HANDS {MDWAL SEQUEL}

5 : a l e x

22 July 2016

Sophie Lynch

I take my seat at the table, sitting across from Michaela and Abby. Michaela has her phone out, recording Abby with a gigantic smile on her face.

"Hey guys," I speak up. "What are you doing?"

"I'm videoing Abby's reactions to my jokes." Michaela grins at me, momentarily turning her phone to video me before she goes back to recording Abby, who has an annoyed expression painted across her face.

"How's that working out for you?" I ask.

"So far?" She replies. "No reaction. Nada. Nil. Absolutely none." I let out a laugh as I pick at the sandwich on my lunch tray.

"So," I start. "Mrs Brooks assigned us with performance assessments." At this, Michaela turns her phone off and Abby's mood lifts.

"Partners, groups or separate?" Abby asks, leaning forward in her seat.

"Uh.. Groups." I nod, reviewing what the teacher said in my head.

"So who are you with?" Michaela asks eagerly. "Wait, no. Wrong question. What's your role?"

"I'm with-"

"Wait, no! Wrong question!" Michaela cuts me off, holding her arms out and waving them in front of me as if to say not to answer her questions. "Are there any cute boys in your group?"

"Michaela!" Abby shouts, smacking her on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Michaela complains and I laugh at the two as they exchange glares.

"Let her answer the question before you throw another one at her." Abby scolds her.

"Fine." Michaela huffs, crossing her arms. The two of them turn towards me expectantly and I clear my throat.

"Well, I'm in a group with Sam, Lenny, Mason and Bianca." I list their names on my fingers. "I think."

"You think?" Michaela questions me and I shrug.

"I don't have the best memory."

"Okay, genius. What's your position in the group?" She questions again.

"Vocalist." I say and Abby gasps, her whole face lighting up as the word leaves my mouth.

"You're kidding!" Abby leans forward even further, resting her chest against the table as her hands wrap around my own. I raise my eyebrows at her.

"No-"

"Oh my God. This is huge!" Abby gushes. "My baby's going to be a star!"

"No I'm not! And don't call me that." I roll my eyes at the overly excited girl as I snatch my hands away from her and cross my arms over my chest.

"Now! Final question." Michaela points at me. I nod. "Are Mason and Lenny hot?"

"Oh my God," I mumble to myself, closing my eyes as I sigh. These two are hopeless.

"Evening, ladies." A male voice speaks from beside me and I hear Abby's surprisingly loud gushing completely cut off and turn into silence.

"Who are you and why are you sitting here?" I hear Abby ask and I open my eyes to watch as she points beside me, her sole focus on the person who I have yet to figure out the identity of.

"Oh, stop it Abby. That's Alex." Michaela pulls on Abby's arm. "He's one of the school's baseball players." I look towards the boy beside me as a chuckle leaves his lips and I feel my throat grow in size to the point where I can no longer breathe.

"So why is he here?" Abby asks rudely, directing a pointed look at the tanned brunette beside me.

"I don't know." Michaela shrugs before turning to the boy called Alex. "Why are you here?"

"I saved a star from falling and now I'm intrigued by her." He grins, glancing at me. We make eye contact for a moment and I feel my heart thump in my chest.

This boy has only been sitting here for two minutes and I'm already lovestruck. What is happening to me?

"Wait, who are you talking about?" Michaela asks him and I divert my attention towards her.

"The beautiful gem beside me." He replies and my eyes widen as Michaela and Abby look at me, looking just as shocked as me.

"I'm swooning and I'm not even the one you're talking about." Michaela mutters and I let a small laugh slip.

"That was cute." Alex says and I look at him only to see him staring right back at me. My face heats up at our close proximity that I'm only just now noticing.

I look away before I get too lost in his eyes. The beautiful shade of blue his eye were was just too captivating. It felt as if I was being pulled in. Like he was trapping me.

"Oh my God, look at her." I hear Michaela whisper rather loudly to Abby, who raises an eyebrow at the blonde beside her. "She's totally flustered."

"Don't use God's name in that way." Abby speaks monotonously. Michaela looks at her in disbelief.

"Are you serious? Our baby is having a monumental moment right in front of us and all you're worried about is that I use God's name inappropriately?" Michaela pushes Abby's shoulder. "Stop being so religious. You aren't even Christian."

"I don't have to be Christian to respect God." Abby says, stabbing her fork against her tray. I can see the rage filling up in her eyes and I look down at my hands that lay in my lap to distract myself from the brewing storm.

"These two are full-on going at it." Alex whispers to me, amusement lacing his tone. I gulp as I feel his breath on my cheek. "Are they always like this?"

I swallow my nerves and look up at him. Oh no, he's pretty.

I nod my head and he smiles at me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. I almost choke on my saliva when he pulls me towards him. I direct my eyesight to his hands and oh boy, his hands are pretty too.

Was he sculpted by an Angel?

I can see his veins, although that part of the body is weird to sexualise, holy moly, I can't even think straight. Swoon.

He seems so perfect. So why is he sitting at our table with his arm wrapped around me?