Relax, There Is Nothing Wrong

My mind felt numb under the sudden mention of the name. Tao Mandel, a student rumored to be involved in a stalking case at the school, though no tangible evidence could be brought to attention. Another thing that paired with this name is his families fame in magazine publishings. Though not much is known about him and the only information you can get is through second hand rumors.

I shouldn't feel too nervous, after all we haven't even said a word to one another. Throughout the rest of class my nerves kept me on edge and cold sweat leaked from my palms. I shouldn't be this nervous. I shouldn't have this fear clouding my judgement, but why was I partnered with him for the rest of the year!?

After the introduction of Mrs. Brooks being our English teacher for the year she made an assignment of partners by those sitting next to one another. By the luck of a missing student, Tao and I were paired together causing many pitiful stares to glance my way.

The rest of class was to complete a simple getting-to-know-you paper. You could chose to write a poem or some other expressive way of writing as long as you answered the questions. Though despite how simple this was it seemed to be the most difficult thing in existence.

That's when the bell rang and freed me of my one desk wide prison. Though in my hurry I manage to accidently head bud Tao as we both reach for our bags on the floor. The world felt cold and distant from me. I could hear the room fall quiet and people almost fleeing the classroom.

I rub my throbbing forehead and try by best to not sound like I was begging for my life. "Ah-! Oh..I-Im so sorry! I didn't see you-!" I cut myself off as his lilac eyes met mine, eyes seeming empty and without soul. He rubbed his forehead in a small amount of pain from the collision before stepping past me and towards the door. And with that I stand there in my own confusion.

I could feel the cold sweat in my hands and can only imagine how scared I looked. Uncertainty floods my thoughts for I do not know whether him not doing anything then was in the best interest for me or only set the nail in the coffin. But one thing is for sure, I budded heads with a dangerous fellow in quite the literal sense of the word.

Groan...

My stomach yells in protest for the lack of movement to the lunch room. My nerves were still on edge from what had just happened between Tao and I but I couldn't let that get in the way of eating the food at a fancy school such as this one. Actually this might be my first and last chance to eat food here if Tao decides to kill me.

I try to laugh the last part off as a joke I just told myself but the pit in my stomach doesn't let me forget the truth.

Slowly I shuffle my way to the door before stopping and asking Mrs. Brooks for directions. She kindly point me down the hall and to the left bend of the fork in the hall.

The hallway seemed even more crowded than when I last walked down it, making it so I had to make awkward bends and passes around people who stood in the middle of the halls. The chatter between students seemed endless and made it difficult to even keep track of my own thoughts.

Eventually I found my way back to the courtyard in its spacious and charming glory. People were speckled about in a busy manner and many eating on the white stone benches with a friend. The air outside was warm and managed to bring life back into my body. The wind brushed against my hair causing it to flow infront of my face in a messy tangle. Walking out of some glass doors came students with trays of food.

I made my path past the doors and into another hall. This one had it's walls decorated in thick metal lockers painted in the schools slick navy blue and white colors. Each locker had a card swipe on it, that flashes the school crest on either side. The tile on the floor also seemed fairly new as it shined under the splendor of wide windows allowing sunlight to peer in.

I continued to fallow the trickle of students to the cafeteria which was a large, spacious room. There was even a staircase leading to an open second floor that overlooked the entire cafeteria. In the back was the lunch line and as I got closer to it I could see Andrew and Mia. I make my way over in a hurry waving as the two spot me. They waved and smiled back as they seen me walking in there direction. However, as I get closer to them I could see another figure standing behind the two, wearing what seemed to be a gym uniform. "Hey you two!" I manage to let out before trying to calm my lungs.

Upon a closer look of the individual I recognize the sea blue hair from before. He was the boy standing next to Ethan when we first met. The boys eyes flashed in some small amount of recognition as our eyes met. This allowed cold sweat to crawl around my body once more. Mia seemed to pick up on my sudden slow pace as I make my way to the trio.

"Hey, Y/N, don't act so nervous. It just Andrew, Matthew and I." She giggles as she pats my back with enough force to cause me to stumble a little. I try to pull myself back up again in a calm manner but my nerves jerk me up so quickly it made my head spin.

Matthew, the boy with long blue hair, looks down at me from his tall stance. With his height it made it nearly impossible to not see him, but I manage to do so on my way over here. His white sneakers were scuffed and dirty while his grey gym shirt stank of sweat and cut grass. His navy blue gym shorts were covered in grass stains along with Matthews cut up knees. I quickly move my gaze to meet his, which didn't seem as hostile as when we first met. Despite that they still retained an unamused glint in them.

This caused me to gulp down my saliva and to fake a happy smile. "Mia, hey! I'm happy to have caught up to you!" I try to look back at all three of them as I said this.

"Wait..you don't know Matthew, right? He's a friend of a friend to say the least," Mia straightens me up and holds me in a tight, one arm hug as she introduced us both. "So Matthew, this is Y/N. The cute girl I was talking about earlier. Y/N, this is Matthew he's-" She stops mid sentence as she tries to find the right words to say. "He's one of the sports jockeys at the school. He also plays the drums time to time."

As Mia holds her free arm out in dramatic effect the group falls silent under the growing awkwardness. We stare blankly at one another, knowing that Mia had over done herself with the introductions.

"So... You're the girl that's Ronnie's girlfriend." He relaxes a little as he looks back at Mia. Mia looks at me as if she'd seen a ghost at Matthews comment.

"Ronnie!? You mean little Ronnie! Like Lennans little brother!?" She seems to tear up a little at the thought. "Oh~! Don't tell me he was already snagged! Not even his first year here and he's already being a big boy!" She hugs me tighter before turning to face me and ask. "Don't tell me it's true!"

I glared at Matthew with a gaze full of discontent. "No. We just met today, so don't get any ideas. Ronnie is still single." I push my gaze back to a terry eyed Mia, patting her arms in sympathy.

Her complexion clears up as if her reaction was all but a fecal memory. Our group decides to look past all this and focus on the food aspect of the cafeteria. While I spend my time in the line and itching feeling crawls back over my neck.

I rubbed the back of my neck uncomfortably and glance around to see nothing out of the ordinary. I walked out of the busy line after paying for my food with the card storing the left over money I have from summer jobs and scholarship.

The cafeteria was crowded, having most of the tables full to the brim. I decided to climb to the second floor and to find a place to sit, which was easier than before. In the corner of the second floor sat a table, crowded with girls that blocked who actually sat there. It was a sight similar to the one from English class.

I brush it off and sit at a table resting near the railing and full of empty seats. I set my tray down and start to litter the table with my items to mark it as taken. Satisfied with my handy work I try to flag down the others who were still on the first floor. It was hard to see them at first, being how the movement below was constant and everyone wore roughly the same clothing. It was like watching ants from the comforts from a bird's eye view.

Thankfully Mia looked in my direction and I started to dance around like crazy. "I wonder if-" my words were cut short as I heard someone set down a tray and pushing items out of the way.

"You wonder what, Y/N?" The voice seemed vaguely familiar to me, yet so distant enough I couldn't recognize who it was until I turned around.  "I'm sorry-" again I cut my word short as I lock eyes with a hazel-eyed boy. The eyes seeming distant and almost unhuman-like. Though it was Ronnie standing before me, he seemed off in a strange way as his motions became slower.

My throat dried as I tried to find the word to say. I didn't need to be nervous. I had no reason after all, but something in those eyes told me to be careful. I flex a cheery smile, one seeming to concur the rising tension in the atmosphere. 

"Oh, Ronnie! I was just trying to wave down Mia and Andrew," My mind knowingly slips the fact of Matthew for I knew better than to say his name in this situation. I remembered how we planned to meet up with one another as well once lunch came around. "I'm happy to see you are better than before, Ronnie." I keep my smile as I walk over to him, noticing how he set his trey next to mine.

His eyes relax a little as I stand closer to him and away from the railing. "I hope you don't mind them sitting with us." I keep in mind that Ronnie already knows Mia in some way, hoping it's in a good way.

Ronnie sighs as he looks to the ground. "I-its fine by me, I don't mind Mia." He returns to his original, shy self as he sets asides his items gently.

I relax a little too as we both start to get comfortable in the atmosphere that was noticeably lighter than before. "Alright! I'll just go and make sure Mia and Andrew can find us!" I started to walk away but Ronnie stops me by gently tugging my arm.

"D-don't go...stay here. I'm sure Mia saw you already and is walking up the stairs," His plea made it's way into my heart as he delivered the next line. "I-I was a bit sad we couldn't talk for that long before. You were sad to, right?" Those innocent words full of sorrow made my heart squeeze in pity. Though I feel his words really mean another way of phrasing something worse.

I fight myself, not knowing if staying here with him is really the better option. Eventually I caved into my self and sat down beside him. "Yeah, I bet Mia saw me." I try to comfort myself in saying staying here is for the best. Ronnie seemed joyous in my choice to stay with him. We both sat down in our respected seats, playing catch up from our last meeting.

It was a comfortable and warm meet up between us two, the atmosphere seeming to relax as well.