Chapter 6- Tiresome encounter

Natalie could swear the week was the most tiresome she's had in quite sometime. Her schedule was from class to the dorm. Since she was a freshman they were loaded with tons of assignment which she had to cover up and Kira was a great help. In cases she had to skip going to the lunchroom. Kira would be the one to get her lunch.

She wasn't one to socialize much but she noticed students here weren't particularly friendly. Just a few could avoid being rude and one was beginning to turn to her nightmare. Leila McKenzie.

Her first encounter with Leila and her group of three wasn't her fondest memory. She'd gone to the lunchroom during recess all by herself. Kira had to go to the library to research on her assignment and promised to meet up with her later in the day. She brought her food and made to move to the spot where she and Kira always had their lunch when out of possibly nowhere she felt someone push her. She fell and her plate of food came clattering down. Leila had done it in such a way that it looked more like an accident, but Natalie knew it wasn't.

"Oh! my bad",Leila smiled at her. She didn't look a bit sorry. Natalie was so furious that she forgot she was kneeling on the floor of the lunchroom trying to stare holes into Leila as she left her without even offering to help her stand. No one seemed to care.

Someone came up to her side and helped her up. The boy had ink black hair and was putting on jeans and a denim jacket.

"Thanks". Natalie pushed back some hair that had covered part of her face.

"I'm sorry about that. She doesn't normally act that way",he offered her a piece of handkerchief for her ketchup stained shirt.

" You don't have to be",she said using the handkerchief to wipe her jeans too.

" I'm Conner... Conner Graham ",he stretched his hand for a light shake. " You're Natalie right? "

" Um... yeah, how did you know "?

" Let's say your hair made you a bit popular "

" Okay _I guess it did", she watched him put his hand back into his pocket.

" I'm really sorry, I'm Leila's boyfriend. Maybe I can make it up to you. How about I buy you lunch someday "

" Um_sure"

" Then I'll see you ",he smiled at her before he left.

Natalie stood there before she realized she hadn't returned the cloth. She knew that if he hadn't been Leila's boyfriend and he'd ask her out, she would assent without a second thought. He was handsome, had a nice smile and a perfect gentleman. Wondering what someone like him was doing with Leila, she left the lunchroom.

There and then, she made a mental note of people she would have to avoid. The Gallaghers being the first and then Leila McKenzie. More especially, Derek Gallagher. He had unsettling eyes and aura and she was more than happy not to have crossed paths with him though she knew nothing on earth would make them.

* * *

She didn't see Kira for the rest of the day. She wondered if she got back from the library on time to finish her assignment.

The next day, she woke up rather too early. It was still 5:00am in the morning so she decided to take her time preparing for lectures.

She settled for a bowl of cereal. Not much, but it'll do, she thought. After her breakfast, she made for Kira's apartment. She was sure Kira had forgotten she had classes since she didn't call throughout yesterday. She must have slept in. Reaching there, she knocked severally but didn't get a response. She took out her cellphone and dialled her. The number didn't go through and that was when she became worried. Kira's phone was always with her and she always told her if she had to go anywhere. What if something had happened to her on the way back from the library, she thought.

Just when she was about to leave, she spotted the girl she knew lived next to Kira.

"Hi, have you seen Kira anywhere?",she asked

"I haven't seen her since yesterday" the girl answered

"You're Alexa"

"Yeah"

"Could you let me know when you see her?"

"Sure... I'll have to go now" Alexa said, hurrying off.

Natalie went for her Greek class unenthusiastically. She didn't know why they were made to learn the language. It was her worst course so far. Kira had promised she'd love it with time but she wasn't getting the hang of it.

But this morning, she had one more thing to be surprised about. The seat behind her which had always been empty since she started the course... was being occupied by a Gallagher.