Chapter 31: ♠Chapter 23♠

♠CHRIS♠

“So y'all goin to the movies?” Thion asked.

I nodded absentmindedly, my pen scribbling against my notebook.

“Alone?”

I nodded again, my eyebrows furrowing as I read the paragraph in my textbook again, trying to make sense of it.

“And eatin after?”

I bit the top of my pen, “Burger King most likely,” I voiced.

“And you payin for everything?”

“Why wouldn't I?”

It was quiet after that and I went back and forth from my textbook to my notes.

“And this doesn't… sound like a date to you at all…”

“Nathion, are you finished?”

Both of us looked up and the teacher, a middle aged brunette with her hair falling around her shoulders, looking in our direction. At Thion actually.

I mean he has been talking for the past five minutes. Asking me a bunch of questions about me and Ari going to the movies later. We do it all the time, we just don't tell anyone. Most of the time, it just doesn't come up, but it came up in this case and I'm regretting telling him anything.

“Working on it, Mrs. E,” he replied.

“Work harder,” she responded and a couple people snickered.

I smirked, looking at Thion who nodded. I laughed lowly, turning back to my books.

It was a minute of quiet after that before he said, “So?”

I set my pen down and turned to him, replying lowly, “No. I don't think it's a date. I see it as two people who want to see a particular movie and are going to see that particular movie.”

His eyebrows raised, “You know that's bullshit right?”

I sighed, “You asked me what I thought, I told you. What do want me to say?”

He pretended to think about it, “Admit that you like her.”

I blinked a couple times, squinting my eyes in confusion, “Where did that even-”

He shook his head, cutting me off, “Don't act dumb. You like her.”

“Of course I like her, we're friends,” I replied.

“And you know that's not what I mean.”

I laughed incredulously, “I can't keep up with you- where are you going with this?”

He stared at me blankly.

“Boys,” we both looked to the back of the room where the teacher was now standing, staring at us in disapproval, “Keep this up and one of you are going to be changing seats.”

We both apologized and I stood up with my assignment on a sheet of paper and went to the front of the class to set it on her desk.

When I got back to my seat, I muttered, “There's nothing deep about it. We're just seeing a movie.” And I hoped that was enough for him to let the topic go entirely.

♤♠♤

After class I got as far away from Nathion as possible, because I wasn't going to discuss that topic any further. I'm tired of people forcing feelings into my head that I had for Ariana. We were friends just like Jess and I were, and Mariana—maybe a bit closer, but friends, nonetheless.

I like her, but there's nothing romantic about it. Sure I flirt with her sometimes but that's just how we tease each other all the time. And I'm tired of everyone saying I like her more than that, it's honestly getting a little irritating.

The thought doesn't bother me, just the fact that everyone pushing me to admit to something I don't even feel. Maybe we can be a little too close sometimes according to them, but so is Carlos and Sean. No one says anything to them though, so I don't understand why the huge deal about us.

“Yo Chris!”

I looked in the direction my name came from and smirked, walking over.

“What's up man?” I greeted, nodding to everybody else in the small group.

“Coming to the game Friday?” He asked.

Dolan played lacrosse and I've known him since middle school. We weren't best friends but he was just one of those people that you know cause you always see them and they're always around. Every year I have at least two classes with him too, so it was pretty hard to get rid of him.

“I want to,” I told him, crossing my arms over my chest.

We talked about random stuff for a short time. Mostly sports and if I was gonna join track again in the spring, which had me thinking. I would like to get back into track, but not right now. I had no clue how it'll go though. Maybe I'll even wait until college to join, but I just wasn't too sure about it at the moment.

“Just make sure you at the game man,” he said.

I held my hands up, “Can't promise I'll be there.”

“And bring your girlfriend.”

My eyebrows raised, “Girlfriend?”

“Yeah, that girl you keep posting all the time,” he said.

My mouth opened and closed aimlessly before I said, “I don't post her that much.” But even I could hear how uncertain I was about it.

He grinned, nodding, “Just a lil bit.”

I shook my head, pushing that aside, “And she's not my girlfriend.”

“She isn't?” He asked.

“Why do you look so shocked about it?” I laughed.

“Cause you two are kinda,” one of the other guys said, I've seen him a couple times, but we never really talked before, “Always with each other.”

I made a face, a sound brewing in the back of my throat, “I don't think-”

“You are,” somebody else said.

I pressed my lips together before letting out a humorless laugh, “Why do people always notice stuff like this and I don't?” I said aloud.

Dolan shrugged, “Common thing. Don't mean you're stupid or anything. Not really a bad thing, unless…”

My eyebrows raised, “Unless what?”

“Unless she notices.”

I smiled, shaking my head, “Doubt it,” I don't doubt that she's as clueless as I am to all this.

I mean… She my girlfriend, I post her a lot and I have feelings for her… That's kinda…

I shook my head when the well rang, which means I have a minute until the late bell to get to my next class.

Taking a step back, I nodded, “I'll catch y'all some other time, yeah?”

“Yeah, preferable at the game at 7 p.m. Friday night at the stadium on 8th,” he said and I laughed with everybody else.

I shook my head with a chuckle, “Aight man.”

I went through the set of double doors leading to the upstairs lobby and joined the crowd of kids on their way to class.

And I tried not to think about what they were saying, but I couldn't help it. And now that I am… what? I have no clue what to do. Was it such a bad thing? I like how we are with each other and sure no one would understand until they knew us.

So I wasn't worried. About what people think I mean. Sure it would be really bad if feelings got involved because her mother would kill me if… anything even started to spark between us and she noticed. But I didn't really care about what people wanted to think because us being together isn't a repulsive thought.

I made my way to the doors leading to the history wing and spotted a certain midget.

Smiling, I made my way over, eyeing her before I could help it. She was wearing really tight jeans that hugged her in all the right places. I couldn't really help it. She did have a nice body, I'll admit that, and sometimes I catch myself… looking for a second too long.

I thought I saw one of the girls she was talking to nod behind her as I got closer. She turned to look over her shoulder when I was already placing my hands on her hips.

I leaned down to her ear, “Go to class,” I said, kissing her cheek quickly then pulled away.

I walked over to the heavy doors and as I was pulling one open, I looked over at her and she was staring at me. I smirked at the large smile on her face.

“It's right there,” she said over the noise of the hallway, pointing beyond me at the first classroom along the hall.

My smirk stretched and I winked at her.

She laughed and rolled her eyes then she ran after me as I went through the doors.

I snickered, knowing what was coming next.

She grabbed my arm, pulling me to a stop and I did so willingly.

“You're gonna make me late for class,” I said when I turned back to her.

“Stop doing that,” she scolded but she was smiling widely.

I grinned, “Doing what?”

“All,” she gestures to my face, “That. Stop. I told you not to do that anymore.”

I stepped to the side, pulling her with me when a couple people came through the doors and started walking down the corridor.

I leaned against the wall, shoving my hands in my pockets, “I don't even know what you're talking about,” I shook my head.

“All that…” She trails off, holding her hand out to me and I looked down at myself at the gesture, “Flirting and sexiness you do,” I couldn't help but laugh loudly at that, seeing a couple people staring at me as they went.

She shook her head, crossing her arms, “Stop. That's not- no. It's not cool.”

“No?” I teased, taking a step forward.

She shook her head, “No.”

“So you want me to stop,” I said, watching her face thoroughly and her response to that.

“W-Well,” her eyes went to the ceiling, “Yeah,” then she looked away.

I licked my lips, grinning, “That,” I nodded at her face and she met my gaze again, “Was shitty. You're such a sad liar,” I said, leaning forward with my hands on my knees, laughing, and she joined in.

“I hate you,” she laughed, shaking her head.

“Let's just settle this since I'm already late,” I said, grinning, “You love my sexiness.”

She made a face, squinting her eyes up at me, “Everyone loves your sexiness, Christianity. You're like an abercrombie model.”

“Can you call me my name?” I gritted out playfully.

She smiled sweetly, “I like all the different choices though.”

“You suck,” I told her.

“Would you like me to,” she replied and my jaw dropped as my eyebrows raised.

Her eyes closed and she looked like she was in pain for a second, “Forget I said that-”

“I'm gonna be replaying that in my head for the rest of the day,” I voiced as it was currently replaying in my head.

She started stuttering out her response and I nodded through her word vomit, “Please forget it.”

“That's kinda hard to do,” I told her, smirking when I thought those words over.

Her eyes narrowed, “You're,” she said slowly and I laughed loudly as she finished, “Nasty!”

I leaned in slowly, whispering dramatically, “You kinda just offered to give me a b-”

Her hand covered my mouth quickly, “No. Stop talking,” she said and I smirked beneath her hand. She pulled it away and that's when I noticed how close we were, “Breath a word to anyone and I disown you completely, Christian.”

“You just used my whole name,” I stated and she nodded, “And the right one.”

“Yes, I did.”

“This must be a huge deal,” I muttered.

“It really is. I have an image to uphold.”

My lips twitched I amusement, “What's that?”

She blinked at me, “The public sees me as very innocent, Christian. And I prefer to keep it that way.”

I bit my lip, smirking “And I get to see the other side?”

She averted her eyes, “Occasionally.”

“All right guys, get to class.”

I looked over her shoulder and Coach Brian was ushering the remaining kids in the halls to where they need to be.

My attention went back to Ari when she took a step back and I stood straight.

“See you later?” I said, walking backward slowly.

She did the same, “Maybe.”

I grinned, watching her stop at the open door of the classroom, “Thanks for the distraction by the way.”

She looked away, laughing and flipped me off quickly, disappearing inside the class and I shook my head, grinning.

My eyes caught some girl’s, walking down the hall on the other side of the glass doors, before I turned and made my way to class.