Chapter Three

The bell rang and I quickly gathered my stuff to meet Nora in the hallway, brandishing away the thoughts I was thinking. Before I stepped into the hallway, I passed a classmate - the player - who winked at me. I felt my cheeks reddened and gripped my stuff in my arms tighter.

Nora glanced at me as I loosened my grip around my stuff and said, "Are you okay?"

I quickly smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking about the new kitten."

Her face lit up forgetting any reason she should push harder at me.

"Pictures?"

"I don't have her yet, so no." I chuckled at her downcasted expression.

"About cats, what did you name the one in your drawing?" She timidly looked around the hall as I mentioned it.

"Well, I thought that her name be Brixie. A decent name?" A frown pursed on her lips, curious about my response.

"Brixie, that's an okay name...," I trailed off and Nora's frown deepened. "You're getting better," I added.

"Thanks...," she muttered, her frown turning into a thin line, feeling a bit better about about the name she chose.

"I guess I'll just get to class." I part ways with her and head to my next class.

On the way there Lorenzo walks pass me and we both wave to each other for a brief second.

Lunchtime was crowded at the tables, so we opted for a random hallway that barely anyone passed. It had pretty much become our spot to hang out at.

"Guess what, my crush just asked me out!" she happily exclaims with her hands in the air.

Me and Lorenzo give her a high five, congratulating her on her new relationship.

"I thinks it's about time you guys get someone," Nora speaks with some pizza in her mouth.

I give my reason right away. "No that would be too early for me."

Lorenzo nods his head like that was a reason for him too.

"No copying her reasons," Nora scolds, before he could open his mouth.

Me and Nora burst out laughing at seeing his face. He joins in too.

Being the first to stop laughing, I spoke, "He's probably still getting over his ex." They both quiet down a bit.

"I am, but I am handling it well," he remarks.

"Are you though?" Nora inquired.

"He is regrettably so," I say remembering how he teases me by referring to her.

As if reading my thoughts he replies, "See I am handling it quite. By the way she would have said that."

"I see that I should throw you some nasty punches as she would do so." Lorenzo shrinks away and does not reply.

"Good thing you did break up with her or else you would still have nasty bruises," Nora adds, chuckling a little.

We finish eating and soon walk to put our trays away.

The last bell of the school day rings and I decided to take my time collecting my stuff. Everyone else has left, even the teacher.

I am pulled back into the classroom with the door pushed shut behind me with a loud thud. I curse mentally as I realize who trapped me with my back to the door.

"Hello again sweetheart," he says, showing a toothy grin.

My stomach flutters when I start to feel claustrophobic as he leans closer to me. It felt like my heart was trying to leap out through my closed throat that did not want to open.

He leans even closer and whispers in my ear, "Claustrophobic?" I nod unconsciously answering his question as my body shudders. Surprisingly, he backed off a bit considering my space before leaning back in.

"I won't let you easily forget about the party." He pulls away, but not before giving me a small kiss on the cheek.

When he leaves first I use a nearby desk to hold me up. I touch my cheek from where he kissed me, remembering the feeling over and over again. By the time I left the room and returned home, I still felt flustered.

I have never been so blank at trying to write something down in my dairy. All I remember was this feeling which I eventually wrote down along with what happened.

A smile broke onto my face when I realized what I was feeling. I felt thrilled and that's why I shuddered a bit when he was close to me. I wrote the eight-letter word down in my dairy in big letters.

Downstairs I heard a door slam and I indistinctly gulped. My name was being called harshly by my father as well as my stepmother's. I swallowed and ignored him allowing my step mother to take care of him.

Not much later and I could hear my step mom talking with him; more like shouting. As they continue their squabbling I make sure my door is locked and then put my air pods in.

Eventually, I fell asleep to the calming music in my ears; barely recognizing that Snowell had crept up and curled herself next to me.

Yawning loudly, I patted my matted hair. A couple brush strokes later and it was fixed.

Another yawn and I look at the clock seeing that it's three-thirty-five a.m. I did not feel like venturing out to get a snack or anything. Instead I went back to bed, falling asleep shortly. Snowell decided to leave me and sleep elsewhere for the rest of the night.