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Chapter Forty// I Do Care!

Paige's pov

"Why did you do that?"

"He deserved it," laughs Josh, unclenching his fists and leaning down into his seat to join in with the rest of the team's choirs of chuckles. 

"You didn't deserve to do that." His face rotates away from my glaring eyes, not even acknowledging the anger in my tone. "Are you even listening to me?" I shake my head in disbelief- how could he do this? "Do you know what, I did what you asked me. I put myself through all your shit to please you, but what do you do, you go against it all and fucking humiliate Nathan anyway."

"Paige, you broke the deal, you know it. Now sit down," Josh hisses agitatedly, cautiously peering around the table as his teammates listen in to my rant.

"Oh, so you hear me now do you?" I spit spitefully. He is unbelievable.

"You will regret this."

"Is that a threat? Because what are you going to do? You've already ruined everything, you've got what you wanted!" Tears sting my eyes as the lump in the back of my throat rises. I  push up onto my feet, my knees heavy and cripple with all my weight dragging me to the ground. Josh looks past the mournfulness drowning my eyes, rejecting my call of heartbreak and decides to send his mates a passive look of coolness. Having had enough, I gather my things and turn to the direction of the door.

"Where are you going?" Suddenly asks Josh, forcefully reaching out his arm. He targets my wrist but I pull back in defence.

"Going to find Nathan," I declare, watching with watery eyes as Josh's eye brows frown. Comments murmur into the air, all directed at me and Josh. A couple of snickers are sent our way as Josh loses the battle. His cheeks boil with rage and this time his fingers snag my jacket, clawing me into staying here. However with a powerful tug, I am released from his dominance and I flee from the cafeteria, through the school hall where all heads turn towards me then out the school exit. I pray that Nathan is still on school grounds.

Rapidly my heart resembles the pace of my legs, running as fast as I can, my feet a blur beneath my trembling body. All the blood rushes to my brain and filters up to the surface of my face.

After scrutinising the parking lot, it is evident by the silence of the wind that it is deserted with Nathan's presence nowhere to be seen. With my chest rising up and down, the air thinner by the second, I begin to worry he has left. That is, until I hear his voice.

"Paige."

It only takes a whisper. A barely audible murmur of my name and I know exactly who those words belong to. With my back towards him, a smile blossoms across my face as my tears soak into my once blotchy skin. "Nathan," I breathe. Turning around, his eyes meet mine. I run over to him, forgetting everything and wrapping my arms around his neck, welcoming myself into his hug. It takes a moment for his arms to enclose around my waist, but when they do, the heat from his body is enough to rewarm my heart. "Nathan," I repeat again, almost breathless as I gaze up into his eyes.

"Paige, we need to talk," his voice falls flat, his lips thin and hair messy by the wind.

"Lets go some place else."

He leads the way out of the car park. Across the grass, Nathan guides us over to a huge oak tree that is planted in the far right side of the school field. Shielded by a mass of other trees, the grand oak is only visible by its top leaves when you look from a distant. Nathan approaches the tree with scuffed shoes, the soles dragging over the ruff terrain. Kicking leaves, he walks up to the trunk then slams his back up against the bark with a loud exhale of air. I follow with an inquisitive gaze.