I continue to stare even after he walks away completely forgetting that I'm in the middle of something.
" Alya, you okay?" Asks Zeke stepping in front of me and cutting off my line of sight.
" Yeah, I'm good." I say and take a step back because he's a little too close for comfort. Realising this as well he takes a step back too.
" Do you think it's possible for you to forgive me and just let us start fresh?" He shrugs with an unsure smile.
It takes me a while to answer and I can see how it makes him nervous. I weigh my options and it wouldn't hurt to let us start over. He's sorry and I truly believe him.
" Yeah, starting fresh sounds good." I smile and I see him relax before smiling back. Though I might still get some doubts, I choose to take the risk and start fresh.
" I'm guessing we're not ready for hugs yet." He says and I nod in agreement. " So how about I buy you ice cream? " he says with his all famous blinding smile.
" Let's go!" I happily turn and head into the cafeteria with him right behind me. For a second or two, all eyes are on us including Aidan and Jenkins who seem a little surprised...mostly Jenkins.
I hate when this happens, like who said when someone walks into a room you've gotta look at them!?...Like damn just keep eating your food!
Fortunately, there's no line so we just walk over to the counter where as promised he pays for my double scoop ice cream. Once again the beauties of valedictorian week...ice cream dessert, if only it were free.
We walk over to the table of Jenkins and Aidan both taking seats besides our other. Jenkins is still tense around Zeke so I offer him some of my ice cream to distract him. Always a sucker for ice cream.
" So everything good now?" Asks Aidan with slightly raised eyebrows and a hopeful smile.
Zeke and I look at each other for a second then respond in unison. "Yeah."
I brush off the last of my doubts and enjoy my ice cream with Jenkins whom I let have one last taste before eating the rest myself. He was not happy about that!
The end of lunch bell goes off and we are off to our next classes. Jenkins and I both have Biology next. We're at our lockers getting our books when I spot him again. Nate. He's walking through the halls with the principal again. He doesn't notice me so I take that as the green light to continue staring.
" Get to your classes immediately. " Mr. Lockwood, the principal says to the few students still in the hallway. He and Nate then continue on there way, probably to his office.
Why is he here? Is he doing business with the school? But what kind of business? You know what, none of my business. I shrug off my curiosity and and my sketch book from my locker as well even though I won't have art today. Biology is always boring so I'll need something to pass the time.
" Why do you think he's here?" I ask Jenkins, having noticed that he'd seen him as well. I shut my locker and we get on our way to class.
" He was probably valedictorian of his year." He shrugs just as we walk into the rowdy class.
The teacher is not yet in so everyone is pretty much doing their own thing. We head to our seats, nearly at the back of the class and Jenkins barely dodges a football that had been thrown across the class.
" The ceremony isn't until Friday, so why show up today." We take our seats opposite each other. Past valedictorians always attend the ceremony. The school uses it as a way to squeeze money out of them
" Wednesday, Friday what does it matter?" he rips a piece of paper from one of his books crumples it up and hits one of the other students at the back of the head.
I bite down on my inner cheek to fight back a laugh when an enraged girl throws her head around looking for the culprit all while Jenkins stares straight ahead acting as natural as possible.
Fortunately, she turns back to face the front and we can finally let it out. We laugh so hard we both end up tearing. It takes a while longer for me to calm myself because just a glimpse of him or her cracks me up all over again.
" Any news on our secret admirer? Any more notes?" He asks after I've fully recovered from his stunt.
" Nothing yet." I comb through my hair with my fingers trying to deal with my frustration over the situation. I believe I know who it is but I just don't want to accept it, there is no going down that road again.
" You think it's him!" Jenkins clearly knows what's on my mind. He knows what those aces mean. He knows who they belong to. " I heard a rumour that he moved back about a week ago."
" Argh!" I grunt throwing my head back. "And here I thought I wouldn't have to deal with him ever again." I sigh silently wishing we'd just jump back to when we were laughing at that girl Jenkins had hit with the paper.
" Hopefully that's all it is, a rumour! " says Jenkins as he crumples up another piece of paper.
" And if it isn't well then this school better be big enough because I sure as hell don't want to run into him." I say flatly and try not to let my mind wander to far in the past.
" Sadly, I don't think that will be possible and not just because you'll probably have some classes together but well he's not even here yet an he's already messing with you." He throws the crumpled paper at me, I catch it and throw it back.
" I don't know," I shake my head slightly. " But I don't think that he left that note. Lots of people knew that he signed off with three aces so maybe someone heard the rumour of his return as well and wanted to mess with me." I shrug and pray that I'm right. Dealing with a copycat will be a whole lot better than the real thing. " I think it's Tiffany and Maria. "
"Well, It's no secret they don't like you so I guess that's a possibility." He says but seems to have his focus on something else. I follow his gaze to the girl he'd hit with the crumpled paper and he's watching her like a damn hawk!
She's no longer seated at her desk instead she's slightly bent over at some other girl's desk with her front side to us. From what I can gather she's explaining something to that other girl right before she looks up, her gaze landing on Jenkins for just a split second then back to the other girl. I don't miss to notice how Jenkins continues to stare at her for a while longer with a cryptic smile.
Then it hits me.
" Oh my gosh! " I squeal and thwart his arm. " Jenkins got a crush!" I practically yell with the biggest goofiest grin ever.
" Shut up." He says between his teeth and that's when I realise we're the center of attention. Everyone's staring including his crush who's the first to look away. Is it weird that I don't know her name even though we share a class.
" Sorry. " I smile raising my hands in surrender. " Why didn't you tell me?" I thwart his arm again, this time he smiles too.
" Do you really have to ask? " He tilts his head towards me raising his eyebrows.
" I just got carried away. It's been long. " I shrug with an apologetic smile.
It really had been a long time since Jenkins felt this way for someone. Once upon a time he'd dared to give out his heart only to watch it get shredded like last year's water bill. That's one of the many things we have in common. We both chose to love and trust the wrong people and you can bet your ass we got what we'd paid for so yeah I'm gonna scream and ran around the room doing cartwheels when he finally starts feeling that way about someone. Know what, I might even dance a little.
" You actually took it better than I thought you would." He laughs. " I thought for sure you'd run into the halls screaming her name."
" I'm so happy for you." I move from my seat to give him a hug but break it off quickly in case she looks over at us and thinks that I like him. He looks at me with questioning eyes. " She might think I like you if I hug you for too long." I can't seem to stop smiling. I'm just so happy for this big goof.
" It's just a crush. " He laughs and for a second or two I catch his gaze land on her.
" Wait," I say confusion painted all over my face. " Why'd you hit her with the paper then?"
" I like her." He shrugs.
The end of lesson bells rings and the teacher still hasn't arrived. As some of the few students that were actually doing what brought them to school pack up there books, Jenkins and I make our way out of class into the now congested halls.
Before we actually step out of the class though, we hear someone call Jenkins name and when we turn around its his crush. She walks up to him holding out her hand and gesturing for him to do the same. He does.
" This belongs to you right? " she asks with a slight smile and all he can do is nod in response. She smiles again before walking past us and into the halls.
" You've got it bad. " I laugh. " You couldn't even talk. "
" At least I didn't try to have my best friend third-wheeling on a date." He says dropping an imaginary bomb and making explosion noises as he runs off into the now partially empty halls.
I turn around to head to class but come to a halt when I see who's standing in my way.
Fuck!
Enjoy🤗💕
Vote, comment, follow, share.
I really liked this chapter hope y'all do too👐.
Check out my other book What are we?
BTW any Tomdaya fans out there💓
Luv ya
Toodles💕