STAY AWAY

Lisa's eyes kept roaming around the school compound as she walked.

She caught sight of Nancy where she sat under a tree in the garden.

Lisa instantly stomped her way over.

She stood in front of Nancy hands akimbo.

"Hey Nancy the hawker" Lisa said loudly, intending to draw attention of other students and embarrass Nancy.

It worked spectacularly as she'd hoped.

Eyes turned to stare at Nancy.

Nancy's cheek flushed red in embarrassment.

If she were light skinned, she would have looked like a tomato. She was glad for her melanin skin tone.

Most of the students had an odd look Nancy could recognize.

She felt so hurt.

"why are you doing this? what do you want? yes I'm a hawker and how is it any of your business" Nancy asked, her cheeks still flushed in shame.

Lisa felt proud of the effect she had achieved, so she continued louder than the first time.

"you know you're dirt poor and unfit to be in this school. Your scholarship was just sheer utter luck so do listen up bitch....if I were you, I would watch my steps" Lisa said, gesturing at Nancy to stand while she proceed to relax on the seat Nancy just vacated.

Nancy didn't hesitate. She bolted upright as though there were tiny ants chewing on her butt.

"I'm the proprietor's only daughter and I'm the queen of this school, more like the second owner, and I have the power to decide who stays and who leaves whenever I wish....are you following?" Lisa continued.

Nancy's head was still hung low, her eyes to the ground. She felt as though the ground could just open up and swallow her...the embarrassment was just too much.

"stay away from Jeremy. He is my boyfriend" Lisa said, placing emphasis on each of the words.

Nancy now realized the reason for the embarrassment.

It was thanks to that arrogant jerk with no manners.

Even without being present, he was obviously still causing her problems...now Nancy's shame turned into anger but Lisa still mistook the dullness on her face for shame, so she continued.

"I'm a very jealous person but not unreasonable so I'll pardon your little slight and assume you didn't know... henceforth, don't talk to him. If he speaks first, snub him...if you intend to still keep that scholarship of yours that is...."Lisa said curling up her lips at Nancy's discomfort.

Nancy's head was bowed as Lisa spoke.

"do I make myself clear?" Lisa added.

Nancy nodded her head in response.

"now you can go on with whatever nonsense you had going on before I came" Lisa snorted, as she vacated the seat.

She walked away, head held high.

Nancy just watched her retreating steps.

In truth, Lisa felt threatened by Nancy.

The girl was beautiful.

More beautiful than she was, and she looked smart.

Lisa knew it wouldn't take Nancy little effort to nothing to enchant any guy she wished, including the new guy, Jeremy.

She was poor, yes, but all the damn poverty did was hide her beauty a little bit.

Lisa was not about to stand by and watch her Charm Jeremy to the point of no return.

She was the only girl he hadn't yelled at since he came into the school and Lisa didn't like it one bit.

Lisa always got what she wanted... always and she was going to make sure it remains thet way.

Jeremy's eyes also roamed around the school premises as he walked, unconsciously in search of Nancy.

The girl was like a magnet that kept pulling him, tugging at his strings and he kept following that pull.

He spotted her in the school garden on a bench and He couldn't help but stand and admire her beauty from afar.

She didn't have much, this he could tell.

It showed in her shoes, the way her hair looked, in the air about her...but it did not mask her beauty to the point of hiding it completely.

Nancy suddenly glanced up and their eyes met.

She dropped her gaze immediately and returned it to the book she was reading, she looked like she was close to tears, her eyes were moist.

Jeremy walked to her "is this space taken" he asked, gesturing to the vacant seat beside her.

Nancy gave him no response, her head still bowed.

Jeremy shrugged and sat beside her only for her to shift towards the seat's edge.

Jeremy eyed her.

He moved close to her and she shifted.

Jeremy sighed and shifted again, she moved, forgetting that there was no space left.

She'd almost fallen off the edge when Jeremy caught her.

She struggled against his grip, causing Jeremy confusion.

"are you avoiding me?" he asked plainly but Nancy again, gave him no response.

"if you're still mad at what I said in class, I'm sorry" Jeremy found himself apologizing.

"Hold it!" his mind screamed.

"did you just apologize to her? Jeremiah Brent tendering an apology! incredible!"

"shut up!" he chided himself.

"what are you apologizing for?" Nancy asked holding back her anger.

She'd just received one of the biggest embarrassment of her life because of him and here he was simply apologizing. She felt like reaching across the space between them and placing her palms on his throat before squeezing the life out of him.

It was one of the biggest embarrassments because with a wicked witch of the west for a step mother, she practically ate embarrassment for breakfast.

Getting hurt by people wasn't new....she was used to it.

"it's not like we're friends or dating....so save your stupid apology" Nancy said dryly.

Jeremy was at a loss for words.

"errrr...I felt I hurt you... I'm just saying sorry"

He finally managed to stammer.

"listen, bud...get lost. I don't like trouble when I see it" she replied, staring daggers at him.

If eyes could kill, Jeremy would probably be dead by now.

"what problem?" Jeremy replied brows raised.

Nancy couldn't hold in her anger anymore. She lashed at him.

"why don't you get it? I want to be alone! stop pestering me and let me be!" she yelled at the top of her voice, causing curious stares in their direction.

"fine! I'll leave!" Jeremy said angrily.

He stood up to walk away, but he just couldn't.

He turned his eyes in her direction.

His sorry ass landed back on the bench.

She turned and found him staring at her.

"you were just leaving. Why are you still here?" she asked, her face contorted in anger.

"why does everyone detest you?" Jeremy asked in response to her question, catching her off guard.

She was stunned for a few minutes and just stared.

She totally wasn't expecting that.

"how is it any of your business?... Why are you so concerned all of a sudden" she asked, brows raised.

She dropped the book she was studying on her lap and turned to face him.

"I don't know...it's just a question. I'm curious" Jeremy replied with a shrug.

Nancy just shook her head and grabbed her bags to leave.

She needed to get out of here fast before her latest hater, aka Lisa, found her talking to him.

This was a one in a lifetime opportunity for her to go to school and she'd be damned if she let any arrogant cunt ruin it for her, handsome or not yup... she'd admitted it to herself. despite his disgusting attitude which irritated her to the marrows, he was one bloody hell of a hunk.

She stood up to walk out on him, but he grabbed her right hand.

Nancy paused mid step.

"what are you?...."

"listen Nancy...I know I've been a jerk to you.

I know I've been giving you the wrong impression ever since we came across each other..."

"ya think?" Nancy said, cutting his sentence short.

He ignored her and continued.

"I'm sorry for being an idiot alright? it's just that I despise this place, this country and I'm taking out my anger on everything and everyone I find"

Nancy peered at him as though he had gone mad.

"are you alright?" she asked, squinting at him.

She couldn't believe her ears.

Was the idiot actually pouring out his heart to her?

oh wait! so he really did have a heart. Lisa could have vouched his heart was made of steel when they finish met.

Yet here he was, being.... 'something'

She didn't know what words to use so she used 'different'

He was actually being different. She couldn't believe her ears.

She placed her hands on his forehead and asked again.

"are you alright?"

"let's forget the ugly beginning and become friends. Will you be my friend Nancy?" he asked hopefully, surprising himself and her.

He was surprised at himself. Did he really just actually do what he thought he just did?

'ah Jeremy...you have utterly completely lost it' his stupid mind screamed.

"shut up!" he said mentally for the umpteenth time that day.

Nancy was double stunned.

"what in the actual..."