Chapter 18

GEORGE

There seemed to be something going wrong with my mind lately. I often found my mind drifting, getting distracted in class, and being absent-minded half of the time in a day.

Don't get me wrong, I was hearing every word perfectly in class, I haven't failed any tests nor have I skipped school, but someone keeps showing up uninvited and living in my head rent free. It was weird at first but now it is plain annoying and I plan to get rid of this annoyance I just didn't know how.

"You OK?" Robin asked and I nodded.

"Things are getting quite weird"

I perked up at that, "what's the problem?"

The bird had the audacity to shrug, close her locker and try to walk off but I grabbed her forearm.

"What's the problem?" I repeated. She took a step closer to me and whispered-

"You keep staring"

"Huh?"

"At the boy that slept in your house. The pretty one with purple eyes"

I felt my stomach leave my body, "you're joking right"

She shook her head with a mischievous glint in her eyes and I face palmed. I didn't even realize what I had been doing.

"What class are you having next?" I ask her in an attempt to change the topic, and if she noticed, she didn't comment on it.

"Data Processing or something. Why?" She asks back.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket before I could reply.

23 Henderson road. 09:00.

Follow the unlit road to the loading dock. Blue ferry.

"Who are you texting?"

I quickly exit the message app and lock my phone before my best friend could get a peek.

"Mind your business bird" I reply making sure to keep my tone light and carefree and immediately walking in the direction opposite her Data Processing class, towards the exit.

"You're a real bitch, George! I hope you bloody know that!"

"Mind your language Miss" a passing teacher reprimanded and I chuckled knowing I was out of earshot and wouldn't get murdered for it.

I head to the cafeteria knowing it would be empty around this time and because I had free period at the moment. Having nothing better to do, I decided to study. Tuning out the world with Jorja Smith and tapping my feet lightly, ten minutes later, I got tapped on the shoulder causing me to flinch violently and immediately rip out my ear buds from my ears.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. Sorry." A familiar raspy voice reached my ears before I saw its owner.

"Sorry", he repeated.

"Shit, Tobias. You scared the bloody hell out of me"

"Sorry"

"Are you a recorder? Damn"

He pursed his lips and frowned at me.

"You need something?" I asked frowning back.

"Not really…" he drew out.

Ok, now I was starting to get angry. This child better start talking or so help me God-

"I never-uh, got around to thank you for you know-the whole situation that led to me passing out in front of the toilet and you helping me. I got to find out that I had food poisoning and I'm totally fine now" he rambled then cringed. "I am not sure why I added the last part. I'm a little nervous I guess. I, uh-I'm not a very appreciative person?"

Be still my heart...

"Are you…asking me?"

He cringed again.

"I'll just stop talking and go sit somewhere. Bye"

"Wait", my mouth spoke before my brain even began to conceive a thought.

"Huh?" I understood his confusion, hell even I was confused.

"Are you uh…are you totally fine now?"

Somebody save me from myself. That's literally what he said seconds ago.

He nodded earnestly, "aside from mild headaches I'm fine"

"You're not going to faint again are you?"

"God I hope not" he chuckled and I found myself smiling at someone that was practically a stranger to me which is something that has never happened in my life.

He slid into the seat in front of me and brought out a notebook and biology textbook from his bag.

We sat in silence, both of us reading our own books and enjoying the cool weather till the bell rang for the next period. Immediately, I gathered my books and stood up.

"We have Art next"

I looked at him blankly. He cleared his throat, put his books back into his bag and hitched it on his shoulder.

"We have Art next" he repeated.

"Yeah, we do" came my mutter.

"Shall we?" he asked and I nodded then we started walking to our shared class in silence until he broke it.

"What do you have after Art?"

"History. Why do you ask though?"

"That would be your last class. What are you doing after school?"

Do you answer questions with questions, Tobias? I thought then realization dawned on me.

"Are you trying to ask me out on a date?" I asked back then had to suppress my laughter when his face flamed. He frowned and started walking faster causing me to shake my head and smile again.

TOBIAS

I did want to ask her on a date but I guess my advances weren't subtle enough. Yes. I have a crush on Georgia Black, I am not one to deny my feelings but what worried me was how fast I developed such feelings and if they would last or be reciprocated.

True; we were civil to each other now and we were close enough to be considered friends-or acquaintance, more accurately put, because it's not like we became best of buds and had been speaking to each other for weeks now or something, I just didn't find her so annoying anymore and I hope she shared the same sentiments as myself, plus let's be honest here, we don't exactly have a good first impression of the other.

I'm still trying figure out what she did to Rosa's phone so I made a mental list of what I knew about her;

1. She was a rich kid.

2. Very temperamental.

3. Unfriendly. Only talks to Elliot's cousin.

4. Was it a virus that broke Rosa's phone? Was she a computer guru or something?

I know number 4 is a question but let's not dwell on that.

"Yo, Gunn!" I heard Foster call me from beside the school entrance, "what are you thinking about man?"

I shook my head and he snaked his arm around my shoulders then steered me towards his car where our friends were waiting for us, surprisingly quiet. Foster had a habit of always leaning on my shoulders but it had never bothered me.

"Shotgun!" Elliot yelled.

"No fucking way in hell dumbass, you rode in front yesterday" Riley retorted.

I really shouldn't have jinxed it in my mind. Foster rolled his eyes and tossed me his car keys.

"I'm riding shotgun, Tobias drive" Foster instructed and the two boys groaned loudly.

"Drama queens" I whisper under my breath.

"What was that Tobias? I dare you to say it again" Riley fumed from the backseat as soon as we all climbed in.

Riley might appear to be shy or timid but he never hesitated to show fangs and claws at his friends.

"I said nothing sir" I playfully replied and he glared at me.

"Let's go man, I need to eat before our study session" Elliot kicked my chair from behind while clutching his stomach.

We studied together every day after school for four hours before going to our respective homes. We didn't play any sport or have any other friends besides each other, merely classmates and acquaintances but we regularly attended parties and sometimes took trips when we could. Neither of us were related but we were as close as brothers and we were secretly nerds.

"Food being" Riley insults and they began fighting again.

Foster sighed.  And honestly I felt like sighing too.