manda . r a i

[[EXTRAORDINARY]] PAGE SIX

Sandra felt butterflies rising up in her stomach. She felt a giddiness she never felt before. The whole thing struck her as odd. Her mouth twisted into a smile, she almost pranced up the steps to her door. All she could think about was Kevin.... Kevin... Kevin I love your smile. Kevin... I love your eyes... She took her key out and unlocked her front door. She stepped into her house, and relocked the door. She went upstairs to her room and flopped down on her bed. Her eyes sparkled as she recalled the moments of Kevin walking her home and helping her up from the ground. No one has ever treated her so kindly before. She felt safe with him. Safe.
Thank you God, thank you so much for sending me Kevin. It almost makes up for all the time Rachel teased me. Sandra felt a calmness spread through her body. She was happy for the first time in her life. She jumped up and examined herself in the mirror again, trying to see what Kevin saw in her.

Her brown-mousse hair didn't seem so stringy anymore, it looked fine, delicate. Her freckles were faint, and not that noticeable. Her nose was straight, long. Her glasses were stylish. She felt a new self confidence in herself. I'm not Sandra the plain anymore... I'm not. Kevin changed that, I'm not Sandra the plain. I'm Sandra, just Sandra. Yes you are Sandra, you're Sandra, and no one can change that. Remember that Sandra, you're beautiful, in your own way. Yes I am, yes. Sandra's eyelids fluttered closed as she lay on her bed and fell asleep.

"Sandra!" Sandra's mother knocked on the door. "Sandra, there's a young man here waiting for you."

Sandra rubbed her eyes sleepily and yawned. A young man? Her stomach churned as she thought of Kevin, she felt the giddiness like before. Sandra opened the door to her room to see her astonished mother's face. "Hi mom, where is he?" Sandra tried to sound as normal as possible, but inside her heart was doing cartwheels and flips.

"Downstairs, in the kitchen. I'll leave you two alone..." Sandra's mother looked at her questioningly, and went toward her own bedroom.

Sandra smoothed her hair down and slowly went downstairs. Good Sandra, see, Kevin is a friend. Kevin is here to help you. Go talk to him Sandra. Go. Ok, I'm going to talk to him. Why is he here? Why? Sandra took a deep breath and went towards the kitchen, finding Kevin at the kitchen table.
Kevin looked up from a bottle of soda as Sandra approached. He smiled his great smile. Sandra felt the butterflies rise up and fly all around inside her body.

"Hi Kevin, so what are you doing here?" Sandra asked as she took the seat across from Kevin. She twiddled her fingers nervously.

Kevin looked at Sandra with one eyebrow raised. His mouth turned up in a crooked smile.

"Kevin... what's wrong?" Sandra began to worry. What have I done? This is a joke. He really was on a dare. I knew this was wrong, I knew it. She bit her lip nervously. No it's ok Sandra, it's ok. Kevin is here to help. Trust him Sandra, trust him. "Kevin...?"

"Hey Sandra, how are you?" Kevin asked in an uncanny voice.

Sandra searched his face for an answer to his strange behavior. "I'm fine..." she said cautiously. "Why are you here?" His eyes had a strange tone to them, it didn't seem like before, it had an icy feel, like he was far away in mind and spirit. "Kevin are you ok?"

Kevin looked up at her with one cocked eyebrow. "Of course I'm ok Sandra, the question is, are you ok?"

Sandra felt a shudder go through her. This isn't Kevin. This isn't. Kevin is kind, warm-hearted, compassionate, sweet. Kevin sitting here at the table was cold, icy, strange. "Umm... yes, I'm ok Kevin, is there something wrong?"

Kevin concentrated on the soda can, his fingers stroking the sides silently. His mouth was partly open as he muttered something. He ran his hands through his hair, and suddenly slammed his fist on the table. Sandra jumped. She gripped the side of the table in fear and edged away. "Kevin.... Kevin... are you ok.... Kevin...?" He didn't answer. He continued focusing at the soda can, deep in thought. Sandra saw beads of perspiration form on his forehead. His forehead furrowed into deep lines. His eyes were focused intently on the soda can, the pupils dilated until his eyes were almost completely black. Sandra heard a growl start deep in his throat. Sweat was flowing down his face and the lines in his forehead got deeper and deeper. Sandra drew back from the table in fear. She couldn't make any noise. Sandra heard the growl get louder and louder until he let it all out in a mad, wild scream. His mouth was open wide, and his hand pulled away from the soda can. His eyes, his big black surreal eyes, centered on the soda can. Sandra stared at the soda can, unable to pull away. The air grew hot and heavy, it became smothering to breathe in. Sandra's breaths came in quick gasps. Then, abruptly, the soda can began to melt. It tilted to the right, it's silver color blended into the table's mahogany. The silver ran like wax down the edge of the table. Kevin's face grew even more intense, his eyes opened wider until Sandra was sure they would pop right out of his head. No this can't be happening. What's wrong Kevin? What's wrong? Sandra stood there, speechless as the silver of the can went over the table like a waterfall. It formed a silver puddle on the floor. Kevin let out another maniacal yell and instantly the puddle burst into flames and disappeared. Nothing was charred, nothing was damaged.

Kevin sat back, exhausted. His face relaxed, and his pupils grew smaller and smaller, until it was almost normal again. The lines in his forehead receded. His face was drowned in sweat. He closed his eyes and rubbed them tiredly. He sighed.

Sandra inched slowly toward the table. Her knuckles were white from clenching her hands in fists. "Kevin.... Kevin...?" she whispered. She couldn't believe what she just witnessed. Kevin looked so wild, so evil. That wasn't Kevin... that wasn't Kevin... That couldn't have been Kevin.

Kevin still had his eyes closed, he seemed to be breathing in a rhythm. In, Out, In, Out, In, Out. His eyes snapped open. Sandra jumped back, surprised. His eyes drifted over to her and he smiled. It seemed ironic to see his smile, his beautiful, sweet smile, after he did something so strange, so intense. It seemed fake. No, that smile. That smile couldn't come from something so strange. Sandra backed away from him. "What's the matter Sandra? Afraid? You don't have to be." Kevin smiled crookedly at her. He stood up from the table. Sandra stumbled backwards. No, no, go away, get away from me. You're not Kevin, you're not the Kevin I know. Go away, get away from me. She expected her mother to come downstairs to see what was going on any minute now. The air was stifling hot, she couldn't breathe.

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