THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO sradhika BECAUSE SHE IS AN INCREDIBLE ROOMMATE AND FRIEND. I LOVE HER AND RIGHT NOW, I AM MISSING HER LIKE HELL! SHE ENCOURAGED ME FOR THIS BOOK!
HOTTIE ALERT!!!!!!!!! CODY CHRISTIAN AS NEAL WYATT!!!!!!!!
*Fangirls and faints*
~~~~~
"Psst?"
Ignored.
"Astrid?"
Ignored.
"Astrid? Please?"
Ignored. Pause.
Nudge.
Ignored.
Nudge.
Ignored. Long pause.
Paper ball.
Ignored.
"Psst. Read it."
Ignored. Pause.
Nudge.
I sighed in frustration.
Honestly, today had a bad start. I fell asleep half way during movie and that's why I had a cramped neck and back in the morning. To make it worse, coach dropped a bomb too- trials are open for all positions. That means, I have to defend my captainship with a cramped body. Thirdly, I found out that Liam and I indeed shared a few classes. Like right at this instant, he is sitting in the farthest corner of room and glaring at me. And to add more shit on my plate, Alex is not giving up his venture to make up with me. It's not even end of 1st class and I already feel so done.
"What?" I hissed. Alex flinched and I felt a little guilty.
"Read it?" he pointed towards the paper ball, hopefully.
My eyes flitted towards Mr Edwards who was ranting about trigonometry, indifferent to all the bored expressions. I gingerly opened the paper ball. The look of victory mixed with anxiety and hopefulness on Alex's face, gave a strange flutter to my heart.
I am really very sorry, Astrid for snapping at you like that. I have nothing against you, I swear and I am not some gang member or killer like you think of me. I was searching for something that day and you crossed my path. I can't tell you everything but I promise someday you will know things beyond what reaches your eyes.
I don't want my Chemistry tutor to kill me with chemicals.
New start?
I looked up and my eyes met pleading, hopeful ones of Alex. I sighed and gave him a small smile. At the end, the breath-taking, heart-warming, beautiful grin that lit his face, was worth it.
~~~~
"Hey."
"Hey."
"When and where are we doing this tutoring thing?"
"Um... I think you'll obviously make it to team. So, we both will have soccer practices. I don't know about you, but I will definitely need a break after all this." I thought for a second "Are you comfortable with 6 pm, my house on alternate days?"
He looked taken aback. So, I continued.
"It's okay if you've problem-"
"No, it's okay."
"Great! See you at 6?"
He nodded with a smile and walked out for his next class.
It was my 3rd class- history, now and I was hesitant to attend it. I honestly didn't want to feel like a third wheel.
"What's wrong?" I looked at my side to see Aiden packing his stuff.
"Nothing. I just don't want to attend history!" I whined.
Aiden gave me a disapproving look before he sighed and smiled at me.
"You know, we both haven't had a soccer match in a while and I don't want to attend economics too. Bunk?"
I looked at him, horrified.
"Who are you and what did you do to my brother?"
Aiden rolled his eyes and tugged me by my wrist to the field. I looked around to see no one. Classes already started so no one was lurking around. I smiled mischievously at Aiden who looked up from his phone after sending a quick text to Asher.
"Ready to lose?"
"Bring it on, squirt!"
And that's what I did.
~~~~
20-21
Aiden was winning by one goal. We both were doing turns. I was goalkeeping when Aiden had 30 balls to score and visa-versa. Just for the record, both of us are strikers not goalkeepers. Felix is our team's goal keeper.
I had a sudden urge to wipe the smug look off his face as I positioned myself correctly, despite my aching muscles. I took a few steps back and then ran to hit the ball. Aiden jumped to block it but it reached net just in time as the 4th period bell rang. I smirked and Aiden rolled his eyes before ruffling my hair.
"Great job."
"You too." I smiled and we both took off to our lockers to change our shoes and get our books for next class- AP Biology. I had Aiden in it with me.
I reached class before Aiden as we have lockers in different directions. Thank god, Mr Smith is always 5 minutes late. I took a seat beside window and reserved the adjacent one for Aiden. Rose waved at me when she caught my eye. I waved back half-heartedly. She opened her mouth to say something but Mr Smith entered followed by a panting Aiden. I bit back an amused chuckle.
"Any reason for being late, Mr Parker?"
"I-Locker-I-?" Aiden panted, helplessly.
"Detention-"
"I didn't ask you the reason for your late entry, sir. So, I expect you to do the same with my brother." I gave Mr Smith a sickly sweet smile which was basically translation for- 'Don't mess with me'. He narrowed his eyes and tried to threaten me but I didn't back down. He averted his eyes first and nodded.
"Fair enough."
Aiden sat beside me with a grateful smile.
"I am assigning you, your partners for rest of the session." Everyone groaned, including me and Aiden. It was glaring obvious that we both won't be seated together as we both were toppers and thus, will be assigned with lacking ones. But I honestly doubt anybody lacking in AP Biology.
"There won't be any changes and arrangements will be final for rest of your session."
He took out a sheet from his binder and started pairing.
"Eva and Rayleigh"
"Robin and Cayden"
"Archer and Emily"
"Finn and April"
"Aiden and Bree" I laughed at Aiden's pain contorted face as he slowly stood up and made his way to awestruck Bree. She was smart, I will give her that but she was a total bitch. The typical ones with scissor instead of tongue and vagina that's used more than Google.
"Avril and Riley"
"Astrid and Rose." I froze. Rose beamed as she made her way towards me. Honestly, I had nothing to hate her for. She was sweet to me but she didn't even knew that I was insecure because of her. I felt fear around Alex and her. They always arose the alarm of losing someone in me and I have no idea why.
"Hey."
"Hi." I forced a smile. She noticed.
"If you don't like me or anything, I can try requesting-"
"No, no, no. It's not that." I frantically reassured.
"You can be honest with me, Astrid. I want to be your friend."
Bam! I love her. I have never seen someone so straightforward about their feelings, especially to me. I smiled.
"Will you mind if I'll be honest?" I asked hopefully, she shook her head. "I get a little jealous seeing you close to Asher. I mean, you know- drifting away from your best friend kind of jealous. Ugh! It sounded less stupid in my brain."
Rose laughed.
"No, I get it. I too get jealous when Alex hangs out with Ian."
"Ian?" Her smile dropped.
"Oh, he is just one of Alex's friend."
"Okay."
"So, bottom line is that you don't need to feel insecure. He is my friend but he is your best friend and big brother first. I have seen him with you and I know that he loves you too much to leave you behind."
Maybe, it was too girly for me but I couldn't help. I hugged her. I finally felt like I found a girl-friend and for some strange reason, I believed her when she said that my brothers won't betray me.
But boy, was I wrong!
~~~~
Journalism has always been one of my very favourite subjects apart from maths (very, as all subjects are my favourite) but today, I am using this class to recall every instant where I pissed my teachers off. As today, practically every teacher entered the class with an agenda. Agenda to piss me off.
You must be wondering what happened, right?
Hold your breath and tighten the grip on your handkerchiefs as this is one hell of sob story.
Firstly, Ms Walker gave me a 15 minutes lecture for 'gracing the class with my presence', 2 minutes late (I may or may not have taken a pit stop with Asher after our gym class to slip a chameleon in Ms Walker's LV purse). Then, deficiency of seats forced me to sit next to surprisingly my classmate- Liam, who oh-so politely greeted me with his death glare. And as if this wasn't enough, Ms Walker assigned us a group project where we had to read and make a report on 'The demise of Kovorelle'
Kovorelle was a small but powerful island in south east of India that was ruled by Law Clan. The kingdom went in a spiral of downfall due to betrayal of Knight Clan. Knights turned against the Law and conspired an assassination with the enemies- Hunter and Cross Clans, a week before Prince's coronation. Royal family died in the attack. But the death of prince Cedric, the royal baby was always a mystery as he was missing for 5 years along with his 2 friends before he was certified officially dead in a massive house fire.
Kovorelle is under judicatory rule for 11 years, as people refuse to let Cross's rule over them without gaining access to the treasure of iris.
(A/N- this is an imaginary island with an imaginary story that I cooked up for the hell of it. Don't feel lost.)
Interesting.
And guess what group I am in.
Hint- if there are 3 members in a group and I am one of the three, then rest two are boys. Now, one of the two, hates my guts and other is a flirt.
Yes, you guessed it right. Group number 5, is a recipe of disaster with proud members- Liam, Neal and Astrid.
FML.
When did all my stars shift to unlucky spectrum?
I let out a frustrated breathe as I couldn't concentrate on the snippets of the Law clan's fall from throne of Kovorelle. Neal turned in his chair and faced me.
"Astrid? Will you do me a favour?"
"No."
"Please?"
"Go fuck yourself, Wyatt." I gritted out in frustration and gave him a glare that made him gulp. Oh god, is Liam rubbing on me?
"It's just a math question that I can't solve. Please?" he gave me his puppy dog look. I narrowed my eyes.
"You don't even take maths." He looked taken aback for a second but then smirked.
"Stalker much?"
"Look who is talking." I muttered. He shoved his notebook in my hands and pouted.
"Please?"
Liam was observing the whole scene despite having his nose buried in the reports. I straightened the notebook and saw an equation an equation written in barely legible scrawl.
1= x^2 + (y-(x^2) ^3) ^2
I sighed in frustration.
"You've to draw its graph. And please sketch it here." he handed me a red paged notepad with 2 white stripes on either side of the page. I raised an eyebrow at his weirdness. He shrugged and smiled adorably. I hate to admit but my heart skipped a beat.
Feeling dazed by his smile, I immediately turned my attention in solving the problem.
"This isn't even a math class." I heard Liam mutter under his breath. He was clearly getting annoyed and that boosted me up to get into depth of the equation and rub it into his face. But by the looks of it, he already knew the answer to the problem.
I solved it. And I was awestruck.
It was a heart.
"Remove the white stripes." I looked up at Neal in daze and nodded like a lost puppy. Gingerly, I peeled the white stripes from both sides.
I--*Heart*--You.
I smiled. I freaking smiled!
This was the cheesiest thing, someone did for me and even though I am not a big fan of cheesy, my heart fluttered. Being a math nerd didn't help either.
"Neal- I- what-?"
"Uh- you don't have to say anything, you know. I-I just thought you will smile again and stop being so worked up. Damn, I knew this was stupid! But I swear Astrid, I genuinely like you. As a person of course and I want to know you. I want to be your friend and- I should stop talking now, shouldn't I? Ugh! It sounded less stupid in my brain."
I laughed at his flustered expression and without even taking notice of my actions, I pecked him on cheek.
Holy fudge!
I pecked him!
He froze. I froze. We both blushed.
Awkwardness settled over us like wet woollen blanket but a groan broke it.
"Oh god, the amount of sexual tension here, is frustrating. Get a room already!"
Trust Liam to say something like that.
Did you like the fake story?
My little cousin made me tell her a story and I made this Kovorelle thing for her but I liked it so much that I added it here. XD