Chapter Three: Relationships

Lorraine and Zayn were dating. It was as disgusting as it sounded. Watching them in the cafeteria was like watching a piece out of mild porn.

He was making their relationship very upfront and touchy, more than his past hookups.

Lorraine on the other hand was elevated on a pedestal. Only so many people cared about Zayn and his relationship status but Lorraine publicized so much they were the top story on DHS gossip.

Not like her role called for much but she still put in a lot of effort to frighten everyone with it. Not even the teachers were left unscathed by her territoriality.

Rumor had it Zayn didn't like her much. As earlier stated, she wasn't his type. The confusion arose at why he still kept her around.

My theory of the entire matter was that she was blackmailing him into skyrocketing her popularity stats. Man, was it working.

“I've never had a conversation with her yet I hate her so much" Chelsea was bitting big chunks off her gummy snake.

“I don't hate her, she intrigues me” Sarah rolled her eyes at Chelsea's and my blank faces. “I mean, isn't anyone else interested in her relationship with Zayn”

“Everyone is,” I touched my chin. “They’re too flashy to be possible”

The hallways were home to all possible theorems. Lorraine had been tight-lipped the entire time. The basis of her relationship hadn't leaked to even her inner circle.

“You can say that again. I'm fed up with all her Instagram posts. 30 posts in one week, she's clout chasing”

Chelsea was murderous. If Lorraine accidentally passed by, a pump could be hurled right at her head.

Lorraine—wherever she was— was saved by the bell. We all groaned, dreading learning.

No one really liked going to class, we only just attended school for the gossip and selected people like myself came to make life living hell for others ( Zayn Davenport).

"See you ladies at lunch." My heart went out to Chelsea, she had to endure a whole period of calculus with Lorraine. Knowing Lorraine's status-mangled character, there would be ruckus.

“Don't accidentally give her an acid facial”

“I'll try my best. If she gets too annoying, Sarah will be near”

"Just make a battle noise and I'll be there in a second" Sarah added, nudging Chelsea.

Chelsea's smile proved that we had momentarily cheered her irated heart.

Sarah, Chelsea and I went our separate ways, each to classes we wanted nothing to do with. English lit was mine. I braced myself for war.

Mrs Leblanc smiled widely when I walked into the class and waved me over. "The time has come Milan. How was the wait?"

“Could have been better" I said dryly. She smiled and ushered me away to my seat.

From the corner of my eyes I found a bored looking Zayn very easily. His neon jacket made him a glittering ‘mess with me’ sign but his frown was quite obvert.

Dating Lorraine was getting to his head. He'd been looking bloated for three days straight.

It was pitiful but he dug his own hole and I could do nothing else but make fun of him for his bad decisions. Plus, it was friends Day and I actually looked forward to it.

"Davenport!" I wiggled my fingers at him. He face palmed and muttered incantations to send me away but I was homed on annoying him shitless. Zayn forced a smile nonetheless.

"Someone missed me" His cocked a brow.

Missing him was a stretch.

“We both know I didn't" I scoffed and plopped on my seat, anticipating an interesting class.

Well, not in the way I'd expected. Interesting meant alone, in the front row without any distractions framing my sight of vision but in life comes many surprises in shocking shapes and sizes.

That rhymed.

"I never asked for a seatmate, Davenport" I groaned as Zayn's toned butt hit the seat.

"You didn't ask for one but you looked quite lonely"

Zayn grinned widely. As insufferable as it was sitting feet away from him, Zayn looked less overcast by boredom next to me.

"Says you" I rolled my eyes. "How's your relationship going of recent?"

My smile was cruel and his blue eyes sparked with disinterest at the change of topics. Zayn didn't get a chance to answer.

"Good morning my students. Settle down." Mrs Leblanc said heartily. "As promised, I'm grouping you all today"

Mrs Leblanc didn't waste a second as she pulled out a sheet plumped up with names and began calling mischievously, knowing the necessary evil she harboured behind each Pairing.

"Zayn Davenport and Milan Mayfield" Was the only pairing I heard.

For a second, my gaze shifted to Zayn who also looked shocked and maybe just a bit relaxed.

Relaxed? Who was I kidding?

Both Zayn and I snapped to our feet, pointed glares on Mrs Leblanc.

"No!" We chorused. I agreed our relationship was on and off friendship but academic wise, we didn't coincerge.

Mrs Leblanc rolled her eyes and ignored us, returning to the other pairs. Zayn and I shared a heated glance.

I didn't like pairing with Zayn. He'd outsmart me.

For example, with one of the Normal straight B students, I could dictate what to do and if I was lucky perfect the shit out of the project but Zayn had a mind of his own.

I wasn't happy.

Mrs Leblanc wasn't interested.

Zayn was glaring at his shoes.

We had to wait, until she had briefed the entire class on the pros and cons of pouring your heart into writing, called some people a few names, glared at others and let the class go.

Zayn stared at me, motioning for her desk. We walked over together.

“Francine Leblanc, you're kidding me” She understood that much from the sentence.

“What?” Her fake innocence was too cute.

"You paired us together. How the hell could you? You know we don't do well together” Zayn was gesturing wildly.

“Language”

“Who gives a fuck?” He was a ticking time bomb. I interfared unnoticeably.

“We can not work together Ms Leblanc.”

“Which is why I'm pairing you two together”

There we were, Zayn and I on the verge of hysteria while Mrs Leblanc sported the cruelest smile.

"You two are working together now, aren't you? Just imagine the magic you can create. The two brightest students working together, it'll be seraphic" I knew where she was coming from but no! Just no!

"I can work with other people and create better works than I ever will with…" Don't insult him. Don't insult him. “...dumb Zayn”

"Yes, because working with the Little minded, brassy nerd would be so beneficial now will it"

Zayn and I turned to one another deathly looks that would cause anyone other than ourselves to buckle in the knees.

Today was meant to be placid. No knives at one another's throats.

But, there we were.

"Both of you are just as arrogant and unbearable as the other which is why I'm pairing you together. Just imagine" She looked off to a land Zayn and I were too mad about to see. "Your skills intermingled to perfection, you two with much effort might just make the next Shakespeare"

Mrs Leblanc hoisted her feet to the top of her desk and leaned back into her seat. "Now, any more arguments with me and you both will be forfeiting your marks. Shooshoo, children"

We huffed, inflated our chests and stomped out. English Lit just took a turn for the worst.

"Since we can't get rid of one another, We need to get this over and done with as soon as we can" The pompous boy said.

It seemed three months was that easy to 'get over and done with' in his head. Some writers took years before the final full stop came about. His undermining bewildered me.

"Yes, because writing a book takes three days"

"Keep your sarcasm on a low Mayfield" Zayn rolled his eyes. The nerve of the man!

I was seconds away from taking our verbal fight to the physical when a blond pest leeched herself unto Zayn. It was either my eyes were impaired or Zayn's flawless face contoured in disgust.

"Hey baby. Is she disturbing you?"

Zayn slightly pushed Lorraine away, glaring at both of us. "No she isn't. Both of you just, leave me alone. I'll see you at lunch" And Zayn slinked away.

That was the first exchange between the couple I'd witnessed and it seemed their excuse for a relationship was just a load of bullocks.

Hold in Chuckle.

The adoration in Lorraine's eyes fled quicker than Zayn ever could when she turned to me.

I was tired, exhausted and not in a palpable mood, the least i wanted was a longuer of my time spent listening to poor Lorraine who couldn't make out that Zayn wasn't into her, therefore, I strode away from her royal presence.

Now, unto greater pains in the butt, how was I expected to look past his evident cockiness and work with Zayn Davenport.

"If you hadn't noticed, you're trending on the girls bathroom walls" Chelsea informed me.

I knew Lorraine was petty but not to the extent of putting me on the Wall of Fame. The fourth wall was for freshman hookers and coitus addicts.

"I expected no less from you Millie" Sarah was impressed by me not standing up to the beast and calling her out on her shit? That was new.

“I shouldn't have bumped into her in the first place. How I have to scrub my name off the walls? Anyone know where the detergent is?”

“Janitor's closet. Fourth shelf to the right, top left” Sarah caught herself at the end of her sentence. Reddening faster than an asthmatic dude in a carpenter shop.

“How do you know this useless information Sarah?”

Chelsea was also interested. “Spill it, swollen lips”

Sarah fell for the bait, feeling up her lips for the swell when there was nothing.

“Aha, you have been making out with someone in there haven't you?”

Chelsea was ramming questions into Sarah from every corner. I silently watched the two banter. When Sarah was comfortable enough to share her relationship status, she would in a heartbeat.

My peace lasted but a second.

A heated gaze penetrated my head from the back. It reeked of bad energy. Lorraine. I cocked my head to the side. To my greatest surprise, it was no one else but Zayn Davenport feeding off my good looks.

I flipped my hair over my shoulder, wiggling my eyebrows. He wanted a show, he got one. And I got a little smile.

I didn't notice or I'd have stopped flirting immediately. Lorraine was seated right next to him. Her lips were moving but Zayn wasn't listening and she caught on real quick.

Lorraine's lips moved again. Zayn's smile diminished as he tugged on her jacket but she slipped out of his grasp. I knew what would happen next.

She was mad.

Her relationship was at an all time low.

I was at the centre of a girl's pent up emotional breakdown. Someone drench me in gas and strike the Flintstones.

"Listen girls, whatever happens, I love you and do not poke at dragons" Chelsea and Sarah who hadn't noticed the stares I shared with Zayn and his eye candy looked flummoxed.

A little time to expantiate would have been solely acknowledged but Lorraine had greater plans.

Little paw like hands slammed on the table. "What the hell are you staring at, whore” Her tone was all sorts of mad.

The entire cafeteria hushed into a thick silence. "Definitely not you, missy"

Lorraine didn't appreciate my poise. She wanted me to shudder and melt into a puddle of low self esteem. Could never be me.

"Never and I mean it—not only you but everyone in this room— stare at my boyfriend" Her voice rose a couple octaves higher to enable all other occupants of the cafeteria listen in. "He's mine and not any of yours. Sanction won't be favourable, I promise"

I smiled unabashed.

She was the first fling to set such strict boundaries. I could see Zayn face palm in his seat. Her Bye-Law was restricting people from viewing public property.

"If you're too insecure to bear the crown, pass it the fuck on" The sharp tiny voice shouted from beside me. Chelsea was on her feet, glaring daggers at Lorraine.

Calm Chelsea was shaking in anger, pushing sensibility to the wall. Her hands would raise up to take a blow if Lorraine treaded further.

Who knew Chelsea had such a scary expression in her.

A tear almost slipped my eyes at her guts. “You heard her Lorraine. Insecure are we?”

I was pushing her buttons. Petty but worth it. Don't fret she's way pettier than I could ever be.

Lorraine's face glowed pink, almost like a red light. One I needed. I was having too much fun watching her pigment.

"Plus, looking at someone isn't a cardinal sin. All the Jocks constantly stare at your non existent ass but we don't see Zayn throwing a fit" The whole room erupted in laughter at Sarah. Who knew everyone was sold on a quarrel?

That made a perfect escape for Zayn. He slinked away, almost unnoticeable. If I hadn't been anticipating a reaction from him, I mightn't have noticed.

On cue, Mia dragged Lorraine away. She was kicking the air to get away from her clutches but I could recognize the relief in her eyes.

Chelsea slowly had her seat, eyes wide. "Did we just pick a fight with Lorraine and win?”

"I don't call that winning but I think we just did" My heart palpitated when I recalled her embarrassed expression but I shook it off.

That one went out to whosever Lorraine maltreated an

d caused trauma in the hallways and bathroom walls. It was well earned Revenge.

I couldn't wait to do it again.

Fulfilled and intoxicated with Zeal, I gifted myself and the girls celebratory burgers.

"On me, ladies" I toasted heartily.