The Demon I Am by Kirsten Lott (little red riding hood read aloud txt) 📕

Why me? And why him?

I finally made it into the office and dashed into the room that said 'Principal Marie Daniels', closing it behind me. I sighed and sat in the chair in front of the desk. I never looked up because I felt her there and I knew I couldn't look her in the eye..

Or could I at this point?

She laughed a little bit and enthusiastically talked, "Why hello there. You're welcome to sit down. I've never seen you here before, are you a new student?"

I nodded and nawed on my bottom lip, trying to calm myself a little better. I started trying to think of other things while I heard her click her mouse and type on her keyboard. I jumped when she piped up again, "Ah, are you the new senior.. Aye-lah Kalina?" I sighed a little bit at her misprounciation, it happened a lot but it still rubbed me wrong to have a name so uncommon.

"Yes." She cleared her throat and pressed a few buttons to talk into her phone, "Hi, Mrs. Samuel? Can you tell Phenex Marquis to come to my office? He has to do his welcoming committee duties." She paused and said, "Alright.. I see.. I'll make an announcement for him to come then." She hung up the phone and pressed the button to the loud speaker, "Phenex Marquis, Phenex Marquis, come to the front office, Phenex Marquis." She let go of the button and we sat there in silence for a brief moment.

My heart started fluttering uncontrollably again and I heard the thunder go in loud unison with it. Why does my heart keep racing like this? 

The door opened and I felt a warm feeling as the footsteps passed by me. I knew exactly who Phenex was and now I knew I had to deal with him unlike I had tried to avoid. He just stood there, not saying a word.

Mrs. Daniels talked seriously for once, "Mr. Marquis, where have you been, exactly?"

I looked at Phenex's feet and I saw him shuffle his shoes nervously, "Um.. I got distracted this morning and I just... I ran to the bathroom to calm down because I got anxiety.."

I heard Mrs. Daniel's chair moan as she got out of her chair, "Well, I've never known my welcoming committee, class president, top-of-his-class, award winning Scientist and poet to be anxious. What ever is going on?" I heard her say in her regular cheery mood.

He was quiet for a moment and then he seemed to quickly manage his words, "I guess it's the weather that's getting to me. It's changed so quickly these last two days. I think I'm just not used to it."

Mrs. Daniel was quick to answer back, "Well, anxiety or not, you have a job to do as the only member of the welcoming committee."

"That's why you called me in here?" He said in an almost humored tone. It made me slightly laugh because I knew he thought she was as ridiculous as I thought she was. I didn't even need to look at her to know that much.

Mrs. Daniel seemed to grumble in distaste after he said that but was soon to snap back to her 'act', "Yes. This is... Hala."  She said, spitting my name at me. Yep, she hated me already. Like everybody else did, oh well, not a bad thing to me. At least she pronounced it right was all I could think. I could hear him chuckle. Does he think my name is funny?

As I saw his feet start to turn my heart started to race even more and the lightning seemed to start up outside. He stood there in silence and I knew why, I couldn't seem to speak either. I was still looking down because I knew I couldn't look him in the eyes again. 

He finally spoke up, "Hello, Ala, I'm Phenex. It's great to meet you." And to know your name.. And to just see that you really are real... 

I jumped when I heard him think that.. Was it my imagination to hear his thoughts? 

He whispered to me, "No.. I can hear yours too."

I looked up at him in shock and felt my face flush with embarrassment. I couldn't stop looking into his eyes when we had a connection again and felt like I was locked into them. I was finally able to really look at him..

...He was perfect... His face was just.. beautiful. He had an almost oval shaped jaw but somehow it looked just right, a nose that hooked downward, it almost Romanistic and it was kind of big but it was the right kind of big. His eyes were shaped like they were almost closed but enough to see those pretty, brown eyes. He was tan and muscular but not too muscular, and had the most beautiful, feathered-like, flowing, black and orange tipped hair. As I said, he was perfect. 

You are perfect as well with your beautiful long red hair, gorgeous, big brown eyes, beautifully heart shaped face, your light, flawless skin, kissable lips and your very cute, little button nose.. you're just perfect in every sense. He thought towards me as the lightning struck uncontrollably. I don't know how I'm able to do this, but I want you to know that I think I've known you my whole life. 

That was when the wind blew every window open and all Hell broke loose with the thunder and lightning storm. I somehow couldn't keep my eyes off of him.

"Leave the office and find a safe place, you two!" I heard her press the intercom button and heard her try to keep her voice from shaking, "Teachers and students, get under your desks for the tornado alert, this is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill." She cut on the tornado alarm and yelled at us again, "Quit staring at each other and get out of here! Go to a safe place!"

He broke away from my eyes and looked out the windows with wide eyes and complete disbelief, "We haven't had a storm this bad before.." he shook his head, as if to shake the thought, and turned to look at me. He yelled loudly over the storm, "We need to get out now! I need to protect you!"

I felt myself stuck looking at him and tried my best to snap out of it. He heard that I was struggling and went into my mind again, We don't have time and I don't want the storm to hurt you. I know I just met you but I know that I need to protect you. I don't want you hurt. Please, snap out of it and come with me; grab my hand, Ala.

 That was when I snapped out of it and felt the wind pulling us around. I was terrified of this oncoming storm and knew I had to take in his words. Lightning and thunder shook when I took his hand and got up to run and follow him, Where do we go?

He let go of my hand and looked around frantically, clearly confused, I don't know. It's shaking so hard.. I can't think of what to do.. I don't know if you can even hear me..

A sudden rage that I could not contain coursed through my body, "QUIT SHAKING THE SCHOOL!" 

And it stopped.

We stood there looking at each other in shock, "How did.. How is that.." I felt myself wanting to freak out but another part of me told me to stay strong. I furrowed my eyebrows, I felt suddenly determined at this moment, "I don't know and it might be a coincidence, but we need to hurry. It's still storming so it might come back."

The shocked expression left his face and I knew he must have been a mirror with his determined look, "I know where to go." 

We ran for a long time with many twists and turns. I honestly wondered how much longer it would take.

"Not much longer, we have to run down this hallway then we have to go down two flights of stairs."

Oh yeah, he can read my thoughts.

"Two flights of stairs? Where are you taking us?" I yelled as he ran ahead of me. Lightning struck loudly again.

"We're close and it's the safest place, you'll see."

We ran a little more and stopped in front of a white door covered in CAUTION tape. I looked at him, "Are you sure this is safe?" He looked back at me and smiled mischeviously, "Who do you think put it there?" I looked at him with complete confusion, "Why would you..?" The ground shook more.

"I'll explain later!" he opened the door, "Come on!"

I groaned when I saw the stairs, he was already halfway down the first flight of stairs. He yelled, "Come on! I need to have you safe!" I groaned again and ran down the first flight and jumped when the door shut incredibly loud behind me. I slipped on one of the steps but when I did, I was caught by him.

Unfortunately for me, though, his hands holding me made my heart flutter and made me lose my breath. The last sight I saw was him yelling for me to wake up.

Then I blacked out.
~~~
I felt strangely comfortable when I started to open my eyes. When I opened them, I looked up to see him looking down at me in concern. I started to look around me to see a room filled with lab tables and chemistry equipment. The room kind of looked like a basement with each wall being made of flat, gray cement.

"It's the old chemistry lab, if you're wondering." His voice was a deep, sweet melody and I felt my heart race a little more from hearing it. "Hey, don't pass out on me again. I don't want my deep, sweet voice to make you faint. I like seeing you conscious." He laughed sweetly.

I looked at him and smiled a little bit. He smiled back with that smile that lit up his entire face. "It's good to see such a beautiful girl smile... You feeling a little bit better?"

He called me beautiful. 

He chuckled softly, "Yes, you are beautiful. Very beautiful." The arm he had around my torso moved up to my cheek. My heart started beating out