The Nerd rejecting her Alpha Mate (Incomplete & Unedited)

Chapter Eighteen

My eyes grazed over the left hand side of the room and a pair of annoyed, narrowed eyes stared back at me for a moment before they darted back to the paper that their owner was quickly scribbling away at. I stifled a laugh as I watched Tom rush to complete his work before someone else could beat him as well. He must be the most academically competitive person I've ever had the pleasure to meet, but although that meant that he was constantly trying to outshine everyone in class, it also made him the perfect partner for projects and always guaranteed you an A if you were lucky enough to be partnered with him. He challenges you, and somehow he tricks you in to doing most of the work whilst you think he has.

With a sigh I turned to the gaze that had been burning into the side of my head for the majority of class, and my eyes locked with Daniels. He was beautiful with the sunlight coming through the windows and lighting up his handsome features, highlighting the gold in his soft brown hair and pooling in his entrancing blue eyes making them shine. My heart thudded in my chest and my eyes fluttered shut as he leaned in and softly kissed my lips. They tingled as he pulled away, and I had to resist the urge to slide my hands into his gorgeous hair and pull his face back down to mine. A memory of myself lying in the hospital being told I had imagined everything slid into my mind and I pulled away.

I opened my eyes, gazed up at him, and wondered why I was given such a handsome mate. Maybe it was so I wouldn't fight back. I may be far from what a perfect Luna should be, but somehow as I gazed back into those precious blue gemstones, I felt perfect. He smiled slightly and I returned the smile even though i could feel hurt and anger bubbling in my chest. I had a feeling I would always feel that way around him. 

"Are you okay?" He asked me, concern lighting his beautiful eyes. I nodded and smiled again.

"You're perfect." His eyebrow and lips quirked up and I realised what I'd said. 'shit' I thought, 'I hadn't meant to say that!' "I mean I'm perfect! I'm feeling perfect, thanks" I replied with a sheepish grin which he returned with a laugh that sent my soul souring. Unfortunately he quickly sobered and his features resumed their soft shade of worry.

"I'm glad to hear it. But this morning you just rushed off inside." His eyebrows furrowed sadly and I instinctively reached up and smoothed the lines away with my thumb.

"I'm sorry." I start, smiling softly at him as his eyebrows unfurrow. I laugh as and odd thought crosses my mind and his face softens into a smile as he laughs softly with me. "I didn't mean to upset you." I finish, my lips tugging down as i fret over how i upset my mate, but he quickly runs his fingers over my lips and curves them up into a smile. I laugh and feel my heart lighten, but that traitorous bubbling lava in my heart starts to rise and splash about.

"It's fine. I should have guessed really. You've been out of it all morning." He states with a hint of worry in his voice, but I look away as Ms walks back over and hands me my workbook. I'd gotten all but one problem correct, and even then it was only a small mistake. Still, I turned to the page in my workbook that held the extension questions she asked me to do and quickly lost myself in the work. Maths is by far my favourite subject, and something I excel in with ease whether I study or not. Much to the annoyance of my friends and classmates.

I only realised that class had ended when Daniel scraped back his chair and started packing his stuff away. I glanced around the classroom and saw everyone else packing up and leaving so I quickly followed suit. Daniel waited by the door for me, but before I could reach him my teacher called me back in. I signalled that he could  go but he gestured that he would wait, and with a quick smile he stepped into the hallway and closed the door. Despite all of my complicated feelings right now about him and Matty, I felt a small surge of warmth that Daniel was willing to wait for me, and I suddenly felt terrible that I'd been avoiding him all morning.

I walked over to my teacher and waited as she rummaged through draws and pulled out pieces of paper, forming a small stack that she then handed to me. I suppressed a groan as I realised this must be all the work I had to catch up on, but it must have shown on my face because my teacher smiled.

"Yes, this is what you think it is. I know Maths is one of your best subjects, but you need to make sure you don't fall behind or that won't matter a dime in the exams when you come to a question you don't know how to answer. You missed a lot of stuff. I know you probably have a lot of work from your other classes to do as well, but try to finish this as soon as possible otherwise you're going to get confused when we move on to something else whilst you're still stuck on those."

I thanked her and promised I'd return it as soon as possible. As I started to leave she called me back. Her smile turned concerned.

"I know you probably don't think it's my business, and excuse me if you think I'm being too nosey, but are you alright today Mackenzie? I know you've been away for a while but you turned up just before the bell rang, you've been silent throughout class and you made a few silly mistakes in your working out that normally you wouldn't make. If there's anything wrong you can always talk to me." Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed in worry so I quickly smiled and shook my head.

"No miss I'm fine, nothing's wrong! I guess it's just the excitement of being back at school and not having much sleep." I forced another small smile on my face, and Ms smiled back but she still looked worried. I slid my homework into my bag. "Honestly miss, I'm fine, but thanks for being concerned. I'll get your work done as soon as I can."

With a quick salute I slid my bag over my head onto my right shoulder and left the room. The hallway was packed and I couldn't see Daniel anywhere, so I made my way to the cafeteria to grab some pasta, and then I started to walk towards the library to get started on my homework. Along the way I heard voices and I peeked around a classroom door to observe. An imaginary knife stabbed into me and I felt a deep, gaping hole of anger, sadness, and - above all else - hurt.

Hannah and Daniel stood close together, hands casually resting on each other, and chatting softly. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but their eyebrows were slightly furrowed. As I watched, Hannah raised her hand and brushed his hair from him face before resting her hand upon his cheek, but Daniel shook his head and pulled back slightly, just enough for her to know she shouldn't touch him like that. But he didn't let her go, and he didn't step back, and the look he gave Hannah was filled with so much emotion that I couldn't help but wonder why I ever thought I had a chance.

With her heart left torn and bloody on the floor of that classroom, Kennie turned around and walked to the library. She sat down silently, pulled out her homework, and got on with it. When the bell rang to end lunch Kennie stayed where she was, scribbling away at the problems whilst tears silently cascading from her eyes and left little puddles on the desk and papers in front of her, with one thought repeated over and over in her head. Why did this keep happenening to her?