SMILE

24. Curiosity killed the cat

SMILE

Chapter 24: Curiosity killed the cat.

Third Person's P.O.V

Chants, cheers and applauds rang through the court at once. Everyone was standing - staring - at the new Female Captain of Standard High; Nicole Montez. Some in awe, and others in pure envy and jealousy, but with none other choice than to congratulate and of course, rather appreciate.

Nicole, on the other hand, gave zero fucks. Yes, she was thrilled that they won the game, and had even somehow managed to have become captain, but it wasn't the reason for the spark in her eyes nor twitch of those lips of hers.

Frantically, those deep blue eyes searched for similar ones as they scanned through unfamiliar ones in the room. Again, repeatedly, she searched through the court, eyes darting from one point of it to another, wanting to make sure her eyes hadn't mistakenly swept past the sight of him. Once again, she had searched, but to no avail.

He isn't here. Nicklaus isn't here. He said he'd be here but he isn't. Nicole thought. Where is he?

She was certain he followed her back in here, so certain they had both come in here together. But then she remembered she never saw him walking through those double doors. No, she didn't.

He didn't watch me play.

Upon realizing that, those deep blue eyes of hers lost that little spark like it never existed. Her right hand crumbled into a fist, sending a sharp pain as her nails dug deep into her palm. Yet, she squeezed it even more, finding encouragement in her own pain.

As much as she tried to hide her feelings from her facial features, she couldn't hide it from herself. She felt - and she was - lonely in the midst of a crowd. As always.

So she ran. Like she always does.

But this time, in search of him.

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Barely escaping the chants of her name and applauds for her fame on the court, Nicole shut the gym doors behind her. Cheers as well as chants faded into faint ones.

Turning her back to the door, she ran away from it till she was far away, at least by some distance. Panting, she struggled to catch her breath, leaning against those white walls that separated the hallways from where she stood.

Surveying the area, she made sure she wasn't followed. Once she was sure she was completely out of sight, she breathed slowly yet deeply, inhaling the fresh air.

But that barely even lasted when suddenly, a loud bang resonated.

Immediately, she jolted up and off the white wall so quickly that it caused her breath to cease and get caught up in her throat. She had clearly not expected that, she did not even know what it was!

All she knew was that something was going on behind those walls. So with those furrowed brows, confused features and a curious mind, she intended to find out.

But little did she know, 'Curiosity killed the cat."

In highlighted footsteps, Nicole's pace quickened against those marble floors, making a squeaky sound each time they contacted. But Nicole wasn't disturbed by it, rather the lack thereof. She had noticed that the more she took a step closer, the lesser she heard the squeak of her vans as it was consumed by a different kind of noise coming from the hallways which she was heading towards.