Chapter 8

Hilda

I felt so confused and unsettled when I left the gym and the only thing that came to my mind to cheer me up was to call the boys. I pulled out my phone and went to my special spot outside, and sat on the bench.

-We were wondering when you'd remember us. Andrew said the minute he picked up the phone and put me on speaker.

-Always. I replied, the bitterness in my voice giving my sadness away.

-What's wrong? Derek asked, alerted.

-Nothing. I just miss you and it's awful here without you.

-Doesn't have to be. We can come see you this weekend if you want us to.

-You can't even imagine how much I'd want that. I said closing my eyes and letting my head fall back.

-Done. We'll be there on Friday evening until Sunday. It'll feel like you've never left.

I chuckled at how easy life seemed to be for them, remembering that it used to be the same for me and wondered if this was actually the real world or it was only some kind of a horrible nightmare that I would wake up from hopefully soon.

-I can't wait. Meanwhile, tell me what have you been up to?

And it was all it took for them to start talking endlessly, making me feel like I was there with them and forget my own misery.

Freya

I met José when I was on my way toward the kitchen. He was walking out of music class with his guitar case over his shoulder and didn't see me coming his way until we were barely two feet apart. Our eyes locked and I instantly felt chill run down my spine. He didn't say anything at first. He just stood there, looking at me right in the eye silently, making the air around us shift uncomfortably.

-Hi. I whispered to break the ice, offering him a small smile that he didn't mirror. Instead, he replied firmly:

-Hi.

I bit my lower lip, trying to come up with something else to say instead of just standing there awkwardly.

-How was practice?

-Good. He said almost immediately.

His voice still cold and indifferent, made it even harder for me to meet him halfway. So, I stopped trying, getting the hint that this was leading to nowhere.

-Okay. I should get going. I'll see you around. I said ducking my head down and walking past him, our shoulders brushing in the way.

But I had barely made it a few feet down the corridor when he said:

-He doesn't deserve you.

Those four words made me come to an abrupt halt. I didn't turn around at first. I just stood there, unable to move while I tried to process the meaning behind his words. When I finally gathered the courage to spin around, I found him facing me, still maintaining the same distance between us.

-He's not good for you. He added, his voice softer and lower this time.

I raised my eyebrows, eyes wide as I looked at him, taken aback by the boldness of his move.

-I'm not. . . I started to protest but he cut me short by saying:

-Maybe not yet. But you will be. I've seen the way he looks at you, like he's on a mission. Like he's determined to make you fall for him like I've watched him do with countless girls before you. I'm not saying this so I would win you. I won't compete with him. I'm only saying this because I know him and I know how he treats girls. He'll make you cry if he hasn't already and he'll mess with your head. He'll make you doubt yourself and make you feel like you have to compete with all the other girls for his attention. He'll make you feel less than what you really are worth. You deserve much more than what he can give you.

I felt a lump forming in my throat making it hard for me to breathe and tears tingling my eyes, threatening to stream down my face like a river at any moment now. I couldn't say anything, but José wasn't expecting me to. Shooting me one more sympathetic glance, he walked away, leaving me a mess standing in the hallway. I stared at his back until he vanished from my blurry view, thinking how I had gotten myself into this twisted mess so fast.

Hilda

-Still not able to stop thinking about me? I heard someone say from behind me.

I tilted my head up to see Mr. Hardwin standing, sweating buckets, with his shirt sticking to his body tightly like a second skin. He had a bottle of water in one hand while the other was resting on his hip. He tilted his head back to take a long swing from the bottle before sealing the cork back on. His eyes locked with mine and he caught me staring once again. He smirked and I had to quickly divert my eyes away to hide my blush, as I replied:

-You wish.

I heard him chuckle before he came around and sat next to me on the bench.

-How come I always find you sitting here on your own?

-Well, you should take the hint then and stop disturbing my moment. Don't you have anything better to do than annoying your students?

-There's only one student I'm interested in annoying. He said with a mischievous grin.

-Isn't there a policy that prohibits teachers from stalking their students?

-Not that I know of. So, for now, we're good.

-Yay. Lucky me. I said humorlessly.

-Oh, you're lucky alright. He added with another chuckle that I surprisingly didn't find so annoying.

-I think I'll pass on my luck this time. Thank you. I replied with a fake sweet smile.

-Your loss. He said with a shrug as he stood up, ready to leave -I just thought you could use some company. You shouldn't sit alone too often.

-Don't worry. It won't be for too long now. I said with a heavy sigh before I let my head fall back on the bench and closed my eyes to enjoy the remaining minutes of the sun's warmth before darkness would fall.

When the air started to chill, I went back inside to my dorm room. It was quiet and dark. Freya never seemed to be there so I thought it would better if I just stayed here whenever I wanted a moment on my own to get my shit together. But then again, for some reason, I didn't want to. And deep inside, I knew that the reason was Mr. Hardwin. Even though I wanted to deny it, I had to admit to myself that I liked it when he was around, no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise.