Emotional tug

"Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder."

Marcus' POV

I sat down at our usual table, the cafeteria buzzing with noise. I rubbed my temples, trying to ignore the headache that was starting to form. Sean blabbered next to me about the aggravating new science teacher. Erin, listening like the gentleman he is, was smiling in amusement at Sean's overreaction. I probably would have found it funny too, if I were really paying attention. My focus was on the strange feeling in my chest that I didn't understand. It felt like helplessness but I had no reason to feel helpless. I heard the chatter of the girls stopping and joining Sean and Erin's conversation. My attention was elsewhere, of course, to know what they were talking about now. I opened up the mental shields in my mind and started exploring the strange feeling. The helplessness was still there, and sadness? No, it wasn't sadness it was regret. What was I regretting, though? Nothing. At least nothing I could think of. This feeling though, it was unnatural and almost like what happened to me in the library this morning. Thankfully I wasn't feeling the same panicked feeling now as I did then. "Em, guess what?" My head snapped to Sean, at last focusing on my friends' conversation. The enthusiasm in his voice catching my attention. I noticed Sean staring with interest at Ember and her surprised gaze meeting his. Probably from the abrupt question. I couldn't know for sure, 'cause I wasn't paying attention to them. Get a grip on yourself. I scowled at myself and turned all my attention on their conversation. "Bella is in my history class." Sean said smugly with a smile stretching over his face. Ember gasped, "Really? Lucky!" He laughed at her slightly pouting lip. The new girl, Bella. Now I had a name to attach to the face. I repeated the name silently, as I pictured her in my mind and ultimately decided that the name suited her. I nodded to myself and refocused on my friends. " The school is small there's a big chance she'll have class with another one of us." Erin stated with the logic filled tone that he used most of the time. "Well, I for one would like to meet her properly" Kallie chimed in giving Erin a rueful smile at his logical tone. We were used to it, but her smile suggested a new inside joke of her and Erin's.

The only person that Erin was completely happy and outgoing with, is with Kallie and vice versa. It was the same story for Sean and Ember. Both pairs had strong relationships. I was the only one of our group that hadn't found my other half yet. I was the fifth wheel. "She's different. I haven't talked to her much, but she just feels different. I'm just gonna call it a gut feeling." Ember piped in. At the beginning, confident but as she got closer to the end she turned sheepish. With a smile, Sean reached out took her hand that was resting on the table and squeezed it gently. "Trust your instincts, honey." She broke out into a smile at his words. Repeated to her, so many times since she and Sean met. She needed the reassurance though, she didn't have the best upbringing. That's probably why she and Kallie are such good friends. They both had their own traumas and only started to get better when they met Sean and Erin. But then again, Sean and Erin had their own problems in the past too. Until... A piercing pain shot through me. Interrupting my train of thought and consuming my attention. The pain wasn't mine but I felt it as if it was. The pain faded a few second after it came, leaving behind a dull ache. I saw a blur of brown in my peripheral vision and turned my head toward it. It was Bella. I watched her run out of the cafeteria then looked around, searching for whoever or whatever made her run. Then I locked eyes with the main barbie girl, Caitlynn. She stared at me with a leering smile with expectation in her eyes. I pulled my lips up, away from my teeth, giving her a glimpse of my more dangerous side, adding in a snarl. My friends jumped at the sound, startled but a second later, they whirled in their seats and looked for the danger that would cause such an animalistic sound to escape me. "I'll be back." I said in nonchalance. Dropping the snarling expression on my face. I stood, not meeting any of their questioning eyes, and exited. I walked out and felt a tug on my will, combined with sadness. Letting go of logical thinking, I let the tug on my will lead me to wherever it wanted.

After a few minutes, I found myself at the entrance of the maze of mist. Still feeling the sadness-laced tug guiding me into the maze, so I followed it until I got to the center. I froze, seeing Bella sitting on one of the benches, her back to me. I couldn't see her face but I felt her sadness. The strange emotions I was feeling, was coming from Bella. This morning in the library where I was suddenly panicked, home room where the pain in my wrist flashed and in the cafeteria again. Her emotions were the tug that led me to her. Unable to stay quiet anymore I spoke, "Bella?" I took about a second to analyze the way my voice wrapped around her name and the strange relief I felt for finally saying it. Then I was back in the real world, seeing Bella jump from her seat and spinning towards me. Her eyes were wide open, startled and.. afraid? Troubled by seeing the fear in her eyes, I spoke again. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." then I waited for her to say something. She didn't so I continued, "I saw you running out of the cafeteria and I just wanted to see if you were alright." I smiled reassuringly, or at least I hope I was, and watched as her bewildered expression faded and the fear in her eyes easing slightly. "Can I sit with you?" I blurted, unable to help myself. She nodded and I glided to the bench next to her, sitting down and looking up at her expectantly. After a few seconds she sat too, shaking her head in what I perceived as confusion as I took in her facial expression. Her skin was slightly tanned, considering the little skin I could see, her cheeks full and perfectly round with a tint of light pink. My eyes trailed down to her full lips, she didn't have makeup on which revealed that her lips were unnaturally pink. She had the color lips that most girls craved and tried to get with hundreds o dollars worth of lipstick. Her bottom lip was a bit larger than the upper lip, but her face was quite symmetrical. Her eyes shot open and I was forced to pull my eyes off her alluring, soft looking lips. I met her eyes and I was entranced. At first glance, her eyes were normal darkish brown, but as I focused more closely I saw the unique red sparkle I saw this morning. they were fascinating. "What are you staring at?" she snapped at me; a hint of the same anger she used on Sean this morning in her voice. I looked away and mumbled, "Nothing." Looking around I stayed silent, wishing she could speak again. Her voice was soft with hidden defiance underneath and it was mysteriously soothing to me. I felt at ease every time I've heard her speak.

Thunder rumbled above us, my head snapping up at the sky. It was going to rain again and soon. Sighing I spoke again, "We should get inside, Bella. It's gonna rain again." I looked at her and saw, shocked ha she was already staring at me. "Okay" That was all she said. I sighed again, frustrated by her short answer. We both stood up and I led the way out of the maze and into the school, Bella following suit. "I should get to my next class." Bella said as we entered the school. I frowned and turned to her, "There's still most of lunch hour left. Don't you want to eat something?" I stared at her in concern, waiting for her answer. She didn't meet my eyes or looked at me at all. Her gaze jumped between the floor, lockers and windows as she answered. "I'm not really hungry and I don't have anywhere to sit." she sighed at the revelation as if it was such an unsolvable problem. Yet again without thinking I blurted, "Come sit with us." her head snapped up and she finally looked at me in surprise, her eyebrows pulling up. But a second later her face smoothed out and she shook her head, thankfully still looking at me, "Thanks for the offer but the cafeteria is actually just to crowded and I don't like all the noise." I know how you feel. She was telling the truth, of course, I felt it and I didn't even have to listen to her heartbeat to make sure. For some reason, I trusted her and her answer. Thrilled at the chance to keep talking to her I took a step away from her and was amused by the sudden disappointment that flashed over her face. "Follow me" I said, turning around and started walking, pleased to hear her walking close behind me. At least she wasn't scared of him the way most people were. Come to think of it, besides the second of fear she felt in the maze she seemed quite comfortable around me. She didn't cower away from me when I got too close, even now, she walked beside me like my friends would, not seeming to notice the power or danger that always radiated off me. We arrived outside the library and I opened the door gesturing with my other hand to walk in first. "Thanks" she said then brushed past me and walked into the library. Freezing in the doorway she muttered "WOW" and a very real smile stretched over my face.