Nicole's POV

"I found out something about Wes yesterday." Lilac said to me in a low tone as we walked through the school hallway the next day. Wes and Max were the school's hottest subject. Different rumors kept on spreading all over the place like it was the plague. The most popular ones were;

Max is secretly the prince of England but he wants to live a normal life, that's why he's here. While...

Wes is a rockstar who also wants to live a normal teenage life like every other kid.

Just utter nonsense.

"And why do I care about news related to Wes?" I asked dully.

"I just want you to be careful, that's all. There's nothing wrong with being careful." Lilac shrugged her shoulders.

"Careful?" Mia questioned, pushing her strawberry blonde hair out of her face.

"Just in case you...you know....fall in love with him, because he is a heartbreaker." Lilac mumbled quietly as I arched my eyebrow. Her dark brown eyes met mine, "What? I'm only saying it as a fact. All those books you always make me read has the exact same plot. The good girl hates the bad boy but they later fall in love, isn't it romantic?"

"Yeah, but that is never going to happen." I reply as I head towards my locker. My best friends head towards their locker which is at the other side of the hall, but I'm 40% sure they can make it there before the bell rings.

I inserted my locker combination and placed some of my books on my hand. I glanced to my left and noticed the three dolls coming in their usual blingy, not to mention skimpy, outfits. And to my right, I saw Max and Wes heading their way. Wes had his hands in his pockets while Max was reading a Biology textbook.

"Oh my goodness!" I heard Freya exclaim as her heels clicked and clacked on the floor. She ran towards Wes with a huge grin but tripped on her own feet, which I believe was on purpose if I may add. Wes' reflexes were sharp, so he caught her before she fell. But deep down, I really wish he let her fall. It was like something they brought out from a movie. They stared into each other's eyes while I stared in disgust. Most people seemed to stop whatever they were doing just to look at them. But the person I felt bad for was Max. Brittney and Natalie were circling him like vultures circle their meals while he was just staring at them as if they lost their marbles.

Freya broke into a smile and stage whispered, "I don't believe we've been properly introduced. I'm Freya."

"Wes." He replied as he helped her stand to her feet. Freya laid her hands on his chest and stared at him intently while Wes didn't actually seem bothered but I felt like throwing up my breakfast. "So, I was just wondering..." Freya is suddenly interrupted by Wes, when his eyes land on me.

He broke into a grin, "Hey Nini!" He said happily as Max turned to my direction and smiled too. I rolled my eyes at his stubborn attitude but smiled uncontrollably when I laid eyes on Freya's angry face.

Max quickly escaped Brittney and Natalie's vulture circle and walked towards my direction, still holding his biology textbook tightly, with Wes by his side, "I told you before, only my friends call me Nini."

"We are technically your friends." Wes retorted and put up one finger, "We sit together in class," he put up his second finger, "we have conversations with each other," he put up his third finger, "and we eat lunch together. Doesn't that sound like what friends do with each other?"

I groan knowing that he is right...in a way. I adjust my glasses on the bridge of my nose and sigh heavily, "I never got to thank you for the lift yesterday." I said trying to change the subject.

Max's attention was suddenly drawn away from the book he was reading as he stared at me with a confused expression, "But I wanted to pick you up and you declined? And I thought you had a party to go to?" He questioned glancing at both Wes and I.

"I never actually wanted..." I was suddenly interrupted by the loud bell indicating we had to get to class.

Perfect timing. I said in my mind as I slammed my locker shut.

"I have to get to Calculus class." I said bluntly as Wes stood by my side.

"We can just go together."  Wes grinned while I let out a groan. It was useless to argue with him and give him a million reasons why we shouldn't walk together, because I'll end up being late.

I nodded with a forced smile as we trotted down the hallway. Students were walking about trying to get to their various classes. They didn't want to run and get in trouble with Ned, the hall monitor.

Ned Dinglemore is the infamous hall monitor of Harvdale High. He takes his job very seriously. So, if he sees you running or lounging around in the hallway, you are definitely getting detention.

Wes and I walked into the classroom and sat down at the back of the class. I adjusted my glasses as my eyes scanned the topic we were supposed to be learning today.

I felt someone's eyes on me, so I looked around the classroom but no one was looking at me. Then, my eyes suddenly collided with bright blue eyes. I jumped backwards a little as I placed my hand on my chest, trying to even out my breathing, "Why do you guys keep doing that?"

"Doing what?" Wes questioned inquisitively.

"Reading over my shoulder." I replied closing my textbook, "Please stop. Get your own book."

Wes raised his arms up in defense, "Sorry. I was just wondering how you read so fast. You read a whole page in less than a minute."

I shrugged my shoulders, "It's a talent."

Wes crossed his arms over his chest, "Reading is not a talent."

I gasped in shock. How dare he say reading is not a talent? I gave him a challenging look, "Oh please, I was reading before you even learnt how to fart."

Wes was taken aback by my affront while I smiled victoriously. The ash blonde teen looked like he was about to reply but was cut short when Mr. Antonio walked in.

***

"Take it back." Wes said as we walked out of Calculus class.

He's been arguing with me ever since I said that I knew how to read before he could fart. He's been whining telling me that he could fart since he was a foetus, which is a very weird thing to say. So we've been arguing back and forth since. He didn't even allow me to concentrate in class, not like it would affect me because I already read the topic before but I still wanted to listen to what Mr. Antonio had to say.

"Fine, I take it back." I groaned, tired of his whining.

"No," he stomped like a two year old, "you didn't mean it." I stared at him in confusion and irritation, "I want you to take it back because you want to take it back, not because I forced you to."

I rolled my eyes as I opened my locker and brought out my Chemistry notebook. "I took it back. Take it or leave it." I turned around and walked away from Wes when the bell suddenly rang.

I expected to hear his feet shuffling behind me but there was no shuffling.

Maybe he doesn't have Chemistry with you. My brain explained.

I shrugged and opened the door to the lab. Some students were already seated in their positions, so I just decided to sit on a free table, which was on the second row.

I plopped onto my seat and placed my books on the desk waiting for my usual seat partner, Carissa.

Carissa is what you call a goth. Dark clothes, dark make-up but once you get to see through that dark side of her, you'll actually enjoy her company. It was hard to cope with her at first because she always wrote poems about sad things in her life and stuff like that, but at some point she needed a tutor in Chemistry and I was happy to oblige. I got to know a bit more about her and see how cool and edgy she really is. And trust me when I say Carissa isn't like the goths you see on TV. Sure, she loves frowning, writing sad poems, enjoys wearing black and dying the tips of her black hair purple but she's actually a very unique character. She loves the colour yellow, loves listening to pop music, enjoys singing and is a great ballet dancer.

"Nicole?" I heard a male voice say as my head turned towards him. It was Max.

"Oh, Max, I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." I apologized as he adjusted his black rimmed glasses and sat next to me. I stared at him on confusion, "That seat is reserved."

"Not anymore." Max stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What do you mean?" I queried.

"I pulled a few strings and now I sit here and Carissa is happily sitting at the back." Max explained as he pointed at the back seat where Carissa smiled at me and waved. I waved back but looked at Max with uncertainty.

"So, you're my new seat partner?" I said stating the obvious.

"Yep." He replied popping the 'p', "Now, we have Chemistry together." Max said as he chuckled a little bit. I arched my eyebrow at him, wondering why he was laughing. He obviously saw my look cause he said, "I made a joke. We have Chemistry together...like you know."

"I know what?"

"We have Chemistry. Like a mutual attraction between two people...being you and I." Max explained as he cleared his throat uncomfortably noticing I didn't laugh.

I smiled a little bit, making sure he didn't see it, and looked out the window that was close to my desk.

"Good morning class."

"Good morning Miss. Hannah." The class chorused as the slender looking woman walked in.

Miss. Hannah is the youngest female teacher in the while school. She's a twenty four year old lady with dark brown hair and caramel brown eyes. I love her classes because she explains elaborately on all her topics. Though most of our male teachers like flirting with her, she only has eyes for one, Mr. Roderigo, our Spanish teacher. And according to Lilac, Mr. Roderigo is ripped. Her words, not mine. He goes to the gym a lot, is a bookworm and deserve an A++ in beauty.

"Can we all open our textbooks to page 25?" I heard Miss. Hannah say as I was quickly drawn back to reality. I grabbed my textbook and glanced at Max, who was staring at me intently. As soon as my eyes met his, he looked away.

"What is it?" I questioned, pushing away my dark curly locks of hair from my face.

"Did anyone ever tell you how pretty you are?" Max asked with a dazed smile.

I felt the redness creeping to my face because I didn't expect that question but I quickly pushed it away by replying, "Yes, my dad tells me that all the time."

"Miss Warren and Mr Humphrey," I heard a light voice say as I turned to Miss. Hannah, "would you like to tell the class what you are talking about?"

I shot Max a dirty look for making me get distracted. My eyes quickly turned back to Miss. Hannah with an apologetic expression but she was looking at my direction with a blank look.

She spoke up again, after the both of us refused to answer, "Alright, since the both of you refuse to tell us, why don't you take a little pop quiz?"

I felt excitement jolt through my body as I grin spread across my face. I love pop quizzes. They are the best kind of quizzes. Max, on the other hand, didn't seem as excited as I had been.

"Don't worry," Miss. Hannah added, "I'll ask elementary questions. And if you fail, you'll get detention for a week."

I opened my notebook to a fresh page, ready to start solving the questions but Max simply reclined on his seat and waited for Miss. Hannah to begin.

"First question, the pressure exerted on a gas is a result of what?" She queried.

I was about to happily answer the question before Max beat me to it, "The pressure exerted on a gas is a result of the bombardment of the walls of the container by it's molecules." He replied without missing a beat.

Miss Hannah was taken aback by his sudden reply but proceeded, "The closer the molecules of a gas are in a liquid state..."

"The more it will deviate from the ideal Gas equation." He replied again as I stared at him. Maybe I underestimated him, I mean, I knew he was smart but not superhuman smart.

"The oxidation state of hydrogen in the hydride of nitrogen is..." Before Miss Hannah could complete her sentence, Max replied.

"It's +1." He said with a lazy smile. Max smirked at Miss Hannah's reaction to the whole situation. Miss Hannah is known for giving the most difficult questions, though I don't see it as difficult, I usually see it as a question that takes me longer to figure out.

So that's how they kept on going back and forth. Miss Hannah would ask and Max would reply instantly. I just watched them do their thing. Though the last time I checked it was a pop quiz for both of us, not just Max.

Everyone in the class was astonished at his speed when answering questions. It was like his brain was a computer. Though I didn't like the fact that he was the only one answering questions, I was a little bit impressed with his speed.

The bell rang and Miss Hannah seemed impressed. A smile spread across her lips as she said, "I'm really impressed. I asked you 28 questions and you got all of them, keep up the good work. But please, stop talking in my class."

Max nodded as everyone picked up their bags and walked out. Max and I walked down the hallway together. He had one hand in his pocket and he used the other to adjust his glasses while I held my books on my chest.

"What was that about?" I finally asked as we opened our locker simultaneously.

"What was what?" He arched his eyebrow, which made him look more attractive.... no Nicole. Stop it!

"How did you answer all the questions so quickly?"

He shrugged his shoulders as he slammed his locker shut, "They were easy actually, it was like a workout for my brain."

"A workout?" I questioned as he nodded, "For your brain?" He nodded again.

"If you could see my brain, it would have a six pack." He smirked as I giggled with delight. His smile broadened as he came closer to me and whispered in my ear, "You look amazing when you laugh like that."

I felt heat creep onto my cheeks but I wiped it off as quickly as it came, "You're not just smart, you're a flirt too."

He leaned on his locker and pushed his auburn hair back, "That's what girls like. Brains, good looks and a flirt."

I was about to reply when I saw Lilac run towards us. "Hey guys." She panted as she placed her hands on her knees and breathed heavily.

"Why are you running?" I questioned.

She continued panting as she spoke, "I'm in a dilemma!" She placed her hands on my shoulders, "Justin asked for my number!"

I arched my eyebrow at her, "Isn't that a good thing?"

"No, it's not." She stated as her hands fell to her sides. "You see, this is why I don't meet you when I have boy problems cause you don't know anything about boys. No offense." I shrugged my shoulders as I saw Mia walk towards us.

Mia stood beside Max with her backpack flung over her shoulder, "What is wrong with Lilac?"

Max, who was quiet the whole time, spoke up, "From what I've seen, Justin asked Lilac for his number but she's hesitating for some reason."

Mia stared at Lilac wide eyed, "Why don't you want to give it to him?"

Lilac rubbed her forearm awkwardly, "I just hesitated. He said that he wanted my number do that he could call me up and we could work on the project together. I guess I should go give it to him."

"Yeah, you should." Mia and I said simultaneously.

Lilac sprinted to the other side of the school as I heard the bell ring for Lunch period. I shook my head as I walked towards the cafeteria.

Suddenly, I heard someone scream in pain. Max, Mia and I turned to where the noise was coming from.

And was shocked to see Wes beating up Sam.

A/N:

Now the story can officially begin. I'm sorry that this chapter was delayed, I was really busy with school.

How did you like this chapter? Don't you guys just love Max? His so nerdy and cute.

And what's up with Wes?

All questions will be answered in the next chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment your thoughts.

See you next time...❤️❤️❤️