Chapter 9

SUMMER'S P.O.V.

I reached my classroom. Opened the door and shut it behind me. Just as the bell rang. I'm out of breath. Panting very hard. One hand on my knee. I'm still catching my breath. Everyone looked at me with wide eyes. Okay, i'm not a new student.

"Ms. Grant, are you lost?" The teacher asked. Great. Discouraging a student.

I stood up straight. "no ma'am. I have my first class here. I'm sure of it." I started towards my seat at the back and paused with some few steps away from it. My eyes wide in surprise.

I'm seeing Skyler West beside my chair and table! I have't been always attending this class but i'm fully sure that he doesn't belong in this class. He don't belong here! I act like nothing changed and go straightly to my seat.

He doesn't even glance at my direction. He's too focus reading his book intently. I put my backpack at the back of my chair. I lose grip of my skateboard and let it fell at the floor loudly. Everyone jumped and looked at my direction.

"sorry. Got slipped off my grip." I apologized innocently. Then everyone returned to their own businesses. Skyler doesn't even budge in reading.

I sat down and placed my skateboard under my table.

I lean to him. "what are you doing here?" I whispered.

"attending my class?" He replied lowly. His eyes still at the book.

"which i'm sure not here."

"wasn't here." He corrected and turn to me. Well, i didn't really plan this. But i didn't notice that my face is close to him that when he faced me our faces are too close. "but now it is." He added as if not affected in our closeness. I can smell his breath. So fresh and minty. His blue eyes are in deep blue. He cleared his throath. "don't lean so close to me. I don't want them to think we have something."

"oh, com'on. We kissed, you drive me home, you're stalking me, you'll help me in my studies, how come we don't have something?"

I saw anger in his eyes and alarm at the same time. I looked around and i just realized that i hadn't been whispering it to him. My jaw dropped down. I'm saying it out loud. I got everyone's attention and they all looked at us suspiciously and in disbelief.

I immediately raised my phone at my ear and pretend that i'm talking to someone at the other line. I looked at Skyler and his eyes narrowed. I turn my gaze away from him.

"okay, i'm sorry. We'll talk about this later. Bye." I said and pressed something at my phone to pretend that i ended the call. I put down my phone. Thank god i've just been holding it all the time.

I slowly looked up at our teacher. And i winced when i saw her eyes narrowed down at me. She's infront of my table.

"using your phone during my class Ms. Grant? Didn't even bother to say excuse and you disturbed the class. You already know what's next." She stated firmly.

"ma'am i can--"

"detention."

"what?! No!" I can't have detention! Not now!

"yes Ms. Grant. Detention. Later. 5:00 pm. Come to my office." She turn her back at me and continued the discussion in front.

I lean at my chair. Disbelief is my reaction. This is just my fresh start and i already fucked it up. I stared at my table. My hands at my temple.

It should't be like this. Even though how many times i've got detentions i don't care. But this time. I totally care and kill for it. Kill to perform. But it already ended.

After the class, i'm the last one to get out. The second last, i mean. Skyler's at my heels. Instead of going right to our next class, i turn left and walk faster. Thankfully, Skyler's not stalking me.

I went to the garden and sit at the bench. Since almost everyone is in their classes, only few's roaming around and i'm alone in this garden.

I've been sentimenting. I'd always been performing in school festivals and in some other school activities. Not performing this year makes me sick! It's my last year here. Well, i'm sure i can graduate with high grades or low.

Time passed by so fast. That it's already an hour before lunchtime. I'm starving because i hadn't eaten my breakfast.

I'm feeling like crying. I raised up my knees at the bench and bended my back so my forehead could touch my palms that are on my knees.

Then suddenly i shivered when i feel someone tapped my shoulder. I raised up my head and infront of me is Skyler.

"what do you want?" I mumbled.

"what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be attending our classes?"

By saying our classes.. Does that mean.. We both have the same schedules now? Really, this guy could do anything he wants.

"what's the use of it? I already screwed up." I snapped.

I'm dropping my feet now at the ground.

"then, that's it? You'll give up?"

I've been punched in his words. And i give a frown. "you said if i screw up starting this day, i won't perform in the festival. Which i already did that i didn't mean."

He sighed and sit beside me. "oh, com'on Summer. This is just the start, you can do better next time. Attend the rest of your classes and i'll give you a chance to perform."

"you having pity on me?" I look at him directly.

"no. I'm giving you another try. Just don't let your stupidness knock you down this time."

"ouch. That hurts." I glare at him. "okay. But i'm not stupid."

"i won't take it back."

"you cutting class again? For me?" This guy could really sacrifice everything just to see me. Okay. I'm so full of myself. I know he's here to convince me.

"i got to check out on you."

I rolled my eyes. "you didn't answer my question."

"nope. I asked permission. Besides, i already know the lessons."

Then my stomach stormed.

He look at me with humor. "you haven't eaten anything, have you?"

"no. Or else i'll be late earlier. I forgot to set my alarm last night. And i woke up late."

"also you slept late."

"because of homeworks!" I blurted as if it is the obvious reason.

My stomach grumbled again. I even tried to cover it with my hands but the noise can still be heard.

Skyler laughed beside me. I throw daggers at him. He stood up. "com'on. Let's feed that creatures inside your stomach." He said, still find it funny.

"i'm fine. I still have something to do." I took off the bag from my back and put it on my lap. Open and finding the hell in it. I took out the Math book and scanned.

"what are you doing?" He's just looking to what i'm doing.

"homework." My eyes are still on the book. And finally, the homework paper, i found it. Still no answers.

"i thought you've already finished all of it." He said and grabbed the paper out of my hands.

"hey!" I protested.

He look at the paper. I'm cursing him now.

"Math." He mumbled. "i'll help you understand this later." He lend to me the paper. "just eat something before draining your mind for it again. Thinking so much can get you hungrier and you can't focus in what you're doing."

"fine." I returned the paper to the book and the book inside my backpack. "promise me you'll help me later."

"promise. Just com'on." I let my bag hung at my right arm and i stooped to take my skateboard from the ground. I got to my feet and followed him.

"where are we going?"

"where can you buy food here in school?"

"cafeteria?"

"where else?" He said sarcastically.

"but you don't want them to think that we have something. Yet you're showing us in public." We're not out of the garden yet.

He stop walking and i did too just behind him. He turn to me. Exasperated.

"what's more suspicious? Us being in public and all can witness what we're doing? Or in private, we're alone and they can all think silly things and specifically, they'll think we're having sex. That's what will everyone think with their minds like that."

"but i thought you don't care about reputation. Atleast we know that we're not doing 'that' thing. We're not doing anything wrong. Let them think what they want. But we know they are wrong."

He narrowed his eyes on me intently. "Summer, you just want us to be alone, don't you?"

I'm not thinking it like that! I feel my cheeks heat up. Though i can't see myself, i know i'm blushing. No! Not infront of him!

"you're wrong. I'm not thinking it that way!" I snapped to him. "uugghh!! Just com'on!" Now it's my turn to walk ahead.

Though he's behind me, i can sense he's resisting a smile.