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"Dude, seriously, the gym teacher is totally hot." Megan commented.
I rolled my eyes.
Jayden sighed. "Shut up." He mumbled under his breath.
I giggled but turned it into a cough when Megan glared at me. We continued pacing ourselves down the halls. It's Friday morning.
For the past couple of days, Gabriel had been coming in through my window every night. I've absolutely loved his company, sure, but everything was becoming harder. Looking into his bright blue eyes now makes me blush and turn away, seeing his cute perfect smile always makes me feel like my body was about to catch fire and just being near him practically makes my heart jump out of my chest.
Gabriel and I... It's not the same. But I, weirdly enough, like that fact.
Man, I really need to think some things through. I shook my head.
"Alex," Megan said. "How can you not think Williams is hot? Have you not seen him?"
I laughed. "Yeah I've seen him. And he's an insensitive douche. I think he knows he's hot, he thinks he knows everything."
We stopped walking. Megan and Jayden stared behind me, eyes widening. "Uh, ah Alex---"
"What? It's true. Every girl drools over some big buff dude with the brain of a---"
Two hands landed on my shoulders arms. They spun me around and my mouth dropped open.
"I'm a big buff dude with a brain of a what?" Mr Williams' smirked.
I laughed a little embarrassed. "Um, I ah... you have the brain of a genius! You're just so smart---"
"In my class room Miss Gardiner."
I laughed and looked at Megan. She looked so jealous it made me laugh harder.
Mr Williams rested his hand on my back and led me to his class.
That's when Kimberly saw me. Ah, hell.
I did so well to avoid her these past couple of days; so did Gabriel! Kim was one of those girls. Not a friend but not exactly an enemy. We just never got along. Especially now when she's set her sights on Gabriel. She'd been away on vacation unsurprisingly missing the beginning of the new semester.
She stopped in front of me with her two clones Amber and Amy. Yeah, I know.
"Oh, my gosh, Alex!" She opened her arms and hugged me.
Williams took a step back allowing her to hug me. I hugged her back reluctantly. She let go and smiled at me. I fake smiled back.
Over the summer it looked like she had applied not a real tan, but fake tan over her usually pasty skin. Her brown eyes still looked the same, her professionally dyed brown hair looked touched up and her skinny body was still the same.
She glanced at Williams and raised a brow before directing her gaze back to me. "So, how are you?"
"Good." I grumbled reluctantly.
"Is that all you can say?"
I clenched my fists. "Yeah, basically Kim, that is all I can say." I said as nicely as I could.
She scoffed. "Anyway have you seen Gabriel anywhere?"
"No."
She took a step back at my icy tone. She smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. She looked a little bit scared to be honest.
"Okay, well if you see him tell him I was looking for him." She winked before walking away.
I was about to walk after her and pull those pretty hair extensions out but Williams turned me left and down the hall.
He opened his classroom and I sat on his desk.
"Calm down, alright?"
I unclenched my hands and sighed. "Fine."
"Good," He sat down in his chair and pulled out a book from his desk. The bell rang and I got up to leave but he stopped me. "You're not going anywhere this period."
I sat back down slowly. "Why?"
He smirked. "For one, you called me an insensitive douche."
I coughed to cover up my laughter. "No! You heard incorrectly."
He chuckled. "Hey, I know what you said. I can be sensitive! If I wanna be."
I rolled my eyes and brought out my phone.
"And I know I'm hot." He said under his breath.
I scowled. "Jerk."
He laughed and put his feet up on the table next to my legs.
"You know you shouldn't be so rude to me, I am your teacher after---"
I interrupted. "Correction. You are not my teacher. You teach gym, I don't do gym this year," I sighed out the word, "Asshole." I sent out a quick text to Gabriel telling him I'd been caught by Mr. Williams. The door behind me opened but I didn't even attempt to turn around.
"Ah, you're here," Williams said. "Alex."
"What." I said in a monotone, too into the conversation with Gabriel on my phone.
"Remember I asked you to show my nephew around?"
"No." I replied.
He chuckled and said, "She's always like this."
There was another laugh I was guessing was his nephew.
"He's here today."
"I thought you said he was coming to this school after this week?" I smirked down at my phone at Gabriel making a joke similar to mine about him being insensitive.
"I thought you said you didn't remember?"
"I lied, obviously." I sighed.
"He's officially attending on Monday but today you'll be showing him around so he can get to know the school."
"Joy," I said sarcastically.
From the corner of my eye I saw him shake his head. "Anyway, get off your phone so we can do the introductions now."
I sighed.
"Ian, this is Alexis Gardiner,"
I put my phone in my pocket and stood up.
"Alex, this is Ian Lamb."
Why do I feel like I've heard that name before?
I turned around and tried to mask my surprise.
There stood that grey eyed, cropped black haired guy from the other week. The gorgeous grey eyed, black haired guy. Today he was wearing a black v-neck that showed a little of his muscled chest, a black jacket and dark blue jeans.
He smirked at me showing those familiar dimples and held out his hand. "Pleasure,"
I lifted my hand and shook his hand, mouth still gaped open.
Williams put his hand under my chin and closed my mouth. "Stop drooling."
I scowled at him and turned back to Ian.
"What- What are you doing here?" I asked him.
He smiled. "I told you I was moving here remember? Wouldn't you think I would be coming to this school?"
Not really, no, I thought.
"Wait, you two know each other?" Williams asked.
"Barely," I said while staring at him.
"Reece, this is the girl I told you about. The one I found on the side of the road in the pouring rain swearing like a trooper."
I blushed and looked down but then immediately started laughing. Williams name is Reece?
"Oh, see now I understand. I can just imagine her swearing like an army trooper. Then again I don't really have to imagine." He laughed.
I scowled. "I don't swear all the time. Only if I'm frightened or pissed- I mean angry."
He laughed and then pushed me towards Ian. "Now, go and show him around before things get ugly."
"Too late." I mumbled.
He laughed as Ian and I made our way out of the classroom.
The halls were empty; we walked side by side in silence down a random hallway.
I never thought I would see him again. Yeah, he was coming to town but I didn't actually think about the fact that he could be coming to the same school. I'm a bit of an idiot really. He said to me he was turning eighteen this week so I should have assumed we were in the same grade.
"So, Alex," He used my nickname on purpose and then chuckled. "I didn't know you were the one showing me around,"
"And you think I did?" I glanced at him.
"Point taken," His arm brushed mine. "So, how are you? You don't seem as upset as when I saw you last."
"I wasn't upset." I mumbled.
He laughed. "It was completely obvious you were crying, Alexis. An idiot could see that you were crying."
"That explains how you knew." I blurted out a little too sharply. That was... weird.
He stopped and held a hand to his chest. "Ouch. I didn't mean to press a touchy subject."
I shook my head and turned to him. "Sorry, I didn't mean to---"
He interrupted with a throaty chuckle. "It's fine."
We began to walk in silence. He started whistling a random tune as we walked down the empty school hallways. I was quite surprised no teachers were walking around.
I wasn't really showing him around, we were just having a stroll down the halls.
There was something about him that was different. A good different I think but I have been wrong before.
We made it outside into the school gardens and I went straight towards my usual tree without even thinking. I sat down and rested until my back hit the thick grass to look up at the sky. The sky was clear. It was cool today, a light breeze circulating the air every so often.
Everything was immediately blocked out by Ian's smiling face. He hovered over me. "Is there a reason why we're here?"
I shook my head and sat up, Ian following. "No. I wasn't really thinking when I came out here."
He nodded slowly.
I tilted my head slightly and stared at him. Why can't I put my finger on what was different?
He raised a brow and stared back. "Is there something on my face?"
I shook my head. "No," I cleared my throat. "So, what brings you to North Carolina?" I asked changing the subject.
He hit his back against the grass and shut his eyes. "I used to live in Jacksonville. My dad's a dick, so my mother and I are living with Reece."
"Oh," I felt bad for asking now. But I wasn't going to make it awkward. "You're probably not looking for my sympathy so I'm not going to make it awkward by saying sorry."
He blinked an eye open and he turned his head towards me. "You're absolutely right." He chuckled. "Everyone has always been like, 'I'm sorry' or giving me the look that says 'Poor boy'. I hated that look." He stared at me for a moment and then grinned showing his cute dimples. "Thanks,"
I waved it away. "Ah, no problem," He grinned and then I remembered. "Oh, happy late birthday,"
He smirked. "Not that late. It was on Wednesday."
"Oh." I acknowledged just as the bell rang.
He stood up and I followed. We made our way inside and we parted ways when we got to Mr Williams or should I say Reece's classroom. We also exchanged numbers so we can, and I quote his words, "Keep in touch over the weekend."
I smiled as I strolled down the hall toward my locker. In spite everything that has happened to me in the past three weeks I can somehow still smile. And a lot of effed up things have happened to me. Don't get me wrong, I had nightmares. It was probably why Gabriel was never too far away.
Tracey looked up from her locker and grinned at me excitedly.
"Oh, my god, guess what?"
I chuckled and put in my combination. "What?"
The next thing that came out of Tracey's mouth, however, turned my smile into a snarl.
"This guy, Tommy asked me out in first period!"
I looked over her shoulder to see Tommy come out of a classroom. He smiled and winked at me before turning his back to me.
I don't know if he remembered that night with Gabriel, but if he did, he had a lot of nerve. Everything inside me burned with anger. This guy tried to force himself on me and now he thinks he can go out with Tracey?
No. Screw that.
"You're not going out with him, Tracey," I said seriously.
She closed her locker and stared at me. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. I am warning you, not to go out with him."
She glared with a million and one questions in her eyes and hesitantly asked, "Why?"
I continued watching him stroll down the hallway checking every girl he walked past, out. I tried my hardest to keep my feet glued to the ground. I wanted to beat the living crap out of him.
I clenched my fists and my jaw. "You don't want to know."
She laughed nervously. "Try me."
I ignored her and started walking towards him. I've never actually felt so angry in my life. My hand and arm were itching like crazy and I could practically see red.
I can't believe how angry I am. I've been pissed off before but right now, I feel like I could literally rip someone's head off.
I got close enough to tap on his shoulder.
He turned to me and smiled. "Hey, Alexis."
I smiled.
But then I pulled my fist back.
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(2022: edited)