Nina Carter: One cannot be invisible by walking into school today.
Not tracking the happenings last night.
Not once I finally chose Enzo.
Not straight after I kissed him—for this time only.
I felt it the moment I began down the hall. Whispers abound. The blares. People pushed each other as I passed; their muted voices scarcely loud enough to capture their excitement.
Did you see the fighting?
Enzo and Jake nearly killed one other for her.
Then she chose Enzo right in front of Jake.
Jake seemed shattered.
Not eager for them to know how much it hurt me, I kept walking.
Since then?
I never knew if I had really brought home any trophies.
I saw the outcomes not long after.
By the time I reached my locker, the school's social order had hardly changed.
For years Jake had been king.
Now?
Individuals started focusing on Enzo.
Respect; terror; questions; like he had gained the throne without even making a bid.
And Jake then?
He vanished nowhere to be found.
More than anything, it troubled me.
Because Jake did not disappear without warning.
He delayed. Expecting.
And when he got back?
It never worked out as intended.
I was at my locker pretending not to notice the attention when the heels clicked towards me.
Kaysra.
Undoubtedly.
I scarcely had time to get dressed when she stopped by me: arms crossed, phoney anxiety all over her face.
"Well, well, she drew," she replied. "Look who's finally given herself significance."
I closed my locker and exhaled loudly. Kayla, I not feel like it.
Her grin broadened. Not in the right frame for what? As it happens?
I turned and drew crossed arms. And with what truth would it line up?
She leant forward, her voice kind.
"That you did not win," she remarked gently. That Enzo is using you just like Jake did. That to them just constitute a game.
I gasped quickly. Kayla, you don know anything about me.
She tilted her head, gleaming eyes. Oh, yet I do. And therefore does the entire institution.
She got out her phone, touched the screen, then turned it towards me.
The blood appeared to be coming from my face.
Playing on her screen was a new video since then.
One final night from yesterday evening.
Among myself, of Enzo.
About our kisses.
Included. Group. Virine.
My heart pounded hard on my ribs.
The smile on Kayla became deadly. Nina, maybe you will like becoming famous.
She turned with that and headed off.
By when lunch came, everyone had seen the movie.
One could feel their attention, their judgement, their curiosity.
Still, the only person I thought of was?
Emzon.
He was completely unconcerned outside, lounging against a tree.
Grinning the second he came upon me. "Carter." To what cause me to attribute the pleasure?
I opened my arms. "Have you seen it?," his eyes glitter. "The Video"?
I shook hands.
He exhaled and pushed his fingers through his hair. Of course.
I watched. "And?," wonders.
He fluttered. Furthermore, what? We look very great together.
I corrected him straight forwardly in the eye. "You're not... enraged!"
He giggled. "For what cause would I be? We knew this would get ugly.
I bit my jaw. "Enzo, it goes beyond just untidy. All around us is People are acting like I am some—some.
"Some what?," he said, walking right up. a few trophies? a prise? somewhat?
His tone changed.
"Or are you mainly worried about what Jake thinks?"
rigid. Not about Jake, this is not.
He gracedly. Is not that?
My heart started to increase speed.
He was maybe **just maybe** right.
And that scared me as well.
Not seen all day was Jake.
not down the halls. not at lunch. absent from the class.
He was waiting, nevertheless, when I came to the parking lot after graduation.
Besides his car, arms crossed, eye locked on me.
My stomach started to tighten.
I gave backing off and turning around some thought.
I quit running however.
I breathed deeply, lifted my chin, and began to move straight towards him.
He drew hard the second I stopped before him.
I really have to talk to you.
I held my arms in folding style. " You want to talk right now?"
His mouth closed. "Please Nina," I said, frozen.
Because Jake never asked for anything.
And paying attention to him say, please?
That sounded modern.
Five minutes," I responded.
His shoulders went back to calm. "Not here" Approach in.
I slurred. Just why?
"Enzo will show up if we talk here."
My pulse missed one other. And yet?
gasped Jake. And I wish I never fight him once again. Not quite yet.
Inside my chest started to twist.
Jake hadn't completed his fighting.
This just signalling the beginning.
And for the first time, I wondered whether I was prepared for what was ahead.
I stopped for quite long.
At last, however, I stepped in the car.
Driving softly, Jake departed the parking lot.
I pushed back with great force. "Where are we heading?," he said, inhaling. Somewhere none else can hear us.
That prompted me to become uneasy.
Before I could prod him for more, however, he became an empty parking lot.
shut off the engine.
He turned then to face me.
His face seemed to be blank.
But what his words following were?
reversed everything.
He went silently, then again. "Nina, there's something you don't know." Freeze.
Something in his words shook my spine.
Something informed me: whatever this was, it was no more about us.
And for the first time since this all started, I was unsure if this was a game—or whether I would get caught in something much, far more.