You Are the Shell to My Tortoise | ✓

54

It was almost weird how normally Derek and Melissa were behaving around us, even though they were officially together now.

It was as if nothing had changed, except for the occasional leaning on Derek's shoulder that Melissa did. They seemed to smile more often at each other, too, but that was really all. I honestly didn't know what I was expecting, but I just knew that it wasn't this.

"Why do you keep staring at me?" Melissa said, finishing the last bite of her meatball pasta.

Oops, I got caught.

"I'm not staring," I said, quickly turning my attention back to my half-eaten dessert. "I'm just ... looking."

"Isn't that the same thing?" she said, rolling her eyes. "What's up?"

"It's nothing," I said. "Don't mind me!"

I could already picture the unimpressed look she'd give me if I told her what was on my mind.

"What?" Melissa's eyebrows drew together. "You were staring at me for nothing? That doesn't even make sense."

That got Ashley's attention. She raised her head from her food.

"Well, yeah, it's really nothing," I insisted, using my spoon to scoop out a large chunk of my chocolate pudding.

I quickly stuffed it into my mouth so that I wouldn't be able to say anything else.

Melissa eyed me skeptically. "You're really weird sometimes, you know that?"

I couldn't help my snort. "No, but thanks."

"I can't wait for classes to be over," Derek said, flopping his arm across the table and resting his cheek on it. "This weather is seriously making me feel sleepy."

It was colder than usual today, and Derek had been moving pretty sluggishly this whole morning. His eyelids, which had already been half-closed, slid shut as he sighed.

Ashley yawned. "I feel you. I can't blame Nolan for choosing sleep over food today."

"Yeah," I echoed, although deep down I really wished he'd done the reverse.

In a rare show of extreme sleepiness, Nolan had gone to the library instead of coming down to lunch with us.

I was already missing his presence next to me.

In fact, I really wanted to go up to the library now that I was almost done with my lunch. The only reason I wasn't already on my way was because I didn't want to be obvious about it. All my lunch periods were reserved solely for cafeteria time with my best friends. Judging from the way Derek teased me when I was picking out a cap for Nolan a few months ago, I was pretty sure he'd pounce on my leaving as evidence that I had a thing for Nolan.

I could live without that happening, especially since I'd accidentally ruined his moment with Melissa just a few days ago.

Nobody—except for Ashley—could ever find out about my crush on Nolan, especially since I had no idea yet how he felt about me.

Sighing, I looked back down at my phone. Maybe he would be willing to eat dinner with us tonight.

--------------------------------------------

"Hey, I don't think I can study with you guys later," Nolan said.

"Oh," I said. "Oh, okay. No problem."

Our last period had just ended, and we were walking out of the classroom together.

"Sorry, I'm just too tired," he said, raising his hand to the back of his neck. "I haven't caught up on my sleep debt yet. I think I need to nap some more."