What I Still Hate About You (#2 What I Hate About You) (Wattys 2019)

Chapter 16

I barely notice my sister on the couch watching television when I stormed through the front door once Nathan had dropped me off. She knocks on my door, asking me if I was alright but I don't answer her.

In the morning I head down for breakfast, made my cereal and then headed back to my room to eat there. It was the only way I could avoid endless questions both Lindsay and Mum kept asking me if I was alright.

In the car on the way to school I could feel my sister's eyes on me. She probably thinks I don't notice her staring as I focus on the road, but if only she knew she is not going to want to pissed me off today.

"What are you staring at?" I finally snap at her.

Lindsay shakes her head. "Nothing." She turns to look out her window and stares out of it for the rest of the way to school.

I soon arrive at school and find a parking spot under a tree directly across from the school. Lindsay climbs out first before I follow, locking the car. I glance both ways before crossing the street.

"Is everything okay, Alex?" Lindsay finally asks the question she has been holding on all morning once we reach the other side of the street.

I sigh with annoyance. I turn to her, but I make no eye contact with her. "Linds, I really do not feel like talking right now."

Lindsay rolls her eyes. "You never feel like talking."

"And your point is?"

"My point is, every time someone wants to help; you turn your back on them."

"Maybe I don't want any help. Now get lost and leave me alone."

I turn and that's when my eyes land on Nathan, standing at the entrance to the school. I narrow my eyes at him, but that doesn't stop him from hurrying over to me, like his soothing words will make everything better and make me change my mind.

"Alex, can we talk about last night?" he asks with worry in his voice.

"There's nothing to talk about, Nathan," I tell him. And this is definitely not the place I wanted to talk.

"Alex, please. Can we just talk? We can go somewhere private."

"No! Just leave me alone, Nathan. There's nothing to talk about. We both know that we aren't meant to be together, and we both know that I'm supposed to be alone rather than being in a committed relationship. All I wanted to be is alone ever since my dad left. So please, don't talk to me ever again."

I storm off into the school grounds. He calls after me, but doesn't run after me. Good. I don't want him to.

* * * * *

My classmates are talking about me. I know they are. I may not be able to hear what they are talking about exactly, but I see them whispering out from the corner of my eye, turning in my direction where we sit in roll call. I don't even have to look up from my sketch book to know why they are looking at me. I know why. They no doubt probably heard by now that Nathan and I had broken up. All I wanted to do was throw them a death stare so they would stop whispering behind my back about me.

Throughout the day the teachers and other students knew to keep a distance from me, unless they wanted to be snap at them.

There have been a couple of times when Nathan tried to approach me to talk. No matter what he did to get me to listen to what he had to say, I still didn't want to speak to him. I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but Nathan just hurt me so much for not wanting to know my Dad, only because he couldn't trust him. He hadn't even given him a chance! I also didn't want to hear what he had to say about Dad not loving me or Lindsay. That's crazy talk. All of it is. Dad did love us and he still does.