Chapter 8

  Starting off the second week of school, I was surprised to find that I was somewhat excited about it. I couldn't pinpoint the reason. I just felt as if something in my chest was pulling me to the school. And there was this fluttering feeling that wouldn't leave me alone since I got to there.

   Standing at my locker and getting ready for the day, the fluttering feeling seems to get more excited. Maybe I should go home? I don't think I've ever had this feeling before, and strange things occurring aren't something to ignore.

  I'm still contemplating whether to go home or not when I hear sniffing from behind me. And it won't stop. I think I'm getting OCD or something because it's getting somewhat on my nerves. I hear it come right behind me. Turning around, I see a huge muscular chest. A muscular chest covered in cloth. Looking upwards, I see a goofy, and in a way handsome, face.

   "Hi," I say.

   The boy smiles and says, "Hi there little guy."

  I pout, "Little guy, huh?"

  I may be shorter than him, but he doesn't have to rub it in my face. Whoever this guy is, he towers over me easily by a foot. His chin could easily rest on the top of my head. It connects to a sharp jawline. His short chocolate hair falls gracefully in waves and curls over his scalp, and some tumbles over his forehead. His eyes almost resemble the color of my eyes, if water was like oil. His eyes are the nicest blue I've ever seen. Not that I'm into him. The blue is just nice. It goes great with his straight nose and his clear brow.

   "I didn't mean to offend," he replies, still smiling. He looks down at me. "I'm Bennet, Bennet Fitzroy."

   I raise my eyebrows. "Bennet Fitzroy...Fitzroy?" I tilt my head and smile. "Are you the mysterious brother of Grid's?" I ask smiling.

  His smile grows bigger. "Yep, that's me."

  The 5-minute bell rings, and I start walking to my first day of a b-day, which is math. I've barely walked two steps when a thick heavy arm wraps around my shoulders.

   "What?!" I practically scream.

   I turn and see Bennet's face inches away from mine. I blush and pull back. However, Bennet doesn't allow me to go. We walk like that down the hall. I would think that after a week of Greg stuck on me, I would be used to the stares, but if anything, I'm more embarrassed. And trying to even get him off me is probably futile. I would know. Especially after a week with Greg.

   Walking into the math class, I manage to free myself from his grip and take my seat next to the window. Bennet takes the seat next to me. Grid and Greg aren't in this class, so I'll have to wait until later to see them. I pull out my math textbook and my pencil case. Eyeing the board, I read the instructions the teacher, Mr. Trenton wrote. He must have gone to the loo because I don't see him.

   Hearing a sharp intake of air, I turn to Bennet. He keeps staring at me. What is he doing? He's resting his head on his hand, and he's just sitting and...smelling? Do I smell bad? I take a whiff of my shirt I'm wearing, and nothing strikes me as alarming. And looking at Bennet, he seems...almost mesmerized.

   "Ummm..." I say. I don't know how to address this situation. How do you confront somebody if they're smelling you? "Do I...do I smell...um...bad?" I manage to ask.

   Bennet grins and sits up straight. "No, you smell just fine," he says.

He rests his arm on the back of my chair and scoots towards me. I pretend he's not that close and look back at the board.

   Mr. Trenton walks in. He says something about work and a project, but my mind is too stuck on the uncomfortable position I'm in to pay attention to any of it. He is literally enclosing me. If Bennet comes any closer, his whole body will be on me. And when that happens, he'll realize something is weird about my body. He'll realize that there's something bumpy and hard on my back, and no doubt questions will ensue. Then, my identity of being a supernatural will be compromised.

  I carefully scoot away from him, but he notices and scoots closer. "Stop that," I whisper.

   "Stop what?" he asks, looking down at me.

  "Stop coming so close!" I reply.

I scoot the last bit so now I'm hitting the window sill. Bennet only grins and scoots so he's actually on my chair. He has a strange glint in his eye. Before he can come any closer, I shoot my hand out and push him back. My hand lands on his huge chest, and I feel the muscles shift and tighten underneath.

  "Bennet," I start in a deadly whisper, effectively catching his attention, "I think you're getting a little carried away. I know how you along with Greg and Grid are a little touchy, but I've just met you, and I would love to be friends." Something clicks, and he backs off. I sigh and look back at the board.

  The class passes by and when the bell rings. I exhale built-up air. Standing up, I collect my belongings and walk toward the door. I feel Bennet come up behind me and expect a shoulder hug or something, but instead, his arm wraps around my ribcage, right over where I've nestled my wings. I gasp in surprise.

   "You don't have to be so cold, you know," says Bennet whispers into my ear.

I try not to move. If I move too much, he might realize something is off. And if I shove his arm off me, judging from how he came back earlier even after I scooted away from him, he might wrap both arms around me. Then there would be absolutely no way he wouldn't realize there's something besides skin underneath my shirt.

  "I'm not cold," I say.

   "You are! You moved away from me!" he all but complains.

   "Well, we're not lovers, so you can't possibly expect me to sit in your lap," I say as I turn to look at him, in the process stepping out of the arm wrapped around me.

  I meant to make a truthful and harmless statement, but I see hurt in Bennet's sea-blue eyes. I open my mouth to say something, but before anything comes out,

   "You're right. Sorry," says Bennet.

He seems to be down though, and his huge shoulders are a bit sagged. Maybe I shouldn't have said that?

   "But we're friends, so we can always  do high fives?" I offer.

  "Oh, okay. I'm okay with that," he says.

   I nod and walk out of the classroom to my next class. Along the way, I can't stop thinking about what just happened. First I meet Bennet, and I learn he's very touchy, like his sister and Greg. Then, he corners me in my seat and gets offended when I say we're not lovers. I don't mean to flatter myself, but it sounds like he's in love with me, and he's getting ahead of himself.

   A relationship with anyone who is not like myself could be hazardous. Especially when you're like me, supernatural and hunted. Even among the supernaturals, my type is hunted and killed. Humans were the ones who took us in and helped us. They also gave us a name. Gargoyle. A creature that is both grotesque and hideous. Of course, most don't look like a demon that crawled out of the earth, but it helped to represent us, albeit to the extreme. Gargoyles were the product of a union between an angel and a demon.

   After our creation, we were exiled from both heaven and hell. The only place left to roam was the earth. Humans, surprisingly, allowed us into their lives. Usually, humans attacked, hunted, and killed supernaturals or anything peculiar, especially when they'd never seen it before. But gargoyles they allowed to live with them.

  So we became the guardians of their most sacred places. The stone representations were merely made to represent what was happening. A creature that was part demon protecting a house of God. Pretty ironic seeing as how we were exiled from heaven and how the lord didn't want to hang out with us. Yeah, I'm not a big fan of him. He supposedly created us, along with everything, but he can't stand to have us with him in the same place. Gets on my nerves. And if that's how the lord of everything treats us, then I can't think of how Bennet will treat me when he sees what I truly am. And at the current pace he's going at, he's going to find out. Something has to change.

  I have to start avoiding him.