Chapter 4 : He noticed

Beep Beep Beep

The annoying sound of my alarm blared throughout my room signalling me to get my lazy ass of  bed and ready for school.

I mumbled a ' just another five minutes'  reaching out for my phone and swiping left  to put it on snooze.I snuggled up on my bed and fell into soft slumber.

My eyes barely closed a minute when the irritating morning bell  blared from my phone once again.I shot  up from  bed and grabbed the phone from my night stand ready to turn the phone off.I pressed the power button on it's side and the phone's screen flickered to life.

"Oh,no!"I exclaimed  tossing my duvet away from my body and making a mad dash for the shower.I literally had an hour before school and there I was,running in my room aimlessly trying to

gather a few articles of clothing for my bath.

Minutes later, I walked out of the shower feeling refreshed but jittery.Hastily  parting my now shoulder length hair into two halves,I tied the top half in a bun and let the lower half  loose on my  shoulders.I slipped on some skinny jeans and a floral patterned choker top completing the outfit with a pair of white sneakers,because white goes with everything.I caught sight of myself in the mirror and feeling good with my choice of clothing scampered  downstairs for breakfast.

I wasn't surprised to see Mum bent over the kitchen stove preparing something heavenly.Mum was always up early before any of us  making sure we had a nutritious  breakfast   before  leaving for our daily endeavours .

" Goodmorning princess , you look extremely pretty today."Mum coed  dropping a sizzling sausage in my already cramped up plate.With her freehand, she tucked a stray piece of hair  behind my ear and pressed a kiss on my cheek.

"Mum's doll."Benji smirked looking up from his phone because  he found the charade amusing.I resisted the urge to snap back  at him by lifting my glass of fresh orange juice to my lips. Eating was more productive than wasting my time on my clearly relaxed  brother.  His college lectures started later than mine and he found it the perfect opportunity to kick back,kill time  and rub it in my face.I was  way more than that.

Taking a few sips of the juice, I placed  it back on  the table and hugged a worried Mum who was left complaining that I had barely touched my breakfast goodbye.

" Guess someone's running late to class."Benji snickered from his corner at the table as I walked past him.Grabbing my bag, I prayed fervently that he'd choke on his mug of coffee  in a matter of minutes.

"Idiot."I mumbled shutting the door  behind me.

In less than twenty minutes I arrived at school.Thank heavens traffic was light.

After making a mad dash to my locker,I slipped quietly into my first class  hoping my classmates wouldn't make a fuss out of my hair especially since I came in late, attention ought to have been on me.

The class was almost full now as we were all waiting for the teacher.It seemed he wouldn't be making it any sooner as the clock struck half past eight and he wasn't still making an appearance.

"Hey Julian,is today's class cancelled?"I asked the black haired boy sitting besides me.

"Nope,Manhart spilled coffee on himself .Went to the teacher's lounge to get changed."He explained going back to the phone in his hands.

"Sure, thanks."I nodded swivelling my gaze from him back to the chaotic class.In the process,my eyes landed on an intriguing pair of blue eyes with a light scowl plastered on his face .

I immediately looked away sensing Jay's piercing stare .

I shifted my attention to the open literature textbook in front of me to look occupied.

Ever since Jay told me that he had feelings for Jessica,I decided to take a break from our friendship to figure stuff out myself.Like it's not everyday a boy you were close with suddenly declares love for a girl you both barely know.

Mr Manhart then decided to make his grand appearance back to the class snapping me out of my thoughts.Even then , from peripheral view I noticed Jay was still staring at me.An unusual smirk plastered on his face with this innocent look of submission.

I just hoped it wasn't my hair he thought was bad and was staring at.

                                                 ***

The day flew by quickly and I soon found myself standing  with Rachel by my locker packing my books before heading home.

I pulled my locker open dumping my heavy algebra textbook in when a cute light blue card fluttered out of it .I reached out and it landed on my palm before it reached the ground.

My eyes skimmed through the contents of the note for a while  before a  gentle smile made it's way to the corner of my lips.

Didn't mean to stare during literature,

just liked what you did with your hair.

                        Yours Truly.

The note wasn't signed, but I had a haunch who it was from, Jake Greene.One could clearly  identify his cursive writing anywhere.One thing which confirmed the fact that it was his were his T's which had a distinct loop at the top.

A look of pain flashed across my features and I swallowed hard staring at the note. It had been day's we spoke ever since he  declared  his feelings for Jessica .Yes,he did call and text over the weekend but I ignored it .I guess I couldn't keep it up physically.

"Camilla!" Rachel called waving her hand out at me.

"Oh, yeah."I nodded quickly stuffing the note in my pocket and directing my attention  back to her.

"So I was saying, Ginny was totally being unfair to Hunter since  she still  had lingering feelings for Marcus."Rachel explained her stand eagerly.

"Hi,"A deep magnetic voice boomed sending us both looking in the direction of the greeting.My eyes locked with Jay's captivating blue ones for a moment as he stood tall above us,a hand passing through his hair to keep stray strands from moving out of place.His other hand held his black Calvin Klein backpack limply beside him. He stood decked out in his  new black and gold varsity jacket which complimented his fair skin tone his well sculptured muscles bulging out of the plain white body hugging shirt he discreetly wore underneath the jacket.

On realising that I was shamelessly checking him out, I tactfully shifted my gaze to the floor as Rachel gruntled a hello.

"Can you give us a moment, please?" Jay asked hopefully looking at  Rachel.She gave Jay a nasty glare before shutting her locker in submission.

"I'll be waiting for you near the exits." Rachel said dryly, her blue braids swinging behind her.Rachel made it clear that she didn't really like me fraternising   with Jay since he was a ladies man and ladies' men brought huge lady problems,her words.She'd let it rest after a few weeks,I guess she didn't still approve of him since she gave him an eye before walking off.

"Hi,"Jay tried again as I continued stuffing my books in my bag undisturbed.

" Camilla,how are you doing?" He continued.

"I was doing well before you got here."I replied spitefully. I had no idea why I snapped at him  but perhaps it was because I hadn't heard his sweet alluring voice for sometime now,or maybe there was this pain in relation to the conversation we had the last time.

He nevertheless wasn't put off by my negativity as he broke into  another line of conversation. Unfortunately,his next words only seemed to infuriate me more.

"You've been MIA since Friday, what's up?"

"Don't you get it! I don't want to talk to you or see you. " I snapped bluntly tugging at my bag's zipper.For goodness sake it shouldn't break now.

A look of hurt crossed his face but quickly disappeared within seconds.

"You know you can't keep that up for long." He teased cocking his head to the side.I scoffed slapping my hands on my face.

"Try me ."I deadpanned folding my arms across my chest and sizing him with my eyes.

"C'mon,we both know you want this."He continued moving close.I stretched an arm out to prevent him from stepping any closer.

"Oh yes,you have. Because the last time I checked you magically developed feelings for some random girl and you ignore me after getting her!How could you do that you jerk!You're a monster!" I screamed banging my locker shut.

"Someone's got a case of the JJ's " he teased ruining my self defense tactic.

"I'm ...not j-jealous." I stuttered.

"Sure,"He smiled clearly amused.

"I don't even care about you or anything else you do.So stop trying to make me one of your puppets."I added trying to wipe the distracting smile on his face off.

"If you really don't care why do you look so tensed up talking about it?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

I barged past him my shoulders hitting him in the process.How dare he try to imply that I liked him.

But did I like him?

I could like right now punch him in the gut but of course I was a good girl and didn't want to get into trouble with the school authorities so I dared not do so.

I broke into a sprint and soon arrived at the exits waiting nervously for Rachel.I held on tightly to the straps of my school bag as I scanned through the lessening mass of bodies leaving the school doors.I seemed restless ,for where on earth was that girl?

I searched the crowd for Rachel freezing in time when I saw

Jay pass by with Jessica trotting beside him.He whispered something to her ears  and she clumsily clutched onto his arm laughing her heart out.

He tried hiding a smile when he noticed my eyes were on them from the distance.I quickly turned my gaze away from them ,a sick feeling brewing at the pit of my tummy.A wave of nausea flashed through me and I clutched the railing of the steps in despair. My heart threatened to leap out of my chest as I stared at their retreating figures unable to pinpoint  any particular emotion.It all was  a kaleidoscope of mixed feelings;confusion,pain, betrayal and anger.

I turned away unable to bear the thought of them together.I most especially found it uncomfortable watching them from afar.

I doubted if they were signs of jealously like he'd teased.

But if it truly was jealously , it's it with a capital J.Trust me,it's not a nice feeling to talk much about.

"Sorry for making you wait." Rachel apologized panting.

"Mr Manhart made me grab some books from the library." She explained as I sighed in relief pulling her to the car park.

We didn't need to wait for Harriet today because Fahd was driving her home.

"Is everything okay?"Rachel asked looking at me with concern filled eyes.

"Yeah,"I nodded pushing a smile on my face.

"Camilla!" A masculine voice called sending Rachel and I turning back to see  Chad jogging up to us.We slowed our pace down and he soon caught up with us.

"Hey,"He greeted flashing one of his dazzling smiles.He stood towering above us.Passing a hand through his quiff, he stretched out  his hand to me.

"I found this in the hallway." He  said holding  my spiral chemistry notebook in his outstretched arm .I might have dropped it in the hallway when I was running away from Jay I guessed.

"Thanks."I replied retrieving my book from his hand and offering him a grateful smile.

Chad said something in response,I think , because Rachel giggled. But my attention was held by Jay who stood some few meters away chatting with a familiar blonde.

I saw him leaning against his car door as Jessica chattered away by his side.Thank heavens  her clammy hands weren't still entwined in his.

What on earth were they talking about for Jessica to keep on laughing that loud I wondered staring at them both in bewilderment.

"Camilla.." Chad called snapping me out of my reverie.

"Huh?"

"You sort of zoned out,are you okay?" Chad pressed looking at me with worried eyes.He closed the gap between us and placed his palm on my forehead to feel me for a ...fever? A sense of unease flushed through me.

"Oh, yeah.The Bio quiz next week is stressing me out." I lied and he raised an eyebrow.

"But seriously, I'm okay."I assured grabbing hold of his palm on my forehead and tactfully holding  it in my hands to move it away.This brought a smile to his face and he nodded in approval.

"Sure,you look wonderful in your new hair." Chad complimented walking us to my car.

"Thanks." I replied solemnly fishing through my purse for my keys as he opened the driver's door for me.

I could clearly remember that I felt much more excited when Jay complimented my hair than when Chad just did. This clearly meant I valued their opinions about me differently and thinking about this made my mind wander of to what Jay had said earlier, about me harbouring feelings for him.

Yes,I did but they were totally platonic.Any normal  friend would totally react that way right?

I found my key in a matter of minutes and slid in  strapping the seatbelt across my body.

"Bye Chad." Rachel and I said in unison as Chad shut the door and waved at us over from his position near my car door.I put the car on reverse and smoothly backed out of the parking space.Rachel's car was at the mechanics so I had to do some little cabbie service.

We made our way onto the street as Rachel continued chatting about Netflix, series after series.Nonetherless,my mind remained on one topic throughout,why was I finding it so difficult to accept that Jay  liked Jessica?