Veleminis

Drive

"Do you really know how to drive? I'm sorry but I am just struggling to well... trust you." I was skeptical about his driving abilities and it seemed complex.

"Princess, you realize that I have to keep you safe. Your father would quite literally kill me if I let anything happen to you."

"Doesn't mean you can't torment me," I said it under my breath but I was quite sure he heard me because he smiled for the whole car ride to school. He actually was a very good driver. A bit fast but he didn't test my patience.

When we parked the car at the school, Casper actually came around to my door to open it. To say I was shocked was a complete understatement. As I swung my leg out of the car he spoke.

"Put your leg back in the car for a second." I complied and put it back. He leaned across me to grab his backpack. He was so close and it made the area he touched warm and tingly. I was yet again in shock as he pulled back and closed the door again. The car made a jarring sound.

When my hand made its way to the handle I realized the car was locked. Casper had locked me in.

"Casper! Casper let me out now!" I desperately shouted as he walked backward away from the car while staring at me and laughing. He lifted his hand and wiggled the keys.

I knew what to do. It was a trick I had learned when I was younger. Power rushed through my body and water began to leak from my eyes. I began to heave and sob. Wiping my eyes furiously.  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Casper approaching rapidly. Before I knew it the door was open and he was pulling my arm and dragging me out of the car.

He pulled me to his chest and put his arms slightly awkwardly around me. He made 'shushing' sounds and patted me on the back. I couldn't keep up the act anymore. Giggles spilled out of my mouth and I had to push him away as my giggles turn to full laughter.

He was not impressed.

His face turned from concern to a sour expression as if he was biting straight into a lime. Suddenly he turned and stormed off. I still hadn't stopped laughing.

The warning bell rang and I managed to contain myself. I headed straight to my first class. Hoping that I remembered where it actually was.



...



Olga Treweek was possibly the kindest human that I had met on earth. She was my Biology teacher and frequently tried to assist me in catching up in my studies as we both knew that I had no knowledge of Biology. From the start, it was clear that subjects involving science would be difficult for me to catch onto. So I couldn't seem to understand why she decided to become entirely evil by moving the seating arrangement so that Casper could sit next to me.

Father had asked for him to join all of my classes but I don't think father said it would be necessary to sit next to me through each class.

I hadn't had a class with Casper before so I wasn't really aware of how the girls at this school viewed him. They looked at him like he was a God sent down from above. Maybe it was because they hadn't actually talked to him and realized how awful he really was.

"Princess, can I borrow a pen, mine broke?" He was leaning too close but I managed to ignore him and keep my focus on Mrs. Treweek.

He didn't like that I was ignoring him so he began poking me and continued to ask.

"Stop it." I hissed.

"Here you can have my pen." The voice hadn't come from either of us, but a girl on his other side. She was really pretty with tan skin and wavy black hair past her shoulders. Her eyes were dark brown and there was a scar just under her left eye. It only enhanced her beauty.

"Thank you ..." Casper turned off his annoying smirk and flashed her a charming smile, waiting for her to insert her own name.

"Alice"

"Well thank you, Alice." He gave her one last glance, grabbed the pen and began taking notes. I assumed.

She stared for a bit longer and then returned to her own work. It was funny watching how he acted with others because it was such a stark contrast to what I was used to with Casper.

"Miss Winters and Mr. Kluvar, are you both following?" Mrs. Treweek made her way over to us and began scanning over our notes. She read over Casper's notes first and a pleased expression came across her face. She then turned to my notes, a troubled expression replaced her previous one. "Well Casper, you appear to be doing extraordinarily well, have you considered AP classes?"

"Yeh, and if I am honest, I can't really be bothered." He was blunt and to the point. Except I wasn't too sure when he had learned all of this stuff.

"I think you could really do well, but it is your choice."

"Uh, Mrs. Treweek, how am I going?" I could already tell by her previous expression but I was hoping that she couldn't read my handwriting and that would explain it.

"Well dear, I don't think you've quite grasped what we are doing... I am happy to help if you want some tutoring? Although I am quite busy with other students, I can fit you in, I'm sure."

"I can tutor her." We both turned to Casper. He had a deceiving smile on his face that most would think was kind but I knew was cheeky. Did he really want to ruin my time here that much?

"Oh, that is such a great way to extend yourself. I am so happy you offered that, it will benefit you both." She then returned to the front of the class to continue teaching the lesson.

"You didn't have to do that you know."

"Oh, I know." He was still wearing his evil smirk.

"Urgh! Just get back to work."

The next class was uneventful because Casper hadn't been able to persuade the teacher to rearrange the seating. I was starting to suffocate. He would follow me everywhere. Class to class and then to the cafeteria for snack and then to the bathrooms and everywhere else I had been that day. The extra two meters between us was a mercy from the lord himself. For the whole class, I had been planning my escape. When the bell rang I would bolt for the door and get lost in the sea of students.

It worked.

When I was far enough away I turned and checked to see if the coast was clear and lucky for me, he was nowhere to be seen. Just in front of where I stood was a very large box with a clear glass panel, displaying various packaged foods. Below the foods there were prices so I assume you had to pay for the food. I scrimmaged through my bag trying to find the coin purse Diana had gifted me. When  I finally found it, I blanked. I didn't know what I wanted, let alone how to actually get it.

"Excuse me, are you going to get something or just stand there?" I turned to see the same girl from biology.

"Oh, I'm sorry, it's just so hard to decided. So many options." I left out the part where I didn't know what half of them were and also didn't know how to pay for them. "Your name was Alice, wasn't it?"

"Yep, that's me." Her expression somewhat softened and I think she took pity on me. "Well, I don't know about you but I always go with the Oreos."

"Really? I've never had them before."

"Oh my good! Move aside, I am going to make your life so much better!" It was slightly funny having demands coming from someone who was at least three inches shorter than me.

She put the coins in a slot and press the keys B, 4 and the spiral that held the 'Oreos' in place pushed them forward and they dropped to the bottom startling me and causing me to jump.

"Jeez, have you never used a vending machine before?" She looked me over and read my expression. "You really haven't."

It was a statement and not a question so there was no real need to answer.

"Okay well try my Oreo and then we will decide what you will get okay?"

"Thank you." She handed me a small chocolate looking cookie and I raised it to my lips. I hated to admit it but it was even better than the pizza.

"You love it don't you!"

"Yes!" I said with my mouth still full.

"Well then we are getting you two. I can't believe you are an Oreo virgin."

"I haven't really had a very adventurous life up till now."

"I am going to change that."