the exception

10. new friends?

Nina's pov

I park in my spot at East High, glancing at the school in front of me before I take a deep breath. Me and Ricky have two and a half weeks until this project is due and...we have nothing. Absolutely nothing. If he doesn't come up with anything, I'll do it myself. I've been working a lot lately...but nothing for a love song comes to mind. Most likely because I don't love the person I'm working with. I shake my head to get my thoughts cleared before I get out of my car and open the passenger seat door. I sling my backpack over my shoulder and grab my water bottle before I shut the door and lock the car. I turn around to see the red jeep pulling in. I stay frozen as I watch them pull in their spot and turn the car off. As soon as the door to the car opens, I bolt down the parking lot and to the entrance doors of East High. Why do I have to park so far away from the entrance! I'm panting now. I enter the school and slowly walk over to my locker, catching my breath.

"Girl...have you just run a marathon or something?", Kourtney asks, looking me up and down.

"N-no.... w-why?", I ask, out of breath.

"Honey your hair is a mess...", Carlos says.

"And you're kinda sweating a bit...", Seb mentions.

I let my hands drop to my side as I look at the ceiling and groan.

"Ugh, I'll be back.", I say as I rush to the girls bathroom.

I push open the door and look at myself in the mirror. They weren't kidding. I looked like I had just run a marathon. And for what reason do I look like this?

Ricky.

Ricky Bowen.

Ricky's pov

I walk down the halls with Red and EJ, stopping at my locker to exchange books.

"Dude...Gina's acting so weird lately. What's going on?", EJ asks me.

My eyes widen as I face my locker and freeze.

"Uh- nothing? I don't know what you're talking about.", I nervously chuckle.

"Yes, you do.", Red says.

"What- no. Okay fine, but I don't wanna talk about.", I argue.

They roll their eyes and drop the conversation for the rest of the day. Gina's games are driving me insane. I still haven't figured out how to prove I hate Nina.

If I really do hate her...why's this so hard?

+

{Friday}

Nina's pov

I walk into my first period class and see Ricky sitting there in his usual spot. The back left corner. I flash him a small smile before rushing towards the front of the class and sitting down. I really don't understand this kid. I mean, one second he's all 'you can stay here' and making jokes and laughing with me. But then another he's all, 'watch where you're going' and glaring at me and acting annoyed.

What. Is. His. Deal.

My thoughts disappear once Mr. Mazzara walks through the door, and I focus my attention on him.

"Good morning class.", he speaks, "I have some news about the project."

I tense up at the sound of that. We've gotten nowhere and we really need to get a move on it...or else we won't finish, and that F isn't going in Nina Salazar Roberts's grades. I take a few deep breaths to calm my racing heartbeat as I listen to him talk.