Romance With My Nemesis

CHAPTER 4: ATHENA

I glanced up at the room's entrance, noticing the sign that read "Office of the Guidance Counselor." After a gentle knock on the plain wooden door adorned with a silver handle, a warm and reassuring voice invited us in.

Upon opening the plain wooden door, we found the woman behind the desk engrossed in her work, meticulously reviewing documents. The guidance counselor, a woman in her 50s, looked at us and then suddenly broke into a smile.

'Oh, Jamie. It's been a long time. Come, have a seat.' The woman rose from her seat, gesturing for Jamie to enter. She removed her reading glasses and left them on the table. The coffee table in the guidance counselor's office was large and made of deep mahogany brown wood, while the chairs around it were a comfortable shade of beige.

Jamie walked towards the chair next to the counselor's coffee table, and I followed, taking a seat near the drawers.

"Ms. Wendy, it's good to see you too!", Jamie smiled at the woman she called Ms. Wendy.

"So, what can I do for you, Jamie?", she then looked at me and observe for a few seconds. "Is this perhaps a son of Lex?", Ms. Wendy smiled at me.

"Yes, Ms. Wendy. You are still good at judging people. It's like you never aged.", Jamie laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, don't flatter me," Ms. Wendy replied modestly. "How could I not recognize this young man? He bears a striking resemblance to Lexus when he was his age." She shifted her gaze between me and Jamie, a fond smile on her face.

"Oh, indeed. You always knew Lex so well," Jamie remarked with a smirk.

With a concerned tone, Ms. Wendy inquired, "So, how are Lex and Hera doing?"

"Um... They... Um... They have already passed away," Jamie struggled to hold back his tears as he tried to regain his composure.

"I'm deeply sorry to hear that. Lex may have been a bit of a troublemaker, but he never failed to bring laughter. And Hera... She was one of my top students, and I served as her adviser. This news is truly heartbreaking," Ms. Wendy expressed her condolences, her emotions welling up. She wiped her eyes with a white handkerchief but remained composed in her seat.

"When Cassander called me about it, I honestly didn't know how to react," Jamie admitted, still trying to collect himself.

"So... ummmm... What can I do for this young man here?" Ms. Wendy, wiping her tears away, suddenly turned to me with a sad expression. As she dried her tears, I noticed a small black letter tattooed on her left hand, "BK."

"Since he couldn't return to Olyndria due to certain circumstances, I was wondering if you'd still be able to accept him into your class. He's already in Grade 12," Jamie explained my situation.

"Absolutely! I'd be delighted to have him. It would be a shame not to welcome this handsome young man. I'm sure all the girls will be thrilled when they see him, just like they were with Lexus," Ms. Wendy said with a smile as she took a sip of her coffee.

"That's great to hear, Ms. Wendy!" Jamie exclaimed, turning to me.

"So, should I leave him in your capable hands?" Jamie added, checking the time on his watch with concern. "I still have an appointment to attend."

"Yes, that would be wonderful," Ms. Wendy replied. She carefully placed her coffee on the table and rose from her seat with a smile.

"Just text me if you need anything, Cas," Jamie said as he got up from his chair. He turned to me and smiled before making his way towards the plain mahogany door.

"Yeah, sure, Uncle. Take care." I stood up from my seat as soon as Jamie made his way to the door.

Ms. Wendy and I then walked down the expansive school hallway toward Grade 12, Section A. The classrooms had transparent sliding windows, with each classroom door clearly marked with a room number.

As soon as Ms. Wendy entered the classroom, I leaned against the wall next to the door. From a distance, I caught a scent I had never experienced before—a remarkably sweet scent that stirred an irresistible craving within me. Tempted to follow the scent and find its source, I was interrupted by Ms. Wendy, who signaled for me to enter the classroom.

I walked into the room, aware of the eyes fixed on me. As I moved forward, I couldn't help but notice a girl standing to the right, near the drawers. She captivated my attention with her vibrant red hair, shiny and long, gracefully framing her fair skin. Her eyes were large and doll-like, their gaze drawing me in. Natural pinkish lips and rosy cheeks added to her charm. I realized she carried the very scent I found so alluring.

While introducing myself to the class, I couldn't stop stealing glances in her direction. We locked eyes for a brief moment, and then it hit me, "Could this be what they call 'love at first sight?'" After introducing myself, I turned to face my classmates, wearing a poker face to conceal my emotions while attempting to quell my rapidly beating heart.

Sitting in my chair, I rested my arms on the table and pretended to be nonchalant, but the truth was my ears were tinged with red, and I needed a moment to calm myself.