Chapter 3

I was still thinking about what just happened with Bryce when I heard someone say, "that was pretty intense."

Tracing the direction of the voice, I was faced with a boy who I was sure was a classmate of mine, sitting under the bleachers. We'd had a number of classes together, but what was his name again? JorJackson? Keat? Miles? Hale?

Fine, I give up.

Besides, the fact that I did not even know his name, proved he's not exactly popular. Like at all. But at the moment, there were more important things to think about than his social status. And by that, I meant his just hearing my kind of sad break up.

"Excuse me? Did you just eavesdrop on my conversation?" I questioned, staring sharply at the boy in front of me with chestnut hair, grey eyes, and a face which was easy to forget.

Ok, maybe I was just being mean. But no kidding, he had the face of your average high school guy you'd see down the hallway; not like Bryce's looks which made half of the female population in school weak in the knees.

This guy looked like he had not eaten in weeks, which I am pretty sure was not the case. Because for one, it was basically impossible to last that long without eating. And two, he was munching on a potato chip right now. His white shirt hung loosely on his body, a huge difference from

Bryce's shirts which seemed like they could rip out of his body any second. Thinking about it, maybe the reason why my relationship with other guys could not exceed the four days mark, was because I always ended up comparing them to Bryce; they never matched up.

"I never eavesdropped. I was here all along, but you just did not notice. I even had my earphones on, but you guys were talking so loud, I bet the whole of China heard," he answered, seeming quite amused.

"Hahaha, very funny," I said dryly to which he chuckled.

This guy was sort of weird, but in a non-creepy way.

Still, I said, "so what? You had a front row in enjoying my breakup and now you are thinking of Stephanie's little sad love story?"

"Nah. Besides, I know sad - That is not it. I am the guy whose name is Hawk Moose. I mean, when you are named after a bird and a deer, the least a boy could hope for is a cool middle name. But that one's actually worse - Gary. So, it is actually Hawk Gary Moose. Do you know what it feels like to wake up every day and think, jeez, why did my parents hate me so much? I share a name with Sponge bob's snail."

Halfway through his rant, I broke into fits of laughter. I knew I probably should not be laughing, but I could not help it. I did not know what made me laugh more - what he said, or the mock seriousness with which he said it.

I figured it was probably both.

"It is really some sad stuff," he mused between chuckles of his own.

"Yeah, it kind of is," I admitted.

"So, do you always spend your lunchtime under the bleachers? Alone."

Why am I even asking that?

"Hey, do not make it sound so bad, I have my earphones, my phone, some peace and quiet; That is pretty much the life of every American teenager," he chirped in his defense, leaving me to chuckle softly.

There was something about this Hawk guy that interested me. Guys like him were either too nervous around me to form coherent sentences, or simply just stared at me from afar, never saying anything. But this boy spoke to me like he did not know who I was, which I knew he did.

To him, I was just like a regular student - whatever that meant. His phone dropped just then, landing a few inches from my feet.

I picked it up at the same time he said, "no, it is fine."

But my eyes were already fixed on the screen.

"You are watching Falling for her?" I questioned, a knowing grin creeping on my face.

He chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. And was it just me, or did that chuckle sound nervous as hell?

"What? No way! I have no idea how that got there, I uhm...I probably just clicked on the trailer by mistake."

I bit my lip to prevent the chortle that was threatening to break out and pretended to nod instead.

"Ok. I actually like the movie though. I have watched it a few times. Is this your second or third time?"

"No, four--"

He caught himself just then, but it was too late, a victorious smirk was already plastered on my face.

"You have no idea how it got there, huh?" I questioned slyly, cocking a brow as I did.

He let out an exaggerated breath in reply.

"Yes, I was watching it, again. And yeah, I know guys shouldn't like such girly movies, but believe me, I find them annoying as hell. It is just that I have watched so many, I kind of ended up addicted to them. Does that even make sense?"

I shook my head, making him chuckle.

"Yeah, I know it do not," he chimed.

"So, how many of these 'girly' movies have you watched?"

"Oh, I have lost count. My sister makes me watch them with her. I have watched so many from the best friends to the bad boy-good girl, bad girl-good boy, and even bad girl-bad boy love. Given the number I have watched, I should be able to teach people how to fall in love."

He finished with a laugh.

Though I smiled inwardly, I had a duh expression on when I said, "movies can't teach people how to love," to which he stared in mock horrification back at me.

"Yes, they can. You just have to learn how it is, be open minded. If math can be learnt, love can't be any different."

Bryce's words from earlier rang in my head. Could one really learn to love? I mentally scolded myself for even taking what Hawk said seriously.

"So, how come you've not used this great knowledge of love to sweep girls off their feet?" I asked instead, hoping to distract myself from those weird thoughts.

"Have you met me? Guys like me do not get girls they like. Especially girls who are beautiful, popular, and probably do not even know they exist."

His smile dimmed at the last part. Was he talking about a particular girl? Was it someone I knew? Maybe one of my friends? And why did I care so much anyway?

To Hawk though, I said, "That is kind of sad," to which he chuckled.

"I told you I know what sad is like. But girls like you, Stephanie, get whoever they want."

Anybody but Bryce apparently. But I did not tell Hawk that.

I rather said, "you are actually pretty interesting to talk to. I never would have guessed you' would be so...."

"Weird? Slightly less than abnormal? Dorky?"

He suggested.

"No, normal. You are actually like a normal person," I remarked.

"Uh...thanks?"

And that earned a laugh from me.

Hold up, I was actually laughing over something Hawk said? And this was even like the second time I was doing that. What was going on with me? Today really was a weird day. So, just for today, I decided to go with the flow.

"Come on, it was actually a compliment, kind of."

But he just chuckled.

"Well, I do not get compliments often, so I would take what I can get. Normal it is."

I shook my head slightly, a ghost of a smile playing on my lips.

"Good for you. Well then, bye, Hawk Gary Moose."

"Bye, Stephanie Joseph. Ok, am I the only one that thinks it is weird that We are calling each other's full names?"

He mused with a small grin which I soon mirrored.

"Then bye, SpongeBob."

He stared puzzled at me, but I simply gestured at his shirt, leaving him chortling slightly as understanding sunk in.

"You know, it is pretty weird for a boy your age to wear a shirt with a big picture of SpongeBob on it."

"What? Then they do not know what they are missing out on. SpongeBob is like the guy. Everyone loves him."

"I do not. He's too nice and it always annoyed the hell out of me," I answered matter of factually, leaving Hawk to gasp exaggeratedly, placing a hand over his chest as he did.

"And people call me weird," he mused lightheartedly, to which I scoffed, a small smile settling on my lips soon after.

"Believe me, they are not wrong."

But of course, that just made him chuckle.

I however, could only throw him a small smile before turning and walking away.

As I left the bleachers and Hawk, the smile remained on my lips. Thanks to that weird guy, I was not feeling as shitty as I did earlier. He was a good guy, That is for sure. But he was definitely not the kind of guy I would become high school buddies with. So, I guessed henceforth, he had become just another classmate to me. At least That is what I thought. And also, that I needed to apply some lip gloss.

Hey, I stopped dating Bryce, I did not stop being Stephanie Joseph. And the fawning guys in the hallway proved it.

Too bad they weren't Bryce though. It'd be nice if they were. . . . . .

"My boobs look too small here," Juliette complained to Beckham as she tried to decide on a picture to post on her I*******m.

"Nah, you've just not noticed but that is really how they've always looked," Beckham answered in her usual monotone.

And that was what you got for asking Beckham for advice on a picture, and honestly, on anything else. Juliette gave her a pillow to the face in response, making them laugh. The girls came over to my place after school, and now We are just chilling in my room. At least I was trying to. Unable to keep my thoughts to myself anymore, I brought it up again.

"Is it really such a big deal to not be in love with who you are dating?"

"It is not like loving them changes anything anyway," Juliette remarked absentmindedly, leaving the rest of us in an awkward silence. We all knew what she meant, or rather who - Damian.

He was Juliette's boyfriend for two years, but he left for college a few months ago, and you could guess how that story ended.

The sound of a chuckle soon broke my thoughts, and I traced the source to Sam who was wearing one of those faces she had when she remembered a story.

"I just thought of a guy from my old school, his name's Bob. I never told you guys this, but he was actually my first love. We were freshmen and I was feeling all Taylor swift vibes. Back then, we'd grin like idiots while just holding hands, and I would blush whenever our eyes met in class. Jeez, that was so lame now that I think about it."

She finished with a laugh, with Beckham and Juliette echoing the throaty sound. But laughing was the last thing on my mind right now. My head was twirling.

Sam?

Sam did not even do relationships! And now even she knew what it is like to fall in love. I consoled myself with the fact that at least I still had Beckham on the never-been-in-love club.

"You think that is lame? At least you did not fall for a guy you met online, only to find out he's married with like a gazillion kids."

And I just lost her.

"No way! Are you for serious? How come you never told us this before?" Sam questioned between giggles.

"It was just so embarrassing. All along, I thought I was chatting with some cute college guy, not knowing the jerk was freaking married with four kids, and that the person he claimed was him, was actually his fucking son."

Though her voice sounded emotionless as ever, I would know Beckham long enough to be able to recognize small details which she failed to hide; like the way her eyes dimmed right now. I suddenly felt like finding the man and wringing his neck. But to her, I chuckled instead, hoping to lift the mood.

"But if you think about it, it is actually kind of hot. It is like one of those kinky daddy shits, or what do you think, Sam?"

"I was just thinking the same thing. Just imagine if you two got together."

She grabbed a makeup brush from my dressing table, pretending to lick it as she added, "oh yes, daddy, I am your dirty little slut."

She made exaggerated moaning sounds, making us laugh, even Beckham. Well, that was after she was done killing Sam and I with her playful glares. When my laughter died down however, I could not help thinking of how much of a nightmare this really was. All my friends had fJoseph in love except ME!

Perhaps all the girls at school knew how it felt to fall in love except ME – maybe even all the girls in the world! Ok, that was probably just my paranoia speaking. But still... I did not realize I had zoned out all that was going on in my room until I felt a playful nudge at my side.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I was welcomed by Sam's smiling face.

"Why so serious?"

"Do not worry about Bryce. This is just another one of your monthly breakup traditions. I bet you two would get together in like a week. Two weeks tops," Juliette chimed in, a playful grin on her face.

"And until then, you can just listen to thank you, next on a loop," Beckham mused.

And that actually made me laugh. Soon, we were caught up in a story Juliette was relating about a cheerleader from one of our rival schools. But somehow, my mind drifted back to Hawk's words from earlier.

'If math can be learnt, then love can't be any different.'

Great! Now I was taking Hawk's weird sense of humor seriously.

I hate today!