What I Hate About You (#1 What I Hate About You)

Chapter 22

I can’t help but feel that something is wrong when I walk into school the next day. It almost feels like one of those nightmares where you’re walking down the corridor, and people stand on the side, pointing and laughing at you. This is not a dream, and no one is pointing and laughing at me. Instead they whisper when I walk by.

Before I left the house this morning, my sister kept smirking at me. It was like she knew something that I didn’t.

The whispering started to freak me out. People say a lot of horrible things about me in the halls, and I just ignore it. But now I’m dating Nathan I feel like I have been exposed, that everyone knows about it.

I reach my locker and stuck my head inside. I can’t let people see me panic like this. I know Nathan told me that I shouldn’t worry what others say, but I can’t help think what they will say. I can imagine them saying it’s about time I got a boyfriend, or it’s about time I stopped hating everyone. I don’t know if I can take the things they say. It used to never really bother me, but since getting these strange feelings towards Nathan, it’s like he has cut through my emotions. I’m suddenly afraid of what people think, and the names Lindsay calls me are more hurtful than ever before.

“Alex?” Nathan calls my name.

I turn to see him and Eric walking over to me. I panic when I see them both. I closed my locker and start to move. I can’t be near Nathan right now.

“Alex, we need to talk,” Nathan says, grabbing my arm.

“I-I can’t talk to you.” I can feel everyone’s eyes on me.

Nathan pulls me into an empty classroom. Eric follows us.

“People know about us, don’t they?” I ask.

He nods. My stomach hurts. I feel sick. I clutch my hand over my stomach and sit down. No. People can’t know.

“Apparently someone sent our entire grade a text message saying that you like Nathan,” Eric said. “Nathan didn’t get the message, but someone sent it to me. I’m not sure who told everyone.”

The only person who I can think of is Lindsay. She is the only person who would do this to me. It will be pay back for liking him only because she couldn’t get him.

“Lindsay,” I say as my breathing gets faster. “Lindsay is the only person who would tell. She must have found out. How did she find out?”

Nathan comes to my side. “I don’t know. You’re twins right? Don’t you guys have some kind of sixth sense where you know what the other is thinking or feeling?”

“Yeah, we sometimes do.”

“Maybe she could read your mind or something,” Eric guessed.

I feel my panic attack getting worse. I can’t breathe. Both Eric and Nathan are at my side, trying to get me to breathe slowly.

“People can’t know about us,” I say. “I’m not ready for people to know.”

“People are going to find out eventually, Alex,” Eric tells me.

“Why would Lindsay do this to me?”

“Well, for one thing she is probably jealous that I like you and not her.”

“Everyone is whispering about me.”

Nathan rubs my back. “It’s okay, Alex. When you walk out of this room, pretend that you don’t see them.”

I calm down a little. Eric gives a little privacy.

“Alex, listen to me. Everything is going to be alright. I promise.” He puts his hands on my arms. “You don’t need to explain anything to anyone.”

I nod.

“And please do not ask Lindsay if she has anything to do with sending those text messages. I know you will be angry when you see her, but you don’t want to get into trouble for anything. Besides, she will deny everything and will only make you made.”

Nathan was right. I would have approach her later to find out why she went and done this to me. But at the same time I knew it would be pointless. If I do get into a fight with her, I would be sent to Mr Matthews. He isn’t going to want to see me in his office. He will probably make me see Miss Giovanni or maybe suspend me for fighting.

Nathan leans in and kisses me softly. The bell rings and I realise I haven’t gotten my books yet that I needed for class. He grabs my hand and we went to my locker quickly and head to class.

In roll call I had to avoid looking at my sister’s face. If she is the only who really sent those texts, I had to control my anger. Although right now I wasn’t feeling any angry at all. All I can feel is panic, still terrified of what people might say. People continue to whisper. I closed my eyes and counted to ten. Miss Giovanni told me to do this whenever I feel mad. I have never done it before. The counting helps me a little, and I manage to ignore everyone around me as I drew in my book. That should keep my mind off everything.

 I manage to get through the entire day without any problems. I panic a few times, but when hearing Nathan’s words I calm down.

After school Nathan thought he would take me out to the movies, hoping it will take my mind off everything. I doubt it would, but I guess it’s worth a try. He buys the popcorn and drink for me. We take a seat in the back for the cinema.

“So, when was the last time you went to the movies?” Nathan asks as he sits down one seat up from near the aisle.

I sit down on the aisle seat. “To tell you the truth I don’t remember. It has been a while.”

“I’m glad you’re giving me a chance, Alex. I never thought you would give me a chance.”

I blush, pushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. “I don’t know why I even did give you a chance. It was just the way you spoke that made me trust you, and I’m glad I gave you a chance.”

He smiles at me and then stuffs a handful of popcorn in my mouth. I wrack him in the arm and we both laugh.