«Skylar's POV»

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"Why aren't you eating anything?" Alex asked nudging my lunch tray with his palm.

I looked at the tray, feeling all queasy again. I was hungry, but I didn't want to eat anything.

"I got a C." I muttered, slamming my head on the table. "Again."

I picked up a fry and chewed on it. It felt like sponge in my mouth.

"Oh." He said with a snicker.

I looked up and gave him one of my best glares. I thought best friends were supposed to pat your back and tell you that everything was going to be alright.

"Mom will freak out when she'll see my report. It's the third time, Alex. How could I do this?" I said out loud.

I wasn't a total nerd. I never liked studying. But I still got...acceptable grades in other subjects. Except Physics. I had tried staying awake all night studying hard for this test. I was almost sure that I would definitely ace that test. But when I had received the paper, my mind had just went blank.

"No worries. You'll do great in the next test." He said, dismissing the topic. You could definitely expect him to do that. He never cared about his grades. Unpredictable.

I gave him a disapproving look at that. He didn't have parents who only cared about his grades.

"I could cheer up your mood. How about some cupcakes?" He suggested.

I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he referring to the little incident this morning. With those crumbled up tissues and shit?

"Are you asking me to do some disgusting stuff for you?" I asked. Last thing I did for him ended up in serious trouble. Like me going inside the boy's washroom. Don't even ask me how.

"It's not disgusting." He defended himself, which was totally off the point. "I mean, it's a small task."

I let out a laugh and shook my head. "I'm sorry, Alex, but I don't want to be a victim of school's social media again. Last time I remember, my picture inside the boy's washroom went viral. Even the Principal got to see it. I can't go through that again just because of you."

I did love cupcakes but I was really not that stupid.

"It isn't about going inside the boy's washroom, Sky." He said. "I'll buy you a jar of Nutella too."

That hit the right spot.

God, Nutella always hit the right spot.

A smile lit his face when he realized how I was starting to like it. "You just need to talk to Caden."

It took me a while to register what he said.

"Why in the hell do you think I would do that?" I asked leaning back in my chair.

Alex looked at me in disappointment. "Because I can't. And if I won't, Coach will probably give me another lecture of doing those responsibilities and shit."

That was the truth. Alex wasn't the one who cared about responsibilities.

"Why can't you talk to Caden yourself?" I asked.

"Because I hate his guts."

I took a sip of my milkshake. Our school cafeteria didn't have one of those delicious milkshakes. But it worked.

"And why is that?" I asked.

I knew Alex hated questions. But he had no choice.

"He tried to flirt with Stacey." I'm sure it would've been Stacey who would've flirted first. Every girl like her threw herself on guys like Caden.

"And who is Stacey?" I asked.

He looked very much irritated by now. "My girlfriend?'' He made it sound like it should've been obvious.

"And you didn't tell me about that because?" I asked.

I already knew the answer to that. Stacey was probably one of the cheerleaders who he liked to date. Not a long term one. Alex never did long term relationships.

"God, will you stop that?" He asked irritatedly.

I thought for a moment.

"No. I seriously won't go around that person. For God's sake, it was the fifth time he made me fall down and didn't even give a hand to help me get up. I don't like talking to rude people." I crossed my arms.

That was true. At least bits of it.

"You're exaggerating. It only happened twice." He corrected with an eye roll.

He was rewarded with my glare. "Fine. But he still didn't give me a hand." I said.

That was true. He wouldn't even care if he slammed into an old lady. That's what he was so popular for. His unchivalrous attitude.

Caden Miller. Who skipped classes like everyday. I didn't even know why he bothered coming to school. With a really cold attitude. Didn't care about any manners. Or any feelings. Was dark and mysterious. People like me tried to do everything to stay away from him.

"Sky, I'll buy you two big jars of Nutella. Please do it. My ears will tear off if I get one more lecture from Coach." He said with a groan.

I looked at him for a moment, weighing my choices.

"The things I do for you." I said with a sigh.

It wasn't true though. I was doing it only for Nutella. If it weren't for chocolate, I would've ditched Alex years ago.

He was my only source.

*********

So here I was.

The only period I got to go to the library. The only period which I had my freedom in. My only free period. I was sacrificing it to go and talk to the school's most unwelcoming person, Caden.

I sighed and went towards the grounds. I knew he'll be there. He's usually there. With his best friend. How did I know that? I saw him once when I had arrived late.

That was the only day Alex had forgotten to pick me up in the morning.

I looked around the big ground trying to spot him. I went towards the bleachers but he wasn't there. I went towards the trees and he wasn't there either. Not even in the parking lot.

Earlier when I had slammed into him, he was rushing out. Where the hell was he?

Maybe he left?

Getting happy with that thought, I turned around. I'd have to tell Alex that I couldn't have done it and he'll have no choice but to buy me that Nutella.

Hah.

I was almost inside the hallway when I saw the unmistakable person in his usual leather jacket. He was here, after all. Behind one of the school pillars with his best friend. I had never in my life talked to him or his best friend which made me kind of nervous.

It was more like talking-to-a-stranger-for-the-first-time jitters.

But anyways, I went towards them.

They looked busy in some sort of talk. Some serious talk. I could've eavesdropped. But I did not. Mainly because the atmosphere around them seemed tense. Or maybe because Caden's mere aura seemed threatening.

You can't blame me. Every time I saw that guy, either he was involved in some fight. Or he was running in the hallways, slamming into me.

A few steps away from them, I cleared my throat. That was the only appropriate thing to do to get his attention. But instead, I only got his friend's. Caden didn't even look at my direction. He had a sort of paper in his hand which he was looking at with a really bad look.

"Hello, beautiful. You must be Stacey." His friend said with a charming smile.

I would've been lying if I said he wasn't hot. His messy black hair and that smile.

"No, I am not...Stacey." I said with a frown.

How come he even thought I was Stacey? Stacey was a cheerleader. A girl who had looks. How come he thought I was Stacey with my sleepy eyes and no-makeup-on-the-face.

Why was he expecting Stacey? Wasn't she Alex's girlfriend? Oh gosh, was she cheating on him?

I smirked from the inside.

I may just have the best revenge plan for Alex. Since he was the one who gave me crumbled up tissues instead of cupcakes.

He looked at me, confused, but kept on smiling.

"I...had a message for him." I said, jerking my head towards Caden who now looked like he might kill the paper.

Caden was also popular for his anger. Everybody feared him. Some of the teachers too. He was famous for picking bad fights and never getting suspended for it.

What was written on it that was making him so angry?

I was expecting his friend to deliver the message to him which would've been more than fine.

"Sure. I'll leave you two alone." He turned around and left. I looked at his back speechlessly. How could he have left me with someone like Caden all alone?

Did he not hear about something called stranger-danger?

I mean, he was also a stranger. But he looked like a nice stranger. Caden did not. It wasn't like I was scared. I just didn't trust that person.

Just tell him already.

I looked over at Caden who was still doing nothing to accept my presence.

"Caden?" I spoke up.

I never knew talking to him would be that awkward. Why couldn't have Alex done it himself? Why did he love to trap me in such awful situations?

In response, Caden just raised a brow without even looking at me.

All I wanted to do was snatch that paper from his hands so that he would actually listen to me. But that could've led to a whole new level of awkwardness.

"You must know Alex. From the football team. Who is actually my best friend. He asked me to give you a message that he couldn't tell you himself because he said that he saw you flirting with–never mind. The coach wanted you to go over to practice tomorrow." I ended.

Well, that's that. I was ready to go. I took a step back but got rooted to the spot when he looked at me. Meaning, he actually looked at me. Right in the eye. For the first time since I joined high school.

We had never ever made eye contact like that. Not only with him, I clearly never made eye contacts. Because it felt awkward. And right now, I was looking in his eyes.

God.

The first thing that got in my head was, "How in the freaking hell is he so hot?"

I've always heard about him before, never actually felt the need to check him out. But now, I knew. Just his eyes were enough to make me almost swoon over him. They were green. The most beautiful green I had ever seen.

This staring would've been actually romantic if it hadn't been with a guy like him.

"What?" He asked in very much rude way.

That was enough to break me from that trance. Of course, he was hot but he was also mean. I definitely did not like such people.

"What what?" I asked back.

"What the hell did you just say?"

Did he just ask me to repeat?

"Oh." I realized I should just shorten the whole speech. "The Coach wanted you to come for the football practice tomorrow."

I looked at him for a response as his features turned into a bit of amusement.

"Do I look like I give a shit about the Coach?" He asked.

Before I could've replied, he crumbled up the paper in his hand and walked away, leaving me speechless.

"You...don't." I murmured, watching him walk away. Rolling my eyes, I decided to walk away myself.

Such a moody guy.

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Crystal 🌿