I was nervous as I stood near my locker. Nervous that I would see Xavier with a girl any minute. And even though it was me who gave him the right, I still feel a pang of jealousy shoot through my chest everytime I think about him with any other girl.
Brian and Evie went on to their own lockers to get their books. It was Brian who picked me up today with Evie. Usually Evie would drive on her own but since she still had a little pain in her ankle(or that is what Brian insists us to believe) from the time she twisted it on the stairs at Nathaniel's house she tags with Brian. Or should I say Brian forces her to tag along? No matter how much she yells at him that she is fine, that it doesn't hurt anymore, he doesn't take no for an answer. I think he just wants to spend time with Evie. And guess what am I doing? Yep, third wheeling them... Actually I hope they don't feel like that because that would be too embarrassing.
Ahhh...and my another reason to be nervous?
I don't know how Xavier will react when he reaches my home only to realize that I already left without him. Maybe he'll be mad. And knowing Xavier he might even be in a spoilt mood for the rest of the day. If. Only if it really matters to him.
I felt a hand press down on my shoulders. I was so immersed in my thoughts that I jumped up in surprise. I look at my side to see Alec standing there with a red hoodie on.
All the events that happened yesterday came rushing back to me. I didn't know how to react. It was kind of awkward.
Why? Even I don't know myself. There were just these moments together which felt so special and something more.
"Alec." I said.
"Princess." He replied back.
I sighed lightly. Listening to him calling me Princess just made things a little less awkward. It just meant he wasn't really mad at me. Or was he?
I looked at him and he looked the same. There was nothing whatsoever different about him. Again, I don't know what I was expecting. He had the same blue oceanic eyes. The same blonde hair which were longer than before. While his lips. My god, it was the first time that I was actually noticing them. I haven't actually seen how kissable his lips were.
What is wrong with me?
"About yesterday," I started taking a step forward.
I was very much expecting for him to take a step back, but I was surprised when he didn't. He stood there in front of me just like that.
"You are still thinking about it?" He chuckled very lightly.
I looked up confused at him. Am I not supposed to? I could pretty much tell that he was hurt yesterday. And today he just seemed....fine.
He took a step towards me and there was very little space left between us. The night we spent in the rain flashed in front of my eyes for a moment, our near kiss before I shook it off.
"Yes, I mean you seemed so" I couldn't get to the hurt part before Alec shook his head,
"Shocked?" He said still chuckling a little. No hurt, I wanted to yell but I didn't.
"I was just shocked, that's all. Look, Xavier is my best friend and knowing he had been engaged all this while and I didn't even know was surprising."
I felt a little hurt. I don't know why but I did. He definitely didn't seem shocked. Or was I delusional? Afterall, people do become delusional and think what they want to.
I wanted to ask about our "near" kiss.
"I can understand." Was all I said.
"I am so glad that nothing happened between," he leaned in a little towards me so that he was near my ear, "us." He whispered and went back to standing in front of me.
I didn't know what to say? I didn't want anything more to happen between us, but I will be lying to myself if I don't admit that I actually felt for him. Maybe I actually liked Alec.
"Yeah. Me too." I tried to smile back.
"I made everything clear with Xavier. Told him that we are just friends. So you don't have to worry about it anymore." He said a little ecstatically.
He seemed more cheery than ever.
"Yeah. Just friends." I replied back.
A mental note to myself, it was stupid of me to think that Alec liked me for even a second. He just thought of me as a friend. Just like Xavier. When will I ever become more to someone?
But seeing Alec as a friend was much easier. He doesn't mind Xavier and me being engaged anymore. Then I don't think it is my place to feel hurt at all.
Friends? Yes, I can be that. Better than anything else.
"What were you doing anyway?" I asked him walking towards Evie's locker.
I wanted to get off topic as soon as possible.
He started walking beside me with his hands in his pocket, "Nothing. Just had some work of Xavier's to be done."
As soon as I heard his name I couldn't help but get more interested. I was about to ask him more when a bunch of people greeted Alec.
He greeted them back by shaking hands and patting their backs. He really is popular. Is it because of his looks? Is it true that all you need is looks to be popular? Because no one. Literally no soul in this school won't know about Alec. Not only Alec, but the whole XAN trio.
"Hey Liya." The people who just greeted Alec acknowledged me.
I couldn't help but freeze in my place. Did I just heard them right? Did they just greet me? I don't even know them and yet they know about me.
I nodded slowly at them. I looked like a robot but they didn't care. They just looked at me before moving on with their stuff.
"I don't understand." I muttered confused
Alec looked down at me laughing, "Don't be so confused. Being linked to Xavier automatically makes you popular. And you are his fiancee. I can only hope for you to hope that there might still be people who don't know you."
I felt myself shudder. So all you need to be popular is Xavier in this school. Being recognized by the whole school isn't that bad until your every move is watched like a hawk. You cannot have your food without a controversy going on why would she eat that.
I sighed in resignation.
"Cheer up. It's not that bad. You'll get used to it." He winked at me cheerfully.
How much I wish I could have so much as a point of that cheerfulness in him. He thinks it won't be bad because he is used to this from the beginning. I am not. I wasn't that popular. Not a loner either. I was just....average. If that makes sense.
I felt an arm slung around me, "Yo Liya. Let's search for Evie together. God knows Panda ate her."
I removed his arms from around me and folded mine in front of me, "Pandas don't eat humans Brian.".
He went silent for a while but when he heard Alec chuckling softly it irritated the hell out of him.
"I know that!" He blew some air out, "pfft...I wasn't serious when I said that. How can you even think that pandas can eat humans. They are so adorable."
I shook my head at him. He whined but I just patted his back. Ofcourse he didn't know. He was just pretending to know that pandas didn't eat humans. I feel so bad for Evie.
"I'll get going Liya." I turned away from Brian to find Alec already ahead of me, "I still have to do Xavier's....shit...I almost forgot I need to inform everyone." He looked around panicked.
He started walking in the opposite direction in a hurry. I stopped him,
"What is it?"
He puts one of his hands on his forehead and closed his eyes, "You won't like the sound of it."
I raised my eyebrows but he couldn't see it. Brian called me out but I ignored him, "Tell me."
He looked a little hesitant for a while before he sighed, "We have been told by Xavier to let every girl know that he will be conducting the auditions for his girlfriend today. I can't believe he is doing that. And it wasn't even the plan until today in the morning when he entered the school with a scowl on his face. I don't know what got into him this morning but he seemed pissed off and decided to find his 'girlfriend'...Are you alright?"
I tried to smile, "Ofcourse I am fine. What would be wrong with me?"
He heaved out some air, "I just thought...you know. Since you and Xavier." He stopped mid sentence, "By the way you don't have to worry princess. I know about the deal you made with Xavier. And I am rooting for you. If you need any help just let me know. I am getting late now, I'll see you around."
He left after waving at me. I waved back at him before putting my hands down and staring at the floor. Good thing it wasn't crowded much right now or I would have been carried out into another dimension by them.
"He is really taking it seriously." Brian came and stood beside me. I knew he heard what Alec said.
I took a deep breath putting on a smile, "I knew it wasn't going to be easy the minute I made the deal."
Though the auditions? Is he that keen to find a girl? Or was it because of me? Did I really hurt his feelings by coming with Brian to the point that he is taking his revenge by having these auditions?
"Come on. We'll figure something out. Let's go find Evie." Brian said putting his arms around me once more. But this time in a reassuring way. Not removing his arms this time I let him take me with him.
We walked a few steps before Brian stopped. I could feel his body tense up. I looked up to find him looking in the front with hurt evidentom his face.
I looked in front to find Evie standing there with Nathaniel. They were laughing and talking to each other. I looked back at Brian to see him clenching his jaw.
I put my hands on his, "They are just talking. Let's go."
But he didn't budge from his place. I sighed before removing his arms away from my shoulders. I walked a few steps and took a glance back to find him still glaring holes into Nathaniel.
This boy. He has so much guts as to enter someone's house and mess with them but not enough to go upto the girl he likes while she is talking to some other guy.
"Hey." I said as I approached both of them. They both stopped talking before Evie came and hugged me. As soon as she hugged me she whispered into my ear,
"Have you heard about the audition?" She took a step back looking at me. Waiting for me to reply. I nod at her softly. Her eyes soften a bit at the corner.
"I am so sorry Liya." Nathaniel interrupted us. He was still standing there. He looked at me sheepishly with his hands behind his neck, "I didn't want to be rude to you on your first day. It was just the rule that we follow. I hope you'll forgive me taking into consideration that I almost payed for it when you made me smell like toothpaste, or wrote 'Fuck you' on my car for that matter."
I laughed along with him, "It's fine."
He grinned at me before stepping away, "You should enter the auditions too. I am sure you'll win."
"Not when Xavier is holding them." I said rolling my eyes.
"Even when Xavier is holding them." He winked at me.
We talked for a few minutes laughing before he said his goodbyes to me and Evie.
"I'll see you around."
As soon as he left she turned towards me. Her eyes a little dreamy, "He isn't that bad afterall."
I looked at her. Her eyes telling me something. No way, don't tell me she likes him. What will happen to my ship?
"He isn't." I agreed to her. It was true. When you talked to Nathaniel in person he wasn't that bad of a person. He talked normal like a human being. Not going around making people eat food from the floor.
"He is even good looking. He has these green eyes." Evie goes on sighing softly. Before she could complete her sentence I saw Brian stomp his way towards her and yank her away.
I could see Evie cursing and yelling at Brian to let her go but his hands were firmly tied around her wrist. I stood still for a moment contemplating if I should follow them.
In the end I ran after them to find Brian taking her outside the washroom and ordering her to wash her hands.
"Have you lost your mind?" She asked incredulously.
Brian ran his hands through his hair frustrated, "Maybe. Now go. I don't like that guy anyways."
Evie stomped her foot and turned away from him, "I am not washing my hands over your stupidity."
"My stupidity? Fine. Do whatever you want to do." He yelled and left her standing there with her mouth open.
He passed from my side. I tried to stop him but he didn't even pay any heed to it. This was my first time seeing Brian so mad. He was always the cheery guy and the clown of the group.
He must really like Evie to make him this mad.
I looked at Evie who still stood there confused. I walked to her. I know what Brian did was wrong. No matter how much you like a person you can't control them by making decisions for them.
I hugged Evie as she hugged me back still a little shocked, "What did just happen?" She asked unsure.
I wanted to tell her that it was nothing. That he was just a little jealous but I didn't want it to be me to tell her. It was Brian's place to tell and not mine. So in the end I just shrugged my shoulders,
"He just doesn't like Nathaniel after what he did to me."
She nodded her slowly at me. As I looked her I could see she was not convinced with the answer but she let's it pass anyway. She clears her throat lightly to gain her strength back,
"What are we gonna do about the auditions? Kidnap the girls?" she asked now concerned about me.
I looked at her in awe. Even when she just had a fight with Brian she was worried about me. How was I so lucky to have her?
I put my hands on her shoulder and reassured her, "That won't be necessary. You should go and talk to Brian. And as for me...I think it's time that I give an audition of my own."
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