How To Love✓

7.

Amara

Soon, the first bell rang signaling the end of first period.

"That is all for today everyone. We will continue this debate on Wednesday," Professor Roberts dismisses us. I quickly pack my bag and walk to the door, in attempt to dismiss Lucien's presence as quickly as I can.

"I think that was my favorite class," Lucas whistles, trotting next to me.

"Usually I don't like the attention, but seeing a novice completely underestimating a book as different from Pride and Prejudice or The Great Gatsby baffled me," I say with a huff.

"So I'm a novice?" I turn to see Lucien approaching to walk on the other side of me.

"Well your assumptions were pretty unreasonable for someone like you s-"

"Someone like me?" he cuts me off, "so now you're placing me in a group?"

"No I didn't mean it like that! You're just...you just need to get your information properly before you criticise," I stammer a bit. Every moment that I'm around him, I could never be the confident Amara I wanted him to see me as.

"I'll see you later Amara. You need help getting to your Art class?" Lucas asks, eyeing us back and forth.

Before I could give him an answer, Lucien interpreted. "I'll help her. I'm also in that class," he looks over to me in confirmation and I stand between the two uneasy, not sure what to do or say. I would much rather be in the company of someone who doesn't tease or make fun of me, but I didn't want to seem rude. So I responded with what I think was best for the situation.

"You get to your class, doesn't make sense that you walk back and forth and risk being late. I'll walk with Lucien."

He looks at Lucien one more time before muttering a small okay. As I watch Lucas walk away and head to the other direction, I heard a faint hi beside me and turned my attention to the tattooed boy who seems to never get tired of staring at me.

"Want any help?" he offers. "Sure, could you probably hold my bag? Kinda tangles up with my tubes," I mumbled. He removes the straps off my shoulders and slung one over his. "Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask as we started walking again.

"Is it a crime to help others?" he scrunch his eyebrows together.

I sigh in defeat. "No, but I just got a certain feeling that you didn't like me when we first met. It's strange because I never did anything to hurt or upset you, yet you were rude."

"It's not like I hate you. I just don't like to make friends."

"Meeting new people is also something I'm not fond of, but would it kill you to try?" Something about him made me feel all tingly inside and I've yet to discover it. If anything that gets me closer to an explanation as to why I feel this way towards him, I'd at least want him to be comfortable around me.

He shoots me a smile, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and left it there, as if in thought.

"Perhaps. Also, it's not shocking that you would find the dumbest, lamest kid to become friends with."

"Hey, Lucas is actually bearable, unlike you. And I thought you were going to try to be nice?"

"I never said I was going to be anything, I only agreed to try the whole friends thing. Still hate the idea but you're feisty and I love when a girl is feisty," he responds.

I shake my head. "Besides he is your stepbrother, which I was hoping to have heard something more positive coming from your mouth about him. Then again, I wonder if you've ever said anything positive in your life."