Chapter 14: Unexpected Collision

Tiffany.

Ava has been looking at me and Justin from across the table for over 20 minutes since we walked into the restaurant.

"Can you please stop staring?" I snap at her already fed up with her eyes.

"The way Ava looks at us tells me you barely dated anyone," Justin turns to me sipping from his pineapple juice.

"She never dated anyone since I've known her. period!" Ava replies, and I stretch my hands towards her in an effort to strangle her till she stops breathing

I'm gonna kill her!

"Really? Oh, please don't tell me I'm your first boyfriend," Justin is literally enjoying this.

The smirk on his face was damn evident

"You're not even my boyfriend right now," I reply, eating from the fries in front of me.

"Eyyyyyy, careful, the walls have ears," Justin reprimanded, but I ignored him.

"I can definitely see the lovely chemistry between you two," Ava smiles at us.

"Chemistry or hate? Get your head straight, Ava. " I roll my eyes at her.

"I'm perfectly fine, I'm just glad I am not the only friend you have to celebrate such a big win for you!" Ava held my hand from across the table.

"It hasn't been confirmed yet, Larry may take the spot again this week," I say, preparing myself for disappointment.

"He won't," Justin replied.

"I agree with Justin. You've worked hard to get there. You even dated Justin, who you always complain about," Ava agrees.

"Always? Do you think about me that much?" Justin gave me a cheeky smile, and I honestly felt the urge to stab those cheeks with the fork on the table, but I stopped myself.

"Avaaaaaa." I glared at her, and she raised her hand up in surrender before standing up from her seat. "Wait, where are you going to?" I ask.

"Chill girl, bathroom," she assured and walked off.

Great! She left me here with Justin after everything she said.

I turn my gaze to Justin to find him staring at me. "What?" I frown.

"I'm just wondering if you haven't dated before. Does that mean you're a virgin?"

I literally choke on air. Fucking hell.

Justin let out a light chuckle. "So I'm right?"

"I didn't say that," I manage out.

"But you didn't refute either," he shrugs.

"I do not feel comfortable having this conversation with you," I turn away from him and focus my attention on the food in front of me.

"I've always wanted to ask, why do you work so many jobs? You attended Grier High School, which is literally one of the best in New Orleans, I know money isn't the problem,"

"My parents hadn't divorced when I was in high school," I reply simply.

"Ohhh, sorry about that," I hear him say, I could feel his gaze on me, but I didn't dare look at him.

"I'm glad they divorced actually," I reply.

I've only ever said that to one person, and now Justin, making it two people.

"Wanna talk about it?" Justin asks after a while.

"Definitely not with you," I reply, and he chuckles.

"Yeah, true."

He didn't ask anymore like he understood. I absolutely had no intention of telling him about my messy childhood.

We remain in awkward silence for a while before Ava walks back towards our desk.

"It's 9pm. Let's hit the bar," she says, picking up her jacket from her seat.

"Absolutely not, I have reports to write and assignments that already due," I refuse.

"Urghhh, the night is still young Tiff," Ava tried to convince. "Can you tell your girlfriend to pick herself up and stop being such a baby?" She turns to Justin.

"I wouldn't want my girlfriend going to the bar this late," Justin replied, then winks at me.

I'm so grateful to him for this, I thought he would collude with Ava again like he had been doing the entire time

"Now I see why you both are in a relationship," Ava rolls her eyes.

"Aren't we perfect for each other," Justin smiles, putting his hand around my neck.

"Hands of me," I snap at him.

"Right, no touching," He uttered and withdrew his hand.

"Definitely perfect for each other," Ava chuckles as I stand up from my seat.

"We are going back home, and so are you, Justin," I turn to Justin.

"Yes, milady, I would drop you both off and go home immediately," Justin stood up.

He looks rather happy for someone whose father is kin on ruining his hockey dreams.

"What is wrong with you?" I frown at him and walk out of the restaurant.

_

I walk in to meet an empty lecture hall.

Yeah... this is the way I like it, always very early.

I walked to my usual seat and brought out my journal, where I put down my ideas.

I place my earbuds in, listening to the sound of the wind. It helps keep me calm as I stay at the blank page in my journal.

"I know you are really weird, Sherlock, but this is plain creepy. Why stare at a blank note?" I turned immediately to meet Justin standing way too close. His face was really close as he stared at the blank page.

When did he walk in?

My heart raced in an unusual manner, and I had to take deep breaths to stop my racing heart.

"You're the one being creepy for appearing out of nowhere," I yell at him.

He turned his attention to me, his emerald eyes meeting mine. "I'm no wizard, I walked in here with my two legs," He replied.

My eyes followed the movement of his lips as he spoke, and a familiar feeling washed over me.

I put my finger on his forehead and push him away. "Too close," I tell him, and he gave me that cheeky smile again. "Why are you here? The class isn't starting anytime soon," I asked.

"I knew you would be here," he replied as he sat beside me.

"What? How? Wait... are you stalking me or something?" I question.

Justin laughs. "You wish," I scoffs. "You always arrive an hour or more before a designated time ever since high school," he shrugs.

"And you would know that?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Yes, I remember you arriving in school 2 hours before our field trip in 10th grade,"

I remember that trip. That was the day Glenda told me the news that absolutely broke me.

It was a suprise seeing Justin when I arrived, and he decided to ignore me

"Yeah... you ignored me for more than 1 hour," I reminded him.

"No... you did," he fired.

"Why would I ignore you?" I ask.

"I don't know, you tell me," Justin fires again.

"If you don't talk to me, then I won't talk to you. That's just it," I reply.

"You didn't even ask me why I was that early," He muttered under his breath.

"Why?" I ask

"Why what?"

"Why were you early, and why are you early now?" I ask.

"I told you, I knew you would be early, I always know," He replies.

"How?"

"Because it's you, Mrs. perfect!"

"Are you ever going to get tired of giving me terrible nicknames?" I asked.

"I would never run out of them if you keep acting like this," He shrugs.

"You're impossible," I groan and stand up from my seat.

I needed to get very far away from him before I lose my goddamm mind.

Justin pulled at my shirt from behind, and I lost my footing, falling backward

Before I could register what was going on, I found myself sitting on his lap, his hand behind my back and my hand grabbing onto his shirt for balance.