There are only seven school days left until summer vacation. It seems that everyone but me is squirming with excitement.
Next to me, Craig Jones bounces his leg as Mrs. Walsh goes over the material for our final exam. Nicole Vandenberg taps her chewed-up pencil against the side of her desk. Jessica Jermain has her head down as she takes an afternoon nap in the middle of class. I'm exempt from the test, so I'm only half-listening, but it appears that everyone else is doing the same.
"Do you have any questions?" Mrs. Walsh asks, her beady eyes glued on us, willing someone, anyone, to voice an inquiry. No one does, of course. No one is paying attention. Biology isn't as interesting as summer break. Personally, I'd rather draw Punnett squares and dissect frogs than be at home for three months, but I'm the outlier. I'm an oddity.
The bell rings, signaling the end of fourth period. Collectively, we gather our things and exit the classroom. I make my way to my locker, drop off my books, and search for Damian. Lunch is next, and we always sit together.
I spot him at the other end of the hall, deep in conversation with a girl I don't recognize. She's pretty, though—wavy blonde hair, rosy cheeks, long legs—and seems very interested in whatever my best friend is saying.
I approach them. Damian doesn't notice me until I'm right beside him. He chuckles nervously, as if I've caught him doing something mischievous, and points to the blonde.
"Uh... hi, Layla," he stammers. "This is... this is—"
"I'm Haven," his new friend interjects. Up close, I notice that her eyes are baby blue. "I think we have gym together."
"Well, it's nice to officially meet you," I say.
"Haven and I were, uh, going to have lunch... like, together," Damian informs me, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
"You can sit with us," Haven quickly adds.
"No. I mean, no thank you. I wouldn't want to be a third wheel." I shoot Damian a glare before turning around and trudging to the bathroom.
I lock myself in a stall and lean against the door. My chest feels heavy. My stomach is doing somersaults. My hands are trembling, palms sweating.
Why do I feel like this? Why does seeing Damian with Haven make me want to curl into the fetal position and cease to exist? It isn't like I'm his only friend. He talks to other people.
But something about the way he stared at Haven, the way he hung off every word she said, made my blood boil. My skin is still red and hot to the touch.
I avoid Damian for the rest of the day. The following morning, I don't meet him at his locker like I usually do. Instead, I go straight to first period. I don't want to see him.
Lunchtime rolls around once again. I don't seek him out. I walk to the cafeteria by myself, take out a book, and begin to read. I get through two and a half pages when I hear someone creep up behind me. I feel eyes on the back of my neck. Without looking up from my page, I know it's Damian.
"Are you going to sit down or just stare at me?" I toss out.
"I don't know. Are you going to talk to me or just ignore me?" he counters.
I glance up. His arms are crossed over his chest. His face is cold, his mouth a straight line.
With a sigh, I close my book.
"I'm sorry I didn't eat lunch with you yesterday," he softens. "For the record, though, you were invited."
"I know," I tell him, "but I saw the way you were ogling at Haven, and I didn't really care to be in the middle of... that."
"For god's sake, she's just a friend! She's in my history class. She's helping me study for the final," he explains. "Yes, she's pretty, but I'm not looking for a girlfriend."
"Says the guy who's harbored an unreciprocated crush on our resident cheer squad captain for the past three years," I mutter.
He rolls his eyes and settles beside me. "Look, this is ridiculous. You don't like Jessica. You don't like Haven. Am I even allowed to look at other girls, or am I supposed to devote all of my time and attention to you?"
"Now you're being unfair," I snap. "I barely know Haven, and the reasons I dislike Jessica have nothing to do with you. You're allowed to spend time with whomever you please."
"Well, I'm glad we established that, because I think I might want to get to know Haven better, after all. Maybe I'll ask her to hangout sometime."
"Go right ahead. You don't need my permission."
"Great."
"Great!"
"I'll see you later."
"Bye!"
He storms off. I suffer through the rest of lunch with my queasy stomach, clammy palms, and heavy chest.
A/N:
Layla's eyes are greener than usual.... So, any predictions?
PS - please don't forget to vote! ⭐️