On the Count of Y-O-U

Chapter 6: The Nerd

Ammy's P.O.V.:-

Hosting club and sports auditions was one of the major tasks in highschool, but could also be a fun one too. This year, something happened really great. Fransesca happened to choose me over Layla for assisting her to host the auditions this time.

I appointed to make sure every freshmen, sophmores, juniors and seniors were aware of the audition dates that were going to be held on the month of october. As per the rules of the school, all the president's and their vice's of different clubs would be assigned special responsibilities in hosting the auditions. But being a assistant to the SBP is whole new level kinda task. This might have really pissed off Layla in the first place but she didn't bother to show it to me for very first time.

"Hey SBP's assistant!", Layla said sweetly as I turned up the locker but I could hear a hint of venom behind those words.

"Hey...Do you need any help?" I say and I notice some people have stopped to watch the encounter. "Nothing darling, just wanted to wish you good luck". Layla says casually, inspecting her perfect nails.

This was actually weird and I was sure she had some major big plans just for me behind that pretty smile.

Kayden came in suddenly towards his locker and everyone stood looking at him being aware of the last episode. Layla stood there sucking a lollipop for attention but he didn't even care to notice them and pushed straight passed her and started walking my way.

My muscles stopped cooperating my mind and heart and I looked frozen for a moment. Every time I thought about him, my heart would start racing against the speed of Usian Bolt. And maybe when he was near me, my lungs would try to grasp every oxygen molecule like it was lacking on earth.

All split up after the first bell and Kate joined me later, on the way to class. We went up to the club's bulletin board section before the second bell to check a few names that included Zach Gonzalez, Samantha Conway and of course, Kayden.

Zach Gonzalez was someone whom I did know a little but was always there for me no matter what. We lived next doors and I had insisted him to join the music club whereas he failed to recognise his really good voice. During the summer vacations, Zach and I had co-incidentally taken up the same job as ice cream scoopers at the same ice cream shop. He was rugged male who could be moody and independent, but also sweet and super considerate. He had a way of drawing your personality out and making you feel like you have a true, trustworthy friend. He had an adorable-handsome face and smile. He was the only guyfriend I had and his presence was always comforting.

"Hey little girl", a familiar voice caught me up. It was Zach. "Hey, I missed you. So how was Hawaii? Missed school?". I asked with excitement and Kate looked confused at this point. They spoke after I gave a splendid long introduction about him.

"Checking my name? Here we go", Zach took a pen from his pocket a wrote down his name under the music club. A flush of smile rose on my cheeks and he laughed. "See you at lunch," he said and the three of us went in our separate ways.

Apparently,I was expecting Kayden to join the arts club but he hadn't enrolled himself for any sort of clubs or sports.

I was busy the whole day helping the SBP in sorting out the names on the lists. And lunch was the only hour I was free. Kate, Mason, Chloe and Zach shared the table with me. I watched Kayden sitting alone at a corner sipping some orange juice.

I decided to do something daring. I got up with my tray and headed towards his table. I tried playing cool but my hands were actually shivering along with the tray. "Hey, may I...sit down?". He didn't speak word like always and only nodded. Everyone around the cafeteria had their eyes on me when I sat down. I could see my friends praying in their minds that nothing should happen that would bother.

"You don't have to apologise or try showing concern. I'm totally fine. And if you're here about yesterday, you better keep out of that shit!" He growled.

I froze at those words, trying to understand him and decided to play it cool. "I wasn't here for that. I won't speak about it, I promise. I'm here as the SBP's assistant for the auditions this year. And if you're interested, you're welcome to join them". He nodded eating a apple.

"I've already enrolled!", he shot me a glance and got up.

The very moment he had left, everyone had their phones buzzing with notifications. I scrolled to check mine. I had a really old second handed phone that took really long time to download anything. Everyone began to gossip and I began to curse my phone until I saw the pictures sent to everyone.

There were pictures of half burnt sketched papers that Kayden had pulled out from the board. When I had a closer look at it, I just realised those were the detention papers that he had been drawing various lines for a week and then someone had put them on the bulletin board. But now, some anonymous had them half burnt and sent pictures of it all over the school.

Highschool can a annoying piece of shit. Highschool can be messy. People can bully. People can be bullied. And now the only thing that was bothering me about was 'Kayden'.

School left and I went to check the bulletin board once again, but his name wasn't there anywhere.

Days later, I got to know from Zach that Kayden had joined the Westview warriors as per a agreement with Mason. This agreement was done when the attention sharks had their first encounter with him in the cafeteria, that I didn't catch.

Kayden had been growing popular day by day the time he had joined the football team. He's been always seen hanging around with them. Mason and Kayden were almost like buddies now.

Kayden was the most complicated person among the group. He never spoke much, just nodded like always. And when it was his turn to speak up something, he'd answer wisely that could shut your mouth. The only thing that all the ladies wanted was to grind on him, but he never bothered to glance at them. He was strange but hot. He was the only one who had stood on the top as the most charming one in the school's bad boy list within a month.

Whereas Sarah has started involving herself in Mason and Kate's relationship which caused to occur fights between them every now and then.

Then there's me who was acting like a total nerd just for a test of the first quarter exams, studying everyday with no options left due to grounding at home. And then I realised how boring my life had been till now.

The last week of August had already begun and my grounding rules had almost started fading away slowly. My mother permitted me to go out but in terms of studying.

I called Zach and Kate after school to come home and study. Zach and I  decided to study at my favourite cafe where I had once skipped lunch in school with Kate. Unfortunately Kate couldn't join due to her house issues. Zach and I decided to ride bicycles and see who reached the cafe first.

Like any other day in Kingswick, the weather decided to take a toll on us. 'Us' wasn't about me and Zach, it was about me and Kayden.

Zach reached first and both entered the cafe laughing at how we were trying to race each other.

Both stood motionless for a moment looking at the attention sharks along with Kayden in the cafe. This was super awkward. I was carrying books and they looked at us like they were surprised by our presence.

Zach gave me a signal towards a table and I nodded. We began concentrating on studying and both of us lasted doing it for three hours. The attention sharks left laughing at us.

After they left, someone came in and stood near our table. "Hey!"a familiar voice said and my heart stopped recognising who's it was. It was Kayden.