Put in place

During lunch, Matilda and I headed to our usual spot, a secluded area where we could have some privacy. Ever since I started dating Jake, I've felt increasingly uncomfortable. People whispered whenever I passed by, and although I craved a quiet, anonymous life, it seemed impossible now.

We joined the long line, trays in hand, waiting for our turn. As we moved forward, inching closer to the front, Mrs. Thompson, the lunch lady known for her constant frown and expressionless face with a mole beneath her chin, caught sight of me. To my surprise, a wide, creepy smile spread across her face, sending shivers down my spine. What was even stranger was the way she served me more pasta, along with some fruits and a box of milk. It was something she had never done before for students like us from the lower class.

"That's enough, Mrs. Thompson," I politely spoke abruptly.

"Are you sure?" she asked. "You look so skinny."

"I'm okay with this, thank you," I replied, turning to leave.

"Tell Jake I fed you well," she added with a mischievous tone. Her words hit me like a stray bullet. Anger welled up inside me, but I managed to maintain a frozen smile and averted my gaze, storming towards my seat. I realized then that Mrs. Thompson was only nice to me because of Jake.

I pounded my spoon clenched in my fist on the table, creating a loud sound that grabbed the attention of other students. "Tell Jake I fed you well," I mockingly mimicked her words. "Who does she think I am?"

"He's girlfriend ," Matilda teased, trying to suppress her laughter. I shot her an angry glare, and she burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"It's not fair for people to be nice to me just because I'm dating the school's hottest and richest guy," I admitted, saying it out loud, I realized the truth behind my own words.

"Why are you yelling? You're the one who got more food," Matilda complained. I glanced at her plate and noticed she only had a small portion of pasta and an apple. "She gave me the stink eye when I asked for more. I should be the one expressing my anger," she added, a hint of frustration in her tone. Then her eyes shifted to my tray.

"You know what?" she said. "I'll take that." She swiftly switched plates with me, taking my meal. I didn't mind. Matilda rarely spoke about her financial struggles, but I knew she needed it more than I did. My family was relatively better off than hers, and even though we were both under a partial scholarship, I respected her privacy and never brought up the topic.

Fortunately, we had the opportunity to attend this school through a partial scholarship. Although it didn't cover everything, it was still a significant help. The wealthy parents funded the scholarships as a means to showcase their affluence, selecting fifty students to attend. We still had to pay for books, uniforms, and other expenses. Despite the costs, studying in a prestigious institution like this increased our chances of getting into college, which is why we seized the opportunity.

Matilda and I instantly bonded on the first day over our shared love for Blackpink. Since then, we became inseparable.

Unknown to me, Jake walked towards us. He pulled the chair beside me and sat down, he greeted me with a cringe-worthy "Hey babe."

Matilda smiled at me, her eyes sparkling as she noticed Ethan and Owen joining us, pulling up seats beside us.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked nonchalantly. After all, why should I be bothered? They acted as if they owned the school.

"I came to sit beside my girlfriend. Is there something wrong with that?"Jake asked, smirking.

"Now that I see her up close, she's not as bad as I thought" Ethan said, talking about me. He leaned back, putting his arm around Matilda, who seemed like she might burst from smiling too much.

"Hey, beautiful," I heard Ethan whisper into her ear.

"Hey!" I shouted, my protective instincts kicking in. My best friend was off-limits.

"Piper," Matilda called out, but I shot her a warning glare, signaling her to stay quiet. Among the three, Ethan was the last person I wanted Matilda to be involved with.

Matilda frowned, but I paid no attention. I was only trying to shield her from players.

Owen, on the other hand, sat silently, absorbed in his cellphone. I couldn't be bothered with him; he seemed like the non-interactive type.

The table fell into an uneasy silence. Nobody said a word until Samantha entered the cafeteria. Immediately, Jake leaned in closer to me, placing his thumb on my lips pretending to wipe off a stain for no apparent reason. I understood he was trying to make Samantha jealous, but this was going too far. Samantha walked past us, engrossed in her phone call, without even glancing in our direction. Jake's frustration became evident.

"At least pretend you care," he whispered to me.

"Oh, really?" I retorted, irritated by his controlling behavior. "I'm so sorry, baby." I strained my voice, attempting to sound cute as I clung onto his arm, snuggling close.

This unexpected change of tactics caught him off guard. Throughout lunch, I was all over him trying to get his attention, whining about unimportant matters. I held his hands tightly as we disposed of our leftovers walking by his side.

It kind of work because I could sense Samantha stealing glances at us.

Despite that, I could sense Jake's growing irritation, but I remained unconcerned about it.

On our way to class, in the school field. I purposely fell to the floor, groaning in pain. "Please help me up," I pleaded with puppy dog eyes, extending my hands toward Jake. Initially reluctant, he eventually gave in and helped me up when he realized people were watching.

"Agh... It hurts," I pretended to struggle, finding difficulty in standing. "I don't think I can walk. You'll have to carry me," I persisted.

"Stop this," he muttered under his breath.

"Agh..." I cried louder.

He sighed and lifted me onto his back, carrying me effortlessly up the stairs. A smirk played on my lips; I wasn't about to let him off the hook so easily.

As we reached the halfway point of the stairs, I suddenly exclaimed, "My bag! I forgot my bag. We have to go back."

"Seriously?" he muttered, growing frustrated. "I'll just leave you here and go get it for you."

"No!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.

"What?" he asked, a mix of anger and frustration in his voice.

"You don't know what my bag looks like," I reasoned, taking a deep breath. He reluctantly carried me all the way back down, and there on the grass lay my forgotten bag. He let me down, and I rushed to pick it up. Walking back to him, I noticed his expressionless face.

"What?" I asked, puzzled. His gaze shifted from my face to my leg.

"You weren't hurt," he stated.

I had completely forgotten that I was only pretending and had been caught red-handed.

"You were just messing with me... Do you think it's funny?" he asked, stepping intimidatingly towards me. This part of the school was empty, giving him more freedom to lash out. "You know you owe me..."

"Excuse you?" I cut him short. "You owe me," I said loud and clear, spelling out each word. "Do you really think I can't live without a Blackpink concert? I am not that desperate. I am only doing you a favor."

"I make the rules," he retorted.

"And I can break them," I stared directly into his eyes. We stood there, motionless, sharing an intense gaze. The tension in the atmosphere was intense.

He scoffed and looked away, running his hand through his hair. "I can't believe this," he muttered.

"Fine," he surrendered.

"Fine, what?"

"If it's about me being controlling, then I'm sorry," he finally said, surprising me.

"Did you just apologize?" I asked, feeling a mix of confusion .

"Why are you acting surprised? Do you really think I'm just a jerk?"

"Yes," I replied honestly. "That's exactly what I thought: a rich, spoiled brat who cares about no one but himself."

He looked at me, taken aback by my words. "Ouch, that hurt."

I watched as a range of emotions flickered across his face. It was as if my words had pierced through his façade, revealing a vulnerable side he rarely showed. Jake took a deep breath, collecting himself before speaking again.

"Then I will make it up to you" he said. "Tomorrow, 7pm I will text you the location" He said and walked away leaving me confused.