my name." I reply meekly.

"Is that your real name or?"

"Just a nickname."

She senses my strain. "Cool, cool."

"What is it?" I ask, noticing her firm gnawing action on her lips.

"Do you wanna go out tonight?"

"What, like a date?"

"No, you wuss." She giggles. "I was invited to Lucas' party and get to have a plus one."

"So you chose me?"

"You know what they say." She smiles. "We blacks got to stay together."

It's my turn to smile.