Ch20

NOVA

Whatever they want Ava to tell me, I'm not going to stand here and listen. I don't think I want to even hear it. Curiosity is a bitch but I do feel so good about myself when I turn the other way and walk away.

That feeling plummets the second a large body hits me head on. Others would say bumping but that's not what this is. Well, it's a bit of bumping and hitting.

If I'd bumped into someone, I wouldn't be feeling this much dizzy and getting my head rolling. I stagger back, my brain already reeling for a befitting insult to this motherucker that I certainly have not crossed paths with before.

"What is wrong with you?" I ask, raising my head to glare at him.

Seriously. I don't care that I don't know this guy. I don't care that he looks clueless. Today already has enough problems for me and I don't need his headache that's incoming.

"It was an accident." He says.

I roll my eyes. "Oh stop. Watch where you're going, dick." I say, folding my arms, my glare still on my face.

My words make him frown, but the frown is replaced with a look of realization. I don't know what the fuck he's on. He needs to get out of my way so I can go find Noah or Enzo.

"Are you usually this rude to people you've never met before?" He asks, pinning me with a look.

I flip my hair backwards. "I don't have time for this. Now, if you'd please excuse me." I tell him, eyeing him up and down.

He shrugs, leaving the way and creating space for me to walk past. I hesitate, a sigh leaving my lips. I'm not this rude. I've never been this rude to people. This guy here clearly doesn't know who I am or he hasn't heard of what I did.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm just... in a really bad mood and bumping into you didn't help." I explain, not meeting his eyes.

"You do look like you need a friend. Wanna talk?" He tilts his head.

Of course I do want to talk about this and get the massive weight of my chest. I nod immediately, feeling a lot stupid now. He smiles kindly, leading the way while I follow behind him, a part of me now wondering who the hell he is.

Everybody knows everybody in this school. I may not know everyone's names but I know who and who goes to school here. And this guy isn't one of us.

"Are you new?" I blurt out, walking a bit faster so I can catch up and walk beside him.

"Yes."

"Oh. That's why." I breathe out.

"That's why what?"

Am I about to launch into the embarrassing story of what I did to the new guy, no. It's refreshing to see one person in this school that still wants to talk to me out of free will. And I'm going to enjoy the hell out of that.

He finally stops at a grey door, pushing it open and standing so I can walk in first. That's... nice of him. The class is empty but we find a desk at a corner and we both sit beside each other.

"I'm sorry for wasting your time."

"I offered."

"Yeah, but I was rude. You didn't have to."

"I know but I wanted to. So... what's up? Why do you look like this?"

Bold. Look like what exactly? Tired, sad, frustrated? Which is it? I'm not sure but I'm thinking frustrated. And that is not a good look.

"What if you got an offer to do something that'll help you a lot. Like a whole lot? But then before you can make use of that particular offer, you're required to do something... awful?"

"How awful?"

"Depends on what your definition of awful is."

He nods, running a hand through his blonde hair and leaning back into the chair. He's taking half the space at this moment. But I'm not complaining.

"You look like you wouldn't do anything awful." He says, after a while.

Right? I wouldn't do anything awful to someone on purpose. It's either going to be a mistake or... I don't even know. It's just going to be a mistake and nothing.

"I'm not a bad person. I've thought about this throughout last night. I really need to accept this offer but then I can't do any of the things they want me to do."

He's giving me a curious glance now. No, no. He has to stop doing that. That look on his face is just telling me he's trying to figure out what I might have been asked to do. Good luck with that anyway.

"Just go with your gut feeling. It's not that I'm saying you should do something awful but do whatever you want to do." He finally says.

I don't know why I find that funny. I burst out laughing, shaking my head at him. It gets funnier when he joins me in laughing.

Fuck.

"Thank you." I say, pressing my lips together. "I needed that."

He nods. "The laugh?"

I squint my eyes at him. "No, silly. The talk. It was great."

"So now you know what to do, right?"

Is he kidding? I'm still as confused as hell but hey, talking to him helped me feel a lot better. And laughing with him, that made me feel lighter.

He really has a good laugh, and a good smile. Come to think of it, I've never seen a guy with brown eyes, brown hair and brown skin. That does sound bad saying it like that but it's the truth.

It's always the combo of green or blue or grey eyes, blonde hair or black hair... For the most part, the new guy is rocking his look. And he does have a nice body. The hockey team wouldn't let this one sit for a while before they let him try out.

Speaking of the hockey team... My mood plummets again.

"I'm sure that one has nothing to do with me..." He's still talking when the door barges open. He looks back, a small frown touching his lips at the intruder.

"What the hell are you doing with my sister?"