It Comes Naturally

18.

Silly isn't it. Suffering heartache over a guy you haven't even kissed, Raine glumly thought.

"Travis?"

"It's alright," he said softly. 

Not knowing what she was waiting on, Raine stayed in her spot watching him work. She loved watching him work and seeing how focused he gets into whatever topic he was interested in. That was one of the things that drew her to him. When he's not a grump, she loved the way he respected the teachers and was helpful to those who weren't good in academics. Overall she has always been drawn to him. 

"Do you really like me?" he asked with his eyes still on his laptop. Raine stepped closer, thinking his question was an opening. 

"Yes. I do."

"I'm sorry that you do. A waste of your time and energy," he returned coldly. Raine's breathing hitched, you can hear the unexpected sob formed in her throat. That was it. The last nail in the coffin of her dreams of him. When she thought she will maybe, just maybe have another shot at him, he give her a subtle yet hurtful brush off.

"Y-yes. I see that now. Good luck with your research. I hope you find the one you wish to pursue," she countered with her head held high. Turning on her heels, Raine walked with all the pride she had left and made her way back to her friends.

There goes her dream of being with her first and only high school love.

                                                                                   ********

Removing his trembling hands from below the table where he hid them while delivering the last blow, Travis took a deep shuddering breath. He felt like fucking crap. The only girl who genuinely cared about him just walked away from him. It was all his fault. With such a high IQ he was so gullible.  It took a beating for him to realize he was duped and the damage was already done. He had no choice to push her away completely. 

The food box he accepted in the school cafeteria caught his attention. After so many insults she still cared about his well-being. It felt.... good but undeserving.

"Totally undeserving," he muttered to himself. Dealing with the unease and anxiety, his appetite vanished but when he opened the food box as a second thought, the large serving of vegetarian lasagna brought it right back. A small smile tugged at his lips. She even knew how little he ate meat. If his self-esteem was high, he would have thought he gained a fan, probably a stalker.

"You're so pathetic, Donners." The taunting voice of Natalie made him nauseous. Repacking his lunch and his bag quickly, he didn't even look to see what way the bitch of a sidekick was coming from. 

"You do know that's charity right? Food from a rich daddy's girl. Didn't you learn your lesson from last time?" she continued. This time she was closer than before. 

"Come off it, Nat. I did what you two asked. You tricked me. You said she was the one playing me for a fool," he grounded out. Turning to her, she finally saw his condition, the shock registered on her face first then that sneer she always sport took home on her face. 

"I wonder who became her white knight. Fucking goody too shoes assholes. This is a good look, Donners. Makes you look tough. Got your ass beat by who?"

Travis knew she was fishing for new ammunition for whatever crap she and Bree were concocting. He was already part of some plan to hurt Raine, he couldn't hurt her anymore. He was so stupid and still filled with anger that he believed Bree's lies. Raine will hate him and he will accept it. 
Ignoring her snide remarks about him and his bad luck with the last high society girl, he took the long way around the school to make it to the library. Natalie stopped after ten minutes of pestering him and went off to God knows where. 
Entering the library, he kept his head down, not wanting the two librarians to see him. He was near his designated desk when the head librarian approached him. When she saw him, she simply gave him a pitiful smile then ushered him to his table. Mrs. Sinclair has been the head librarian for years at Spencer High. She has witnessed a lot between students and created a bond of books with a few of them. This year she was presently witnessing pure heartbreak and unknown kindness.