I thought I saw him head over to a girl in my biology class. Claire Saunders. She had soft, wavy, strawberry blonde hair and light brown eyes like Penny. I never really liked her, she always acted really stuck up and like she knew everything and was always right. I never thought Ian would be interested in someone like that. He embraced her with a short hug and a kiss, a long kiss. I felt the wave of envy hit me but then shook it off. Why did I have to be in love with Ian? I quickly changed my focus, disgusted at the way she was hanging on to him, like they were glued together or something. Did they really have to be touching every second.



I stared at the crowd of people around me and took a sip of my soda. Out of boredom I began to scan every face in the room, trying to figure out if I knew who they were or not. Until one face caught my attention. His beautiful forest green eyes were looking straight at me from across the room. I froze in my chair with a blank expression on my face. His dark brown hair was medium length and looked messy and like it hadn’t been properly combed in days. He had slightly tanned skin that glowed even in the dim lighting in Kate’s living room. His dark gray tee-shirt, leather jacket, dark jeans, and motorcycle boots made him look particularly intimidating, The type of person that if you give them the wrong change or something like that he’d probably stick a gun to your head just for amusement. But there was something else about him that kept me from breaking my gaze. Something, Something that made him different from everyone else I’d ever know. Not just that he was beautiful, probably the most beautiful face I’d ever seen, but the way he was looking at me. It was almost as if his stare had completely paralyzed me from doing anything except breathing. And the way my heart was about to rip out of my chest, I had never felt anything close to the sensation I was feeling from just looking into his eyes, it wasn’t even near what I felt when I looked at Ian. For a moment I thought I was just imagining him but then realized my brain could never conjure up something that extraordinary. He stared at me curiously and time felt as though it stood still, like there was no one but him. After what seemed like forever one corner of his pale pink lips curved slightly. A smile? But then in the next instant he was gone, sunken beneath the ocean of Kate’s guests. My eyes wanted to search for his beautiful face but I was too dazed to actually do anything. I sat there for what seemed like hours. His face appeared every time I blinked. All I wanted to do was see him again.



I stern tap on the shoulder interrupted my puzzled thoughts. I heard a voice but I couldn’t make out what it was saying. I turned around to find Ian standing next to Penny and Olivia. Almost everyone else had left the room and trash coverage the floor and tables along with various other messes.



“Sam! Hello?” It was Ian who had spoken.



“Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. What is it?” Ian sighed and Penny rolled her eyes.



“The party’s kinda over.” It was Penny who spoke now. Had I been sitting there that long? That couldn’t be right, could it?



“Oh.” Was all I said. I got up and followed Ian out the door. Olivia’s mom was waiting in on the street corner, I didn’t remember Olivia calling her to come pick her up, oh well it was a better ride home than the bus, especially at night. She looked funny driving such a huge car. Mrs. Cooke could hardly see over the steering wheel of her gigantic black sedan. Her blonde permed hair was the only thing I could see of her through the windshield. Ian opened the door as Penny, Olivia and I all hopped into the car. Mrs. Cooke greeted us and I smiled politely. As soon as Ian closed the door we were off. Olivia was saying something about Peter Landry but I wasn’t paying attention. I was still thinking about him.



“Sam!” Olivia’s scream brought me back to reality and I stared at her with a dumb-founded expression on my face.



“What?” I asked frantically.



“Don’t you think that’s cool?” My expression became even more confused and she sighed when she realized I hadn’t been paying attention. “Peter kissed me! He is such a good kisser!” Ian rolled his eyes and I smiled half-heartedly. I was glad things had worked out for her and Peter.



“That’s great Liv.” I said apathetically. She continued to talk but I turned my head towards the window and looked outside at the pitch colored sky. What time was it anyway? I looked towards the cars dashboard. Almost midnight already? That didn’t seem right, but then again I didn’t exactly feel right either. As if something about me had changed, like now, nothing else in the world mattered, only him. I thought about his face the entire drive. I wondered who he was, why I hadn’t ever seen him before, why was he staring at me like that, but more importantly why did I suddenly feel the way I did about him. I didn’t even say one word to the guy, yet my heart longed for him.



“Sam!” Olivia’s stern voice broke my concentration. I looked up from the window dazed and baffled. Penny and Ian were no longer in the car, I didn’t remember them getting out. Olivia gave me a look that suggested she thought I must be mentally ill. I looked out the window to find we were at my house and Ian was outside of the car waiting for me. I hurriedly got out of the car and waved good-bye to Ian who did the same. I watched as the headlights of Mrs. Cooke’s car faded into the distance and Ian disappeared behind his door. For a moment I stared into the black distance, something felt weird. I felt like I should be alone in the dark night but at the same time I felt the presence of someone else, watching. When I realized this I quickly made it up my steep driveway and through my front door, locking it behind me. The house was silent, everyone in my family sleeping soundly in their beds, that thought made me feel a tad bit better. I changed into my pajamas, finished my nightly routine and plopped down on my bed sluggishly.



It was a cool night so I piled as much covers on as possible after switching off the lights. In the darkness of my room all I could see was his face. Every time I tried to close my eyes it appeared again. I tossed and turned in my bed trying to get the image of him out of my head so I could sleep peacefully, But as hard as I tried, no luck. I imagined what his voice would sound like, what his name might be. I swore to myself if I ever saw him again I would work up the courage to introduce myself. I had to.