Never Before | ✓

Chapter two

Chapter two

I survive the first half of the school without any problems. I realised that I share just two lectures with Sel (yes, I can now officially call her that since we both dislike the same people and the same subjects) which is Calculus and English Literature.

I enter in the school canteen along with Sel. While she is busy texting someone on her phone, I find Wes sitting along with two more guys who indeed are Caleb and Charles. I just realised something! Charles resembles Caleb. The same icy blue eyes and brown hair. They are probably brothers. My eyes meet Wes' who smirks at me. I walk toward their table while dragging Sel along with me.

"I finally found her, Wes. Where's my food?" I give him my victory smirk. He pinches his eyebrows. "I'm sorry, newbie. What are you talking about?" He asks innocently.

I glare at him. "My. Free. Food." He laughs. "But for that, you have to sit along with us." I look around the table. There are three more available seats, two between Wes and Caleb, and one beside Charles. Caleb's eyes meet mine and I quickly look away.

"You said you disliked Caleb," Sel whispers in my eyes. I nod and explain everything to her in a nutshell. I see her eyes glistening after telling her about the bet.

"I'll admit that I don't swoon over him only if you order extra food for me, too," she says.

"We'll sit," I say and am about to pull the chair beside Charles when Caleb deadpans, "That seat is taken." I glare at him. Selena gives me a sinister smirk and runs to sit beside Wes, leaving me to sit beside Caleb. I shoot daggers at her
Traitor.

I reluctantly pull the chair out and sit between Caleb and Selena. So much for free food, but that's only for a week.

"So, what do you wish to eat?" Wes asks. I skim through a number to dishes and finally make a choice. "Two hamburgers, two chocolate mousse, and even some fries. Oh, and coke!" I chirp. He widens his eyes at me which says are you really going to eat that much?

"My friend and I, we both are starving," I say, referring to Selena. He shakes his head disapprovingly but doesn't deny. I cheekily smile at him, not losing any opportunity of getting good food.

"Why is he getting you and Amber free food?" Charles asks Selena and sips his diet coke. Selena explains the whole bet thing in a jiffy while I am busy waiting for my hamburger and fries. Caleb nods at frequent intervals, quietly listening to Selena. While Sel and Charles are engrossed in some kind of stupid conversation, Caleb nonchalantly places his hand on my thighs. His hand don't touch my bare skin as I am wearing skinny jeans. He leans in and whispers in my ear, "Are you sure you're not interested in me?" His voice is so deep and thick.

I look at him wide-eyed. "Ye-yeah," I stutter. Damn, my nervousness. Damn, this proximity. Damn, him. The proximity between us makes me nervous. "Sure enough?" His gaze burnt holes in me. Pull your shit together, Amber.

"Positive," I say rather confidently. For a flicker of a moment, my eyes fall on his full lips until a loud thud made me flinch. "Aww, are you cheating on me with him, newbie?" Wes pouts playfully. I roll my eyes.

"We're not dating, Wes!" I say while pulling my tray of hamburger and French fries. "Why not? I'm getting you free food."

"I'll think about it if you give me free food for an entire year," I joke, well aware that I'll be shifting as soon as I graduate my senior year. "I'm fine with that," Wes says and sits down. No sign of mockery in his tone.

"You better don't agree with him, Amber. He's damn rich. He'll never be broke and will even force you to marry him," Charles laughs and I chuckle. As if.

"Marrying? I'm not going to marry anyone at all," I blurt out. Shit. Shit. Shit. No one understands the depths of my words. No one but Caleb. He watches me carefully with suspicion evident in his eyes. I avoid his gaze and dig into my food.

A lunch with these guys wasn't bad. They were fun except for Caleb who rarely took part in any conversation but, I found him observing everything very carefully as though he is some kind of detective.

After the break ends, we all separate our ways to attend the next lectures. Caleb and I walk together to our next lecture which was Biology. None of us speaks anything to each other.

"Why did you freak out after saying that you won't marry anyone?" Caleb speaks and I am caught off guard by his question.

"I thought we hate each other." I try to ignore his question and change the subject of discussion but he seems to notice that.

"Don't change the subject, Amber. You were clearly choked on your own words when you said 'just kidding'." I did? I did! Ugh, fuck my life.

"I don't want to marry anyone," I say and mean it. I really don't marry anyone for two main reasons. One because of my parents, two-

"Why, though?" He asks with lingering suspicion in his voice. Why the hell does he makes me so nervous?

"Because my parents are married, but what do they want? Divorce. They clearly don't love each other but are holding on for me. Why marry if there's nothing such as love?" I manage to say without faltering but my voice cracks at the last sentence.

"Why don't you believe in love? Is it just because of your parents?" He asks, desperately.

I frown. "Who says I don't believe in love? I do but, I don't know. Love should be electrifying. It should be refreshing. It should be a reason to stay alive. It should be the reason to stay even when the world is screaming you to leave," I explain but immediately add. "It's meaningless, Caleb. Let go of that. I'm absurd."

I turn around to walk away but he clutches my wrists and makes me turn around. "I don't hate you," he says and walks closer to me. "Into the class!" Someone yells at us and I assume that that moustachioed man is our Biology teacher.

(What do y'all think? Let me know!)