Wildly Driven

Chapter 9

Mondays were the only day which didn't have any classes common between me and Nick. So it was easy to ignore him for most of the time. I would duck under the table when he passed my class, run to my locker way before Nick could make it, hide in the washroom when he accidentally found me in the hallways.

Things were going well, except for that idiotic history class that we had together. I had all plans of bunking it and going to the coffee shop if it wasn't for Lily. She pulled me by my hand and literally dragging me to the class, making me take my usual spot.

I tentatively chose the seat next to Miranda on my right and Lily to my left, leaving no space for Nick to sit beside. I had almost forgotten his presence, but then he came forward to offer me a pencil when I was pestering Lily about it.

I had turned a deaf ear at him, until he sighed and walked back to his seat behind. Wanting to grab my attention, he had started to throw small paper balls at me. When the fifth ball hit my head, I turned to him with a glare of my own. "What the fuck do you think you are doing?" I hissed.

"Getting you to talk to me." He smiled sweetly.

I let out an air of frustration and turned my attention back to the teacher who was lecturing about some guys who had died even before I was born.

"Nick Everest." The broody teacher called out, making me snap out of my little outburst. "I've been observing you for the past fifteen minutes, telling myself that you'll behave. But you've not stopped."

"What did I do?" Nick asked innocently, and I had to roll my eyes.

"Oh, then why do I keep seeing paper rolls flying at Miss Stone here?" She asked.

"It was by mistake, you can't possibly—" He was cut off when the teacher said, "Detention Everest." and then turned to the board again, scribbling something.

By the end of the day, I was wrapped up in guilt for making Nick suffer a detention because of me. What mistake had he done to go through that, anyway? He had liked a girl and had kissed her. I was the one who had assumed things were otherwise between us.

"You should probably check on him." Lily nudged my shoulder as we were making our way out the hallway.

I knew he was pissed at me. The detention just added fuel to the whole flirting with the jock in the party. I knew I had to talk. We needed to talk. It had already been a week since we exchanged those texts and neither of us has managed to make a conversation about it.

A lot of things happened after it too, making it difficult for either of us to start with the topic. And I messed up big time.

"From when did you start with worrying, Scar?" James laughed, as he walked towards us, putting his arm around Lily's shoulder. Lily glared at him, making him stop from his further comments. "What I mean is, you should get back to being yourself again."

"She's been through a lot." Lily said.

I didn't know for how long I could hide behind those six words to escape my reality.

"I think I'll just catch up with you guys later." I sighed, pulling my bag further up my shoulder. "Thanks James, it was the sweetest thing that you ever came close to."

"Awe, sweetie." James pulled me into his arms, giving me a bear hug. When he pulled back, he ruffled my hair, making me glare at him. "Brian was asking for your number, and since I thought you were kind of friends with him and I lent him. I'll see you later, bye."

With that, he was gone towing Lily along with him. "James! I'll kill you!" Threat flew into the wind and I knew he hardly noticed.

I heaved a sigh. One problem at a time.