Chapter 2

 Kathrina POV

"Uh,sorry," he apologized. "Are you okay?" He asked me again and I nodded. He smiled. His smile was actually contagious and I couldn't help it.

"Did they hurt you?"

"You showed up before they could. Thanks." He nodded.

"Kathrina!" I heard Morley hollered and darted my gaze to him and Monna running up to me.

"What happened to you?" Monna asked and froze as she stared at my savior.

"Hello," he waved at Monna who wasn't able to say a word to him for no reason known to me. Morley stood me up and glanced at my savior who still had a pleasant smile on his face.

"Let's go, Kathy." Morley and Monna grabbed my hand and pulled me along as they started walking fast before I could tell them about what happened. I stared back and caught him staring at me. He winked at me before I looked forward, trying hard not to blush.

"Geez, Kathrina! Why the hell were you with that dude?" Morley asked, red-faced when we stopped at the hallway. I opened my mouth to speak but closed it when I saw Lita walking up to me.

"Goodness, Lita, why the hell were you not with Kathrina?" Morley asked Lita when she reached us and I furrowed my brows, dazed.

"We were together a moment ago in the cafeteria before she excused herself."

"You wouldn't believe who we caught her with, Lita."

"Who, Mor?" Lita asked, obviously curious.

"Hayden." Lita squinted. "Hayden. McKenzie." Lita gasped and her jaw dropped.

What's wrong with you, Morley? You're sounding like you guys met me with an unpleasant person. He actually saved me a while ago before you guys showed up.

"Hayden, saved you?!" They asked in unison, surprised and I nodded.

"Woa, you've got a lot of explanations for us later, Kathrina. Me and Monna gotta go now. Miss Crumb, the chemistry teacher, is waiting for us." And with that, Morley and Monna left. I wonder what's wrong with them.

"Let's go to class so we can talk better," Lita said and pulled me to our classroom.

"Now, fill me up with what happened," Lita said, impatiently the moment we walked into the class. We took our seats situated in the middle of the classroom and I tucked my hair behind. I glanced at a circle of girls chatting at the back of the class and told her what happened.

"Hayden saved you!!!" Lita yelled, jerking up to her feet. I was startled. I looked at some of our mates in the class whose gaze was on us and grabbed Lita's hand, gently,I pulled her down to her seat, cringing.

"Lita, what's wrong with you?"

"I think I'm alright but you don't seem to be

because it seems like you've been swayed by that guy's good act." I squinted.

"Look,you need to stay away from Hayden. He's bad news."

"Why?"

"He's manipulative but still most girls are head over heels for him." She bent her face closer to me and whispered. "He is strange. He is a mysterious guy."

That's all?"

"Rumors have it that he's a different being though I don't believe it." I rolled my eyes and shrugged. My savior, Hayden, didn't seem like a bad guy at all. But the strange sensation I had when he touched me…

I can't explain.

"You've been away for over a year so you probably won't know a thing about him but he is weird. His aura is weird,his demeanor sends chills down the spines of some of the students for no explainable reason at all." I sighed and looked away after Lita told me about Hayden.

"Just stay away from him," Lita said before standing up. "I'll go grab my book in the locker for the next class." She exhaled and headed down to her locker.

After school, Lita and I headed home, a few meters behind Morley and Monna who were chatting loudly with two girls.The hair on my skin erected, like it always does when I felt someone was watching me. I became less attentive to what Lita was telling me and I took a quick look back but couldn't catch a glimpse of anyone. I glanced at the trees rumbling and exhaled. Maybe it was a rabbit there.Gosh, I could be way paranoid for nothing. No one is probably going to be watching me. Yeah, I'm no one.

"Hey, are you with me?" Lita asked and I looked forward and nodded. She kept on talking as we walked down.

I bidded Lita goodbye when we reached her home and fastened my steps to catch up with Morley and Monna who were now talking alone. I wanted to get some information about my savior, Hayden.

"Hayden is in grade 12, Kathy," Morley told me when I asked him after coming in between them.

"He is... handsome," I muttered and Morley's eyes widened.

"He's exceptionally hot also," Monna added and giggled.

"I'm not surprised to hear you say that,Monna,but," Morley paused and pointed at me. "You, Kathrina,you say he is handsome?"

I nodded. "Yes. So?"

"Darn it! You've eventually become one of those girls who fancy him. You've got a crush on him like Monna."

"No," I feebly objected, darting my eyes to the ground.

"Don't lie. I can see right through you. But,don't fall for him. He'll jinx your life. That's all I've got to say. I find the guy awful," Morley scoffed and started walking ahead of us.

"Monna?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do Lita and Morley consider Hayden to be..."

"Gosh, I know she probably had told you awful things about him too but trust me all are lies. People are just jealous of him. He's got this charisma that makes the school authority like him but I wonder why most students, especially the males, dislike him." She paused and chuckled.

"I guess it's because he is more handsome than them," she joked and Morley spun and stared at her. We both glanced at each other and stopped, trying too hard not to laugh at his laughable expression.

"What, Mor?" Monna asked, with puppy dog eyes.

"I really heard that, Monna. I can't believe you could spew such rubbish,"Morley said.

"Duhh, I was just kidding," Monna justified her words.

"But your humor sucks,"Morley said, feigning annoyance. Monna glanced at me and we both bursted into laughter.

"Geez, you girls are really annoying and intolerable."He groaned and walked on, mumbling.

"Kathrina, I'll tell you something more about Hayden," Monna said and I nodded.

"He has got a sister, she's in grade 11,yes, your classmate but I bet you haven't seen her today because she hasn't been in school for quite some time now. And there's also another winsome you've not seen yet." I furrowed my brows and she smiled.

"He's been away for quite some time too,but I don't know much about him."

"Does Hayden have...a girlfriend?" I asked and Monna gazed at me wide-eyed.

"C'mon, take it easy,sis. You don't need to be in a hurry. He's got no girlfriends; but…

He has many admirers and lots of girls crushing on him. And, trust me when I say this,they won't think twice before pouncing or tormenting any girl who makes advances at him or claims him. Stay clear." Monna warned and fastened her pace to catch up with Morley. What a great informant. I don't care if some people consider him weird but I feel like…

I'm anomalously getting attracted to him.