Chapter 3: Drake POV

“Hey Drake, so what do you do these days, anything interesting? I'm modelling of course, everyone always said I should.”

I’m standing next to April Somers and she won't stop talking, jeez, she was always annoying when we were kids and seems she hasn’t changed as an adult either. I can barely stand to listen to her prattle on much longer, but she seems to want to stick to me like glue. Not the evening I was looking forward to, but in the effort to be polite I answer her.

“Oh, I am a bouncer for one of the nightclubs not far from here, called ‘The Dragon’s Tooth’, it’s quite popular and keeps me busy.”

I try to keep the conversation short, so she will go away, but it's not working.

“Well, that explains the muscles then” she says, while she hangs off my biceps and smiles in a way that puts my guard up, I bristle at her tone and try to move away from her grip. Obviously, she remembers that I was quite a skinny kid, and is only interested in talking to me now, because I work to stay in shape.

“Yes, in a way.”

I sigh, looking around to find an escape from her. That’s when I notice my mates stood off to the side, giving me glances that say to me ‘tough gig’ ‘glad that isn’t me over there’ with smirks that I want to knock off their faces, and they know it too.

Attempting to reign in my discomfort, I keep scanning the room and then notice that quite a few people are staring towards the stairs. Apparently, someone interesting has just walked in, so I turn to look as well, and I see a curvaceous woman dressed in black and gold, stood at the entrance.

She looks like she might be trying to decide whether to stay or leave, I smile, because that’s exactly how I'm feeling, but, as I watch, she seems to decide to stay and starts walking down the steps. Some of the other guys walk up to meet her but I can tell immediately she isn’t interested in any of them. She is polite to them, but that’s about it. As she reaches the bottom, she looks up and that’s when I get a clear look at her eyes, I'm immediately rooted to the spot.

I'm staring at the most gorgeous, emerald green eyes that have forever been burned into my memory.

She’s here, I don’t believe it! Finally, after all this time.

As I stand staring at her I flash back to the day we met. She blew into my life like a golden whirlwind of elbows and feet, changing everything. But it was those eyes, that captivated me forever.

                                                    

***Flashback***

What just happened? There is a girl here and she is talking to me, but why? No one talks to me, unless they want to hurt me in some way, but she seems different, kind.

I look up and as I raise my head, I see she is holding out her hand to me. I look higher and reach her face, she is smiling, which is a good sign, but I freeze in place, unable to answer her once I see her eyes.

They are amazing, such a stunning emerald green and they seem to sparkle with a happiness that draws me to them. I can’t look away and my words are frozen in my throat, all I can do is stare. I notice she is starting to look at me odd and realise that it’s because I'm not saying anything. I force myself to answer her, suddenly wanting to get to know her better.

“Um Drake, my name is Drake and I uh sure, we can be friends”.

I take her outstretched hand and she pulls me to my feet really easily. The smile on her face has changed, it lights up her face, and I find myself smiling too.

“That’s great, I’m glad you aren’t angry with me for interfering”

“No. No I'm not angry, they pick on me every day, so I was just surprised that you helped me, that’s all. All the other kids just ignore what they do, because they are bigger, and no one cares that they pick on me”.

I shrug, resigned that later, they will be back and this time it will be worse than a kick. Oh well, she didn’t know, but the way she is looking at me is strange.

“Are you serious?!”

She half yells and makes me jump, is she angry at me?

Oh great, that’s just typical, nicely done Drake. Who knew I would be able to end a friendship minutes after starting it, must be a record?

But then she continues to speak.

“I know I'm new here and everything, but still, that’s so cruel and unfair. No one should have to worry about being picked on every day. Why you?”

All I can do is stare at her, she is so passionate and for no reason I can explain, she makes me feel sort of safe. I realise though, that I am going to have to try to calm her down. She looks as though she is ready to go running off, and beat down anyone, who has ever hurt me. There is a fire in her eyes and her hands are balled into fists at her side.

“Don’t worry so much about it, you stopped them this time, so it’s already looking better.”

It's a lie and not the best way to start a friendship, but what else can I say? She needs to calm down before classes start. That seems to do the trick though, she looks at me and smiles. I breathe an inward sigh of relief as she has calmed, then bend to pick up my stuff and she helps me.

When we have put it all back in my bag, we walk over to a patch of grass and she picks up a backpack, and a pair of glasses. Oh, this must be her stuff, and this was where she was, before she ran over to me. Thinking of that moment, when she ran into those guys and fought them off, makes me smile.

Then I look at her, properly, and realise she is no bigger than me. She doesn’t look strong at all, she is scrawny, and her limbs are out of proportion to the rest of her body, it gives her a gawky look.

She has blonde hair, but it's more of a burnished gold colour. It's been plaited and wound in a bun at the back of her head, an unusual style, but it suits her. Her fringe is long and styled to stay out of her face, but otherwise moves freely, giving her a wind-swept, wild look.

Her eyes had seemed too large for her face before and they are now hidden behind the thick, black rimmed glasses she picked up, which make her look nerdy. Altogether, she seems like someone who would shrink away from confrontation. Yet she threw herself right in and chased away four boys, all twice her size.

Now she is looking at me strangely, and I realise I've been staring too long. I’ve not spoken very much, clearly, I'm starting to make her feel awkward and that’s the last thing I want to do, but for some reason, I already feel so comfortable around her.

“You said you were new here, how come? Were you transferred?”

She seems embarrassed by the question and I mentally kick myself, well done you’ve made her feel awkward again.

“Um yes, today is actually my first day and I'm a little nervous”.

Oh, really? She seems quite confident to me.

“That’s okay, now you know me, and I can show you around the school if you want”.

What in Zodia possessed me to say that? I must be losing my mind, but I decide to take it a step further anyway.

“Also, there is a spare seat next to me in class, so, if you want, you can sit there.”

I inwardly cross my fingers, hoping that she likes the idea, because it would be nice to have someone to talk to.

“That’s a great idea, thank you” she says, excitedly and smiles that smile again, instantly making me feel warm inside and I can't help smiling back at her.

We sit on the patch of grass she had been on and continue talking about all sorts of things, until the bell rings to start classes. Then we stand and walk to the doors together, still talking and I realise, that, for the first time ever, I am looking forward to class. I'm not worried about the bullies at all, and I haven’t thought about home nearly as much as I would normally.

It’s all because of Lilli, just her presence, makes everything better. I only hope that it will last, and I don’t mess it up in some way, like always.

***End of Flashback***