"And your mom agreed?" Kyle asked, looking thunderstruck. He pointed a finger at me, "She doesn't know what kind of a wild beast Nora is, right?"

"Come on, man. Don't be like that," Derek hit Kyle lightly as I glared at Kyle.

"You suck," I said.

"Not more than you," He nodded, "I can't wait for everyone's reaction when they find Nora out," He grinned, "They are gonna lose their minds."

"Why? They know about me, right?" I raised an eyebrow at Derek.

Derek hesitated before shooting Kyle a glare, accusing him as if. Kyle must have realized it too because his eyes widened and he stuck his tongue out, "Shit man, I forgot-"

"They don't know about me?" I frowned at Derek, crossing my arms.

"Please don't be mad," Derek dropped the bag he was currently packing and turned to face me with a tensed look, "But-"

"You are ashamed of me, aren't you?" I said it more like a rhetoric question.

"What? No. No, Nora! Its just that..." He rubbed his neck, "Its a bit weird to explain."

I sat on his bed, picking up a pillow and resting it on my lap, "Then explain. I like weird things."

And then I pointed a finger at Kyle, "You will not interrupt."

And then again looked at Derek, "You will say why nobody at your place knows me. Whats there to hide? I have been your friend for two years now. I am pretty sure they know about Kyle," I reasoned.

This was already looking like a bad idea. I had been having my doubts since Derek asked me to go spend the vacations with him, but I decided what the heck, just give it a shot.

And now I see nobody even knows me from his side.

It was hurting me, I tell you. It was suddenly hurting a lot. It wasn't as if I was telling him to marry me or be my boyfriend, but he could at least say to others that I was a friend of his. Why couldn't he speak about me?

"My mom knows," He mumbled.

"And friends?"

"No, they don't. I didn't tell them because-" He took a deep breath, "They would again start patching us up-"

And that would be such a revolting unavoidable thing, huh?

"And I don't want them to get any wrong ideas. The thing with them is they will continue to tease and pull your leg that it can get quite irritating," He said, trying to find the correct way to put his thoughts.

"And now you won't have any problem introducing me? What, they are going to put a garland around you now? Whats so different now?" I said, my voice dangerously low.

He cringed, "Well, I thought it didn't matter anymore. I was thinking about telling them sooner, but I didn't get to speak with them for a month. Already Jake is talking about us, I know. He has probably started handing flyers over the town that I have a girlfriend."

It doesn't prick you, Nora. It doesn't.

"I don't want any rumors, of any sort. No assumptions or stuff," He scratched his head.

"Just own up that you are embarassed of me, will you?" I snapped again, getting up, "Stop going around in circles."

"No, its...I..." He was looking for some more excuses now.

"Rotten boy you are, Derek Callingham," I was about to strode away when he grabbed my elbow.

"No, Nora. I am sorry, I will make it upto you. Its just I don't like talking about my personal life much, you know that. I don't-"

"I am gonna ask you three questions. Answer me truthfully," I said quietly. He stared at me, indicating me to proceed.

"Do you consider me a friend?" I held up a finger.

"Yes, of course," He nodded.

Yet, you can't speak about me to your friends.

"Are you embarassed of me?" I asked, holding up two fingers now.

"No! I said no-"

Shocker.

"Do you still love that Reina chick?" I raised the third one.

His eyes widened again. He opened his mouth before closing it again, "What? What has that got to do with this-"

"Answer the damn question, shitbag," I said coolly.

Kyle was watching us, his eyes darting from him to me and back again. His legs were crossed and hands on his cheeks with elbows resting on his knees, getting a nice show.

"Nora, why-"

"Derek, I said answer," I ordered.

He winced and left my elbow. He stepped back and looked around, "I...don't know...maybe...its not very simple."

Hmm.

"I will be meeting you at the front of the entrance gate in an hour. Next time, find a better excuse. You are driving," I walked out without looking back.

I didn't love him. No, I didn't. But I cared and thats why it hurt. More than an injection.

I bit my lip and walked out, my hands plastered to my sides as I kept my head down and avoided the mass of people celebrating the start of the holidays with bags packing and clothes all over. Students all spoke in hushed or loud excited whispers as their faces were bright and radiant, all going to meet their parents soon.

"Hey, witch!" Kyle fucking Harris' voice rang out from behind me.

"Oh god. Not him again," I rolled my eyes and stopped as he caught up with me.

"You are still going with him?" He asked, frowning deeply.

"Yes and before you start pestering me with your baseless insults and-"

"Won't it hurt if you go with him and see him drooling over Reina?" He interrupted, looking thoroughly perplexed.

I froze. Now, wait a minute. Kyle Harris says what?

"What?" I asked, "What are you saying?"

"I mean that you like Derek and he just said he still might love Reina. Yet, you are going with him to his hometown. Why would you want to do that yourself?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows and crossing his arms.

I frowned, "Look, you are probably drunk and-"

"Oh, so now we are going to do that, huh? I will say and you will deny that you like him. Please, go waste someone else's time. Tell me why-"

"How do you know?" I interrupted, "You can't read minds and I never told anyone about it-"

"Of course I know. I might not like you very much but just like anyone, I can see you like him. Everyone knows it in our class besides Derek," He scoffed, "It always happens like this."

"It sucks, I know," I grumbled, "He is a clueless asshole."

"My point exactly. So, why-"

"Why do you care? You hate me," I said suspiciously, "Don't tell me you secretly like me-"

He burst out laughing, "God, you are funny," He shook his head. "You think I like you? You are so sweet," He pinched my cheek and I stepped back.

"Fine. Even though you annoy me, surprisingly, you are a part of our group and rejected in love is one of the worst kind of heartbreaks ever. Derek knows it. I wouldn't wish that on anyone," He said before he raised his eyebrows at me, "Not even my enemies."

Oh dear, now even Kyle was feeling pitiful towards me. The last person's sympathy I wanted was Kyle's. I never knew this day would come when I had to see this.

"I know he isn't embarassed of me," I said slowly, "He tells the truth normally. He considers me as a friend. Its just I am so used to people calling me a freak that when Derek starts hiding me from others, I feel he is ashamed of me," I said, looking at the wall behind him.

"He is not. He considers you as a friend. And you are not a freak, if you were, I wouldn't even speak with you. I tolerate you. Isn't that enough a hint?" He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.

I blinked before a slow, small grin broke over my face, "I knew you loved me, Harris! Aww! I lurveee you too!" I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"Ewww! Eww! Yucks!" He jumped back, looking mortified, "Why did you do that?! Now, I have to wash my face a thousand times!" He rubbed his cheek vigorously and glared at me.

I playfully glared back at him with my hands on his hips, "Too bad. You are already tainted by my deep dark love."

"You little witch-"

"You mean bitch. Why don't you just say it? I won't mind," I sighed.

"No, bitch is too nice. You," He pointed at me, "-are a witch. An evil one."

"Thanks for being a good friend," I gave a goofy smile.

"Don't get your hopes high. You still creep me out," He warned before walking away, rubbing his cheek and cursing me.

I turned and walked to my room, fully intending to pack up and have a good vacation with Dora.

Nothing was dampening my spirits. I didn't care that nobody knew me. Now, they would.

***

Author's note:-

This story will be shorter than Futile and you will get to see Derek do stuff that he wouldn't imagine of doing in the previous book.

😅😅😜😛😛😝

:-)