"Hey, is everything fine? You seem disturbed!" Mark enquired while we were on our way to school that morning.

I had been trying to call Drake a couple of times now but his phone was either unavailable or switched off. That got me all tensed up. Last night when we talked on phone, I could make out he wasn't really into it. And now this.

"Nothing.." I lied.

"I suppose you guys were to have a football practice today?" I asked.

"Yup." answered my brother, "The coach wanted us to. You see the match this Friday is gonna be the last for this year before the final exams commence. But Drake got the practice cancelled for today. He had to convince the coach a lot for this."

"Why would Drake do that?"

"Don't know." he shrugged, "Maybe he won't be coming to school today. And like I had said before— if he doesn't come to school on a weekday, you just can't contact him in any way."

"Didn't you ever ask him where he goes or what he does?"

"There are people who aren't comfortable sharing everything about their life. We should respect their privacy. " Mark replied smoothly.

And that was that.

When we reached school, I discovered Mark was right. Drake didn't turn up at all.

"His phone is still switched off, can you believe that?" I rued to my friends in the canteen during break-time.

"Andy, I don't think this is something new. He has done the same earlier as well, you had said, remember? Its just, in the past, you couldn't be bothered about anything related to him." Soph said.

"Yeah, and going by the history, he will turn up tomorrow as though he never really missed a day at school." Laura added.

I sighed, bending low to rest my chin on the table, "I thought he would tell me whatever he has been upto. I suppose I'm his girlfriend?"

"Well, he would. Eventually." Laura assured.

Right then, I saw Sophia looking keenly at someone who should be somewhere behind my back. I followed her line of vision & turned around to see she was staring at Daniel who had just joined his friends, five tables away from ours.

"O. M. G! Don't tell me you're attracted to Daniel! " I exclaimed in shock as well as surprise, "When did this happen?"

"It has been quite a lot of days actually!" Laura quipped.

"Really? I didn't realize until today!" I said, amused.

"That's because you're so much with Drake these days that you don't really have time for your friends." Laura taunted.

"Um, If you guys felt ignored, I'm really sorry..I didn't mean to.." I apologized.

"No worries! Just pulling your leg." Soph laughed.

"So, why don't you drop hints to Daniel that you like him? Should I help you in it?" I asked.

Soph grew wide eyed, "I didn't expect you to say this! You were dating him until a few weeks back. And now, I kinda have feelings for your ex. Isn't the whole thing weird?"

"I don't see where the problem is. Daniel & I are only friends, nothing more. We broke up really well, remember?"

Soph looked at Laura. The latter spoke, "Look, Andy, Soph & I both feel that Daniel still has a thing for you, even though he may deny it. We've seen how completely he was into you when you guys were dating."

"What nonsense!" I was baffled, "I am absolutely sure that Daniel meant it when he said that he & I were better off as friends."

"I don't know." Soph shrugged, "It all seems too good to be true,"

"I'm telling you Sophia, if you like him, go & express it. Don't just sit here doing nothing. Daniel & you will definitely make a great pair!" I said.

Right then, the bell rang. We heaved our bags and headed out of the canteen area. We were walking along the school corridors on way to our classrooms when we almost bumped into Amber at a turn. She had that bullying smirk on her face seeing us, especially Laura.

"Poor ugly cat! You were such a dumb-ass to think you would qualify to participate in the Short Film Festival with that shitty Ad film of yours! I told you that you belong to the trash. Guess I was, after all, right! But I've decided to be generous with you. So when I become a famous Hollywood film actor & director, I will overlook your ugliness and hire you as my servant. Sounds cool, eh?"

I was seething in anger & so was Soph hearing Amber say all those disgusting things to Laura. But Laura strongly forbade us with her gestures to not say a word to Amber. Thus Soph & I kept quite, letting Amber walk away with a snooty smile.

***

"Dude!! What the bloody hell is wrong with you??" Soph fired at Laura once we were by ourselves in the Locker Room.

"Exactly!" I chided, "Amber verbally abused you & you didn't find it necessary to say anything back to her. And you didn't even let us do the "honors"!!!"

"Guys please! Just forget about it." Laura said opening her Locker. She was taking out her books when a file slipped out as well and fell on the floor.

"What's that?" I asked, as I bent down & picked up the file.

"It is the script for the short film that I thought I would be making." Laura answered, taking the file from my hand & shutting it back in her locker, "You know, I was so sure that I would qualify to be in the Short Film Festival that I had already written the script."

Laura spoke with a sad smile.

"Anyways lets not talk about it!" she said, cheering herself up. I felt really bad for her. Here she was putting such a brave front to all of it & there was nothing we could do to make her situation better...

***

At the end of the Journo lecture, Mrs. Flores had given us an article to write which was to be submitted next week. Sigh!

"Wanna go to the library & start work right away?" Daniel asked.

"Guess you are right considering the fact that I've no clue exactly what is to be written." I said.

But when we got to the library, all the tables and chairs were full. There wasn't any seat to place your butt on. I frowned hard.  Ninety percent of the school chooses to turn a blind eye to the library but today, it seems a different case. If not anyone else, Madam Blackwell was very much happy. Never saw her grinning so much. Never really saw her grin for that matter.

"The exams are nearing, maybe everybody realized they don't have sufficient notes to help them pass." Daniel laughed.

The Common Room was noisy. Thus, we walked into an empty classroom & got down to writing our articles. To tell the truth, it was hard for me to concentrate cause my mind was every now and then distracted by Drake's thoughts.

 "You're dating Drake and it seems he has upset you over something serious, right?" Daniel asked suddenly.

I was startled at that. He sounded do sure of himself.

"O..kay? This is weird. For one, how do you know Drake & I are dating? We had decided to keep it a secret. Did he tell you?" I enquired.

"He didn't. I figured it out myself that you've feelings for him. That's why I chose to break up with you."

My eye brows must have raised to a great length, "Okay, this is weirder. And what am I supposed to tell you now?"

"I just can't get you off my mind, how harder I try. I thought I would step away after realizing you like Drake but I just can't do it anymore, especially after knowing you're unhappy with Drake. I really love you Andy!!"

I was dumbfounded hearing all that which caused me to instinctively rise to my feet & gather my books.

"Okay, this is the weirdest. Either you're drunk or you're joking. Either which ways, I am leaving. Goodbye." I prepared to leave.

"I want you back!!", he came up to me, "I am in my senses & neither I'm not joking. I love you."

He tried to kiss me but I shoved him away.

Right then, through the corner of my eye, I realized someone was standing at the door. I was shocked seeing Sophia at the door. By the distraught look on her face, she very well may have heard a great deal of what Daniel said & tried to do.

Before I could say anything to her, she was gone. I never felt so shitty before.

Crap! Crap! Crap!

I faced Daniel,

"What makes you think I was joking when I say Goodbye? I've no feelings for you. Whatever I have, everything is for Drake. And as far as me being unhappy with him is concerned, every relationship has its minor ups & downs. So its no big deal."

I walked off there.

***

I came face to face with Soph in the washroom. She was very heart broken. She looked at me with contempt. I tried to speak but she interrupted me,

"You know what, I thought maybe I should trust you and take a step towards Daniel when you so confidently said that he has no feelings for you. Thanks for giving me false hope, Andy. And I wouldn't be surprised if I find you cheating on Drake the next time. "

She said with a foul look & staged a walk out.

I was stunned at what I heard. Never ever thought that Soph, of all people, would talk to me like that. I was feeling awful, dejected & every other such adjective by the time I stepped out of the washroom with my foot feeling heavy and my eyes to the ground.

Right then, I saw two pairs of legs standing a nit distance away from me. I looked up & realized I was facing Susan and her nasty smile.

Damn it!!Shit! Crap!

She is the last person with whom I would want to have a conversation right now.

"So Drake and you are dating?" she asked filthily.

That was another shocker.

Is this whole thing about Drake & me broadcast to the entire world?

Turns out secrets are easier to get to than anything.

"Its none of your business, fuck off!" I shot.

"I hate Drake, Drake and I can never be together and blah blah blah. That's what you had been telling me all this while but look! You finally made your way into his pants! But don't worry, I won't tell Mark. I won't let the entire school know for that matter cause no one is supposed to know that you scored over me & got Drake. You can't win over me. The whole school is supposed to only know when Drake is into me, not you.  And that day is not far away."

I felt so disgusted standing there and listening to all that. This girl is blinded by her ego and arrogance.

"Drake is not a medal or trophy that you can hang on the wall of your living room. And if you want to talk any more shit, find yourself a big stinky gutter." I said coldly.

I turned to walk out of there but her words did manage to stop me.

"I am sure Drake didn't even confess properly that he liked you or anything. You can hardly call yourself to be dating him. He may be making you feel special and then one fine day, Boom! He will burst your bubble and leave you." she mocked.

She touched a sensitive topic. The things she said have been and continue to be my worst fears...

"Go to Hell, Susan. I'm sure you know the way better than anyone knows." I spat bitterly, turning around to face her.

She had that nasty smirk on her nastier face, "Judging by your reaction, I guess I'm speaking facts. Remember what I had told you that day? That I don't really how long or how less you're with Drake, he will eventually come back to me. He will dump you for me, sooner or later."

Those words were knife-like, stabbing my heart. Donno why I am giving a damn to her garbage talks!

"You really should find yourself the stinkiest gutter. And live there. " I said with a heavy voice & walked off there.

***

So yes, it had been a bad day after all. Oh, wait 'bad' is a very soft word compared to what I had to go through today. Lets just say it was a worse day until there are new heavier adjectives invented in future to describe my state of life.

Drake's house was locked as though no one had been living there since a century. Soph wasn't answering my calls and Mark wasn't at home too.

It was dusk when I opted to go to the supermarket rather than sitting at home and feeling miserable. After doing the grocery shopping, I exited the market & saw myself coming face to face with none other than Drake. He was sitting on a bench outside and rose to his feet on seeing me with an anxious look on his face.

"Wow! What a pleasant surprise." I settled my two heavy shopping bags on the bench and then turned to him, "Are you yet walking around on this planet? Shocking! Did you fly to Mars or was it Jupiter? Oh wait, how am I supposed to know cause I don't remember you telling me where exactly you would be off to!!"

 "I know you're very upset, Andrea. I'm—-"

"Oh, you remember my name too?" I looked surprised as much as I could, "No one has been so much considerate to me ever before!"

"You can stop being sarcastic." He said quietly, "I'm aware of what I've done. Can't you let me explain?"

"I hope you don't give me a bad explanation cause I already have had a bad day." I grouched.

"I had gone to visit a cousin. We're very close. He lives by the countryside and suffered from a terrible accident recently which made him a handicap for a good number of months. If I have had any good times in my childhood, that'd be because of him. So I thought, maybe I should cheer him up a bit...."

I took a deep breath to relax myself, "Look, if that's the case why didn't you tell me?? I was worried. Or is it because I'm so insignificant to you that you didn't see it as a necessity to share this with me?"

"Don't say like that, Andrea." Drake said at once, his hands pressed to my cheeks, "You've got no clue what you mean to me. I'm really sorry. I know I shouldn't have done what I did. This won't happen again, I promise."

We hugged. I snuggled deeper in his arms as he held me close to him.

"Are we good?" I heard him whisper.

"Yeah. I can only try being mad at you but not succeed whatsoever." I replied softly.

****

So here is the next chapter! Hope you would like :D

Let me know what you think of it!

Also would want to let you guys know that D'N' A would be ending soon! Maximum 4 chapters remaining ;(