Chapter 4 ~What Are You?~

~ Roxanne ~

“It was just a dream.” I said to myself as I kept my eyes shut even after waking up five minutes earlier.

I could still remember everything that had happened vividly, but it didn't make sense. 

Nothing made sense at all!

“Roxanne?” I heard Ashley's concerned voice and finally forced my eyelids open.

I was expecting to wake up with a killer headache but surprisingly, I felt fine... In a way.

“What happened?” I asked Ashley as my gaze scanned my environment.

I was back in the dorm. But how?

“You must have had too much to drink and passed out.” Ashley responded as she handed me a glass of water.

“No, I mean what happened last night?” I asked, holding my breath as I awaited her response.

“Last night was crazy. There was a sudden earthquake that got the whole place shaking and glass shattering. Everyone was freaked out. We've never had an earthquake before.” Ashley responded but she sounded overly excited for someone who was freaked out.

“Earthquake huh?” I muttered, and pressed my lips into a thin line.

I was the earthquake.

I did that.

I made those glass shatter, and...

I shook my head, trying to shove it all behind.

Something was wrong with me, and I didn't even know who to ask about it. Maybe I must have drank something at the party?

“So, you kissed Alan West..." Ashley dragged her words with a full on grin on her face.

“It was a game." I frowned.

“A game that got you to kiss Alan! Don't tell me you didn't feel anything? I heard Alan's a great kisser." Ashley smirked and I felt my cheeks flush red.

I lowered my head a bit so my hair would cover them up before Ashley would notice it.

My heart raced and I felt my stomach flip the moment the memory of last night resurfaced. 

The feel of his soft lips on mine, the scent of cedarwood and winter frost, the jolt of electricity that coursed through my body the moment our lips touched...

That feeling was like nothing I had ever felt before and deep down, I shamelessly craved to feel it again —

“Earth to Roxanne!" Ashley's voice pulled me out of my thoughts and I cleared my throat.

“It was simply a meaningless kiss. Don't read anything more into it." I said coldly.

Ashley's expression told me she didn't believe a word but she simply shrugged at me.

“Just be careful though. Alan has a very long line of girl fans. I wouldn't bother with him, especially since Andrea is number one on the list." She said in a more serious tone.

“Trust me, nothing will ever happen between Alan and me." I said in a reassuring tone.

I could never let myself be that vulnerable with anyone, not after what Noah did to me.

My chest tightened as the photo resurfaced in my head. 

I thought kissing someone else would erase the pain, but it did close to nothing, other than putting me in an even tighter corner.

“Oh, and I wouldn't check the forum for a while if I were you." Ashley said, her lips pressed together.

“Huh? Why?" I asked, already grabbing my phone to do the exact opposite of what she said.

“What's on the student forum?" I asked and almost immediately, I got my response.

Over a hundred private direct messages and post tags.

“Slut! Get a life.”

“Alan would never settle for less.”

“Who does she think she is?”

“Die bitch.”

So many hateful comments and a lot of edited videos of me on the student forum. 

The most embarrassing of them all was the one of me getting slapped by Andrea which had been set on a loop.

“Don't let it get to you. People are just mean.” Ashley tried to console me, but in that moment, I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.

“How did this happen?” I asked no one in particular.

“Andrea Pembroke happened. I told you not to cross her. Why would you post that picture of you and Alan to the group?” Ashley frowned.

“It was an accident. I wanted to send it to...” I trailed off. 

It didn't matter who I had intended on sending it to. I had singlehandedly ruined my image at Crescent Hills without even trying.

At this point, I wouldn't mind moving to a new city.

I let out a frustrated groan as I threw myself back on the bed.

“Just stay low for a day or two. Students make headlines every now and then, so yours will be forgotten soon.” Ashley patted my leg then grabbed her bag.

“I'm off to class. Text me if you need anything.” She smiled and then left.

The room suddenly felt too quiet, with the only sound being the steady rhythm of my beating heart.

I stared at my phone, more messages kept coming in. 

“Omg Alan kissed a girl publicly!”

“Andrea is so old school.”

“Is she going to be THE ONE?!”

“Andrea looks like she would blow up with jealousy!”

Okay, that was unexpected. There were actually people who didn't hate me completely.

My gaze suddenly landed on the date and I gasped.

“My birthday!” I screamed out of my lungs as I jumped out of the bed.

I had completely forgotten!

Juliette and I have been playing my 18th birthday for ages. 

I would have felt bad knowing she won't be here, but after finding out about her treachery, for her sake, it's good she wasn't.

I rummaged through my bag for my diary, flipping through the pages until I found THEE one.

My wishlist.

I was neither going to allow a simple mistake nor the likes of Andrea ruin my special day. 

I quickly dashed into the bathroom to get cleaned up and changed.

I sat in front of my dresser, ready to doll myself up when something caught my attention.

My eyes. 

They were glowing!

My stomach twisted violently. No. That wasn't normal.

I rubbed them hard, blinking severally.

When I stared back at the mirror, they were back to their normal shades of blue.

The door suddenly burst open and Ashley ran in, panting hard.

“I left my phone...” She trailed off, her gaze lingered on me.

“Are you going somewhere?” She frowned.

“Ashley,”

“I told you to stay low. If they don't see you, they'll easily forget you.”

“I'm not afraid of what they have to say. I am going to enjoy my 18th birthday and that's final!” I snapped.

Ashley paused, as though trying to register my words.

“Your birthday is today?!” Her eyes widened.

“No, in two days. Which is why I need to go shopping today.”

“Why didn't you say something sooner?!” Ashley suddenly snatched the piece of paper on the dresser.

“This is your plan?” She frowned.

“What? It's not like I have friends to celebrate with.” I sighed.

After what happened last night, no one in Crescent Hills would want to be friends with me. 

Not that I cared... Ish.

“No, this just won't do.” Ashley ticked her tongue as she picked up her phone.

“We are definitely throwing you a party!” She giggled and began texting on her phone.

“No one is going to attend my party, Ashley. What are you doing?” I furrowed my brows.

“Just trust me.” She winked then shoved her phone into her bag. “I'll be back soon!” She suddenly dashed out of the room in the same way she had come in.

Silence filled the room once more.

My phone buzzed again.

“Did anyone notice the strange pressure at Flynn's party?”

“I swear it was coming from the new girl.”

“I've never felt anything like that before.”

“Guys stop overreacting. It was obviously an earthquake.”

My stomach dropped.

For a split second I had forgotten all about it. 

Blue Valley, Georgia, now Flynn's party. They were all seemingly connected and yet hard to piece together.

But there was one person who neither seemed shocked nor affected last night,

Alan.

I quickly got dressed and grabbed my bag. 

I needed to get answers.

As expected, all eyes fell on me as I strode the halls of the academic block. I had no idea what classes he offered but I would have to find him one way or the other.

As I made the next turn, I was suddenly blocked by three female figures. One of which I now recognized as Andrea, along with two of her minions.

“Bold of you to show your face this morning.” She hissed.

I almost rolled my eyes but held myself back. 

I didn't want to stir up any more trouble for myself until I had gotten to the bottom of whatever it is that was happening to me.

“Look, Andrea, last night was a mistake. I don't want any trouble.”

Andrea looked stunned for a split second, as though she had initially expected me to flare up.

“You should have thought of that before locking your ugly lips with Alan's!” One of her minions snapped.

“It was obviously a game.” 

“I don't know who you think you are New girl, but I swear to you, I'll make your life a living hell!” Andrea snarled.

I chuckled, causing them to stare at me in a perplexed manner.

I took two steps closer, just enough to invade her space.

“First of all, it's Roxanne. And secondly, I don't know who you think you are Andrea Pembroke, but I'm not someone you should mess with either.” I said word for word, keeping my face as hard as possible.

I have never been a pushover, and I would not start now.

The two girls beside Andrea flinched a bit, their earlier tough expressions now replaced with fear.

Good.

Andrea however didn't bat an eye. Instead she took a bold step closer.

“I'd like to see you keep that confidence until the very end.”

And with that, she shoved me out of the way with her shoulder as she walked away. Her minions ran after her immediately.

I let out the breath I didn't realize I was holding, and ran my hand through my hair. 

I knew Andrea meant her words. I was anything but a coward, and girls like Andrea don't scare me, but not knowing what she had up her sleeves made me a little worried.

I ignored the gossip and curious stares, walked straight to my locker and picked out my books for my first class. I had just closed the locker when a figure suddenly appeared before me, giving me a slight jump scare.

I staggered back, but he swiftly held my waist and grounded me.

Everyone paused and began making side comments, but they were the least of my worries.

Alan stood in front of me, his hand still on my waist and eyes studying me like a hawk examining its prey.

I felt frozen, and unable to think straight. My heart spiraled out of control, his strong scent hitting my nose, and for some crazy unknown reason, I had the urge to pull him closer. 

“Alan,” His name slipped through my lips so smoothly, I didn't even realize I had said anything.

He leaned closer, too close, and I subconsciously shut my eyes.

I don't know what I was expecting, but his next words snapped me out of whatever spell I was under.

His thumb pressed slightly against my waist, and for a second, his eyes flashed with something almost inhuman.

“What exactly are you?”