• 19 •

EVA

"Axel! " The high-pitched, feminine voice came from a tiny girl running towards where we were seated with a wide smile on her face. She looked genuinely delighted and surprised to see him, all but pushing my bag to the ground to make room for herself on his lap. "Were you waiting for me? "

As her voice sifted into my ears, I realized that it was familiar. She was one of the girls that sat at Axel's table —almost all girls in the school really, but she frequented that table more than the others. It was only now that it occurred to me that she was closer to him than the other girls were. Stupid of me to assume he would be unattached, especially considering how much of a player —and how good-looking— he was.

He fumbled to catch my bag as it toppled to the ground, causing him to lean into her and she giggled excitedly, throwing her hands around his neck to steady herself.

People were starting to come out now and seeing them made me think of how stupid I must look right now. My body a