Tossing my chicken salad around, I feel lost. Why, of all places, does he have to be here? Jace Harrison... It feels like he's haunting me somehow, a ghost from the past that I simply can't shake. I can only hope that this huge school drowns him in the crowd and turns him into someone unimportant to me.
"What are you thinking about?" Melody asks from next to me.
I shake my head. "Do you think Andrew will join us?" I ask, trying to distract myself.
"Probably not," she replies, her eyes fixed on Andrew and his friends. He's popular, the kind of person you'd only spend time with outside of school.
"Oh," I frown, feeling a pang of disappointment.
"I'm relieved, though... ever since you two started dating, I haven't spent much time with you, Lucy," she mentions.
I look at her, feeling a tinge of guilt. "You think so? I tried to spend time with you. I'm sorry," I apologize.
She rolls her eyes. "No apologies needed. Well, there is something you can help me with," she says excitedly.
I raise my brow, curious. "What is it?" I ask.
"Well, you see Andrew's friend, the one with the blonde hair," she says, smiling widely at me.
"Jacob?" I frown, trying to remember.
She nods aggressively. "Yes, Jacob."
I squint my eyes, puzzled.
"Help me get on his radar," she orders.
"I'm not sure I'm following," I admit, a hint of confusion in my voice.
She rolls her eyes at me. "Lucy, should I spell this out for you?" She quickly scans the surroundings to ensure no one is eavesdropping before turning back to me. "I want to date Jacob."
My eyes widen in surprise. "But Andrew says he's a player, Melody," I interject, concerned.
She shakes her head. "He's popular. So if I date him, I'll be popular," she says in a sweet tone, trying to convince herself.
"I don't know," I shake my head, skeptical of her plan.
She frowns. "Lucy, you're supposed to be my friend. Friends help friends," she lectures, attempting to guilt-trip me.
But I remain firm, folding my arms. "Friends don't help friends date players," I say, emphasizing my point.
"Yes, but if I could get him to openly date me, then boom... popular," she insists, still fixated on her goal.
"What's so nice about being popular anyway?" I ask, genuinely curious.
She scoffs. "It wasn't even lunchtime, and Madison, the captain of the cheerleading team, asked you to come to her party on Friday," she grumbles, clearly envious.
"You can go," I shrug, realizing I may not attend the party myself.
"Oh, you better go, you ungrateful introvert," she scolds, disappointed in my lack of enthusiasm.
"Fine, fine," I wave my hands in defeat, deciding to appease her.
"So, does this mean you'll go or you'll help me date Jacob?" she raises her brow, seeking confirmation.
"Both," I smile, and she throws herself at me in a hug, momentarily forgetting her disappointment.
"Why are we so happy?" Andrew interjects, joining our conversation.
Melody pulls away, sounding unimpressed. "Ugh, it's you," she says blandly.
"Sorry to disappoint," Andrew says with a touch of sarcasm as he takes a seat on the bench. His gaze falls upon my plate, and he suggests, "You should eat more," in a scolding tone.
I nod, beginning to eat my meal.
"What's with the obedience? You remind me of our golden retriever," she remarks disapprovingly, shaking her head.
"It's just our rule, you know," I shrug nonchalantly.
Melody shoots Andrew a glare. "Such a bossy boyfriend. It's not too late to break up," she suggests, but Andrew quickly shuts her down with a glance.
"Can you please stop?" he implores.
"Can you stop dating my friend, despite my repeated warnings that she's off-limits?" Melody frowns.
"I met her first," Andrew smirks, asserting himself. "So you be quiet," he scolds Melody.
They argue for a while before finally reaching the point of not speaking to each other. Their constant fights, even over trivial matters, make me appreciate their company more when they're not at odds.
As it's time to head back to class, I realize that I'm actually having a decent time. Everyone is so friendly to me, a stark contrast to my previous school.
My steps come to an abrupt halt as I spot Jace by the lockers, locked in a passionate kiss with someone. She has long sleek black hair that probably obeys her every command.
"Aren't you jealous?" a girl next to me asks.
I look at her, bewildered. "No, why would I be? I do have a boyfriend, you know," I reply, trying to brush off any hint of envy with a smile.
She laughs. "Well, I'm jealous. That's Jace Harrison," she informs me, excitement evident in her voice.
"Oh, who is she?" I ask, genuinely intrigued.
"You don't know Mirae Kim? She's a famous teen actress. Apparently, they met on the set of 'Vampire's Fangs'," she explains.
I shake my head. "Vampire what?"
She squints at me, surprised. "Don't you watch TV?"
I shake my head, laughing nervously. "Not really. I barely watch anything," I confess, feeling slightly out of touch.
She seems taken aback for a moment but quickly composes herself. "Well, Jace made a special appearance on that show, and it seems they hit it off, you know what I mean?" she says, winking mischievously.
I rub the back of my neck. "I think I get it," I reply, glancing back at Jace and his companion engrossed in conversation.
He must have felt my eyes on him, as his he's locking eyes with me right now. My heart skips a beat.
"Wow, he's staring at you," the girl next to me exclaims, shock evident in her voice.
Diverting his gaze back to Mirae, Jace leaves her with a peck on the cheek. She smiles at him and makes her way down the hallway. I can't deny the twinge of hurt that washes over me as I notice how stunning she is, but then I remind myself that I have no right to feel that way.
When I gather the courage to look up again, Jace is standing before me.
"Wow," the girl next to me whispers, her voice filled with awe.
I gaze up at Jace, who effortlessly towers over me. He looks even more handsome than before, with his grown-out hair and a stronger, more defined frame. My heart races, and I wait anxiously for his words as he gazes down at me, his grey eyes filled with a sting of fury.