I SNAP MY HEAD around at the intruder's strangely familiar voice.
It all gets familiar in a matter of seconds. Dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, milk chocolate skin.
Nathaniel Todd.
I have to steady myself by holding on to my bag. I knew I've heard that name somewhere. I know exactly who Nathaniel Todd is.
His mouth quirks up in a full, wide smile and I can't help but return one.
I can say it has been a good, solid eight years. Nathan's father was very close to mine. We used to hang out at my place when we were kids.
He was my first crush and I was his. But, besides that, I deeply loved him as a best friend, until he moved away and cut all contacts with us. Actually, my father did, and I always begged him to tell me news about them, but he always shrugged me off with a frown.
As I stare at him right now, so many memories are flooding my mind. And comparing the old Nathan to this Nathan is massively sinful.
I'm staring at him dreamily, noting that he has grown up to such a fine looking guy.
"Oh, funny," a high pitched voice screams beside me. I flinch and cover my ear, rolling my eyes to Ariel's small figure.
If her voice wasn't that shrilly, maybe things would have been better for everyone.
"Ariel, your voice does not need further torture, really," I smile at her while she narrows her eyes at me.
She smirks, "Like, what are you doing here?"
"Excuse me?" I stare at her, dumbfounded.
She scoffs and looks around, trying to intimidate me. "Did you seriously not understand my question? Or do you need Carla to answer it for you?"
I roll my eyes at the ceiling, clueless to the fact that Ariel just made me forget Nathaniel is in the room.
"Ariel, you have very small brain cells." I shrug while throwing her one of my purest smiles.
My smile confuses her, and it's clear she doesn't like that I'm not affected.
She steps awfully closer so her voice comes out only as a whisper. "Eva, I think you need to take care of yourself, alright? I saw the glances you shared with my boyfriend, Nate, and this is something I will not tolerate."
Wait. Boyfriend? Wasn't she just flirting with Sam?
A hand grips Ariel's shoulder and I take a step backward, watching her bump clumsily into Nate.
"Ariel, I think you need help, alright?" Nate seems like he's mocking her, a cold look in his eyes.
If anything, Nate looks even more good-looking up close and I feel myself sinking in his eyes.
"Oh, Nathan! I was j-just introducing myself to Eva," she smiles at him.
"I'm sure she's heard all about ya. And she's coming with me." He grabs my hand and I promptly shake the burning feeling his fingerprints leave on me. It's been ages since we held hands.
He sits down and I get the message to do the same. He smiles to himself and slowly turns back to me.
"Eva, I can't believe it." Nate shakes his head. "It's been so long. You've changed a lot."
I laugh, "I could say the same thing!"
He joins in, "I mean, you're the same as I remember. But even more beautiful."
I watch his eyes for a while, and no signs in his gaze are telling me he's lying.
I look at my feet. "Ariel said—"
"Ariel and I," he interrupts me, "broke up a year ago. She clearly doesn't know what she wants anymore. She's old news. No one likes that kind of girl anymore."
"What do you mean?" I furrow my eyebrows in slight confusion.
"She's still upset about what happened—what Carla did," he grimaces.
Realization strikes me. Nate is the guy Ariel has cheated on. Even though I'm dying to know more details about the breakup, I stay silent and say the most dumbest thing that comes to my mind.
"You're the guy she cheated on?" I repeat.
"Yeah," he sneers and drums his fingers on the table. "After I ended things with her, she spilled to everyone she was the one who broke up with me, and that's when Carla refused to let that one pass."
I process all this. "Wow," I mumble. Why would Carla take Nate's side?
"She was just a fling, anyway, nothing to worry about," Nathan throws me an amused smile, winking at me.
This can't be happening with Nate. I shouldn't let it happen... but it's been such a long time that my feelings are unclear.
__________
After meeting up with Carla and telling her all about Nathan, she couldn't believe it. She just kept staring at me, her eyes shining with pure excitement.
We were already running a bit late when Carla told me she had something important to do. I didn't question her further.
I'm heading to English class alone. Rain starts pouring down softly at the beginning, but then at some random point, heavy drops of rain are being heard throughout the school. I feel so much better.
I step in the room and warm wind greets me. Some students are already here, discussing and gossiping. Mr Parker is reading some ancient book.
My eyes meet Sam's.
I sit next to him somehow feeling exposed, although I'm wearing way too many clothes.
I nearly say hello but notice his eyes are slightly closed. He looks like he doesn't want to talk to me. In fact, I don't think he wants to talk to anyone. There's this invisible wall around Sam that keeps everyone out for unknown reasons, and I'm pretty sure he's not even aware.
I turn to look at Brent. He answers me with a dismissal hand wave, tapping away on his phone.
I glance back at Sam, looking deep in thought. After he took the fall for me, I can say there is a small part of me that appreciates him quite a lot. I open my mouth to unclench my teeth and force myself to utter anything, but only a small whimper comes out.
He sighs and closes his eyes.
"Not now, Eva," Sam mutters and leans his head against the window, one hand holding his left cheek.
A blush creeps its way to my cheeks. I should probably stop. But it's difficult to do so when Sam Brekker is undeniably attractive, and I barely know anything about him.
His eyelids slowly flutter open and he takes a look at me from the corner of his eyes. He suggestively raises his eyebrows as a lazy grin forms on his face.
I shake my head and speak helplessly.
"I just wonder how you're not cold," I say, gesturing to his bare arms, but I know that he knows it's not just that. He stares at me for a moment and closes his eyes once again.
"I don't know, either," he whispers, barely making out what he's saying. I quickly look away and face the board.
Mr Parker closes his book and stands up.
"Class, we will start now," he says as soon as Jeremiah enters the room. He excuses himself. "Have a seat, Jeremiah. We're all here, except for one student," he mumbles. "And we all know who that is."
I chuckle to myself and glance at Jeremiah. His eyes meet mine and he smiles. Expectedly, his gaze drifts to someone near me, rather than something, and he quickly looks down.
I lock my jaw, turning to glare at Sam with a cold look on my face. He daringly smiles, pouting his lips and avoiding my gaze.
"I didn't even do anything."
"Class!" Mr Parker interrupts us. "I'm going to announce an English project right now, and I'm choosing your partners."
I hear groans and mutters in the background. Wyatt intervenes, "For Christ's sake! No!"
Parker ignores him. "You have one month to write a personal essay regarding Desmond Doss's case," he writes the information on the board and eyes us all. "You can either read his story or watch the movie. I believe you're all capable and I want good grades."
Carla is suddenly standing in the middle of the room. "You're the boss of these grades, Parker. Not us."
That's odd. I haven't heard her come in at all.
As she sits down, Brent nudges her.
"You seem extraordinarily happy today." He crosses his arms like a therapist. "That's suspicious."
"More like excited," she sings and eyes me knowingly with a wink.
I widen my eyes at her. She's going to spill everything.
I want to run and scream and hide my head in embarrassment. On cue, she leans in closer to us whilst Brent is listening attentively. I grab her wrist and tug but she just shrugs me off.
"Our dear friend here has just found her long, lost crush!" she squeals.
I groan, my face getting red. "Carla, no," I hiss.
Brent shouts, "What? Who is it?"
"Brent," I plead.
"Natha—"she starts to say and I cover her mouth instantly.
"Nathaniel Todd?" Brent bellows again and I'm sure whomever didn't know knows now.
"This isn't happening." I bang my head on my desk.
"Well, apparently, they knew each other since they were kids and they were their own first crushes! And, now, they meet again! It's like fate! Isn't that amazing?" She raises her voice on purpose and I want nothing more than to squish her dead.
Carla isn't usually that cheery. In fact, she wouldn't care. Something wrong is going on right now. Carla has an evil plan and I have no idea what she's trying to do.
Why would she spill my story out loud?
When I straighten up, she's still talking. "... and after all this time, they'd still look cute together," she rambles on about my love life and I clench my teeth.
Brent is listening like this was the best story ever whilst Sam is silent. He has been completely. He usually joins in whenever we have a conversation like that. I don't even dare to look at him.
Carla winks at me and I glare at her frustratingly. I huff and turn around.
The bell finally rings and Sam gets up before everyone does, already leaving.
"Sam, where are you going?" Carla asks.
"Hell." He narrows his eyes at her and pushes past me.
"I should probably go, too." Brent eyes Carla suspiciously and runs towards the door.
I turn around, nearly snapping my head. Carla has a big smile on her face. "Why did you do that?" I angrily ask.
"I'm a genius, right?" She shrugs, and I just shake my head back and forth. She seems atrociously proud for doing that. "Come on, you're acting like you have no idea."
My phone ringing inside my pocket stops me from arguing, making me forget what I was about to say. I peek at it.
Phone Stealer.
"Hey, dude, what's up?" I pat Nate's shoulder with the biggest fake smile on my face.
"Brekker, how's it going? You coming to practice this weekend?" Nate returns the smile.
"Sure am. You'll see me." I nod my head. "I heard about you and this... new girl. Tell me what's up." I pretend I'm happy for him.
He smiles dumbly and I want to rip it off his face. "Yeah, man. She's stunning. I know it's too early but I'm planning to make her mine. Don't tell anyone," he laughs.
My world halts completely and I'm standing on a rope. "What?" I mumble unconsciously, my vision going blank. No, this isn't happening. What the fuck did he just say to me?
"Hell, yes. She looks like a keeper. See ya, later." He bumps my shoulder, turns around and leaves.
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Edited.