Hey Guys, Thank you all for your patience. I'll be changing my update day to Monday because it gives me more time to go over my chapter on the weekend. I hope everyone is going well and staying safe :)

-THIRTY THREE-

I had decided to distance myself from Kade.

It had taken a lot of tossing and turning at night for me to come to this decision. I knew Kade wouldn't hurt me intentionally but even if he wasn't aware of it, he was kind of stringing me along.

I had tried to convince myself to ignore it so that I could enjoy the feeling of my senses coming alive around him, but I knew if I did that, I was going to end up in a deeper mess than I already was in. My feelings for Kade were already growing and if I didn't put space between us, I knew I was going to end up feeling hurt one way or the other.

I bit my lip, trying to think of ways to subtly stay away from Kade. It was going to be a hard task because I shared classes with him, and we sat together at lunch too. And then there was the whole Seat Mate scenario. How was I going to get out of that one?

I was a little too lost in my thoughts because I barely kept my attention on where I was walking and ended up colliding with a person, making us both fall.

"Ow!"

"Ahh."

I rubbed my elbow, wincing at the bolt of pain searing up my arm. I looked up to see that I had ran into a very familiar dark, fluffy haired girl. I wracked my brain before I placed her as the girl at the bowling alley yesterday. Something clicked in my mind and I realised that she was also the girl who had dumped paint on her ex-boyfriend at Montana's party.

She probably felt me staring at her because she looked up from rubbing her knee. She cocked her head to the side and squinted her eyes a little. "Do I know you?"

"Uh, I don't think so," I replied, a little sheepish because of my blatant staring.

She looked at me a little doubtfully before shrugging it off. 

Both of us got up, dusting our uniforms. I didn't know she went to Hedgeview High.

"What the hell, Ria! Couldn't you wait even for a second?" A voice called from behind and the guy I'd spotted yesterday (the same one I'd called cute) came behind the girl. She just rolled her eyes at him.

Did they both go here? Why hadn't I seen them around?

The guy noticed me standing there after a second. He looked back at the girl- Ria -"Is she a friend?"

"We just ran into each other," Ria shrugged nonchalantly.

Now it was the guy's turn to look at me with narrowed eyes. "I've seen you before," he said and I could almost hear the gears in his head turning when suddenly he seemed to have a light bulb moment. "You're the girl at the bowling alley yesterday!"

My eyebrows went up in surprise. He had noticed me?

He must've seen the clear surprise on my face because he immediately turned a little red, which was adorable. "Uh, I mean not that I was staring at you or anything. We were just- I was just there behind you when you went to the vending machine," he blubbered and I had to hide my smile.

"Now that he said it, I think even I recognise you from yesterday," Ria said, thoughtfully.

"Ah, yeah. I was there with a friend," I answered. A friend whose thoughts I'm trying to push far far away.

"I didn't know you guys went here. I haven't seen you around before," I spoke and almost smacked myself. That sounded so ignorant especially if they did go here.

"Well, that's cause we don't," Ria answered and my eyebrows drew in puzzlement.

She was wearing the school uniform and so was the guy. I was super confused. 

The guy probably read my expressions again because he spoke up. "We're part of the three month exchange programme in Hedgeview,"

Realisation dawned upon me and I nodded. I remember Mae telling me about the annual exchange programme Hedgeview High held with a few other schools around. It was a chance for three students to go out and experience another school while three students came in their place here. These spots were usually applied for and decided on the basis of merit.

"Well, welcome to Hedgeview High. I hope you have a great time here," I grinned at them and held out my hand for them to shake. Before Ria could take it, the guy immediately grabbed it, shaking it enthusiastically. He reminded me of Chase a little.

"Thanks! I'm Caleb, by the way," he introduced himself, a grin apparent on his face. His aura was definitely contagious.

"Kyra. Nice to meet you," I smiled and turned towards the Ria. 

I had barely talked to the girl for a few minutes and I already knew that she was the tough kind. Her skepticism at me and my actions, clearly told me that she wasn't as open with people as Caleb seemed to be.

She did take my hand but her enthusiasm was no where in sight. She was cute though, with a round face and small chocolate eyes. "Ria Crawford."

I smiled and nodded. Before either of us could say anything further, the warning bell rang, signalling that we had five minutes to get to class.

"So, what is your first period?"

****

"No way! Chemistry is so easy. Physics on the other hand sucks so bad! I mean why would you wonder why an apple falls unnecessarily? Just let it fall away!" Caleb protested and his frustration was funny.

Caleb and I had shared our first class, which was sadly History and I had volunteered to take him to class. While talking, we had somehow ended up discussing our favourite subjects and he hated physics and loved Chemistry- exactly my opposite. He just couldn't understand how someone could even like physics and was adamant that it was a waste of time. For him. He seemed like such a child at times.

I shook my head at him. Caleb was super easy to talk to and despite not talking for long, I could see us becoming good friends already. He was super cute too.

In our five minute talk together, he'd told me that Ria and he were childhood friends. While Ria got the scholarship through the sports merit in girls soccer, he was a Chemistry wiz and had a lot of national merits to his name in the subject.

I rolled my eyes. "Of course you would say that," I gave him a semi-flat look.

"Since you're so confident about your Physics skills, would you mind tutoring me occasionally? I can't lose this exchange opportunity by flunking through that class. In exchange I can make sure your Chemistry grades go up," he offered and I let the thought sit in my mind.

He seemed like a nice guy and I did need some help with Chemistry. Suddenly, another thought struck my mind. This could be a perfect excuse to avoid Kade as inconspicuously as possible!

I immediately agreed.

"Great! Let me know whenever you need me to teach you anything and I'll do the same?" he suggested and I nodded smiling. He grinned back.

This could also help me make some friends outside of the Elites. I really hope this went well.

***

Kade was looking at me. 

I wasn't looking back but I could feel it. I blankly nodded at whatever Allison said and tried to avoid fidgeting in my seat.

I knew why he was staring at me. My plan had started and while I had thought Kade wouldn't notice much, it didn't seem like it. In English, I had deliberately gone super late and ended up sitting in one of the seats on the other side of the room, pretending that I didn't spot Kade.

After classes, I was the first one to be out of the class and run off before Kade could catch up to me. Or I started up a conversation with any of the Elites to avoid having to talk to him. Even when I'd come for lunch, there were three seats empty. One beside Kade, one on either side of Allison. I chose to sit between Mae and Allison despite wanting to sit on the former one. 

It was way hard to do this while trying to be nonchalant about it because he was practically everywhere and so was Montana which was the only reason I had enough motivation to stick to my decision. She was a constant reminded of why I was even doing this in the first place.

And this was just the first day.

Kade didn't say anything but he did give me a slightly confused look. I had passed him a smile in greeting to placate the situation and to show that I wasn't avoiding him or anything when I totally was.

"Kyra, have you thought who you'll be bringing to the ball?" Allison's question jolted me out of my zone and I looked at her, slightly lost.

"Uh, not yet," I replied, giving a side-eye to Kade who was clearly listening in to the conversation.

She gave me a mischievous look before turning to Kade. "Kade, do you have a date for the ball? If not, you could totally take Kyra," she said and I could see a time smirk quirk up on her lips.

I stared at her almost horrified. As much as I wanted this to happen, my current situation and decision were both totally contradictory. I couldn't even flat out refuse because that would be suspicious. I was a little glad that Lucas and Madison were bickering too much to even notice this conversation. I didn't want too many eyes on me because it could make me fumble and I'd rather not fail on the first day.

I tried to maintain a calm expression as I turned to look at the boy in question. He gave me one long look before turning to his cousin. "I don't mind. I don't have a date either."

My stomach fluttered. I hated that I liked the picture of us going to Allison's ball together. But I really couldn't do this because I didn't want to get into a deeper mess.

Before I could say anything and make an excuse, Montana opened her trap. "But babe, I thought we were going together!"

All three Mae, Allison and my eyes shifted to the she-devil who was giving puppy eyes to Kade. He looked at her warily. "I don't remember agreeing to that."

I could see that Montana was not pleased with his answer because she squeezed his bicep and forced a smile on her face. "Oh silly, how else would I be able to get you to talk to my mom about the thing?"

Kade visibly tensed a little. He had a scowl slowly forming on his face at the mention of the thing and he opened his mouth to say something but I piped in.

"Oh wait, I just remembered. I actually think I might have someone to take with me," I chuckled acting as if it was silly to even forget such a thing.

All four heads snapped towards me. I squeezed my hands together, trying my hardest not to fidget under the scrutinising stares. Kade narrowed his eyes at me slightly and I faked a smile at both Mae and Allison.

"Who?"

I gulped before blurting the first name that came into my mind. "Darren."

Mae gasped in excitement. "You mean Darren Harrison?"

I gave her a sheepish nod and felt myself turn a little red. I really hope Darren didn't already have someone taking him and he was okay with being my date for the event. 

As much as I had thought that I could ask Caleb, I couldn't drag him into this the first day I meant him. I didn't even know his last name yet and it was going to be a bitch move if I did that.

Allison looked at me a little dubiously but I faked a nervous grin, hoping she would take my blush as one of giddiness instead of the current embarrassment I was facing.

Kade seemed a little stiff and his face was blank. My brain wanted to assume it was because of me but the rational side of it did point out that it could also be because of how uncomfortably close Montana was sticking to him.

"Is that so?" Allison asked, not fully convinced.

I nodded, a little too eagerly before whipping out my phone. "See, he even gave me his number," I said, thanking the lords above that I'd chosen to save it.

Allison's eyes widened and Mae jumped in her seat in excitement. 

I tried to grin back in enthusiasm but my insides were a mush of nerves. I had never had to make up so many lies before and this was really stressful. I had barely any time to breath before both of them practically jumped on me.

"When did this happen?"

"Was it the first night you guys met?"

"Did he ask you out on a date?"

"What was he like?"

"Do you like him?"

"Are you meeting him again before the ball?"

"Did he really ask you to the ball?"

"You guys are going to looks so good together!"

I took a deep, nervous breath at the tornado of questions both the girls threw at me. I could see Montana's annoyance surface as she gave me a nasty look. What was her problem now? I had practically served Kade to her on a silver platter.

I sneaked a glance at Kade who was glaring at the table, his jaw taught. I bit my lip and turned away from him before he noticed my expression.

My stomach dropped when Madison's attention slowly turned towards us at the rising voices of the girls on my side. Uh-oh.

"What are you girls talking about?"

Not her too.

**************

Hey Guys! I'm sorry for the fill-in chapter. I have been loaded with work so bad that I had barely any time to put myself together enough to be able to write this chapter.

Work has genuinely been crazy and I have been going insane trying to figure everything out.

Q: Recommend some good rom-com/fantasy fiction books or movies?

Thank you for your patience with me <3

Weekly updates will resume :)