Saphire by S. E. Gutierrez (read e book .TXT) 📕

I ran. I am still running, and I don't have the faintest idea why. All i know is that Hunter told me to. In other words, he was scared and now I myself am starting to freak out.

Recently, I learned a very significant and scary truth about myself. That fact makes me a target for monsters, beasts, and pretty much every other type of nightmarish creaturE from Greek mythology. I am a daughter of Poseidon, god of the sea. Oh, and Hunter is a son of Athena. He's also my best friend.

The day started out just like any other. Hunter met me at the flagpole, we walked to first hour together, and sat in our usual back-of-the-room seats. Nothing new there. But for some weird reason, i had a feeling that today would be anything but normal. Stupid me just ignored it.

Second and third hour passed without any incidents, but it was lunch now. As i got in the lunch line, I was rather distracted. I had a lot on my mind, what with Kirkland High's Snow Ball coming up while I'm still date-less, the math test, oh and seeing the guy I have major crushing on talking and joking with the guy that annoys the crap out of me. Who wouldn't be distracted?

I passed the rest of the day in a dreamlike state, not really noticing anything. And then I got home.

I was enjoying a good soak to get my mind back in focus. I was also on the phone with Hunter.

"So Hunter, when are you gonna ask Sara to the dance?" I ask him. He's been dying to ask her out but never had the courage to.

"How bout... never?" he replies. Of course.

The phone lets out a beep telling me I have another incoming call.

"Sorry hunter, incoming call, can you hold?"

"Sure, no prob." he answers.

I pick up the phone and instantly wish I hadn't. It's Zane, that guy that pisses me off so

much. He uses a stupid nickname I've had since kindergarten that no one uses but him, "princess". I hate it.

"Hey Princess, you know most girls try to be less obvious about when they like a guy right?" he says.

"So, what's it to you?" I spit back.

"Chill, Princess, I know my good looks are hard to resist.

"Shove of you jerk!" I shout t him and switch back to Hunter.

"From the silence on you're end, I'm guessing that was Zane." Hunter said, trying to clear up the slightly awkward silence.

"Yup." is all I say.

"Okay. Well, when are you gonna ask Mr. Dreamy to the dance?" he asks, trying to change the subject.

"Soon as you ask Sara." I retort.

"Fine. I'll ask Sara today if you ask Sam too." I'm uterely stunned to hear him say this, he's never one to take a chance, never.

"Okay, Hunter, but if you don't ask and I do, you're in for it." I reply, agreeing.

I saw him as soon as I walked onto campus. Sam and I had known each other since we were little, even now, he would always smile, and wave when ever he saw me, even in the middle of a conversation. I adored him for that.

"I'm telling you Zane, I just want to fly solo for a while, breaking up with Jessica really lifted a weight off my shoulders, I don't want to get it back right after it was just taken off." I heard Sam say.

Yup, Sam and Zane were best friends. Just my luck right?

"Hey, if you wanna go with a big group of solo-goers, I'd be happy to be among them." Zane replied.

"Nah, Zane, you don't have to do that. I'm fine just showing up by myself."

"You don't undersand, you don't have a choice, I'm going alone with you. We'll be alone together." Zane said.

As they turned and went their separate ways, Sam saw me.

"Hey, Fire." Sam said, using my nickname.

"Hey."

"So how you been?" he asks casually.

"Pretty good, you?"

"Great." he answers with his usual enthusiasm.

"Can I- can I ask you something?" I stutter.

"You know you always can." Sam says, suddenly serious.

"Um, well, would you go to the Snow Ball with me?" I look down as I ask.

He slips a finger under my chin and makes me meet his eyes. "Saphire," he starts. "I'm sorry but I'm going to fly solo for a while. I feel like I just need space. You understand, right?"

I force a smile. "Of course, maybe some other time. I'll see you around okay?"

I turn and march down the hall. As soon as he's out of sight, I sprint towards the girls' bathroom, feeling the tears start to fall. Just as the door comes into view, I smack into something hard, but still soft and warm.

"Saphire?" the 'something' says.

Zane.

"Are you crying?" Zane asks.

I was about to say no, but my tears just kept coming.

We hear some girls coming around the corner behind me. Zane looked over my head.

"Jessica. Come on, we can hide in the bathroom." he says as he quickly leads me into one of the stalls.

By now, my tears seem endless, there would be no putting a stop to them. He sat down on the toilet seat and pulled me onto his lap. I heard the door open.

"I know! Did you see how red her face was. I thought she would start crying right then and there." I heard one of Jessica's posse say.

I sneezed.

In a matter of seconds, Zane had pulled my feet up and had them pushed against the stall door so no one could see them, only Zane's black and white, beat up Converse.

"Eww. Who sneezes in the bathroom?" another of the posse said.

"Eww, who wears Converse?" it was Jessica herself who said this.

A few minutes later, the grouped had cleared out and I released a breath I didn't know I'd been holding. Zane let my feet touch the ground and started laughing.

"What in the ever-loving world are you laughing at?" I asked, irritated and confused.

"Jess," he said sniffling another laugh. "picked these out for me these about a year ago. I'm surprised she didn't notice."

"That makes no sense whatsoever. How is that even funny?" I asks, even more confused.

"Hey, you stopped crying." he said, wiping my cheek of the last tear still clinging to it.

I nodded.

"well, we better get to class, right?" he replied.

Zane opened the door and checked to see if the hall was clear.

"Okay, we're clear." he said, opening the door wider.

"Thanks." I said. "I really appreciate this."

"You know, if you want to get to Sam, just surprise him at the dance."

"What?" I asked, puzzled.

"Wait in the study hall, I'll get him there, and you can have the special moment with him the whole school knows you want." he said, shrugging.

"I- um- well- why- okay, thanks." I finally stutter out.

He smiles a really very sly smile at me and turns the corner. What was that boy up to?

Hunter decided that he was going to come shopping with me. "You need a man's opinion on the dress." he'd claimed. It wasn't like I could say no.

Apparently Hunter really did know what he was talking about when it came to clothing.

"It's the Snow Ball, right? S you need something winter-y, and definitely glittery." he decided.

"FOUND IT!" he nearly shouted.

And found it he had. It was knee length, and from the waist down, it was silvery white tool, with swirls of glitter. The bodice, how ever, was satin, and encrusted with TONS of sparkling gems. The dress itself seemed to look like snow, or winter itself. It shimmered and flowed, but wasn't overly decorated. And it wasn't long. I, personally HATE long dresses.

I tried it on and as soon as I came out of the dressing room, I saw Hunter's mouth drop.

"Okay, shopping done." he said.

I looked at the price tag. "Please, please tell me you got this of the fifty percent of rack."