“Go away!” I yelled, speed-walking along the road, to the bus stop that was about five minutes away. “Leave me alone!”
I pulled my hand away, just as Nate grabbed for it. Glaring at him, I crossed my arms across my chest.
“Did you think that would stop me?” Nate asked, smiling flirtily.
“Do you want to die?” I screamed, blushing red (I had to see the doctor. Why was I turning red all the time?). When I get flustered, I forget all about my hard training, and just lash out. I kicked his shin, hard.
“Ow!” he cried, holding his leg. “What was that for?”
“Just…stay away!”
He did as I said, and kept about thirty feet away. I slowed my pace, safely out of the arm’s reach. Just as I near the end of the road, the bus rushed past.
I cussed, and started to sprint, but suddenly, I was yanked back.
“What –?” I said. I looked up, to see Nate. He had his hand on the inside of my arm.
“Don’t run for it. It’s too late.”
I was still staring at the hand. Who gave him the right to touch me? I closed my eyes, and started counting in my mind. If in five seconds, he doesn’t get his hand off me, I will officially kill him.
Five. Four. Three.
“Ade…what are you doing? You have a really scary look on your face.”
Two. One.
I struck out, slamming the heel of my hand into his forehead. He stumbled back, wincing. That should’ve killed a couple brain cells. If he had any.
“What the hell was that for?”
“Don’t touch me. Ever again.”
“Ade…” he said, staring at me reproachfully, giving me a “wounded puppy” look. I don’t think he understood why I hit him. Idiot.
“Shut up, Nate,” I snapped, rubbing my now rapidly swelling wrist. His head was like a rock.
***
In the end, we had to wait another half an hour for a bus. By that time, we were seriously late, and the only school kids on the bus. I tried my hardest to ignore him, but by some humongous twist of fate, the only two seats on the bus were right next to each other. Nate didn’t really seem deterred by the times I’d hit him. I thought freely, as he chattered on about new school, and old friends. Was Keri really right? Did Nate…like me?
I glanced at him. I had to admit, he was every bit as good-looking as his brother. He had high-cheekbones, thick lips and long eyelashes that were totally wasted on a guy.
I looked at my own reflection in the bus window. I’d always had boring hair. It was jet black, and completely straight, volume-less. I actually had no idea my hair was “boring”, until Mom threw a magazine at my head, screaming that I needed a haircut. I loved my Mom so much.
My face itself was pretty average. All of the genetic glory had gone to my brothers, and I was stuck with a normal body. When I was about eleven, I accidently cut my hair off, and people thought I was a boy – mainly due to the jeans and scruffy t-shirts, I guess. And the fact I had no chest. It never really bothered me – coach told me if I had a big chest, it would be harder to fight. So I’m happy with that.
I stared at myself, then stared at the boy next to me.
He realized I was staring, and gave me a dazzling smile. I looked away quickly.
No. Not possible. He can’t like me.
***
“Do you think we’re in the same homeroom?”
“I don’t care.”
“What lessons do we have together?”
“I don’t care!”
“What’re you eating for lunch?”
“Look,” I said, turning around, and stopping Nate from walking any further. “In this school, you don’t know me. I don’t know you. We’re strangers. Do you understand?”
“But…”
“No buts. Leave me alone. I’m going to homeroom.”
“Is it homeroom A?” he asked, ignoring the little speech I’d just given.
“Yes…”
“That’s my homeroom too!”
I closed my eyes.
Cupid, I hate you. You give my true love in the form of a boy who doesn’t go to my school, doesn’t seem to remember the fact that he is engaged to me, and is way out of my league. Then you stick me with this little brother, who’s stupid playboy, and is annoying as hell.
Then, if that wasn’t enough, you stick me in the same school, year and homeroom with the said little brother. I hate you so much.
I opened my eyes, glaring at Nate. I didn’t care if he liked me or not, or not, he was being damn annoying, and I had to stop him. Plus, I didn’t even like him. I liked his brother. He should know that.
“Nate…” I said, sweetly. I’m going to be subtle about this. If I wasn’t, he probably wouldn’t do what I want. “Can you do something for me?”
“Yes…” he replied, looking kind of hopeful. “What do you want?”
“Well, the thing is…I really like Noah…”
His whole expression changed. “What?” he said, tonelessly. “You…”
“…like him, yeah. I was wondering…if you could set me up with him…”
I stared at Nate.
“Do I have an option?” he asked. Maybe he wasn’t so dumb after all.
“No.”
“Then…fine.”
I gave him a smile.
***
“How’s toy boy?”
I hit Keri on the arm. We were in Gym. “Shut up. He’s not my toy boy.”
“He’s younger than you, therefore he is your toy boy.”
“Is he?” I asked, frowning, narrowly avoiding a volleyball. The ball flew straight past my head, and bounced on the ground. My teammates all yelled at me, but I wasn’t listening. “How do you know?”
“Well, duh,” she said, rolling her eyes as she volleyed the ball over the net. “When we were kids we all played together in Kindergarten. I remember, because he had his birthday party after yours.”
“Oh…right.” I didn’t remember at all. “Were we all close, as kids?”
“I guess, yeah. So are we set for the double-date thing?”
“Uh…sure. Oh, by the way, are there any jobs available?” I’d asked Keri last night to help me do some job-searching.
“Sure. Depends what you want. Manual labor, major salary or boring desk job, minimum wage?”
I thought about Nate’s aversion to any physical work, and I smirked just as I wacked the ball back over the net. I turned to Keri.
“Manual labor, of course.”
***
I’d begged Mrs Sandy to push my detentions back two weeks, so I could do more work. She agreed, but reluctantly. It was at lunchtime, when I bumped into Nate again.
“Hey,” I said, cheerfully. “What did you have?”
“Oh…it’s you.”
Not the most heart-warming of greetings.
“Yes, it’s me. Who else would I be?”
“I thought it might be Ellie…or Krissy…”
He was juggling two girlfriends already? Unbelievable. I tried not to let my expression change, even though I was feeling kind of…angry, for some reason. I ignored it.
“Keri found us a job,” I said, gritting my teeth. “We’ll go there, after school.”
“Who?”
“You know, Keri? The girl who was in Kindergarten with us…Keri?”
He stared at me, his brown eyes trying to say something. “You remember Kindergarten?”
“Uh…sort of. Why?”
“Never mind.”
***
Author's Note: Short part tonight, but I am so stressed! German Writing tomorrow, and I have to do Music....
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