This chapter is dedicated to NaziaJasminTalukdar for your votes and comments❤
You could check out her reading list, she has very nice books💕

*

I quickly glanced around the 'once empty hall'. My instincts were right, a few minutes away stood this weird guy.

He bent down immediately to pick up the books, which I assume fell down.

"I'm...I'm...I'm sorry," he stammered, fear in his eyes as he glanced over from me to Lan who were now pulled apart.

He ran past us when he didn't get back any reply from any of us.

I looked over to Lan who was having this death glare on his face, looking into space with tightly clenched fists.

He looked angry.

I started walking away, as fast as I could without even having a particular direction, just as long as I'm as far away from him as I could be.

I just couldn't believe it.

I almost kissed Lan.

*

I pulled up in the driveway of my home. I was glad today was almost over.

Kelly got out of the car while I still sat there, mentally scolding myself for what happened earlier today. I needed to remind myself about who I was...

I'm Stella Downer!

I'M STELLA DOWNER!

No one plays with me nor my emotions!

I felt like a fool for what happened earlier, I felt like I wasn't myself.

Just one guy...

I couldn't handle him and he almost had his way with me. It shouldn't be so, it should be the other way round.

That's how it has always been!

I remembered that I was still in the car, I got out, grabbed my bag and walked to the door.

Once I got in, the first thing I noticed was Ivy and Zach shoving their tongues down each other's throats, already half clothed on the couch.

I wonder if they even left for school earlier and I hope they involve protection in whatever they were planning on doing.

I noticed Kelly still on the staircase.

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked and she just shrugged in reply.

"What are you looking at?"

"Ivy is a pro....I'm learning," she replied, the last two words more like a whisper.

"Stop acting stupid," I scolded, dragging her up the stairs.

*

Walking into school as usual with my friends, it was clear that something was happening.

Students were clustered in groups, chattering, squeaking and giggling.

"There's gonna be a party this Friday," Amber suddenly said.

So that was what the noise was all about.

"Yeah, Friday night," Tianna completed.

"I'm so going!" Tianna squealed.

"Me too! What about you?" Amber asked, referring to me.

"Sure!" I replied.

Was that even a question? I don't ever miss stuffs like that. Ever!

"I feel like I don't even have anything to wear," Tianna panicked.

"Yeah! I need something new," Amber continued.

They kept on arguing and panicking on what to wear and what not to wear, who has what to wear and who doesn't.

Aaargh! They can be a handful!

*

With my physics textbook open  in front of me, I could see the teacher's mouth moving but I couldn't make out what she was saying.

Not that she wasn't audible enough but I just wasn't concentrating, I had something else occupying my mind.

Landor Jackson.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!

Is this the charm he uses on other girls, then he really needs to tell me the source because it's working!

"Y'all should concentrate, this is really important!" The teacher said from the front of the class and it caught my attention.

"The annual science project has begun," she started.

Yeah, we were in our final year in high school, just like previous sets, we're gonna partake in a science project. According to the rules, it carries 20% of our final grade as science students.

"But this year, we decided not to make it an individual project, we're gonna group y'all for a better result."

The class became noisy as students started arguing and deciding on who their partner will be.

"You've all been grouped already," the teacher suddenly said, bursting a lot of people's bubbles.

She started calling out names, the once noisy class became quiet to hear their names and probably silently praying to have a good partner.

"Stella Downer and Timothy Stones," the teacher called out after calling a few previous names.

Timothy?

Who is that?

She kept on calling names in pairs, Amber was grouped with Isabel, Tianna with Luke, one of the guys on our soccer team.

Lan was grouped with Claire who let out a loud happy squeal when their names were called out.

Disgusting.

Daniel was grouped with Cheryl, I don't think that should be a problem for me, I doubt he even sees anything in her.

I know. I'm a jealous type.

The class was over and the teacher left. I looked towards the other end of the class where Daniel sits.

Lan was there too.

They were talking and laughing together. Only if Daniel knew what his best friend has been doing behind his back.

How could Lan be so comfortable with this?!

"Luke's not bad," Tianna said from beside me, cutely rolling her eyes and snapping me out of my thoughts.

"You were grouped with Timothy," Tianna said again, referring to me.

"Yeah," I replied, squinting my eyes a bit, trying to recall who that was.

"The weird blonde guy that sits on the first row," Amber described, probably noticing my situation.

Then it clicked.

Timothy.

The same guy that saw Lan and I in the hallway yesterday.

"Don't talk like that! He's also smart and kinda cute," Tianna retorted to the description Amber made about him.

That shouldn't be a problem for me, infact it's just perfect. I don't even need to stress or bother myself about the damn project.

It's all his....

Daniel and his friends started walking towards us.

"Oh...there comes my cute science partner," Tianna said, referring to Luke who I figured must have heard it because of the signature smile that formed on his lips.

Daniel got to me and gave me a soft peck on the cheek.

"So, how's my angel doing, hope it didn't hurt when you fell from heaven?" He teased.

"You're so cheesy!" I said blushing profusely.

But it didn't last when I caught view of the person standing behind him.

I looked away.

"So, about the party?" Amber suggested.

"Yeah," Daniel replied.

"Y'all gonna be there?" Luke asked.

"Yeah! Ofcourse!" Tianna replied immediately.

"What of you?" Lan asked, speaking for the first time since he got here.

It took a while for me to process the fact that he was referring to me.

"Are you? Everyone will be there," Daniel asked again, since there wasn't any reply from me.

Everyone included Lan right?

I looked up at him, he was having this small sly grin on his face and I noticed he was looking at me.

I looked away but he kept on staring.

Was it just me or isn't any other person noticing it!

I was feeling so uneasy. This is so not me!

"No I'm not, I'll be busy on Friday night."

~~~~~~~~

Do you think she's really busy on Friday night?

What do you think about Stella?

Or any other character?

How have the book been so far?

Please fill me in.

Don't forget to help share the book and drag some of your friends over❤