I was sitting in the secluded spot of the cafeteria, munching my chips slowly as I observed everyone. From where I was sitting, it was easy to see more than half of the entire students in the cafeteria but it was hard for people to see me except a very observant person or someone very close by.
Josh and Cole were sitting together, talking and laughing about something but Bianca wasn't with them this time and I had a gnawing feeling that she was with Jason.
I shrugged the thought off. I didn't want to care anymore. She might even be with her friends.
I also saw Sally with Andrea and Rhea talking in hushed tones. Then suddenly, I saw Jake approaching with the same girl I saw earlier in the morning. They were heading towards my direction, I had to turn my face away so that Jake wouldn't notice me. They passed by and went to another table.
"Hey."
I almost jumped out of my seat. I was startled. Of course who else would it be? It was Alex.
"Shit. You scared me."
He looked past me suspiciously, "Who are you hiding from?"
"What are you doing here?" I asked, ignoring his question.
"I'm here to eat." He rested his elbow on the table and took a fork of my chips as if to emphasize his point.
I rolled my eyes, "I meant, why are you sitting here. There are a lot of empty tables were you could have sat."
"Well, this place is secretive, I don't want all the girls fawning over me." He winked.
I scoffed, "What is there to fawn at?"
"You know it, Teddy." His lips curved up into a smirk.
"My name is not Teddy." I cut him off sharply.
"You didn't tell me your name." He shrugged, still munching my chips. Why didn't he get his own food?
"You didn't ask." I countered matter-of-factly.
"I didn't feel the inclination to. Teddy just sort of popped out of my mouth and it seemed right."
"My name is Jenny, Jenny Perkins."
"I didn't ask for your name."
"Well, I'm telling you because I don't want you to call me Teddy or whatever name that pops out of your mouth."
"Okay Teddy." He smiled mockingly.
"I thought I just–" I stopped myself. There was no point telling. This guy just says whatever he wants. "Never mind, can you just leave this table? I need to be alone."
He looked at me steadily for a moment. His face was expressionless and the way his green eyes gazed fixedly on mine made me feel...weird.
"Okay then, just know that you'll definitely regret sending me away." He finally said, his gaiety reclaiming his face.
Damn...how could someone go from looking do serious to...the total opposite in the next second? Thus guy was a freak.
He stood up, "Bye Teddy."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Trust me, it was a really strong urge.
He was about to leave when he suddenly stopped and took another one of my chips.
"This really tastes good." He said as he put it into his mouth and finally turned to leave.
I heaved a sigh of relief as soon as he left.
I was so happy to be alone.
Not.
I started digging into my chips and there was totally nothing great about it.
There was a lot of things wrong with this Alex guy.
First, he snatches someone's teddy bear and calls it fun.
Second, he was extremely good at calculus which doesn't quite add up considering the first.
And don't ask me why it doesn't add up.
Third, he thinks that all the girls are fawning over him which might actually be true considering his glorious look which I won't bother delving into. All the girls were ogling at him in calculus class and I doubt anyone of them paid attention to our teacher.
That's why I think it's not good for boys who are extremely good looking to know that they are, it could lead to severe high school problems.
And fourth, he actually thinks these bland tasting chips are great.
"Hello Perkins."
There was only one person who called me by my surname with that voice and there is no reason why that person should be at my table, in this hidden place.
I looked up from my bag of chips to meet the eyes of my mortal enemy smiling at me and as if that wasn't enough torture, she came here with Jason.
I looked at him briefly before tearing my face away. I was really hurt that he had the guts to come here with Bianca.
But then again, I had no right to be hurt or upset since we weren't even dating and Josh was s still my boyfriend.
What in the name of these bland tasting chips is wrong with me?
They both took the seat in front of me.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, facing Bianca.
"We are here to eat." She came with her tray of food, for both her and Jason.
Why was everyone coming here to eat. Seriously, I needed to be alone.
"You could have sat with your puppets or at the basketball team table."
"You took a break Perkins and I've decided to join you, is anything wrong with that?"
Yes, everything is wrong with that because I hate you so fucking much.
Before I could say anything next, Jason cleared his throat, gaining both our attention.
"I'm also here, you know?" He said.
Bianca put her perfectly manicured hands over his and gave him a flirtatious smile. "Of course I know babe."
Babe?! Was he dating her? I thought she was just a fling.
I looked at Jason and he was also looking at me. I looked away. My mood was totally ruined. It would have been better if Alex were here even if he pisses me off.
"How did you guys find me here anyway?" I managed to ask, maintaining my cool.
Bianca chuckled, "We weren't searching for you, we were looking for a table because we didn't want to be public at our regular table. So, some new hot guy told us to sit here. He said you needed company."
New hot guy? Why did that? — Alex.
It had to be Alex. He was the one who knew I was here and he sent them on purpose to annoy me. I specifically remembered telling him that I wanted to be alone.
I take back the comment of it being better that he was here. I was so angry. I just stood up from the table and left the cafeteria in anger.
I was storming angrily through the hallway and I saw Alex approaching, walking without a care in the world with his signature black from head to toe.
Speak of the devil.
"Whoa! You look like a raging red bull." He commented as we both walked up to each other.
I glared at him, straight in the eyes but I had to tilt my head upward a little to do that. "You..."
He raised an eyebrow in confusion for some time before it came down. "I forgot my lines...what was I supposed to say again?"
Does he think I'm acting? Yeah, everything is probably a play to him. "Why did you send them to my table?"
"Them?" He appeared to be in thought for a moment, "Oh...they needed a private table and that spot was perfect."
"But I said I wanted to be alone, you should have directed then somewhere else or simply ignore them, it's not that hard to do."
"It skipped my mind." He bit his lips digging both hands into his trouser pockets like a little child who was just scolded.
Hey, you're not allowed to look this cute!
And don't let me get started on those eyes...
Focus Jenny!
"I'm sure you didn't forget. You did it on purpose. You said I would regret sending you away. Is that what you meant?"
He laughed, throwing his head back slightly.
"Did I say something funny?" I was getting really irritated. I was worked up and he felt so relaxed as if my anger was some sort of joke.
His laughter died down, reducing to short chuckles. "It is actually funny to think that I would do something that petty. I only made that comment because it is nice to drop an ominous comment while leaving. I didn't figure you'd take it seriously."
I scoffed. So he wasn't laughing at what I said, he was laughing at me. I had suddenly turned into a clown in a few minutes. "I don't see it as petty. I know you sent them on purpose to make me angry."
"Why do I have a feeling that if it were some other people you wouldn't have been this angry but because it was them. Is there something more?" He looked at me suspiciously.
I returned the suspicious look, "You know something." I said pointedly.
The look in his eyes reduced to an amused one, "About what?" He smirked.
I shrugged, "About those two people, tell me what you know."
"I don't give any information for free."
I groaned in frustration. "Do you really expect me to pay you in cash?"
"No Teddy, I don't need your money." His eyes darkened a bit for a fleeting moment that I almost thought I imagined it.
"Then what?"
"You have to let me share that table you use in the cafeteria."
"There are a lot of tables in the cafeteria. You can use anyone of them. This school cafeteria is just as big as the school itself." I almost screamed in frustration.
He sighed, "I told you before, I don't like the way all the girls stare at me. It's really unnerving."
I scoffed. It rather felt like it boosted his ego rather than unnerving. "What is there to stare at huh? How do they stare at you?"
"You know it, Teddy." He smirked.
Why does he keep using that line? I clenched and unclenched my fist. I felt like punching that almost perfect face of his.
I know it?
I don't know anything.
Well, I know a lot of things but not what he's insinuating.
And how do I know what he is insinuating?
Alex suddenly snapped his fingers in front of my eyes. "Earth to Teddy."
I shoved his hand away, averting his gaze. "I wasn't lost in thought, I was just trying to figure something out."
He raised am eyebrow. "I didn't ask."
"Whatever... You can share my table so tell me what you know."
"Well I know that Bianca is your long time rival and enemy and Jason is your little crush."
How did he figure that out? "He isn't," I countered immediately. "Who told you that?"
This guy was creeping me out in many ways than one. Is he a stalker? He just started school today though.
"It's pretty obvious." He said, snapping me out of my train of thoughts. "I also know that Jake has been your best friend since elementary school and you don't have any other friends except Sally."
As soon as he mentioned Sally, my brain clicked. There was no way Alex could have figured all this out since he just started schooling here today and we've only shared a class together.
"It was Sally who told you all these right?" That was the only plausible explanation. I knew for a fact that Sally had trouble keeping her mouth shut.
His mouth lazily stretched up in amusement as his dark eyebrow simultaneously perked up, "You're smart, I'll give that to you but don't go all bonkers on your friend. She had a valid reason to blurt out all those information."
Valid reason? Did he hold her at gunpoint? My eyes widened in horror as the thought seeped into my mind. I eyed him scrupulously. He seemed the type.
"Now before your mind starts going haywire. All it took was one of my pictures." He smiled. "Only God knows what thought is creeping I to your brain."
"A picture?" I asked dumbfounded.
"Yeah." He winked.
I scoffed throwing my face sideways. "Sally is so dead," I muttered under my breath as I turned back, heading towards were I had earlier came from —the cafeteria.
"Calm down Teddy, you might crash into someone." Alex shouted to my hearing.
But I just ignored him as I willed my legs to move faster as I took a left turn to the cafeteria.
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