Rosalina's Hope by D.D. Dass (free novel 24 .txt) 📕

my gut clench, and want to eat out the whole house; instead I rolled my eyes and walked down the stairs right behind Iris, who wore tan shorts with a tight white tee that showed her tan bra. Her hair was wavier today an effect of braids.

"Hey, Iris?" She stopped at the top step, her pretty face curious. I almost smiled at the shock in those brown eyes.

"Thanks for helping me out last night." She smiled, looking perked up. I was glad.

"Hey, mom was being overly protective. You’re seventeen years old." I nodded in agreement. She shook her head and continued down the stairs, greeting my dad with a kiss on the cheek before slipping through the front door. I waved goodbye without the kiss, thanking God my mother was apparently asleep.

During the drive my sister played the radio, the familiar band Korn playing. After a moment I began to lowly sing along, finding myself enjoying the song a bit. My sister glanced at me from the corner of her eyes, and quickly shut up.

"No! No! Sing!" She raised the volume and began singing loudly. It was offbeat and the words were wrong but it had me singing along lowly as the familiar tunes came back. I hadn't listened to music in forever, but I used to have a thing for Korn. And so I sang, beating me down, beating me, beating me, down, down! Into the ground.

This time the song held so much more meaning than I'd given it credit for two years back. When my sister parked, people stared openly as I pulled on the hoodie again. The stares were something I’d never get used to. With a goodbye I sat at one of the courtyards outside tables, smiling with relief as Isaac sat beside me. Although he was shorter than most guys, Isaac wasn't ugly. Very pretty-boy looking. He had the most wonderful smile and green eyes that lit up the whole school to match it.

"Hey there my lady friend," I smiled. Isaac was cute, but geeky was an understatement when it came to him.

"Hey. How’s it going?"

"Good as always, so you know Star Wars right? Well..." his words were lost to me then as he went on and on about Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. I pretended to be listening adding words of acknowledgement, but my brain was far away.

My sister sat across the courtyard, kissing Josh so I quickly avoided looking at her. Another boy caught my eye, he was a little over average height with shaggy blonde hair and I thought he was looking at us, but before I knew for sure he looked away. Only then did I realize Bastien sat beside him, his pose relaxed as he spoke to the pretty brown haired girl I'd seen with Iris the day before. They must be together I thought with a sigh and my accusations were confirmed when she grabbed his dark hair and kissed him.

I looked away focusing on Isaac who had gone mute, looking a little green. Worried for his health I began to rise until I realized he was fixated on the boy with the blonde hair. The boy who was walking right towards us with purpose in his blue eyes and my stomach clenched as I realized I’d been wrong about his height, the boy was about the size of a tow truck, only a little under six foot.

"Isaac? Are you alright? You look a bit green...” I mumbled. Isaac met my gaze then his green eyes oddly confused. I noticed before he looked at his feet, the nervousness and fright there. Was this guy bullying him...?

"I’m f-fine. Maybe we should uhh go..." I glanced back at the blonde, but he was already too close to turn back. And it was too obvious we had noticed him.

"Does he bother y---," I was cut short.

"Hey Isaac," the blonde said, his voice scratchy and booming. I stared with curiosity as the guy all but ignored my presence, focused on Isaac who was toying with his hands.

"H-hi Jason," Isaac mumbled not meeting his gaze. Isaac was the type of guy who was friendly with everyone, why did this...Jason

change that?

"Who's your friend Isaac?" The guy seemed to say his name purposely, almost seductively. I looked between the two, wondering if maybe they had something and by the look on Isaac's face, it was confirmed. Isaac had a thing for this guy.

I couldn’t understand why I hadn’t figured that earlier, I guessed because Isaac was so nerdy him being into guys hadn’t crossed my mind. Or maybe, you don’t pay enough attention my conscious hissed.

"I'm Rosa," for the first time I said this loudly, wanting to give Isaac time to put himself together. People stared, gazes burning into me and I blushed, holding my shaking hand out to him.

Jason looked at me with obvious reluctance, his blue eyes disinterested. Not that I was interested in him that way either.

I pushed my hand out further before him, making sure my sleeve covered any skin. He grabbed it slowly, and as if aware of my phobia, you could call it, of skin, he touched it lightly, an acknowledgement. Nausea hit me and I stumbled backwards, biting my lip and looking over my shoulder to see if anyone was still staring. At that moment I met Bastien’s hazel eyes, teasing as he raised an eyebrow, a small smile playing on his lips before I looked away, blushing brighter.

Feeling the same gaze on me I looked over to Isaac who was now packing his bag.

"Nice meeting you," I keyed in to Jason, whose eyes watched Isaac, hunger in those blue eyes as he watched my friend. I felt like I was interrupting something until Isaac spoke his voice steady and sure.

"Rosa we should get going. Nice seeing you again Jason." I nodded.

Isaac started off and I shrugged sheepishly to Jason who watched him, then followed. He walked faster than I thought possible, not turning to face me which was another unusual thing. Before I hit the hall ways I risked a backwards glance at Bastien to find him nuzzling the brown haired girls’ neck, his eyes automatically meeting mine before I practically ran into the halls.

Catching up with Isaac at the Biology doors I took the chance of conversation before we entered class. "Isaac...is your conversations with Jason always so...intense?" His shoulders slouched and he exhaled loudly.

"It doesn't matter Rosa. Guys like Jason, jocks with a reputation, don't go for guys like me. They don't go for guys at all," he said in a small voice. It broke my heart that his smile was wiped away so easily. It broke my heart that he believed that lie also.

"Why not?"

"Forget about it Rosa. He's only known me a day so he can't like me anyway." I wished I could hug him, to make him feel better about the situation, but my selfish side affects ruined the chances.

The bell rang and he rushed into class leaving me watching the invisible steam he left behind. Thinking about it, if Jason really had taken a like to Isaac he would forget what anyone thought and make it apparent, if he didn't than he was as worthless as Robert was. Not worth Isaac's attention.

As the halls began to fill, I rushed into the classroom, sitting beside Isaac and with force patting his covered arm with my hand. It felt wrong, so after about two seconds I pulled back, looking away. When class was over Isaac walked me to class again, uncharacteristically quiet, and I stopped him at the door.

"Listen Isaac, if you never want to talk about it again we don't have to, I was just concerned," I told him almost desperately, I didn't want to lose my only friend. He smiled, his green eyes warming a little.

"You didn't do anything wrong Rosa. It’s just that...I hate him,” he hesitated, “yet I always find myself watching him from a distance...you get me?" I wished I could have said yes, but I didn't get understand. I slowly shook my head, and Isaac smiled half heartedly. Moving a strand of blond hair from my face, making me stiffen even though he didn’t touch me, then before I could think much of it he spoke again.

"Look at me Rosa. I'm a nerd that's bisexual. In high school I would be out of order if I even glanced his way. He’s out of my league." He blinked harshly and when he opened his green eyes they were glassy, emotionless emeralds. Again, I wished I wasn’t so useless, that I could help, but what he was saying had a point. Most jerks in this school would just make a joke out of Isaac, no matter how great he was, looks and who you knew came first in school, nothing more.

"You're gorgeous Isaac. Look at that acne free face, with sparkling green eyes, blonde hair, a smile that makes Brad Pitts look worthless and then your fashion, plus you're so smart. High school just sucks," I grumbled, and this time the smile that he flashed reached his eyes. I felt oddly happy to have made him happy.

The bell rang, interrupting us, and I waved goodbye, rushing into the classroom. Luckily the teacher was so busy trying to organize papers that she didn't notice me. Bastien was in his seat again, his hazel eyes watching me as I contemplated whether or not to sit there again. He pulled out the seat for me; apparently he was making my mind up for me to. For some reason it didn’t bother me.

Keeping my eyes down I rushed into the seat, trying not to notice him. Although I did, of course.

Today his hazel eyes were tired with light rings underneath them. His black hair was messy and he had a five o'clock shadow which I found was a good look for him. He wore a tight navy blue V-neck, denim jeans that hung lowly on his hips, along with dress shoes. The dress shoes didn't belong with the causality of the outfit but since he looked sleepy he probably hadn’t noticed. I smiled, peeking at the left shoe which appeared to be brown leather instead of the right which was black leather. It made me smile wider.

Mrs. Dev. began her lecture, first passing out booklets in French. I began reading through it, finding that French was very similar to Spanish, using gender nouns; just less O's at the ends. It didn't mean it was anymore interesting than Spanish though.

The man beside me hadn't moved since earlier so I risked glancing at him, cowardly using my hair as a shade between us. His dark hair spilled lightly on the table and his head was on the desk, hazel eyes closed and thick eyelashes casting shadows along his sharp cheeks. Someone must not have had enough sleep I thought as I watched his still handsome face.

In sleep he didn't look peaceful, but oddly agitated. There was a furrow between his thick brows making me want to smooth it away. That’s when I noticed how close I'd gotten to him, so close that I smelled how wonderful he smelled. Like peppermints and something else, something addicting. I inhaled again wanting more of that addictive scent.

"Miss Payne, do you mind sharing what’s so entertaining about Mr. Lacriox?" I blushed quickly