Chapter Five

I used to have a quiet and peaceful life but it all changed after having an interaction with Nicholas Johnson, the popular guy in school. Of course, there's Thomas Anderson too who is now always hanging out with me wherever I go. Well, he's not the only one who always hangs out with me. NJ was always sticking with me. Meaning, the three of us are always together.

I tried avoiding them but failed. It's like, they have some kind of a 'Beauty Smith detector' because they can always find me no matter how hard I try to hide and it's really insane!

But at least there's also an advantage in having them with me always. And that is, I have two body guards that could always keep me safe. Ever since they began hanging out with me, the people who always hurt me weren't hurting me anymore which was a good thing.

But there's also a disadvantage on having them with me. And that was the false gossips spreading like a wildfire. Never in my life have I got false gossip about me. Ever! This is the first time! They all think that there's something going on between the three of us. They were thinking that there's a love triangle going on. I found out about it when Camille, the cheerleader approached me.

"Hi, Smith" she greeted me with a smile while I was putting my stuff in my locker one day. I turned my gaze at her and smiled back.

"H-Hi"

She looked behind me and around as if she's looking for someone and then she looked at me. "Where are Nico and Tom? Why are you three not together?" she asked curiously.

"I actually left them behind while arguing over a nonsense thing." I replied, shrugging.

"Oh, I see," she said. She leaned on the locker and crossed her arms together. "So, who are you going to pick? Tom or Nico?"

I snapped my head in her direction and gave her a confused look. I am really puzzled and clueless on her question. Seems like she noticed my confusion because she continued.

"I mean, you couldn't love two people at the same time, right? That's why I was asking who among them you'll pick?" she asked again. "Gosh, two popular handsome guys making a move on you. What a lucky girl."

I stared at her in disbelief. I couldn't believe that I was actually hearing this! So, I clarified that what she was thinking was wrong. "W-wait! Nothing's going on between the three of us! They're not making a move on me or something like that!" I said, waving my hands in the mid-air while shaking my head in defense.

"Oh, but everyone's talking about it. You and your relationship with them. Don't you know it?" she asked innocently and giggled. "You should always be aware, you know? They were actually betting on who you were going to pick. Twenty percent of the students were betting on Nico and eighty percent of the students were betting on Tom since you two are closer than Nico," she said. "I actually like you for Tom. You looked good together."

"N-No! That wasn't true!" I denied. "Nothing's going on with us. It was just a false rumor." I clarified, sighing. "Ever since they began hanging out with me, my life has become noisy," Camille just laughed at me and I smiled. We chatted for a while before waving our goodbyes to each other because I still have my next class and she still has cheerleading practice.

Before I got inside the classroom, I scanned around the area to see whether the two guys had already arrived or not yet. I sighed after seeing that both of them were not yet around.

Finally, at peace.

But sometimes, peace doesn't last long because as soon as I settled down on my chosen chair on our first day, NJ and Tom walked up to me.

"I see, you got in the class first," NJ said. "Never thought that you're going to class this early."

"Well, she probably wanted to see me so badly so she decided to go to school earlier on time," Tom said.

I heaved a deep sigh and rolled my eyes. They were annoying but at the same time, they were making me laugh. Mixed emotions. I know, I know, it really is complicated.

As they chat and bicker, I only remain silent and begin playing with my phone. Suddenly, a classmate of ours came and began asking questions about us. I recognized her as the school's newspaper writer. She's not alone. She has her partner, the photographer and without permission, he began taking pictures of us for their latest article. Of all the people, why us?

"Please! Leave us alone! I told you, nothing's going on with us!" I said, getting irritated. But of course, they ignored me. Instead, they asked Tom and NJ. And they didn't even deny it!

They just keep on saying 'yes' in a boring manner. They weren't really listening to their questions!

"Is it true that there's something going on?"

"Are you having a love triangle or something?"

"How about your bro-code?"

"Do the both of you like her?"

"Are you making a move on her?"

"Why Beauty Smith?"

Suddenly, the girl showed me a picture which made me stare at it in horror.

"What is that?!" I reacted as I stood up. "Where did you get that?!"

"So I guess, you're picking Nico?" she asked, smiling wildly. Where the heck did she get the photo? It was the photo of me and NJ at the locker yesterday. That time when he dragged me with him towards the locker and pinned me there. The photo was taken behind NJ. That's why, NJ's back was facing the camera and unfortunately, they recognized the girl he was pinning which actually was me! We looked like we're kissing!

"W-Wait! It was a misunderstanding!" I said, trying to snatch the photo away from her but she quickly hid the photo behind her.

"Are you sure it was only a misunderstanding? Because you two looked like you're k-i-s-s-i-n-g!" she sang the 'kissing' part. I grumbled in annoyance.

"I was telling the truth! Now, give me that!" I demanded, trying to reach the photo she hid behind her back. "That wasn't real! There is nothing going out between us, alright?"

"But why isn't Nico denying it?" she asked, looking at NJ. Truth to be told. He wasn't denying it! He's actually just smiling. Then there's Tom, who was frowning and who suddenly became silent. What's up with the sudden change of mood?

"I don't know! But I swear, that picture wasn't true! We're not kissing or anything!" I said and explained what really happened. The thing is, they didn't seem to believe me. They were giving me a meaningful look while grinning. They just left us alone when our professor finally came in.

What did I get myself into?!

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