11 Chapter 10
When Percy finally saw Haylee arriving she was with Byron again.
«I thought we were fine…» he said her.
«I just gave him a ride, since we were both late.»
«So we… ?»
«Will you let me breathe?! When I have made up my mind, I will be the one coming to you.» she said irritated. Then she sighed and suddenly she was gentle again. «Sorry… it's not your fault. It's just that every time I try to talk or be nice to Byron… he… just makes me angry.»
«Just stay away from him.»
«I'd gladly do it, but he lives next door you know.»
«Do you want me to punch him?»
Haylee laughed. «That's very nice of you, but no. Now I have to go to class. See you.»
«See you for lunch!» Percy yelled at her as she walked forward.
Haylee turned smiling and waved at him.
I hope this show will end soon, she said to herself.
Pretending to be happy to be with him when she wanted to get rid of him, was really a nuisance. But she had to do it, otherwise they couldn't have put an end to that trap of a city.
Whenever Percy greeted her in the hallways, as they moved from a classroom to another, she smiled and waved her hand like a perfect infatuated girl.
Instead, when she crossed Byron on her way, she rolled her eyes as if she wanted to be somewhere else.
But that was a play too, not to arouse suspicion.
To tell the truth, they hadn't argued that morning. "There is one thing I have to tell you." she had started. "I– " , Byron hadn't given her time to finish the sentence. He had kissed her and she had not rejected him.
But in the hallways they couldn't afford any glimpses.
Distracted Byron didn't see the girl in front of him and ended up colliding.
He hastened to apologize but lost his word the moment he saw her red hair. He was struck by it. He had seen them before, they felt very familiar to him.
«Damn. I'll be late for my class.» the girl complained.
She looked a little older than him, but it was hard to tell how old she was.
Byron came to his senses and knelt to help her with the books that had fallen. «I apologize. I wasn't looking forward.»
«Don't worry, it can happen to everyone.», she smiled.
As soon as he handed her the last book back, they got up.
«Thank you. Anyway, I'm Haylee, nice to meet you.», the red-haired girl held out her hand.
Byron didn't shook it, he was surprised and confused at the same time. By now he was sure he had found the girl he was looking for. Even though he hadn't recovered his memory, he knew how he felt when he was with her.
The girl withdrew her hand in embarrassment. «Looks like it's not nice to meet me… well I'll go then.»
When he turned to look at her, he saw Haylee still in the hallway.
They looked at each other then Haylee went on her way and Byron did the same.
Why did that girl show up just now?, Byron thought as he walked down the crowded hallways.
He kept thinking about that red-haired girl.
The teacher was talking, but he heard nothing but that name, Haylee.
He was pretty sure his neighbor was "his" Haylee, the one his mother wrote about. And it all led to her. But then why does he still fail to remember her. Why that short, flaming wavy hair was so familiar to him, why he felt he had seen it somewhere before?
Questions crowded his mind.
Why had she appeared out of nowhere? Why at that very moment? Until then he had never seen her around, he was pretty sure.
Whether it's her or not, I have to talk to her, he thought. Only then he will have his answers.
Between classes he looked for her, but didn't see her. There's no way he hasn't met her even once.
Then he finally found her.
At the end of the lessons, he just got out of the Skylar High. She was in front of a car, probably hers, rummaging in the bag. The books she had in her hands slid to the ground one by one. «Damn!»
Byron came to her aid. «Hey, do you need help?»
She turned and her green eyes met Byron's black ones. «Oh, it's you… are you nice to me now?»
«Sorry for this morning. I'm sorry, I had my head in the clouds. You must excuse me but I had a bad day, because of my neighbor.»
«Can you hold my books just for a sec? I need to find the keys to open the car.»
«Sure.»
«I just can't remember what pocket I put them in.»
«No rush.»
She pulled out a strange doll with keys hanging from it. «Here they are!»
She opened the car and took back the books from Byron. «Thanks. You need a ride?»
«No thanks, I usually walk back home.»
«You sure?»
«Yeah, I like to walk. See you.»
«You didn't tell me your name… »
«Oh right, I'm Byron.»
«See you, Byron.» said the red-haired girl as she got into the car.
As he made his way home, Byron remembered how his father, his fake father, had told him the night before that he would soon be able to make new friends. The tone of voice in which he had said it had seemed weird to Byron, but he hadn't found it strange then.
Isn't it odd that she suddenly showed up after what Carter said? And why did they let them meet? Byron couldn't stop wondering. And why hasn't anybody appeared to separate them, as Percy did with the other Haylee?
Byron was starting to believe that she was a Keeper too, who, like Percy, had the job of keeping them at a safe distance.
Perhaps they believed that with that name he would be deceived.
But a name wasn't enough, he wasn't that stupid. He knew how he was feeling next to Haylee.
