Noah glared at something on the other side of lunchroom before his eyes shifted back to me. I couldn't look away from his nearing figure, his intense gaze trapping me in and making me feel like a prey.
"Martin," he said as he reached my table, dragging out the empty chair right in front of me and slumping down on it.
"Sylvan." I sat up straight, trying to imitate his cold-attitude and failing.
His glare dimmed and lips twitched slightly, trying to keep back a smirk. He leaned forward and took the sandwich from my food tray as if it was an absolutely normal thing to do.
"What are you doing?" I asked as he started unwrapping the sandwich's cover. That's my food!
Noah shrugged. "I thought why not say hi to you." He again looked at same direction and narrowed his eyes. This time I followed his gaze to jocks' table and found Jason, our football team's wide receiver looking back at us and sporting a frown. "How's Gabriel?"
I turned back to Noah. "He's good." I threw a weak glare as he took the bite of my sandwich. He didn't seem slightly bothered, in fact his eyes brightened, teasing me as he chewed the bread. "Seriously, what do you want?"
"You."
My heart skipped a beat.
"Gordon's throwing a party tonight," he continued, "I want you to come. I'll pick you up."
It took me a moment to compose myself. "It's a school night. Who throws party on Monday?"
Noah shrugged. "Gordon is strange like that."
If one of them was throwing a party, I knew only selected people were invited, which were usually the richest and belonged to powerful families. People like me didn't belong there. Despite Gordon's friendly and helpful nature, he too didn't mingle with every poor soul, sitting on top like the rest three with a title of 'the kind one'.
Being invited to their parties was a big deal, and being invited by one of them even more so. And if Noah Sylvan was offering to pick you up, you might as well die.
"I'll pick you at eight." He stood up ready to leave -with my sandwich- as though he hadn't just dropped a bomb on me.
"I didn't even say yes," I spluttered.
"Then say yes," he added dismissively like a condescending jerk he was.
His snobby behavior always pushed my buttons. This kind of attitude wasn't going to fly with me, no matter how desperately I was crushing on him.
"No. I'm busy tonight." I might've just committed a sin saying no to Noah Sylvan, but the look of surprise and disbelief on his face was worth it. Of course, the Prince wasn't used to hearing 'no'.
He settled down on the chair again, staring me down with those mesmerizing eyes. He was very displeased. "Busy doing what?"
"Assignments, homework and stuff."
"So you're saying no to our date because assignments, homework and stuff?"
Wait, what?... Date? He was asking me out?! I thought it was just an invitation to a party. So Noah Sylvan was asking me out on a date! Am I dreaming?
"Uh..."
My confusion and shock must be amusing to him because the side of his lips lifted. He looked so sure of himself. "Last chance Martin. What do you say?" He finished the sandwich as he waited for my response.
"I say no." I huffed. Of course, I wanted to scream yes, but damn he was so annoying and arrogant, and there was nothing more I wanted than to wipe that smugness off his pretty face. If only he could be little less assholish. But then again if he was sweet, I knew for sure I'd be kissing the ground he walked on. At least, his arrogance kept me sane.
Amusement dwindled and Noah's eyes glinted dangerously. "You love to deny me, don't you Martin? Do you get pleasure out of refusing me?"
"I'm not denying you anything. I'm just exercising my free will," I retorted. After rejecting so many girls, this prince couldn't take rejection well. What a brat!
He stood up and leaned forward, his palms pressed against the metal table. "You're denying me of something that is mine."
"What?" My heartbeat picked up as he moved closer.
"You." My face heated and air between us became heavy. His scorching gaze lit me up. "I'm not very patient. If you keep denying me I might just snap and..."
"And?"
"And snatch away what's mine."
My breath hitched, a strange bloom spreading in my chest. Before I could settle whether I was offended or turned on, Noah with a final glance walked away. My eyes followed his retreating figure and I saw Silas at their table looking back at me. I would've found his all-knowing smirk annoying, if my mind wasn't caught up in what just passed between Noah and me.
Seriously, what the hell just happened?
*******
"Giselle." I jumped at the sudden voice and my hand hit the locker's door. "Damn!" I turned around to find Jason Matthews looking at me wide-eyed. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to scare you."
"It's okay," I said, rubbing the sore spot on my arm. This is what I get for daydreaming about Noah instead of being aware of my surrounding.
"You didn't hit yourself too hard, did you?" Jason asked.
I smiled, shaking my head and trying to figure out why Jason Matthews, one of the star athletes of Maple Ridge High, was talking to me. "So, what's up?"
"Nothing much. I just wanted to talk to you- I mean ask you something." He sounded little nervous.
"Ask away."
"I was wondering if you'd like to go to Blair's party with me. I mean I can give you ride if you want to. There's no pressure of course. It's just it'll be fun if you hangout with me and my friends, obviously girls included-"
"Gordon's party is exclusive to only few people and I'm not one of them," I said, stopping his nervous blabbering, which was kind of cute though coming from the popular jock.
"You can be my plus one. It's no big deal," he countered immediately.
Okay, some kind of meteor had to drop on Easthallow and change the perception of reality of either mine or everyone else's. This day was too much. Never in my life had I been approached by a popular guy, much less two rich and handsome ones in a single day. Was I still in bed and dreaming? My love-life in reality was barren and this sudden attention from guys was too much to cope. It had to be a dream.
"So you want that plus one to be me?" I asked, unsure.
Jason blinked before grinning, shinning his perfect white teeth. "Yeah."
Jason Matthews was the youngest son of Attorney Ronald Matthews, which made him part of the rich crowd. Our school had lots of wealthy students, almost in proportion with the rich population of Easthallow. Jason was tall guy, touching 6 feet, with lean athletic built. He had a boyish face with brown eyes and a dimple that appeared on right cheek when he smiled- like he was doing right now. It was a given he was popular among girls.
And this guy was asking me out right now. Wow! Last time I remembered I didn't bathe in beauty water to have the eyes of two guys which were way out of my league.
Jason didn't steal my breath away or sped my heart like Noah, but I had to give it to him for being endearing and not assholish while asking me out.
"I-I don't know about it Jason," I began and his smile dimmed, making me feel little guilty, "I just refused Noah, and not very politely. It won't look good on my part to now show up at his friend's house."
"I'm pretty sure Noah won't care. I hung out with him and his bunch few times. At the risk of sounding bitchy, I say they are full of themselves, too self-absorbed. I guess they are too good for us mortals." Jason snorted. "Don't think too much, Noah won't even notice you there."
There was a sudden urge in me to protect Noah from his bashing, but I kept my mouth shut. And Jason was kind of right. Noah, Silas, Elijah and Gordon were a close-knitted group. They weren't very open to others, and when they were it was usually with other kids who too were almost as wealthy as them. It gave them the added allure of being aloof and mystique.
"By the way I saw him today at your lunch table. What was that about? Did he invite you to party then?" Jason questioned. He was getting way too comfortable with me.
"Yes." I felt the feeling of being watched and my back tingled. I peeked behind and found the pair of familiar eyes watching me. Noah. When did he get here? He was standing with Elijah at his locker. It was a rare sight to see Noah at this hallway, even though the twins' lockers were here.
"And you said no." Jason chuckled, making my eyes tear away from him. "Damn, that's kind of cool. People like him don't hear no often."
I nodded, my attention now divided with the awareness of his gaze.
"So are you coming?"
"I still don't think it's a good idea." I barely resisted the urge to look behind again.
"If it's because of Noah then we don't have to go to the party. I can take us to movie or someplace else." What? "But I think you're making a big deal out of it. Well, girls tend to do that when any of those four is involved."
"I'm not making-"
"Woah, when did this happen?" Jason interrupted me, looking behind me where Noah was standing. "Didn't he say no to her?"
I turned around, finally allowing myself a chance to gawk at Noah, but the sight before me had me crumbling.
Silas had joined Noah and Elijah, and along with him the newcomer was Jenna, who had her hands wrapped around Noah's arm. He wasn't making any effort to get away from her, instead he was leaned against the locker comfortably. She was clinging to him happily as though she hadn't been publicly rejected by him just today.
"Damn, us football players needlessly get the bad rep when it's this guy who loves toying with girls," Jason muttered.
Jealousy burned inside me as Jenna ran her fingers along his biceps. I wanted to drag her away from him and bash both of their faces. God, I was so crazy when it came to this asshole.
As if Noah heard my thoughts, a small smirk lifted on his lips. His eyes met mine and shone with challenge. So he was doing it purposefully to taunt me.
Two can play this game.
I looked away from him to Jason. "You know what, let's go to Gordon's party. You're right I'm thinking too much."
"Awesome. Let me give you my number. Text me your address, I'll pick you up tonight."
As we exchanged numbers I felt certain someone's eyes burning into my back. I didn't turn around. When Jason left, I too scurried off without a single glance at Noah, no matter how much I wanted to. Besides the blazing gaze that followed me till I rounded the hallway let me know I got to him.
Serves that Prince Jerk right.
*******
Hope you guys liked the update.
You can read two chapters ahead on inkitt. Link is in bio.