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“Well, here we go.” Courtney joins me in front of the car, and together we make our way toward the high school building for our first day of junior year.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I think it’s more about seeing Sebastian than it is about starting school again. I always have first day jitters, but this is something else entirely.
Even after what happened on Saturday, I still wasn’t one hundred percent convinced I’d hear from Sebastian on Sunday. But as promised, he called me; it was shortly after dinner, and we talked for nearly two hours.
When we hung up he left me only with an“I’ll see you tomorrow, Tess.”His sultry voice making me wish it was already tomorrow.
Now it is, and I’m walking into school with an entire swarm of butterflies in my stomach flapping so wildly it’s a wonder I’m able to keep myself securely on the ground.
We meet up with Bree, whose locker is just a couple down from mine, and then walk together toward our homeroom classes. Courtney and Bree were lucky enough to end up in the same homeroom where I was not.
I bid my two best friends goodbye before making my way four doors down to where my homeroom class is located. The room is already packed and bustling with excited students catching up with friends.
I head for the empty desk in the far front corner, saying hello to some of my classmates as I pass by. Unfortunately, because I spent so much time in the hallway with Court and Bree, the bell rings before I even make it all the way to my desk.
Mr. Johnson is still in the hallway, ushering some last-minute arrivals through the door, so I quickly take my seat. While he’s distracted, I take a quick moment to check my phone, wanting to make sure it’s on silent before class starts. Sliding the device from the back pocket of my skinny jeans, my breath catches in my throat the moment I see a text message from Sebastian.
Sebastian: I hope you have a good first day.
Looking up to see Mr. Johnson entering the room, I quickly lock the device and shove it back into my pocket without having a chance to text Sebastian back.
The first part of the morning goes by in a blur. While I’m familiar with the building, there’s still some classroom searching that takes place on the first day, especially given that half the classes on my schedule are spread over the four different wings of school making it somewhat difficult to make it from one class to the next in the short three minutes that’s allotted between bells.
By the time third period rolls around, I’ve managed to be late to all three classes, stumbling into Advanced Chemistry nearly two full minutes after the bell because I got turned around having never really been to the east wing before.
There are only two seats open, and I immediately opt for the one in the row closest to me about halfway toward the back. I hate drawing any attention to myself and considering my late arrival, pretty much everyone in the class watches me until I finally claim my desk.
I’ve barely gotten my notebook open before I hear snickering coming from behind me. Because of my rushed entrance, I didn’t really pay much attention to who was sitting around me, but knowing it probably has nothing to do with me, I choose to ignore it and turn my attention forward.
It’s not long before the girls are giggling again, talking in hushed whispers. Mr. Merlock is either completely oblivious to it or chooses to ignore it, but considering they’re sitting right behind me, it’s a far more challenging task for me, but I manage to shut them out for most of the class. That is until I hear Sebastian’s name. That’s when my ears perk up, and I really start listening.
“Are you sure that’s her? He would never hook up with her. Look at her. She’s so—boring.” The hair on the back of my neck stands up as a fresh set of goose bumps spread across my skin.
“Maybe he did it out of pity. You know, so people would think they hooked up,” the second girl responds.
“Oh, you’re probably right. Sebastian really is so sweet, taking on such pathetic charity cases. I wonder if she actually believed he was giving her the time of day, or if she knew all along it was just a rouse.”
“Poor thing. She probably thought it was real.” This causes both the girls behind me to break into a fit of giggles once again.
It takes everything in me not to turn around and say something. I want to so bad. I want to tell them that not only did we spend an incredible night together on Friday, but that he came to my house Saturday and we spent hours on the phone Sunday, but I know better than to open that can of worms. It would probably just egg them on more.
I wish I could say I’m a thick-skinned person and their words don’t poke me like little needles being jabbed into my skin, but that’s simply not the case.
By the time the bell rings, I’m so on edge I feel like I’m gonna crawl out of my own skin. Grabbing my stuff off my desk, I hightail it toward the door before I do something I’ll regret, like slapping tweedle dee and tweedle dumb right across their catty faces with my chemistry book.
I’m in such a rush to get away from the entire situation that I narrowly miss running into Dylan as I turn the corner in my attempt to flee. He jumps, startled by our near collision, and then recognition flashes across his face.
“Sorry.” I avoid his gaze as I attempt to step around him.
I get all of two steps before his voice halts my movements.
“So, Sebastian Baxter huh?” The disdain dripping from each word has me slowly turning around.
He looks like his normal put together self. Dark hair short and styled, his decent built frame dressed in his usual jeans and sports tee. But it’s his eyes that throw me off. The deep brown color not as soft as I once thought it to be. There’s an edge to him I never really noticed while we were together.
Did he always look at me like that?
“What?” I finally question, my pulse drumming against my neck.
