Conflicted
Conflicted
"You must be kidding me." Jeremy hissed. He didn't bother to stand up. He just took out his earphone and plugged it in his ears, hoping Kelvin would see he wasn't interested and go away.
Annoyed, Kelvin pulled his earphone rudely and dropped it on the desk. "I SAID, LET'S TALK." He said, laying emphasis on each word.
Most of the students in the class watched both boys curiously. The look on their faces was almost identical. It was obvious Kelvin disliked Jeremy and would rather be talking to someone else, from the look on Jeremy's face, the feeling was mutual. Why were they always at disagreement from the beginning? They wondered.
Jeremy tried not to blow up at him. He could be a sweet puppy when he wanted to, but he had a temper. He tried to keep a smile on his face when though he was deeply annoyed by Kelvin's attitude.
"Get. Lost." He said to Kelvin with an unfriendly smile before picking up his earphone.
"You are causing a scene." Mia eyed Kelvin when he stepped closer towards their desk.
"He doesn't want to talk to you so let him be." She pointed out.
"Stay out of this." Kelvin said to Mia while looking at her like she wasn't worth a second of his time.
"You may regret it if you do not follow me." Kelvin said to Jeremy who shrugged nonchalantly.
"I don't care."
"Alright. Your wish then." Kelvin fixed the collar of his shirt arrogantly before walking away but not without eyeing Jeremy and Mia with disdain.
"What's wrong with him?" Mia asked Jeremy immediately he left.
He shrugged, "I don't know."
"There's something going on between you two right? Something deeper than just mere dislike for each other."
"Do not worry yourself about it." He said with a smile before looking at a particular seat where his eyes always drifted to. He had seen her leave the class a few minutes back.
Where did she go to?
Chloe was inside the restroom. She locked herself inside a cubicle and sat on one of the toilet's seats with her face buried in her palms.
"It's fine if you do not like Kelvin Hanks, we can always choose another partner for you." Her mother had said that morning with a reassuring smile.
Chloe had simply given her a disappointed look before leaving the house for school. What was wrong with them? Wasn't her mother listening to her words at all?
She was beyond frustrated and wished she could disappear. All boldness and confidence she had the previous day suddenly vanished into thin air.
She heard a message notification on her phone and looked at it. She had been waiting for a message from her friend, Amara.
"I'm sorry honey but I won't be able to make it. It's crazy at work. PS: It took me great courage to send this."
Chloe sighed deeply when she read the text. Just great! Would today get any worse? She wondered.
"It's fine. I'll go there myself." Chloe replied.
Almost immediately, Amara's message came in.
"Yourself? No, can't do. What about Jeremy? You shouldn't go there alone. Someone has to keep their eyes on you and he's the only other friend you have."
"That's absurd! Chat later." Chloe texted with a frown before standing up.
She was just about to exit the cubicle when she heard several footsteps enter the restroom at the same time.
She didn't know why she didn't just leave at that point. Maybe because she feared she may be their next gossip topic once she left the restroom immediately.
"Well, I voted for him so that's a plus for me." Chloe heard one girl say before giggling childishly. She didn't need anyone to tell her the girl was a freshman. They were all probably freshmen.
"It suits him. But there would be no hotter president to me like Kelvin." Another girl said.
"Pfft! That Ninny! The only good thing about him is his looks and family background. Otherwise, he's a total simp when it comes to that snob from the King's family." Another one said.
Chloe's facial expression didn't change. It wasn't the first time she was hearing people talk about her like this and using such derogatory terms. She wasn't surprised.
"Chloe right? I wonder what he sees in her. She's so cold and have an unattractive personality. Even I am disgusted by her attitude."
Their voice had mixed up in Chloe's head so she no longer cared about who was speaking, she simply listened.
"I heard she's really smart. I've seen her around a couple of times, she also looks smart."
"Smart? It's obvious her parents have been pulling some strings behind closed doors. Smart my foot. I can swear she's nothing but a bimbo who knows nothing but thinks she's better than everyone."
Chloe frowned. This was an accusation she hated the most in her entire life. How could they just assume such? She was about to turn the knob but stopped when one of them said something.
"Oh! But don't you all think she is secretly dating someone?"
"Where did you hear that?"
"Remember that really handsome stud with the ponytail I mentioned was my type?"
"The guy you said was in the same class with Kelvin and had his eyes?"
"Exaclty! That's him. There's a rumour that he's her boyfriend. They are both always seen together. I even heard that someone saw them making out in a classroom." She said in a whisper.
"Oh my!"
"Really? Why does she always have the good looking guys?" A girl whined.
Chloe didn't know whether she was supposed to laugh or cry. She was tired of listening so she opened the door.
There were actually four girls standing there with lipsticks and powders in their hands. The girls gasped aloud when they came face to face with her.
Speak of the devil.
Chloe totally ignored them and went to the sink to wash her hands while they continued to look at her guiltily.
Once she was done, she locked eyes with each of them through the mirror before walking out of the restroom.
"Oh my God! I almost died!" One gasped with her hand on her chest.
"I really thought I died!" Another said.
"She's scary. I... wasn't here." Another one said before running out of the restroom.
Pondering on what those ladies had said inside the restroom was the least of Chloe's problems. Today was the late Adrian's birthday and Mrs Wesley had said she was going to hold a little birthday party for him and also invite some of his friends. It seemed she had finally accepted his death and wanted to let go through this means. Chloe had heard that for the past few years, Mrs Wesley had forbade everyone from calling her son's name.
Chloe had to be there. She had to say goodbye to him since she didn't have the opportunity to do so back then. She couldn't even send him off at his funeral because his mother hadn't wanted her to be there.
But she couldn't go there alone today. She knew she was going to be really heartbroken and as much as she hated to admit, she needed someone beside her today. Mrs Wesley must have also thought about this which was probably the reason why she had asked her to come with someone. Was it wise to ask Jeremy to go there with her?
Would it by chance make Mrs Wesley angry that she was with another boy?
As she entered inside the class, she looked at Jeremy's direction and locked eyes with Mia.
Mia. They weren't so close, but could she ask her to go there with her?
Should she ask Mia or go ahead and just ask Jeremy?