We are not a couple

Chapter 1

I quickly walked to my history class along the hall of our elite gymnasium. I was completely uncomfortable with the way I looked. Bad hairstyle, dry lips, wrinkled shirt. And all this because I spent the whole night lying around in bed and couldn't sleep. I can never fall asleep easily before the first day of school, which is terribly annoying. On days like these, I feel more insecure than ever.
A couple of minutes later I approached the classroom door. I straightened my jacket and skirt, noticing that I had forgotten to put on a tie, which was a mandatory part of our school uniform.
"I apologise for being late." I whispered to the old professor and went into the classroom. Everyone looked at me for a couple of seconds and then went back to their business.
Even though I was twenty minutes late, the teacher did not scold me. When you are an excellent student, you have your own concessions.
"Where is your phone?" Daryl whispered, smiling and straightening his blond hair.
I slowly laid out my things on the desk. From my black backpack I pulled out a history textbook, a couple of notebooks, lip gloss and headphones. Standard set.
"What's so urgent?" I smiled, looking at him, and handed over my phone in a shiny case, which had long needed to be changed. Under it was a childhood photo of him and me.

I trusted this impatient guy with everything.
Starting with my phone and ending with secrets that I couldn't share with anyone. Daryl and I met in kindergarten when he stole my favorite doll. The guy then kindly brought it back with a pack of chocolates, making the excuse that he wanted to make friends with me. Since then we have been close friends, although we often quarrel over little things.

At the gymnasium, everyone looked at us askance. At least for me. Daryl was absolutely everyone's favorite, and I was an ordinary student. Dozens of girls were ready to do anything to be with him, and at those moments I felt at my best. I didn't have to do anything to get my best friend's attention and he didn't have to do anything to get mine. Every girl glared at me and spread rumors about me and Daryl, so I didn't really have any friends.
Many did not understand how we communicate at all. I'm the one who loves to read in the library while listening to music on headphones, and he loves to hang out on Saturdays.
But we have much more in common than it seems.

Every year Daryl and I grew older, but I noticed how our friendship was only becoming stronger. I simply appreciated him, and he appreciated me. This was our whole secret.
"I found!" Daryl said louder than he should have done, kicking me by the elbow to make me look at the photo. It was of himself, posing in the fitness room mirror. "Eliya doesn't believe that I have a tattoo on my chest. I had to find this photo. I have no desire to undress in front of her"
"But this is a transfer tattoo. You lost to me in an argument and went with her for a whole week." I laughed, covering my mouth with my hand so the professor wouldn't hear me, and then added.
Are you going to prove something to every girl?
"No, I just wanted to show off my sculpted body." The guy smiled and gave me the phone, sending himself the same photo.
"You're such a narcissist Daryl." I rolled my eyes.
"You play with the feelings of many girls, don't you feel sorry for them?"
"Firstly, none of them really love me, it's just sympathy." The guy began to make excuses. "Secondly, what can I do if out of this whole school I'm the most beautiful?"
I elbowed him in the side and he laughed. I knew Daryl wasn't serious, but he actually loved himself a lot.
"Now Daryl will answer us! You're having too much fun there." Mr. Davis coughed, putting round glasses on his big nose. He sat down at the table, stretching his neck, and began to write something in a journal.
Daryl looked around the class, winking at some girl looking at him with loving eyes, and then showed something with his hands to a friend who was sitting on the other row. The guy straightened his wavy hair and sighed, looking at his wristwatch.
"You look good today, professor. New jacket?"Daryl tried to stall for time as long as possible, and I tried not to laugh.
"The jacket is as old as your excuses."
The teacher answered, and at the same second the bell rang.
Everyone began to frantically pack their things and run out of the classroom. Daryl put his arm around my shoulders and we left the stuffy room.
On the wall near each classroom hung
schedule. Next we had chemistry - my least favourite subject.
"Should I walk you to class?" The guy took his hand off my shoulders, and we locked eyes.
A ray of sun filtering through the wide window in the corridor turned his eyes completely light blue.
"I study at this school exactly as long as you." I grinned and, standing on my tiptoes, whispered in his ear. "That girl near the window is staring at you."
Daryl immediately looked at her, and I tugged at his sleeve. Only he could look so sharply at someone who was secretly watching him.

"This is Cassandra Brown." He turned to me again. "She has been in love with me for three months now."
We crossed paths a couple of times at summer parties, but nothing happened.
"She's quite pretty" - I shrugged, knowing full well that the girl was not his type.
"I don't know, Eva, I won't look at anyone without your approval." He said, looking at me jokingly. "And you without mine too. I don't want you to date some asshole."
"I don't like anyone anyway, you know me" My words were true.
"And Mat? It seems like in French class you were just staring at him." The guy laughed, and I rolled my eyes. Matt was a handsome brunette and a calm character, but I didn't feel anything for him.
"You might think you don't stare at pretty girls."The lesson started in two minutes, and as always, I chatted with Daryl throughout the break, so I hurried to another building of the school.