Camila

I could tell something was off with Chase as soon as I started talking about Leonardo. It wasn't a secret to anyone that Chase hated Leo, but I didn't think it would go to the point of him changing his attitude after I talked about him. Maybe it was just a best friend instinct. An instinct blinded by his hate towards him.

I'd liked Leo Jensen ever since sophomore year when we were paired up together in writing class. We had to write a short story about a boy and a girl that fell for each other in a world where their social classes wouldn't let them be together. I got so into my character that I ended up falling for the actual Leo who I hoped was the same as his character.

I'd never told Chase about my secret crush on Leo. As far as he knew, I was crushing on my favorite singer, Shawn Mendes, since he started on vine. And I intended for it to stay that way.

"So class, this semester we will work on a few plays. We will do a big play for the last day of school. I expect all of you to participate since this will be seen by all of your paren-"

Mr. Erickson was interrupted by the door of the auditorium opening. I looked back to see who it was and my stomach dropped three feet.

Holy cow, I thought. It was Leo.

Forget the butterflies; there was a fricking zoo inside my stomach. I couldn't even think correctly. My mind was a mix of flashing images of Chase glaring at Leo and askldsj.

"Sorry mister Erickson, I was stopped by the principle and he gave me a detention slip." Our teacher just looked at him with a confused look on his face.

"Juice fell on my shirt and I took it off to change..." Mister Erickson shook his head and resumed the lesson.

Holy gilly jitters, what I would do to see Leonardo Jensen shirtless... What?

Leo sat beside me and gave me a smile that sent shivers down my spine. First he stared at me and then he smiled at me. This seemed like a well planned conspiracy against me.

I was paying attention to what Mr. Erickson was saying when Leo leaned closer to me and whispered to me.

"What did he say before I entered?" I turned my head slightly to look at him.

"That we'll do a play at the end of the year and that it has to be perfect because our parents will be there."

He nodded and sat back in his chair. "Thanks, Camila."

Oh dear God he knows my name.

"We will also be doing smaller plays to show to the class in groups varying from two, three and four. I know you're artists and not math geniuses but I'm sure you can count and not ask if there can be a group of five. If you do, I'll get mad."

I saw Chases smirk get bigger by the second. I gave him a pleading look that he ignored.

"Mister Erickson, what if we needed to have a group of five?"

A few guys snickered and girls rolled their eyes. All except one girl, Valery Simons, who instead giggled at Chase's childish yet funny humor. I glared at her for indiscreetly checking my best friend out, but regretted it the moment she looked down ashamed. Maybe I could understand Chase's attitude towards Leo...

"Chase, do you wish to have detention?"

Chase stifled a laugh. "No, thanks sir, my Bio teacher already gave me detention today."

I tried not to laugh at my best friend. It was hard though, his humor cracked me up even in the worst of my days.

I looked at Leo who looked very much annoyed, but smiled when I looked at him.

The class continued in Mr. Erickson's plan for the semester and us running ideas for future plays. At Picasso High School they wouldn't let us use already existing plays. We, supposedly having the most creative minds in the world, had to make up our own plays.

I say world because in this special school people came from all over the globe. Me included, well, sorta. I was born in a small country in Central America but when I was young my parents and I moved to Texas. Then I came to New York to this school and the rest is history.

Mr. Erickson's lecture was getting more boring by the second, but thankfully the class went by fast.

I'd wish I knew what Mr. Erickson had said, but paying attention was something very hard to do when you have the attention span of a goldfish and your crush is constantly staring at you.

At the end of the class I met Chase at the door. He was about to leave when I said, "Hey! Wait!" He turned around and breathed out.

If you ask anyone they'd say he was tired or stressed. If you ask me I'd say he was annoyed. By what? I don't know.

He walked up to me and stood in front of me. "Will we eat lunch by the track?"

As much as Picasso High was known for its excellent art programs it was also known for a few great athletes. They believed that even though art is a priority, sciences and sports must still be included because they are so important in the everyday life.

He nodded and turned around. I grabbed his wrist before he left. "Are you mad at me?" He shook his head way to quickly. His head said no but his eyes told me that he was lying right to my face.

I sighed. There was nothing to do. For him, it was very hard to open up to me unless it was the middle of the night and we weren't supposed to be awake.

I shook away the frustration from my best friend off and walked to my next class.

*

Lunch came soon enough. I was more than ready for the laughs that Chase would give me, and hopefully the boy advice I needed.

On my way to the cafeteria to buy lunch I crashed into someone I wasn't expecting. The look on her face told me she wasn't expecting it either.

"Sorry." She muttered under her breath, though truly it sounded more like "Surry".

"Don't worry, Valery. It wasn't your fault." She turned around to leave but I stopped her before she could go far.

"This may sound really weird but were you staring at my friend Chase in theater class?"

Valery's face became a bright color red. I never knew a person's face could get to such tones of red.

"I-I was...but...don't get mad! I just sort of think he's cute and...I don't know, I'm sorry."

I smiled at the poor girl. She was smitten with my best friend and the idiot probably didn't even know she existed.

"Don't be sorry! I don't mind it. In fact, I think I ship it. Hashtag Chalery for the win."

She laughed and her face finally resumed to its normal color.

She started to gain more confidence after my joke.

"I know we're not friends and all, and I have no right to ask this but do you think I have a chance with him?"

I wanted to say no. Not because I'm a bad person or because I was a jealous best friend but because I knew for a fact that he was very in love with a girl from his hometown. He told me he'd known her since they both entered high school and that certain times he thought she felt the same.

I wanted to tell her the truth but the hope in her eyes made me do otherwise.

"Well...I don't know, maybe?"

It wasn't exactly a lie. A girl like Valery Simons could easily get into Chase's heart.

The light in her eyes died almost immediately after I said that and I once again felt guilty.

"I'll tell you what. I'll talk to him and I'll tell you what he says about you. What's your dorm room?"

After that we were chatting like old friends. Turns out we were dorm neighbors; she'd been living in the room across the hall from me since the year before.

The look in Chase's face when he saw her was priceless and all I needed as confirmation that he was ready to move on from the mystery town girl.

Valery left to her group of friends and I walked over to my best friend with a smile on my face.

"You were so checking her out." He shook his head with embarrassment.

"I so wasn't. I think you need glasses. Now, shall we go?"

I looked down at the table; he'd brought his and my lunch.

I nodded and took my food. "Let's go."

Chase and I walked together out of the cafeteria and the whole time I felt Leonardo's eyes on me.

Today wasn't the last time I'd hear from him. Not even close.

Yessss! Second chapter!

I don't think I've ever written two complete chapters in two days, I didn't think I could!

I feel this chapter was a little boring but I liked that we got to see what goes on in Camila's head.

What do you think of her so far? Do you like her? Do you hate her?

I personally think she's not as smart as she seems, seriously, how hard is it to miss the signs that Chase likes her?

And what do you think about #Chalery? Do you think it'll work? And #Leomila? (I was going to say #Caleo but that ship already exists:( )

Well, anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter❤