Getting Over Matt

4 - "Obviously he thinks I'm a threat..."

Chapter 4 - "Obviously he thinks I'm a threat..."

"Do you actually have any friends? You're always sitting alone." 

I looked up from my lunch and found myself staring into a familiar pair of blue eyes. After my afternoon with Matt yesterday, I'd forgotten all about Nathan and how he was joining the school. Sure enough, here he was, standing right in front of me with that same playful expression on his face.  

"Yes, I have friends." I furrowed my brow and then broke his gaze to concentrate on my food again. 

I thought I'd made it obvious that I had no interest in communicating with this boy, and I sincerely hoped that his confident attitude would allow him to make friends easily and therefore he wouldn't latch onto me.  

Irritatingly, though, Nathan sat down at the seat opposite me. My cold attitude obviously wasn't bothering him in the slightest.  

"Well, I don't, so I'm sitting with you." 

"Great," I said in a monotone. I sliced off the end of my sausage with my knife, a little harsher than was necessary. 

"So, where are your friends?" he asked, glancing around the cafeteria in a way that was much more exaggerated than necessary. "Oh, let me guess! They're...on their way? Stuck in traffic?" 

I looked up briefly. "You were correct the first time. They're on their way. Kat is always late to lunch on a Monday because there's someone in her English class who she always stays behind with. Jess has chemistry on the other side of the school so it takes her a while to walk over." 

Nathan shrugged. "Ah, well. Looks like it's just you and me for the time being, Bella. We can spend the precious time bonding and getting to know each other." 

"Fantastic," I mumbled.  

"So which one's your boyfriend?" Nathan asked lightly, his eyes scanning the cafeteria. "I bet I can guess..." 

"Go on," I said dryly. "Amaze me." 

"Oh, there are so many ways I could do that," he shot back, his lips curling upwards as his eyes raked over my body, making my hairs stand up on end in discomfort. I couldn't quite work out if he was doing it in a flirty way or a creepy way, and part of that was because nobody had paid my body so much intense attention before.  

I scowled. "Do you mind? You're putting me off my lunch." 

Nathan's eyes turned back to the hall of people, scanning it quickly. "I've found him. He's that one there."  

And then he not-so-subtly pointed at Matt. I didn't say anything, mainly because I was so shocked that he'd been able to pick out Matt from a room full of people he'd never met before.  

"I'm right, aren't I? Actually, you don't have to confirm it. I know I'm right." 

"What gave it away?" I asked, genuinely curious.  

"The way he keeps shooting glares at me, mostly. Obviously he thinks I'm a threat..." Nathan raised an eyebrow at me, obviously waiting to see how I'd react to that.  

I snorted. "Yeah because I'm quite obviously smitten with you." 

"Exactly. You're doing the whole 'playing hard to get' move. It's a classic. And we love it." 

"Get over yourself, Nathan." I sighed and pinched at the bridge of my nose. "I've not got the energy for this." 

He laughed. "Okay, you wanna know how I could tell? He's never seen me before. I'm sitting with you. You're talking to me. And I'm hot. He's jealous, insecure. He can't tell you're giving off cold vibes. From his eyes, you're happily chatting away to me. Well, perhaps not happily, but chatting all the same."