"WAIT, EXPLAIN IT to me again."
Rain looks at me for the what seems to be the fifth time before opening his mouth. "You being in the Spade quarters is the worst thing to happen to you. It's by far the creepiest place to board, like some secret society type shit."
"And every year they play these games that start at the middle of the night, as a sort of recruitment?" Ahmed nods, as I repeat back what he'd told me earlier as we put up the final things in our room.
"But they're doing it again because you guys have entered, so all I'm saying is don't get any sleep and lock your doors. In fact, buy a spare lock. Lock your door from the inside twice, and while you're at it lock your window too." Rain advises.
"How bad can it be?"
"Freshman year, this boy went missing. They had to pause the games, and everyone went on to look for him. They found him locked in the freezers half naked four hours later."
"Shit." What I'm meant to say is, what the fuck goes on at this school?
Ahmed turns to me. "Don't worry, I've got spare locks, we'll be fine." How reassuring.
"Unless there's someone you care about that's also in spades, don't let them be alone, it's all fucking crazy."
Nai.
"Nah, count me in." I'll just sneak out, there's no way I'll leave her to be made into cold rotisserie.
Ahmed nods entering his class, and Rain and I continue to walk down the hall. He turns to me as we approach the last classroom in the hallway before the rounding. "Come to my room later on, I'll give you the master key."
"What?"
"You know, just in case you need to leave your room." Oh, yeah that works too. I'm about to thank him but Rain's already entered the classroom.
"What was that about?" Caleb asks, I turn around facing him. I'm pretty sure he just appeared from thin air, but I go with it.
"Nothing, just Rain being Rain." He nods, but I know he doesn't fully believe me.
"What do you have now?" he asks, leading the way.
"Free period, you?" Sage and I both have one, but he's decided to go to the gym again or something like that. He was talking too fast for me to even understand when we'd parted ways after English.
Caleb looks down at his watch checking the time before answering. "Ap Chem."
"Sounds fun." I lie.
He smiles, turning to me, "It's not that bad." Liar.
"That's because you've had the opportunity to graduate since like junior year smart ass, so nothings hard for you."
"Sophomore, actually." He corrects like the bastard he is. But Caleb's never been a gloater, in fact he's the first one to helping if any of us need it.
During freshman year, I stopped caring about math because it was too boring. I'd only started to care when Mom threatened that she'd make me quit the basketball team. The next day I'd asked Caleb for help, to catch me up on everything. By the end of the semester, I was averaging an A minus.
"Fuck off." Caleb grins walking away, and I watch him. When he looks down at some freshman their eyes widen and when he walks past, I see one pretend to faint. It takes a split second of her making eye contact with me for her to burn up turning a scarlet red. I wave and the entire friend group turns around embarrassed.
I'm about to head in the opposite direction myself but I make eye contact with none other than Nai, and she doesn't look happy. In fact, she's staring me down, eyes squinting, lips purse and all. She's hot even when she's angry.
"Entertaining people with the same mental age as you?" I turn around at the voice and Micaela Astralis is looking up at me with a raised brow, she's wearing the plaid school skirt which she's folded in itself.
"You have something against me?" I ask, I mean other than the whole 'I'll need an escort' situation she seemed pretty fine, it was Margaux that had Caleb locked in with all her 'dos' and 'don'ts' in public.
"Nah, against them."
"What they'd do?"
"I don't have enough patience or time of day to get into the kids in this school and all their wrong doings."
"Why?"
"Long story, anyway I was wondering if you thought of a costume yet?"
"I thought you were going to think of something?"
"Why would I think of something?" I shrug, "you know what, don't worry I'll ask Mila, she's like a designer freak. I'm sure she'll think of something." Micaela turns on her heel to walk away as the bell rings and I call out to her before she disappears from my sight completely, she stoips turning around. "Yeah?"
"Nothing with playboy bunnies or anything, alright?"
She shrugs, "sure, bye."
I look around to find Nai again, but she's disappeared. Shit, but also not shit because this is the plan, isn't it? At least the start, for her to be jealous.
I walk through the now empty hall, I've got basketball practice in two hours, and I'd rather get there early than late. Plus, I'm still trying to get back to how I was before I tore my acl last year.
I'm doing fine until a door slams open and I'm suddenly catapulted into a room, well, if I'm being honest tugged would be a better word but with the lack of expectancy this feels a lot like catapultian.
The lights flash open, and I'm let go off. "What the fuck?" I ask adjusting to the bright lights.
When I look down, I'm met with the face I've been longing for. "Nai, are you on drugs or something?" She doesn't say anything. "No seriously, like please tell me if you are because -"
"Thomas said news has spread, you're with another girl?"
"What?" I ask, still trying to mentally catch up with the events that have just occurred. I've just been pounced on, and this is what she's thinking of?
Nai looks up at me, her hands dancing along the rim of the school shorts. "Who is she, Atlas?"
"You're jealous Nai." I grin, my girl, jealous.
"No, I'm not." She lies through her teeth, but her eyes tell a different story. They look up at me with desire, pleading the rumors aren't true.
I take hold of her hand, keeping it there even when my shirt rides up and now, she's touching skin. "Just admit it baby, I won't judge."
She pouts, shaking my hand off from her wrist and continuing to ascend her hand further up my shirt. "Do you really want me mad at you right now?" I shake my head. "Then be quiet for me." I zip my lips and throw the key away. "See, I knew you could be good." She praises. "Who is she Atlas?" Nai repeats, leaning in. She won't let it go.
I look into her brown eyes as she gets on her tip toes. "No one." I'm so sorry Micaela Astralis, you seem really nice, but Nayelie Angelo has got me.
"Really?" I nod, tantalized and she smiles, fuck, that smile. "I guess that might check out." She breathes closer.
"You think so?" She nods, pulling me in by my tie.
When she kisses me, I know the answer for myself.
She pulls back after a while, her entire demeanor changing. "You want me to lead?" I ask sensing her desire. No matter how in control of a situation she seems to be in, Nai likes to let go. She likes to be made use of, adored.
Nai nods, "Please." You don't have to beg for me, I'll give you whatever you want, just ask.
"You wanna go back to my dorm?"
She kisses me again, shaking her head. "I don't want to wait." She sighs coming back.
I lean in kissing her neck, before whispering in her ear. "We can do more there."
Nai pulls back with her bottom lip in between her teeth, thinking. "We can't have fun here?"
"Baby, I can have fun with you anywhere."
She smiles, the blush that coats her tan cheeks just visible in the harshly dim lighting. "It's too far away."
"I just want to make you feel good."
"Where?"
"You know where."
"Show me."
It's then my phone decides to go off. Nai looks up at me with a raised brow pissed. I reach out for it, and she scoffs. "What?" I ask, making eye contact with her.
"You're really going to check your phone, now?"
"Well -"
"No, no be my guest."
I go to put my phone away, but she flips it over and hands it to me. "Nai, it really doesn't matter I swear, you know I'd rather do -"
Her laugh catches me off-guard, "I'm just joking, answer it." I look down to read the caller name the same time she does.
xem <3
Shit. Nayelie reads it again and then meets my gaze again. "Oh my god," there's fear in her eyes. "You and Xemina? I-"
"No, no, no it's not like that. It's just a thing she signs everything off in."
"Atlas don't lie to me. I'm not going to be the other girl, I – no."
The phone won't stop ringing even after it's sent to voicemail. Nayelie stares at me and then the ringing phone again. "This is stupid, we shouldn't be doing this."
"Nai, you're not making any sense."
"I ruined everything, and you're going to get a girlfriend and move on -"
"I mean, it's a bit too late to have a conscious now." She stares me down. "Sorry."
"I can't do this."
"Do what?"
"You."
"Well, that's the first time I've ever heard that." She shakes her head. "Nobody knows about us, and I don't have a girlfriend." Yet. "And even if I did, I promise you can bet on the fact it wouldn't be Xemina."
Nai, not letting whatever has submerged her head leave her, leaves me with the stupid ringing phone. I answer, "what?" I snap, staring at Nayelie's descending silhouette before the door closes. What could possibly be going on for her to be calling so many times?
"Okay, rude. Call back when you're not a piece of shit." Ari's voice retorts and hangs up. Why is she using Xem's phone? A minute passes, and I call her again. She answers on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Oh, hey can you come to my room? Need to settle an argument asap."
"Right now?" I ask.
"I mean, asap does mean as soon as possible so yeah right now would be ideal."
"Give me fifteen."
"What the hell do you need fifteen minutes for?" There's a pause. "Actually, I don't wanna know, please don't tell me just come," she stops talking, "like get here, not that. Bye."
Fifteen minutes and a shit ton of looking around for Nai later, I've arrived at Ari and Xemina's dorm.
For two completely different people, their room is a nice blend. Ari's side is decorated with darker colours and some vinyl's, she's also got her motorbike helmet hanging from the wall. Xemina's side is all pink and white, she's got her ballet slippers and baby pink lamp on her bedside table along with other accessories I can't decipher.
"You're mean to him!" Xemina's voice drags me back into reality. She's currently standing up with her arms crossed over herself, If I'm being honest, I don't know how she isn't cold in this weather when she's just in her ballet leotard.
Ari doesn't look bothered, in fact she looks amused at Xemina yelling at her. "I said he was cute." She replies, seated on her bed.
"You call Tewksbury," Xemina's ferret, "cute, not my boyfriend. Aristotle." Oh, shit we're using full names now.
"What do you want me to say, that he's hot? That I want to hook up with him? Come on Xem, why would I want to hook up with him?"
"I just don't like the fact you mock him, and why wouldn't you want to hook up with him? Huh, there's nothing wrong with him, Aristotle."
"Except there is."
"And what's that?" Ari looks at Xemina, with a look that reads 'really?'
"Atlas." They say at the same time turning to me.
"Yes?" If I knew I was going to walking into one of their many arguments, I would have called sick and not come.
"Tell her." They say in sync.
"Ari, stop mocking Xem's new boyfriend, Xemina she doesn't need to want to hook up with him."
"She keeps calling him amusing though, tell her not to say that. Actually, why do you even call him amusing? That sounds like a backhanded compliment."
"I'm amused because he's a joke."
"Ari." I seethe.
"What? You want my honest opinion? I think we both know why you're with him, and what your gonna do after your done with him. So, until then, think keep yourself fucking entertained Xem." Ari shrugs getting up. She walks over to where her desk is and picks up the black jacket thrown across the chair before heading over to the door.
"I want you to care!" Xemina yells at her descending back.
Ari turns around, her black run through hair flipping in the air with her. She looks at Xem with fire in her eyes. "Why do I need to care about your new boyfriend? Are you hearing yourself right now?" Xemina doesn't say anything. "Why are you even wasting your time with him when we both know you don't care about him."
"I like you better when you're not a bitch."
"We both know what I like you better doing." Ari fires back, equally as angry before she leaves.
Okay, so there's that. Xemina blushes, out of frustration or the commentary I have no clue, do I want to know? I also have no clue on that, funnily enough.
"You know how easy my life would be if we all didn't grow up as Neighbours?" I ask Xem who's got her eyes still pierced on the door, as if somehow, she can bring Ari back by staring at it.
"Your life would've been ten times easier if you hadn't met Nayelie Angelo either, so there's that."
_________________________
a/n
yes, all the couple will interact in the next bach of chapters!! sage and amber, luca and nads...
one word times three, party, party, party!!!