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02 | Z A C K
I lifted the cover of my textbook but the lack of comprehension of the tiny words had me shutting it.
Mrs. Miller, our literature teacher, left to get some group project lists she forgot in her office. Finding the opportunity, the class were trying to turn it into a gossip period.
My friends made their own chat group a table away from me, conversing nonstop about unnecessary stuff. I wasn’t concentrating on what they were arguing about though. Instead, my mind was occupied with the text message that I received the day before. I tried to reason with myself on who could do such a thing but came up with nothing.
My attention shifted back to my friends as they talk. I suspected they were pranking me but then there wasn’t the normal playful glints I notice in their eyes whenever they are up to something.
“Zack, why are you so quiet? What’s going on?” Maya’s brows rose up in question. Damn. I forgot my sister’s blessed with hawk eyes.
“Just wondering what’s taking Mrs Miller so long.” Forcing a smile, I began to tap the pen I was holding against my desk. Maya’s eyes narrowed when she noticed the nervous gesture but said nothing.
Mrs. Miller stormed inside the class, cutting off the murmurings. Following close behind her was Jenna Coleman.
All the thoughts in my mind rushed out the minute she stepped inside the class. She ambled in as her long, high ponytail swung from side to side. Her round glasses made her look both sophisticated and adorable. My eyes were automatically drawn to her beautiful face, an innocent smile like a delicate flower plastered on her lips.
Jenna easily lightened a mood in a dark room with just her genuine smile. It was hard not to like her. She was sweet, witty and quite ambitious. Her emotions were not easily hidden on her innocent face and her big brown eyes always showed her soul. She always find the silverlining in everything she does and it was really refreshing.
“Thank you, Miss Coleman. I really appreciate your help,” Mrs Miller said, smiling at the kind angel. Jenna had always been the teacher’s favourite. They loved her and appreciated her efforts in assisting them. It was an instinct of hers to help them after school and on other occasions even helped tutor her classmates or juniors. She was precious, with a heart made of gold.
“You’re welcome, Mrs Miller,” Jenna replied with a sweet smile, before making her way back to her seat.
I quickly glanced over at her from the corner of my eyes. With legs crossed and fingers intertwined on her desk, she leaned forward and watched Mrs. Miller who was sorting out some papers. My eyes were glued to her every move. I didn’t miss any of the little wiggles and smiles she made.
“So kids…” Mrs. Miller began to say.
She pushed her square glasses down her nose, cleared her voice before finally fixing her eyes back on the papers she was holding.
“I’m going to swap your partners today. I’ve observed and noticed a positive change in the past two months. This is a new month and like I mentioned, I’ll swap your partners after the midterm. This will be your respective groups until the end of the semester.” Mrs. Miller had adapted this policy of swapping students twice a semester. In her opinion, it helped the students learn to cooperate with each other and work as a team. I didn’t really pay any attention when she started listing the pairs until she called my name.
“Zack Alan Hudson paired with Jenna Coleman…”
I blinked several times to try to get myself out of my imaginations. But it wasn’t an imagination, it was in fact a reality which meant I’ll talk to the girl I was smitten by for the first time. That’s a lot to take in.
I must have zoned out because when I looked up, Mrs. Miller had already finished grouping us.
“That’s all. As usual, you’ll do all forms of activities together, ranging from home works to presentations. Before the bell rings, why don’t you all say hi to your group partners?” Mrs. Miller suggested.
The class began to split up as they tried finding their partners and murmurings erupted in the process. My hands suddenly began to sweat. I wanted my friends to help him out but noe of them have their attention on me. I was a nervous wreck as I search through my instincts on what to do next.
“Amm… Hey!”
Adrenaline kicked into action, flowing in my blood rapidly. Distinctly, that was Jenna Coleman’s angelic voice. If I can’t approach her, she’d do it then. Inadvertently, my hands shot up to run my fingers through my silky hair. It was in fact, a nervous gesture.
For the first few seconds, I stared at her, unable to comprehend why I was paired with her suddenly. Outside, I looked normal and calm but inside, all hell broke loose. I watched as the tip of her tongue darted out to lick her upper lip.
A crease formed on her perfectly arched brows as she stared at me uncertainly. “Why are you staring at me like that?” Her cheeks reddened when she realised what she had just asked. I found it very cute when she did that.
“Don’t mind me, please.” I gave her a wide smile, which she returned with a gummy grin. Tugging a strand of dark brown hair behind her ear that escaped from the ponytail, she tried avoiding further eye contact with me.
I chuckled at the way I made her feel around me. She shifted her weight to her other leg trying to come up with something to say in order to break the awkward silence. Her breathing became faster but she still tried to look serene.
“We’ve never spoken before, you know? This is our first time.” I said instead, casually staring at her. She squirmed under my gaze, suddenly finding her classmates more interesting than our conversation.
She was saved by the dismissal bell ringing. Her eyes immediately lightened up, her body standing straighter. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Before I could say anything, Jenna escaped from me. She picked up her bag and barged out of the class after Mrs. Miller. I shook my head at her diffidence. I had never met a girl that sheepish and shy but I genuinely found it adorable. Maya and Shawn ambled towards me with a knowing smile which meant they saw us together.
“If you don’t make a move Zack, fate will do,” Maya exclaimed in delight. My friends knew about my monstrous crush on Jenna. What they didn’t know was the reason why I couldn’t have her and just the mere thought of it made me frustrated.
Daisy.
I would never betray Jenna by sleeping with her sister secretly and then dating her. That was so wrong. It was better I kept my distance, even if it was hard to resist the chemistry between us. That stupid mistake ruined everything.
“Sometimes, I wonder if you’re actually attracted to her. It feels like you just like her attitude, her vivacious personality and that’s all. This is your first time falling in love, maybe, you don’t know what love feels like but that’s just my opinion.” Maya shrugged when we glowered at her. It was no secret that that attraction was not any friendly advance. It was pure chemistry between two teenagers who could never be friends.
“Zack, can I speak to you for a minute privately, please?” The small, feminine voice drew our attention. Turning our curious heads towards the direction, I realised who it was.
Jupiter.
Jupiter was Daisy’s best friend. It was hard to believe that she was because she was softhearted and easy going. She was short, with bright dark brown eyes, wide full lips and chubby cheeks. Her flawless dark skin and jet black long hair were the definition of her mixed race heritage. She was cute and shy, the total opposite of her best friend apparently.
I understood that she was referring to me when her eyes refused to leave mine. Without warning me, my friends packed their stuff and left us alone. In the back of my mind, I wondered what Jupiter wanted. I have never spoke to her because we shared nothing in common, especially since her best friend was the bad girl.
Jupiter sighed, folding her arms, giving me a hard glare which was unlike her. “I have a message for you from my best friend.”
My face fell faster than a corpse in cement boots. I stood still, my gaze penetrating deeply into Jupiter’s eyes in a challenging way. I had never sent or received a message from Daisy. No words had being exchanged between us before, so why was she sending me some message all of a sudden? Could she be the one behind the text message?
Before I could speak, Jupiter interposed by raising a hand. “Look, I know you’re surprised that Daisy has a message for you but I don’t know what this is all about. If you want to find out the truth, meet her at the Roman restaurant a few blocks away, in thirty minutes. She has something important to tell you.”
She turned on her heels and left, leaving me speechless. I scowled, my jaw ticking with fists clenched. I was pretty sure she remembered what happened that night and was going to use it against me. Daisy was always looking for trouble. Guess I was her next victim.
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