Chapter 3

 "My biggest fantasy was to have  a pie thrown in my face, and I always said whoever did    that, that's the guy I’d marry."-Sarah Shahi.

       My parents are doctors, and their parents were doctors, and their parents were doctors, and what can I say it's like we are a family of doctors. Anyone who is not a doctor of any kind is considered a failure, that's why my father married a doctor like his father did. The only one who strayed out of the family's doctor ways was my aunt Lucinda, who refused to be a doctor  to pursue her passion, and my father still doesn't talk to her. It won't come out as a surprise when I say my parents pressure me to follow their footsteps; I don't necessarily hate it since it's the only thing I knew from a young age. I still remember my father’s voice when he vested his profession, that his  father pressured him I’m sure, upon me.

‘Doctors are the life savers of this world and that's why you should be one. There is nothing more satisfying than saving someone's life.’

Then I accepted it because I did not have any passion of myself, like aunt lucinda did, that I can follow and sacrifice my relationship with my parents. This is why I am trying my hardest to concentrate on what Miss Francesca, a 48 year old short and plump woman, was saying. I am expected to take biology seriously because it's the only lesson remotely close to what I learn in university. But upon seeing Justin this morning my mind keeps on drifting into a series of fantasies. I have a lot of those-The Fantasies. Most of them include Justin getting through the door and taking me away, and declaring his undying love for me. I know these will never be true, but I can't help it; the fantasies make me feel good for a moment. That's when I felt Mrs. Francesca's eyes on me, whose eyes  seem so angry that I am drifting off space, behind her huge round frame glasses. I automatically started to scrub notes from the board, which momentarily got her eyes off me and continued the lesson.

The dining hall was as crowded as I remembered, which made finding my friends difficult. After I picked my lunch, I started to search for at least one of them with my eyes and alas, Penelope was standing and waving her hands  at me like a maniac. Some students were giving her weird looks, but she didn't mind them and continued, grinning like a fool and motioning me to come with her hands, so I made my way to them before she started shouting my name.

“Hey guys,” I greeted when I was sitting across from Penny and Sam. I got a happy response from Penny but only a shrug from Sam. "Where is Isa?” I asked. I was worried she might be lost. 

“I told her to come here; she must be running late,” answered Penny. "So how was class?”

“Boring.” I said it was boring especially since I didn't share any classes with any of them for today. “How about you guys?”

“Same." But Sam's response was too fast, that is suspicious, and my suspicion was confirmed when Penny snorted. 

“It was not boring; we have a new math teacher!” Now Penny was laughing and eying Sam “And he is so cute.” She giggled at the end. “Even Sam found him cute, isn't that right Sam?” asked Penny hugging her with her elbow, which earned her a glare from the latter.

“If Sam agreed he is cute, he must be cute.” I mean Sam doesn't find many people hot or remotely cute so, her approval says something.

“Who’s cute?” Said Isa plopping herself across my seat. 

“Hey Isa. We were talking about the new math teacher, have you seen him?” asked Penny she looks so enthusiastic, but isn't she always?

“I heard about him,” I'm not even surprised Isa knew about him on her first day of school ,while I have learned here forever and is the last one to hear about any gossip. When Isa and Penny continued talking about cute boys in general, I found myself searching for Justin and there he was, where he and his friends always sit. Benjamin has some girl on his lap and he said something that made everyone laugh, even Noah. I always wonder what makes Justin laugh, what makes him sad, what makes him angry, everything. I want to know everything about him. The seat next to him is empty. It used to belong to his former girlfriend; Georgina and the seat across from him is also empty, which used to be occupied by Vanessa Cromwell, Georgina’s one and only best friend and the meanest girl in school. She is really rich: her father, Leo Allerd’s father, and Justin's father have a joint multi million company, but when Leo and Justin are good, she turned out to be... Bad.

Suddenly the dining hall turned quiet when Georgina accompanied by her long lasting friend Vanessa entered the hall. I saw Justin for a reaction, and he looked so sad and gazed at her longingly trying to communicate with her using his beautiful eyes, but it seems that she doesn’t want to read what he was saying. She just stared at him for a moment and seated herself in a chair that's opposite and far from  him. Venessa gave him a hateful glare. If looks can kill, he would have died right now, not that I would allow it, and took the seat beside her friend whispering something to her ear and rubbing her arm soothingly. Even though me and everyone hate Venessa for her attitude; she loves her friend ,that much is obvious. And just like that, chaos reigned over the large hall and everyone continued their conversation as if nothing happened.

“Whoa!, what was that?” Asked Isa. She seemed shocked.

“I know, right ? It's official, it's not a rumor, they really did  break up.” Penny gave her opinion and she looked...sad?

“It's so sad. Georgina looked hurt.” Continued Isa. I Couldn't believe what I'm hearing. 

“Excuse ME!” I snapped. They are my friends, Mine; they can’t feel sad about the breakup or pity for Georgina.

“Sorry baby.” Consulted Isa and Penny also seems to get what she was saying, and gulped while looking at me. "Why don't you talk to him, now is your chance.” I know Isa is saying this to make me feel better and divert my attention from what she have said earlier, but I can't help it answering.

“And say what? 'Justin I have been in love with you for four years?'” I laughed with my own joke, though no one seemed to share my humor.

“Yes," replied Penny. ''Look." She said, pointing at the empty chair beside Justin. “That chair will be taken if you don't act now.”

I saw the chair longingly, it's as if its calling me saying ‘You belong here,’ and I know I can make Justin happy, but I thought about what would happen if I went with their plan.

I was walking slowly trying to keep the sound of my foot against the floor to a bare minimum, but it was echoing throughout the room and everyone seemed silent trying to see what I would do next. When I got to my destination my hands felt clammy and sweaty ,and I wanted nothing more than to return to my seat, but I kept telling myself ‘You can do this! It's do or die! and I'm not a coward.'

Who am I kidding? I am a coward-The coward-est. But that didn't stop me from touching Justin's shoulders softly.

“What can I do for you?” He replied and his eyes are so blue I drawn in them, but I snapped out of it and said what I came for.

“I want to talk to you.” My voice was so weak, it's as if I was suffocated, but Justin seemed to hear me and replied,

“Talk to me.” He was waiting for my answer, and I can see his patience is running off.

“Justin I love you! I have loved you for years, and I know I could make you happy if you would just let me.”

Then silence. Nobody even dared to breathe and suddenly there was a loud fit of laughter coming from everyone in the dining hall including Justin. I love his smile and laugh but this one seems cruel. 

“You can make me happy?” He said and continued to laugh and my eyes stung. 

“Why can't I make you happy?” I found myself asking. My tears are running down now.

“You, Cassandra Davis: a boring, insecure, ugly, with nothing but plain face and body . You, Cassandra Davis, who doesn't even know what she wants in life, who she is, think that you can make me, the great Justin Black, happy?” And he and everyone continued to laugh while my tears turned to full blown crying.

“Down to earth Cassi,"  I heard Isa’s voice and she was snapping her fingers  at my face. Both Penny and Sam were giving me odd looks. "Whatever you imagined in your pretty little head is not going to happen when you talk to Justin.” Said Isa. I still can't believe she could read me like an open book.

“Oh, it will." I replied. I mean it may not be that bad, but it won't be less of what I imagined.

“I don't think so, you were so pale. Whatever you imagined is just an imagination.” Said Isa, while Penny held my hand giving me a soft smile. “What if you seduced him?” I can't believe what Isa said that I choked on the water I was drinking. After she calmed me down I asked.

“What?!” My voice was still horse.

“Yes, if you can't talk to him, seduce him.” She wiggle her perfect brows suggestively. Isa and Penny start to giggle. Me seducing Justin - Ya Right.