The Art of Finding Jasmine Rose Peters

05

Hayden's thoughts got interrupted when Calvin graced the class with his wonderful self. He had on jeans, a blue button up and his jacket. He was looking as handsome as she remembered with his hair gelled to perfection.

Instead of sitting down where he usually sat — alone, at the back of the class — he sat down right next to Hayden.

Prepared for it this time, she heard the whole class gasp alongside her. He didn't acknowledge any of that. Class started, and Calvin didn't talk to Hayden. She was disappointed, but not anymore when he spoke up.

His voice was low and close to her ears. If she moved a little, his breath would hit her jawline. "Why do you keep leaving me hanging?" It was low and only for her ears.

She kept quiet. What else did he want her to say to him? She couldn't wait for class to be over. The entire period, she couldn't grasp on what the teacher was saying. Her head was swirling. It had been a stressful day for her and she couldn't wait to get out of the school.

Luck somehow came back to her side as Calvin just kept glancing at her every once in a while, not talking or saying anything. When the bell rang for the last period of the day, Calvin tried to stop her from leaving. But he made the mistake of touching her. She could feel the tingles and the sparks, yet she could also remember the punishments and what holding her hand meant.

"I don't know why, but for the past days, I've been trying to get you to have a decent conversation with me," he let the words sink in, "but you've been ignoring and pushing me away. I just want to be your friend!" Her mind wasn't on Calvin's words but of a memory engraved in her mind.

You are never to allow any boy close to you! She could feel the hotness of his disgusting alcohol-filled breath.

She removed her hand from his grasp and left. She wanted to yell at him. To tell him to stop touching her. To scream out how much her heart squeezed with fear when touched. To tell him what happened, and why she couldn't allow him to be anywhere close to her.

Yet she didn't, and the yelling didn't stop.

The next class had no sign of Calvin. Her hands stopped shaking and her heart stopped racing. She left as soon as the bell rang.

***

The next day, Hayden came prepared. She had worn a cap that would cover her face. She didn't want anyone to look or even bother with her, especially Calvin. She was planning on avoiding him all day. There was no way she would be his partner.

Her first classes went by with a blur. Although she saw Calvin in one of her classes, he didn't recognize her. He was talking with his friends as usual, none allowed to look their way.

Lunch break, Hayden's second favourite class, had just started. She grabbed her food and went to sit on the floor. Normally, she would just wait for Wren and the guys at their special table because she was usually always there before them, and Wren had said she could sit there and wait for them to come, but she didn't want to meet a certain someone. She didn't even need to follow the lunch line anymore, but she did today.

She had gotten used to sitting together with them at lunch and found it uncomfortable sitting alone on the floor by herself. She had changed her positions three times since sitting down some minutes ago. She didn't want to think of what Wren would say if she found her sitting alone. They had made a silent pact of being with each other — smiling when they passed by each other, small chit chat and helping each other when stuck in class.

Hayden liked the silent agreement. She had soon realized that Wren didn't have any other friends apart from Calvin and Mason, and she had agreed to be her friend. Plus, she loved how Wren understood her boundaries and didn't push her when she didn't want to talk or do anything.

Hayden started eating. She hadn't been able to eat breakfast, the pantry and fridge had been empty, and so was starving.

When the cafeteria became quiet, Hayden glanced up. Her three new mysterious friends had graced the school with their presence. They were an odd bunch. Calvin didn't talk to anyone except her; Mason talked to everyone except her; and everyone except her ignored Wren.

The three couldn't have been more opposites. Calvin couldn't care less about the attention he got, Mason lived for it and Wren hated it. If she hadn't been sitting with them for some time and hadn't observed how close they were, she would never have believed they even spoke to each other.

They had almost reached their table when Calvin made eye contact with her. He turned around and told Wren and Mason something before they changed their path. Wren had to drag Mason before he agreed to follow them. Hayden was gobsmacked when they sat down next to her.

"Hello, Hayden," Wren said to her, shifting so she could sit next to her. Hayden quickly closed her mouth and adjusted her face before smiling.

"Hi," she replied.

"I didn't think you were serious, Calvin. Why would we sit here of all places?" Wren ignored what her boyfriend said and picked up Hayden's apple, reading a book, quietly. Hayden knew he was insulting her indirectly, but what he said was true. Why would they sit down with her on the floor?

It was a rule-breaker in the unspoken rules of high school.

"Look, Mason, you can sit down anywhere you want. I'm not forcing you to sit here." Calvin's face was hard, and he wasn't joking.

"Be nice, Mase." Wren shot Mason a glare before smiling at Hayden.

"Cal-Calvin," Hayden said, "what do you want from me?" The whisper was only audible because everyone was looking in their direction. No loud noises, nothing.

"I just want to be your partner, Hayden. Nothing more," he offered sincerely with a beautiful smile, and she melted.

"Would you stop leaving your mouth open?" Mason muttered, rolling his eyes at Hayden. 

***

Hello fellow reader!

How was chapter 5? Do you think Hayden will agree to be Calvin's partner?

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WASH YOUR HANDS AND STAY AT HOME.

~R.