Playlist - 3 Am by Halsey

Astoria

"He's friends with you?"

I pursed my lips, and tried not to take offence at my lab partner's words. If anything, it was her who sounded offended. I had given Gina's long history of rude blabbering, a much needed deliberation. It has an inherent trait of hers to blurt out whatever was on her mind.

Usually, I paid her words no attention if they weren't related to the development of our project, but this one was hurtful.

"Yes," I replied, softly.

"I can't believe Axel motherfucking Trent is your friend. That's a miracle." Gina gushed. "He's so fucking hot and did you see his abs." She licked her lips in a suggestive way. "Oh, I wish I could lick them all over. He's so out of my reach." She was practically daydreaming.

"Can we concentrate on the problem at hand?" I tried to get her attention back to our project. "As it is, we have wasted a lot of our time already."

She stuck her tongue out. "Whatever, nerd."

We went back to the project at hand, actually I was the one doing most of the work. Gina was busy replying to her latest tumblr posts. God! I should've done this alone.

I groaned at the constant chatter and ruckus that echoed around the dining hall. Had Gina not insisted on choosing the location herself, I would've gone for the solace of the library.

"Listen up, nerd." I halted in my typing and stared at her, derisively. "Can you be useful for once and introduce me to Axel." She twirled a curly strand of her hair. "I've tried to talk to him on several occasions, but he was just out of my reach."

"What makes you think he'll bother to talk to you." I couldn't keep the jibe out of my tone. "And if I remind you, I am not interested in doing you any more favors than I already am." I pointed at the laptop screen. "I think this is plenty."

She pouted. "Hey! I am doing my best to help. I want to pass bio too." She took offence of what I'd told her.

I immediately felt terrible. "Yeah, I suppose, you are doing your best."

"I am." She lifted her nose, arrogantly. "Besides, I know you're lying about Axel. There's no way he's friends with you. Have you ever seen his friends group? I can tell, you wear a tardy second hand uniform."

A cynical laugh left my mouth. "That's rich."

"Prove it."

I cocked my head. "What do you mean?" I shook my head.

She gathered her caramel hair and pushed it on her right shoulder. "There's a senior's dinner coming up," she said. "He'll be there. I'll be there. Heck, everyone will be there. Come as his date and I'll believe you."

"I am not doing it," I said, sharply. "Besides, I am not going to a senior's dinner."

That was a high profile annual dinner party that our school held every year for the senior class and their industrialists parents. Even juniors were invited to the dinner, but it being such an upscale event, students like me, chose to avoid it.

She looked triumphant, which pissed me off.

Why did I had to be so stupid and blurt out unnecessary things in front of evil people. I should've kept my mouth shut, absolutely locked. But, I guess, I wanted to gloat.

It didn't sit well with me when Gina mistakenly assumed that Axel had smiled at her, not me. She was bragging about her new lip filters working like a charm, now that Axel had noticed her.

I had barely controlled the urge to roll my eyes at her. I did the next sensible thing. I addressed her as if she was a five-year-old toddler who had to know not all toys belonged to her.

If Axel hadn't given me his most relaxed, friendly smile I had received in years, then maybe, I would let Gina enjoy her temporary bliss.

And if I couldn't almost hear her objectionable thoughts that displayed perfectly on her pretty-cheerleader face, then maybe I wouldn't have decided to take a bait.

"You know what." I leaned forward to rest my chin on my fisted palm. "You'll see me there. I mean, us." I feigned politeness.

She banged her fist on the table. "Bring it on."

***

I feel like somehow I've dug myself a grave, unknowingly, if I may add.

Since returning from our trip to Washington, Axel and I had started to develop a healthy friendship. The occasional waves in the estate, civilized conversation if our paths met at home, nods and smiles exchanged in the school corridor, dining hall, anywhere. It was going at a good pace.

It was all going down the drain. Everything we had managed to build. This was three steps too ahead for our relationship. On top of that, Peter had asked me whether I had intended to attend the senior's dinner, I had told him no. Just like I had intended. He'll ask several different questions if I tell him about my change in plans and my plans included Axel whom he had come to dislike. A big lecture was awaited, no doubt.

I wasn't about to let myself become a butt of a joke in front of Gina. There's no way I can back off. In retrospect, I wouldn't let anyone walk over me. She was being too crass with me. I suppose, there was no harm in teaching her a lesson or two.

My mind had already been made. I was going to do the unthinkable. My thoughts wondered how Jenna would react when she learned of my intent. She had made it clear that she didn't want me anywhere near her boyfriend.

"Don't mess with my ponytail." A playful shriek broke me off my wandering thoughts. "Ares." She moaned.

Ares Torrance hogged a peppy cheerleader in the school corridor. I noticed his hands had traveled under her cheer skirt. I blushed and immediately averred my eyes.

"You like what he's doing to her." It was my turn to jump. "You squeal like a pussy." Hot breath fanned the exposed skin of my neck. I immediately turned on my heels to come face to face with Chase Henry.

"What do you think you're doing?" I was appalled at his nearness. I pushed on his chest. He pressed my palms into his hard chest. I noticed he was in his soccer outfit.

His aristocratic face always looked as if he was eternally pissed at everyone around him. Not this time. Strangely, he appeared at ease.

"Just wondering about something." His gray orbs studied me carefully.

"Wonder from afar, dummy." I threw him derisive glare and walked away.

I refocused my attention on the biology test today, only it didn't happen. I grew anxious until it was time for chemistry and immediately realised I was in deep trouble.

Icy chills seeped into the hollow of my soul as I stared on my school allotted laptop screen, the chemistry equations in front of me. The hours spent studying for the test, the misery and the sleepless nights, all would go to waste.

I took a deep breath, willing myself not to cry. I had studied for the wrong test and I was panicking internally. All this week, I had been studying for a wrong test, what a goddamn brain-tard I was.

I looked around, everyone was busy typing, each one of us had received a different set of questions. Even if I had the guts to ask for help, no one would help me.

My lips quivered, I bit down on my bottom lip.

"Psst." I didn't pay enough attention to the sound, but when it became evidently clear that it was meant to capture my attention, I turned my head to the side.

"What?" I mouthed the word, annoyed.

Axel threw a piece of paper on my desk. I reluctantly unfolded it and read down the scribbled words.

Want help? He had written it down. I whisked my head at him and although I was contemplating on dismissing his help, yet swallowing my pride was a much better option. I gave him a small nod.

He took another piece of paper and scribbled on it. It read give me your longin credentials. I quickly wrote down the information and passed the note to him.

I stared ahead, hoping we were careful about this. My pulse quickened as time passed on, I occasionally tore my gaze away to glance at Axel. He was actively typing on his Macbook. My heart rate had spiked when I noticed there were only fifteen minutes left to submit the paper.

Oh, God.

"Hey." A soft whisper pulled me out of my thoughts. "It's done. Relax now."

I stared ahead. "Y-You wrote my paper?" I asked, incredulously. "Why?"

"It's too late to oppose now. A simple thank you will suffice." His cool arrogant tone was back, but I knew this time, it wasn't meant to sound anything more than his usual callous self.

"What about yours?"

"Hmm. I have done enough to pass."

I wanted to call him out on his reckless behaviour. How could he leave his test to complete mine? What kind of an idiot does that? He had no conscience. Instead I chose to remain quiet.

The minute the bell rang, indicating the completion of our test and the period, I jumped out of my seat and stood in front of Axel.

"What if you fail?" I immediately blurted out. "What will you do, then?"

"That's my problem. Let me worry about it," He said with ease. As if it wasn't a big deal.

I frowned. "You shouldn't have done it for me. It was so selfish of me to ask you for help."

"But it's done." He stood up, towering over me. "Now, if I am not getting a thank you then how about a kiss?" He sensually bit his lip. "Or maybe more?"

I hit his shoulder. "Axel," I scolded. "This is exactly why I don't ask you to help me."

"I was kidding, toots." The adornment immediately warmed my heart. "I have a class now. I'll catch up with you later?" He didn't wait for my reply. With a brush of his arm, he walked out of the classroom.

***

Axel

"Did you do the job?" I asked her.

"Yes, I did everything you asked me to do. She was difficult to instigate." The wannabe socialite tossed her hair behind.

"I'll believe you when I see the result." I told her.

"Will you get me into the cheer squad?" She asked, hopeful.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Do it fast, because I may not exactly remain silent the next time I see little miss Astoria. She's a pain in the ass."

"Is that a threat?" I leaned back in my seat, nonchalantly.

"Maybe."

"Come here." With a curl of my fingers, I gave her an inviting look. She leaned forward with a smug tilt of her lips. No wonder, she instigated Astoria in all the right ways.

Just when she thought I was going to kiss her, I pulled her hair in an unrelenting grip and leaned above her. She yelped. "Let go."

"Not even for second assume that I'll tolerate your nonsense let alone a fucking threat. Before remotely thinking about opening your mouth in front of Astoria, think of all the ways I can have your life twisted to my will."

***

sorry for making everyone of you guys wait. i was not doing mentally well.

next update -25th may (i promise)