I watch how Melissa's eyes lead to Wintyr instantly making me jump to defence "He came to check on me cause I was sick, that's all" I say now sitting at the edge of the bed, Wintyr nods agreeing with me "Oh Wintyr" She greets him cheerily reminding me that Ruby and Wintyr were actually good friends anyways so, of course, she knows about the rich boy....no offence
"How are you Wintyr? How's your father? I didn't even recognise you, your hair is long now and you're very tall" Wintyr comes into view as he walks around the bed scratching his neck "Yeah, he's fine, I'm actually going to see him now to help out, he's working late, so I need to go there to pick up my younger sister and drop her to her mums' place" "Oh you're such a good boy" She pouts happily "Well it was great seeing you Wintyr, hope you're doing fine, and are you okay Gabby? I left work early because I heard you were sick" "Yes, I'm fine thank you" I nod embarrassed wanting to disappear
"Well Wintyr, good to see you again, I'm gonna get the cooking going, see you guys" She quietly shuts my door and I let out a breath of fresh air 'phew thank God she knew him through Ruby'
"What's wrong with you?" Wintyr wears his trainers then fixes his uniform slipping on his blazer again "Drop my sister to...her mum?" My brows scrunch from his previous wording "Yeah, Solar, she's my step sister" "Ohhhh" My mouth opens not even realising that fact "Yeah, it's really long and complicated" He shrugs "I know complications trust me" He chuckles putting his laptop back into his school bag
"You're are an interesting human Gabriella" He gathers his things together "Would you like more of the soup, I can bring you some tomorrow?" I nod with a little smile "I'll probably be in school tomorrow, I hate missing school and I feel better now" "That's cool, as long as you're feeling better or I can just come here to see you again" I shake my head not wanting to burden him anymore
"Cool" He gets ready to leave but I get up on my feet to stop him "Wait did you skip today?" He looks away ignoring my question "Erm I am gonna go say hi to Rubz quickly and leave, plus go for a jog sometime you're very unfit" He winks at me and I hold my middle finger to him "Bye" I gesture a wave as he slips out
'Wait I'm Cole's type?' A small smile comes on my face thinking about what Wintyr had told me again
--
"Where's my damn notepad" I ruffle through my locker trying to find my homework for my next period "Gabriella" I hear my name being called in the distance and I bang my knee on the lockers as I recognise the voice instantly "Me?" I squeak accidentally "Gabriella" Cole repeats my name and I clear my throat slowly turning to face him
"Hi" I say with wide eyes "Morning" He stares at me and I worry that there was a hair sticking out on my head or something "I got you this" He holds out a Starbucks bag and by the looks of it, it looked like a croissant "And this" He holds a cup of hot chocolate out to me "Erm" My eyes look between his hands confused as ever 'Why would he randomly just get me food'
"Erm thanks..." I slowly take it from his hands feeling bad cause I had already eaten this morning with Lily "See you then" He coughs walking off right away "Okay then" I watch his back then look at my hands
'Omg' I smile too wide looking around to see if anyone was watching me 'It's fine, wait, no it's not, I have to tell the girls like now' I turn and place the cup into my locker. I was still a little confused about the whole interaction but it still made me warm inside, I think to myself smiling 'Too bad he doesn't know I hate hot drinks' I pout a little, deciding to throw out the drink later and eat the croissant at break time
--
"Fine!" I jump out at Wintyr who was sweet-talking the librarian leaning over the desk "Fine what?" He looks at me agitated when she leaves him "I'll do your plan with you" "No" He stands up from the table he was leaning on "What?" My eyes widen surprised "Please" I clasp my hands together, walking in front of him
"Okay, only cause you begged" He winks looking around for the woman "But that's not fair, I've already been helping you out" His brows narrow "Hmmm" He thinks more "I think you're right pabo" He clicks his fingers then thumbs up "Okay so I'm busy now, doing nothing, but maybe we can talk about it later?" He starts to walk away but I follow him "When?" I ask knowing I was getting late for my next class "Lunch? I brought you soup, it's in my locker so that cool? Cool, bye" I tuck my hair behind my ear trying to hide my happiness
"Okay" I accidentally squeak making him stop his search and eye me weirdly "What?" "Meet me in the chemistry classroom, our one, weirdo" "I'll be late cause my friends will wonder where I am" He rolls his eyes walking away again "You have friends?" His eyes open wide in shock looking over his shoulder "This is why we are enemies" I say loud enough for everyone to hear before I get silenced and hurry out of the library to get to my class
---
"Oh you're here already" I manage to tell the girls that Wintyr really wanted to spend the lunch finishing this lame project that didn't mean as much as we were making it out to be, I just wondered what excuse to give next time knowing today was the deadline for it "Yeah, been here for a while now" Wintyr hops off the table he was sat on then brings a container to me "Here, I warmed it up for you in the staff room" "Privileges" I mutter taking it from him thankfully
"Not quite privileges when Bailey's mum is our headmaster, principal, whatever but you can get anything you want, basically being a 'popular' as the kids call it" He goes to the front of the room "Even though the reference popular makes me cringe but you're a nerd, so that's fine" My jaw drops as he continues "Is that really what they all call us?" I ask horrified "Pretty much" He nods clearing the board "But of course not Cole haha" He lies and I tut walking to sit on the table facing where he was stood
"Whatever I don't care about being a nerd, that means I'm smart" "If that's how you wanna put it" He shrugs taking the chalk from the teacher's desk "Have you eaten?" I ask opening the lid and taking the wooden spoon "Yeah, I stole Summyr's cookie"
He mutters writing 'Lesson 1' on the board "That's not food though" "Sh sh sh, today we talk about Cole and the plan of getting me and my dream girl together" "Okay whatever" I take a sip of the delicious soup provided "Your dad is an amazing cook by the way" I say happily "Yeah he's way better than my mum" He chuckles to himself focusing on what he was planning
--
"So that's the plan" He concludes after his 30 minutes of talking "You've been planning this for long," I say trying to take it all in "Not really" "So essentially we are gonna date, well 'fake date'" I say with my two fingers bent "Until they recognise us, how?" "You become more attractive when you're dating, right? So if we act all lovey-dovey, we will succeed, no doubt" I nod slowly still not really convinced of it
"It's not a bad idea...it's just" "What?" He asks worriedly "I'm going to be seen with you" I say in a disgusted tone "You can talk" He rubs the board's content away
"Hope you liked today's special" Wintyr reaches out for my empty plate but I block it "I'll take the container and wash it" I say feeling bad "Here" He moves my hand away taking it from me "We have a maid who gets paid to do these things" He places it in his bag "So? She's not my maid" I try to argue but he ignores me packing his things and waiting for me to walk out first like a gentleman
"So when will we start?" "I dunno anytime" He opens the door for me but suddenly walks back in and pushes me out shutting the door lock "What the hell?" I turn to the shut door then back around to Cole looking directly at me "Eek" I jump out of shock "Hi. Hi" I panic fiddling with my fingers "Hi?" He chuckles at my behaviour "Okay bye-" I go to walk away but he stands in front of me quickly and goosebumps surround me straight away
"Erm hi" Cole smiles looking down at my hot face "I just wanted to ask how was the breakfast?" "Oh. Erm. Good" I nod not being able to form proper sentences "You just walked off though ha" I tuck my hair behind my ear "Sorry about that, my dad happened, he knows how to piss me off when I'm in a bad mood and I knew giving you that would make me feel better, Wintyr suggested it and it did indeed make me feel better seeing your reaction, you were sick right?" My heart slightly cracks finding this new fact out, "Wintyr told you to get it for me?" He nods unaware of my fading joy "He suggested it but I always think about my friends so I agreed" I bite the side of my mouth to stop my reaction to our new relationship status
'Wait we are friends???!?!?! I need to record this before I faint'
"Thanks, I should think more about you too" He smiles at my words "Cool" I was currently freaking out in my head, I mean yes Wintyr may have given him the idea but he went along with it so "Thank you-" I start but the sound of a girl calling his name instantly kills my mood
"I have to go," He winks at the girl which I try to pretend that I didn't see "-I'll be waiting for that present," He says walking away "Defo" I quickly turn to fan myself from overheating "Jeez I must be sick again" I feel my forehead then slowly look up to Wintyr's smirking face through the glass of the door 'I hated him' I think to myself as he puts his thumbs up
"I guess you're right" I start when Wintyr finally decided to come out "About what?" I nod over down the hall to Cole talking to the girl down the hall lovingly "I can't believe I just watched him flirt with you and I smiled" Winter gags coming to stand next to me "He's amazing, isn't he?" I say in a dreamy voice but suddenly he turns me around to look at him "Just 'cause you're in love with him, doesn't mean everyone else has to know too, make your feelings subtle, you're playing hard to get, right?" He gives me a pep talk and I give him one nod
"You're right, I shouldn't be easy like the other girls" "See you get it now" He lets me go "Mhm" "And that's why we are dating now" My head snaps to him "WHAT? Now? Straight away?" He nods then takes my hand without warning
"Wait" I snatch it away feeling weird "I haven't had a boyfriend so can we take it slow please" He shrugs and puts his arm around my shoulders "Okay" I step away from him awkwardly "I think I need more lessons, I can't do that, it makes me cringe" I admit and he smiles "That's a first" He says to himself as if he was crossing something off a list in his head
"Well I guess I have to teach you a lot of things fake girlfriend" He comes to me slowly then brings his hand to stroke my cheeks "Erm" I cough at how closer we were "Look around" He whispers allowing me to move my head 'Woah' People were staring at us, they were actually interested in me for one "I hate attention" I sigh squeezing my eyes shut "Well if you want Cole, you're gonna have to get used to it" He turns me around and places his hand on my back walking me to my next class "This is gonna be a long journey" I sigh to myself almost regretting it already