[ chapter 4 ]
september 2
2:45 p.m
boca raton, florida
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brrrringg!
"Alright future musicians, first 'month' of school is over and it's time to get into the big guns. Most of you are adults or about to be, so - and I know you won't like it - we got a project." The class groans in distaste.
Mrs. Miller chuckles and waves us down in gesture to be quiet. "I know, I know. But this one's fun! You and one other partner will be creating a song of your own, and then performing it in front of the class! Now, this could be an instrumental, or a song where you actually sing. As long as it's original, it's good." She smiles.
I look at Zayn and Billie with a frown, knowing that one of us wouldn't be able to pair with another in our group. The rest of the class seemed to be pretty satisfied with this "project", though.
"However, I'll be assigning the partners to avoid anyone being left out." And there's another set of annoyed grunts, groans, and many more complaints.
"Shut up, here's the pairs. "
She goes on and I ignore her, ready to pay attention when familiar names are called out.
"Zayn Malik and Gigi Hadid."
"Billie Eilish and Brandon Adams."
A few more names are called, and then it seems mine is last.
"Y/n Y/l/n and Ariana Butera."
My heart drops to my ass and my stomach fills with a bad kind of butterflies. I sigh and look down at my feet. I feel Billie discreetly place her hand on my back in a comforting kind of way. I allow it to stay there, trying to calm my rapidly increasing anxiety. Both her and Zayn know about what happened in my past, what happened with Mac, and Ariana's involvement in it. They're one of the very, very few people who know.
"Alright, that's all. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to come up here and ask. Get with your partners and get to work. You have a week of class time and if you'd like; time outside of school." And that was it. It was time to face the girl I'd been trying to avoid since our last altercation.
Rustling was heard all around me but I seemed to zone out. I wasn't quite ready to talk to her yet. At all. But at the end of the day, I don't have a choice. I'm not gonna let her or what happened in the past cause me to fail this class. It's the only one I know for sure I have a guaranteed A in other than P.E.
"Y/n?" She was hesitant. I respected that. At least she was respectful of my decisions so far. It made me feel worse than I already have been. I sighed deeply again and looked up to meet her chocolate swirls. She gave me a very faint tight lipped smile. I returned it.
"You can sit." My tone wasn't mean, more like emotionless. Nonetheless, she did so, replacing Billie as she sat in her seat.
"So, do you want to do a lyrical song or? Because I don't know how to play shit." I couldn't help but chuckle a little. When I looked back at her I could see her eyes light up. I watched her tug back a smile.
"We can do that. I have a mini studio-like thing back home, we can do it there?" I ask, and she nods. After that, silence. We both didn't know what to say. Lost in thought, I didn't even realize that class was almost over. And we didn't do anything but sit in silence; practically ignoring each other's presence.
How awkward.
"I hope you all figured out what you want to do. You may pack up, and be dismissed by the bell." The class erupts into louder conversations. I stand up and sigh. She hadn't moved, but she was staring at me now.
"Meet me at the diner we used to go to all the time, 7 on the dot. We can talk then." I give her one last small smile and walk over to where Zayn is.
"Y/n! Just the girl I wanted to see. This, this is Gigi - my girlfriend." Zayn's smile was so big, I couldn't help but smile genuinely right back. 'Gigi' smiled and held her hand out to me. "Hi, I've heard a whole lot about you. It's nice to meet you, Y/n." I smiled and shook her hand. "Likewise. And I hope only good things. I've heard about you as well." She laughed a little and nodded.
"Definitely good things. I hope the same for me." I nod and that's when Billie comes up to. Gigi and her introduce themselves to each other and then Billie turns to look at some dude with purple hair, a few inches shorter than me and like an inch taller than Zayn.
"This is Brandon, the one I'm partnered with." I could see the little giddy look on her face. Billie had a crush. Usually, I would immediately tease her but there was something off about this dude I didn't like. He seemed.. weird?
"Y/n." I nod at him, keeping my walls up. He does the same. "I'm Zayn." He smiled lightly at Brandon but the second my British best friend and I connected eyes I could tell he felt the same way I did. Unsure and protective.
"Hey, I was thinking that we could all go to dinner tonight? Get to know our partners and shit better?" Billie broke the awkward silence.
Everyone ends up agreeing, but I fall silent. I really did not want to invite Ariana. I mean, c'mon now. I don't think Billie and Zayn even like her! I could tell my best friends were catching on as they stared at me with rather complicated looks.
"Uh, I don't know. She might be busy-"
"Who?" There she is, always coming in at the worse moments.
"Uh-I-you." I stutter, sighing deeply again.
Gigi's big headed ass then continued to explain to her the 'plan'.
"Sounds good." Ariana smiled, then turned to look up at me. I looked down at her, expressionless. I watched as her smile faltered.
The bell rings, interrupting the awkward silence before it could start again. I release a breath I didn't know I was keeping and immediately walked away. I heard footsteps follow me so I ignored it; grabbing my backpack and leaving assuming it was Zayn and Billie.
"So, how am I getting to yours?" I stopped right in my tracks, turning around to an awkwardly standing brunette.
"Uh, mines? Today?" I ask, eyebrows furrowed. "Yeah, I thought we were gonna work on the project." Now her own eyebrows furrowed. I shook my head.
"No, not today. We're all going out, remember? We can start tomorrow okay?" I try my absolute hardest to be nice. After all, she's been trying and respecting my boundaries while doing it.
I could tell she didn't like that answer, but nodded nonetheless and walked away with a small bye.
I sighed and walked away. I decided against waiting for my friends since I'll see them in less than two hours anyways.
So, I drove home. I greeted my parents and then walked straight into my room to get ready. Apparently Zayn made a group chat of all of us so he could send the information, as Billie didn't want to do the planning. We were all meeting at a nice restaurant not too far but a solid drive away from the school.
We had to dress formal but don't get too excessive. With that information, I chose a simple white dress shirt. I buttoned it but left the top 3 and then tucked it into some nice black dress pants. I looped a black LV belt through the hoops in my pants and slipped on some nice red bottom dress shoes.
I then did my hair and the rest of my routine. Next, I applied some deodorant, cologne, and then a few chains.
With one last look, I grabbed my wallet, keys, and phone and left my room.
Upon walking downstairs, my parents looked at me with a big smile on their faces. "Well damn, don't you look nice." My mom smiled, standing up while my pops sat there with a proud look on his face.
"Where you goin'?" He asked.
"Out with some friends to a dinner. I'll be back in like 2 to 3 hours or so." They nod and I hug them goodbye. I walk over to my car and back out the driveway, texting the group chat that I'm on my way to the place. Apparently Zayn, Gigi, and Ariana were already there. Billie and Brandon were on their way like I was.
When I get there, my eyes immediately wander over Ariana's figure. I wont lie, she looked beautiful. Her silky hair was tied up into a beautiful high ponytail, which isn't something she did often as her hair is naturally curly so she usually just left it down. It seemed as she had straightened it and possibly added extensions - because it was longer than usual. The change was nice, it fit her.
She sported a gorgeous tight black jean dress that hugged her curves in all the right places. It stopped around her mid thigh and she had some nice sleek black heels on.
Her makeup was done to perfection and her entire aroma was intoxicating. I could feel it from all the way over here.
she's genuinely fucking gorgeous
Should I even be thinking like this? She dated my old best friend - my deceased one at that. He couldn't get over her either. It made me wince. It just didn't feel right.
I visibly shook my head in attempt to rid of those thoughts, but I still couldn't get her out of my head. How was this dinner about to go?
I got out and made sure my car was locked before walking up to them. For the first time tonight, the Italian and I's eyes connected. She stared at me with such an intensity I actually felt my knees almost buckle beneath me.
But then our eyes disconnected, her beautiful deep brown ones scanning over my outfit. I felt rather confident under her stare, and it caused me to smirk a little. When she looked back up at me, she blushed and looked away.
What the fuck was that whole moment?
moment? did we just have a moment?
I then locked eyes with Zayn, who was already staring at me. I had to stop my own from widening.
Had he seen that whole thing?
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ooo, you just got caughtt. anyways, hope you all are enjoying the story! much love, A