꧁0:07

My orbs peered at the rim of my eyes as I watched him grow smug at my silence. "You're going to do what?"

"I'm going to try to approach her today," I repeated, shoving my bag relentlessly into my locker.

"I can't hear you, bro! What?" he yelled over his headphones as he jammed to his music. I pinched the bridge of my upright nose.

"I said..." and lifted one side of the headphone," that I was going to try to talk to her today!" I roared into his ears.

"Evander!" he bellowed, violently taking off his headphones and rubbed his ears. "What the hell, man! Do you want me to go deaf?"

I clicked my tongue, as I took out the needed books.

"Why would you even want to approach her? You, the Great Ander!" he pointed a finger in confusion. I grunted at his dramatic show.

"Just," I simply returned.

"I don't get you nowadays, Evander. Have you perhaps changed?"

"Hmm,"

¹"Hablas en serio sobre lo que dijiste, right?" Troy quipped, pretending to check my temperature as he placed a hand on my forehead. "Are you feeling alright? Do you want me to call an ambulance and let them check your head?"

"Says the guy who kept eye-fucking her best friend," I whistled, and pushed away his arm, and headed for the first class of the day.

"Not funny, bro," he grumbled quietly, throwing his backpack around his shoulder. "Seriously, I'm left to always think how that complex Leos mind operates," he chuckled behind me and his footsteps soon faltered.

I decided to peek over my shoulder to see him thinking deeply with fingers wrapped around his chin. The brown-haired boy wheezed and stared at me like I've grown a tail. "Are you...crushing on her?" he suddenly shouted, as if he solved the world's toughest puzzle.

I turned a full 180," Should I give your ass a self victory for assuming that aloud," and pinched his ribs.

"Oh, my god. Why didn't you say so then!"

"Because I'm-"

"Embarrassed? I know I completely understand," he said in a non-sarcastic tone and patted my back. I rolled my eyes and continued walking.

"Dickhead. I'm not embarrassed, and you're mistaken." I groaned entering the class.

Yeah, I know. I expected her to approach me first and perhaps thank me but she never came. The disappointment was obvious.

"Shit!" the sound of a girl shrieked as I felt someone collide with my chest. Taken by surprise, I quickly swooped down and caught hold of her waist before she fell.

"Are you alright?" I asked the girl and examined her face. Blood suddenly drained from mine.

"Speak of the devil and she'll come." Troy snorted.

²"Demonios." 

I was running. 

No, wait that might be an understatement.

I was running a fucking marathon as I rushed through the almost crowded corridors.

"Get out of my way!" I heaved as I crashed into multiple bodies in the narrow hall.

I nearly banged my head into a locker when a bunch of girls decided that standing in the middle of the way was a good idea. "Do you want to be plowed down, fools? Outta my path!"

My excuse for this hurricane of panic was thanks to my stupid brother, who sneaked into my room last night and accidentally broke my alarm clock while he searched for his game consoles. He thought I had stolen it as revenge for switching my lunch bag with another one filled with cornstarch.

Oh, he was in for a real revenge soon.

I was 30 minutes late, meaning I missed the morning assembly. If it weren't for Dad who happened to still be there in the morning doing the garden, I would've still been dreaming peacefully with my mouth wide open.

I glanced at my watch.

Shit! Two more bells and I'd be late for my first period. "But I had to make a stop by at my locker to grab my textbook," I cried.

Ting!

....

Lily

WHERE R U WOMAN?!?! DO YOU WANT US TO GET KILLED!! ಠ_ಠ

Me

Sorry! I'm almost there man - just need to get a few things - how many minutes do we have left?!

Lily

10! Now hurry your ass up!! The second bell is about to ring. And the old hag is already here!

Me

K! (ノಠ益ಠ)ノ彡

....

Yeah, I have no idea how the shit I had time to type that emoji.

I rummaged through my now messy locker and took out what I wanted. My history textbook and the points I wrote for our history presentation on World War II.

RRR-III-NNN-GGG

The bell rang and I nearly reached class. I sneakily barged in and closed the door softly before heading to my seat next to Angelique.

I was puffing hard. "Ugh!"

"Hey, you made it! Your face turned to the color of your hair." Angelique snickered.

A cough that sounded like sandpaper brought me to look up and was greeted by a pair of shiny glasses that were blinding my eyes.

"Y-yes, Miss Hilary?" I asked giving her a fake smile. I hated that old fart bag. She was one of the oldest teachers in school not to mention the strictest. And I had to be in her class for History.

Her face looked so old and wrinkly maybe because she doesn't know how to smile. No wonder she's still single at the age of 55. She always wore old fashioned dull clothes and hair tied up into a tight bun. I always wondered when her scalp might detach itself. She looked like she just popped out from an 80s horror movie.

She's as grouchy as the old people sitting unfortunately next to you on a bus.

Her skeletal figure and pointy nose reminded me of a witch, ready to cast a curse on me. In other words, she was mean, mean, mean, and downright horrid. I wonder why the school hadn't fired her despite the many rumors about her. I don't bother about anything related to her, but this class. She could've been labeled normal, except for the fact that she dressed like 50's ashes - that - just made me shiver at times. Though I don't believe their absurd gossips and there doesn't seem to be any proof that she strangled a student before.

"No "Good Morning Miss Hilary" or "I'm sorry for being late Miss Hilary" because I'm not mistaken that there were rules in this school where pupils don't just randomly enter a class without greeting their teachers first," she spat looking me up and down. "And second - your hair is unacceptable today, Miss Gawan."

I touched my hair. Fuck. They were everywhere. Then I remembered my chaotic morning; I had forgotten to brush my hair back there.

Her 19th-century eyebrows lifted in objection. Another reason I hated this old wart. She had no patience. She had a long ruler that she brought everywhere and she used that to make her point by whipping it around.

I heard some of my classmates giggling and she snapped at them.

"Now before I start today's class, I want you, Gabriella Gawan, to march out of this classroom and fix yourself up. I don't want any of my students to look like they just woke up," she rattled on and even twisted her wrinkly face in disgust. What the fuck!

"I'm sorry, Miss, but I-"

"Just shut up and get going child you're making us waste time thanks to your ridiculous attire," she grumbled, dismissing me. My mouth hanged open. Was she serious? She didn't even allow me to explain my part of the story and I wasn't even late! Well, almost. "Girl, go."

I rolled my eyes. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

I don't often get on her bad side, but chill man not everyone's perfect. I stood up from my chair and arranged my things before standing up straight and looking her straight in the eyes. She was starting to piss me off.

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am. Good Morning Ma'am," I exulted politely as I could and she gave me another repulsive look. For the sake of God, did I look that bad?

I turned to look at Angelique but she just shrugged and mouthed," You're fine to me."

"Well get going. Now," she commanded. I creased my eyebrows. Who was she to order me around like this? I can sue her for all I care for talking to me like shit.

Her grey face looked like she won a battle and glared at me. I swear to God if I wasn't under the Doctor's prescription to not stress out I'd have my inner demons eat her alive.

I gave her a smirk and she looked taken aback. The boomer hadn't seen that coming.

"Yes, Miss Hilarious," I snickered as I made my way out of the rows of tables. The class suddenly gasped, and so did Miss Hilary who slumped her shoulders. Soon people were shouting and I gave her a victorious grin.

She had a furious look on her face, but I was already turning the handle of the door so she had no choice but to head grumpily to the teacher's table.

"Detention for you, Miss Gawan!" her horrible screech taking over the commotion.

My hands dropped the handle and looked at her with piercing eyes.

"Sorry, but I'm not sure that's going to happen today, because I specifically got orders to head home straight away after school under the Doc's instructions, or do you want to face my parents." I threatened, not bothering whether I'd get more trouble for being disrespectful to a teacher because I knew she wouldn't utter another word.

She started this war.

As I turned the handle to get the heck out of this hell hole, another force from the other side of the door beat me to it and my face was met with an unfortunate fate.

"Shit!" I cursed as my nose exploded in pain. I clutched it as I stumbled and lost my balance. Waiting for the impact where my head hits the ground and the queue where everyone started laughing never happened because I hadn't felt anything.

Slowly I tore open my eyes and there I was met with the most gorgeous and I mean mesmerizing Emerald eyes.

My eyes zoomed out of focus for a moment but then I shook my head and stared at the owner of those gems.

At that moment only two words crossed my mind; my lord.

His deep and sensual voice brought me back to reality when he asked me a question. A masculine scent filled my nose and I inhaled it. His cologne was strong that I almost sneezed.

"W-what?" I blushed not catching the words he was saying. My hand was still on my nose. It was still aching.

Then the most sexiest chuckle drifted into my ears.

"Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly. Yeah, are you blind!

I shook my head and stared at him. I felt so embarrassed when I felt eyes on us.

Then, I realized that he still held me. I shrugged myself from his arms and stood up straight adjusting my uniform. "Y-Yes, thank you."

"Are you sure?" he asked again raising an eyebrow.

"Hundred percent," I assured before shouldering past him and headed towards the girls washroom.

I touched my face with the tips of my fingers and its heat was very obvious for me to imagine that I was red as a beetroot. God...how freakishly embarrassing was that!

The backstory of my history project was not a complete disaster. Miss Hilary gave me and Angelique a pass and I couldn't be more happier than I already was. Note the sarcasm. I wonder what made that witch's heart have sympathy on me.

"Eh, bipolar much." I thought in triumph. I learned that Evander was in our History class and his best friend Troy were the classmates who helped me that day.

And for the record, my attire this morning wasn't that horrible, I do think she exaggerated a lot.

Bitch.

Another person on my death list. Hopefully, God will take her soul before I graduate and take it myself.

****

It was second break and I headed alone to my Literature class for the 7th period when somebody called my name.

"Gabriella," a familiar voice called out breathlessly. I stopped, puzzled. Then I felt a hand touch my shoulder.

"What the hell!" I cried, shaking my shoulder. I looked up to the person, who made me stop in my tracks and for the second time that day, I felt butterflies in the pit of my stomach. "Hell, Evander, right?"

His face brightened up. Guess that's a yes then.

"Yeah, and you dropped this pretty lady," he produced a silver necklace from his pocket. The surface of my face lit when he called me. My hands instantly went to my neck in alarm. "I'm sorry about your nose back there." I didn't respond.

My favorite pendant was gone!

I stared at the object in his hand and there it was!

"Where did you find that?" I gasped as he passed it to my hand. My body shivered as a spark of unknown electricity passed through my body when his fingertips touched mine.

"It was laying near your locker when I saw it. Luckily, I caught you standing there a few minutes ago and wondered if this was yours." His deep sensual voice boomed like it was music to my ears. "So it is yours?"

I nearly cried as I nodded. It was a very special gift to me.

My grandfather, Dad's father, gave it to me 11 years ago almost 2 months after the death of Leander. He wanted me to have it because of how depressed I was and that it would always be a memory of how precious the boy was to me.

But sadly, Grandpa died...the same year I lost my best friend.

Grandpa was in a coma for days after he slid inside a bathroom and bumped his head hard. The Doctor confirmed it was a heart issue. 

**Your can imagine the pendant as any fantastic design you want**

Losing this would mean losing him. This was my most treasured belonging; one of a kind.

It's unique designs and priceless silver was very expensive. Losing this would mean losing everything.

Not only was it incredibly beautiful, but it was passed down for generations in our family. I was astonished to have learned later that out of all my many cousins, he had given it to me. I held it close to my chest.

I was still upset as I clutched it to my heart. It held the two people I've lost.

How the hell did this fall off? I always made sure it's secured.

I was still holding a puzzled expression when he asked me another question making me jump.

"Oh, I thought you've gone."

"Sorry," he smiled sheepishly as he looked away, raking his hand through his glossy blonde hair that I wish to bury my hands in. "But do you want help with that?" He pointed towards my hand where the pendant was lying.

"Urm, yes." I flushed and handed it to his open hand. As he tied it around my neck sparks would tingle through my skin whenever his hands touched my skin. He was already making me weak in the legs and he hadn't even done anything yet!

"Thank you, Eve," I smiled and hugged Evander, which took him by surprise.

He was still in shock when I nudged his shoulder and looked down at me with a quizzed face. Awkwardly, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and held me caged for a second before I could protest.

"Eve?" he chuckled, looking down at my short figure because he was the tree between us. I'm guessing 5'11? I was only 5'5!

"We haven't properly introduced ourselves. My name's Evander Leos," and extended a formal hand out to me.

My heart stopped.

Leos? I haven't heard that name for a decade. My heart was beating rapidly. Calm down. I curled my hands into fists.

Are they related?

Stop it idiot - that's nonsense! Get yourself out of there.

Think, think, think!

Alright. It's just a coincidence they have similar surnames. There are tons of Leos out there so what's too loose!

"My name's Gabriella Gawan," I said shaking his hand. Gosh. I think I might melt. So much skin contact and with the guy I was trying to avoid.

Damn it!

"I know," he laughed. "I was the one who helped carried you that day." I turned red and didn't know what to say but thanked him for the nth time.

RRR-III-NNN-GGG

Phew! Saved by the bell.

"Time for the seventh period," I said and pretended to look at my watch. "I need to go now, thank you so much, Eve, I owe you, and no my nose is fine thank you."

"Again with that nickname?" he pouted.

"Urm, sorry it's just..." Great how the fuck was I supposed to say this nicely. "Evander is kinda long," I confessed, sort of. "I'll stop calling yo-"

"No, no, don't worry it just sounds kind of feminine, but I like it. You're adorable," he chortled huskily. I snapped my eyebrows.

"I am not adorable."

"Sure you are," he teased on causing me to walk away. "Hey, hey, don't be like that, I was just joking!"

"Sorry, but I have to go."

"What class do you have now?" he asked as he caught up with me. Angelique was right, he was very nosy. But I kept walking. "Aw, come on don't be mad we just became friends."

"Literature," I mumbled.

"Me too!" he exulted. He patted my back a bit too hard, but I didn't mind. "I was supposed to go for Home Economics but I switched. It's my first day studying Literature here." He explained without anyone asking.

Duh, I knew he didn't do Literature before, otherwise I could've been agitated from the first day of class.

I stared at him for a while. He's like an alien to me. With a hint of unhumorous jokes that'll forever scar me? Yeah, that'll only be him.

"And, Evander," I spoke before we entered class. "I'm saying the truth when I said thank you. You helped me that day and I owe you big time."

"Nah, don't mention it," he made a goofy face, although I thought I saw him blush. I tittered. "And I like your pet name better so call me Eve." I blushed and quickly nodded before heading to my seat.

Angelique didn't do Literature so she's free right now. Lucky ass.

My seatmate Alex, who was also my first cousin, came a few minutes later looking tired. She's the child of Dad's brother, Uncle Jackson, and is his only daughter. She was almost the same age as I was. I'm a few months older than her. I was going to ask what was upsetting her but she held up a hand and buried her face in her arms as she laid her head down.

Wonder what made her like that. PMS?

I looked at the back rows and saw Evander talking as he sat down with some of the boys in the back.

He saw me staring at and silently mouthed "Eve" before he winked at me.

Shit. I quickly looked back, embarrassed for being caught, and bit my lips. Seriously?

But that small gesture he made got me the shivers - in a good way.

This guy will make me wish I was insane.

_

¹ Hablas en serio sobre lo que dijiste - You're serious about what you said

²Demonios - Bloody Hell