Vienna

chapter two

I slammed my locker shut, mentally drained after the two hours of torture that is calculus. Not sure who invented the subject but I have a word or two I'd like to say if I ever meet them.

I let out a sigh and headed to the cafeteria.

I love my friends to death, but sometimes I'd much rather eat lunch with just the girls rather than  the guys and their football buddies. Something about all the testosterone makes my food taste bad.

I could already hear my other best friend, Daisy, laughing the second I walked into the cafeteria. It kinda sounds like a bark mixed with a snort, but she pulls it off.

I almost grabbed a tray of food before remembering it was Friday. Burrito Day. Last time I had a burrito from this cafeteria, I was throwing up all night and had to miss the last football game of the year. Never again.

"Vienna!" Hannah turned to look at me as I sat down. "Thank god you're here, Daisy won't shut up about Ellie's party tonight," she said, giving Daisy a playful smile.

"Hey! You wouldn't shut up either if you knew you were gonna get laid tonight," Daisy gushed with a girly voice.

My mouth flew open. "No. Way. Aiden?!"

Daisy nodded her head crazily with a huge smile on her face. She's been hooking up with a guy a year older than us all summer, but they haven't been able to see each other since he left for college last month.

"He's going to be in town for the weekend so I invited him to the party after the game tonight. You're still coming right? Logan told Hannah he'd give us all a ride," she said.

"Yes I can't wait! Ellie's house is always so fun," I replied.

It's true. Her parents are LOADED and travel a lot so whenever they're gone Ellie throws a party and lets our whole friend group sleep over. And she has a fake ID so there's always an endless supply of drinks.

"Now we just need to find you a guy." Hannah teased and Daisy nodded in agreement.

I have basically no experience when it comes to boys. I've had guys be interested in me but it's never gone any further. Partly because I have no idea how to interact with guys as more than friends and partly because I'm picky.

"Find who a guy?" Logan asked his girlfriend with a peck on her head as he sat down next to her.

The rest of the guys sit down around us. Ever since Hannah and Logan started dating freshman year, our friend group combined with his and we've all been inseparable since. They're all on the football team and Hannah is on the cheerleading team, so Daisy and I have gone to basically every game since freshman year.

We spend the rest of lunch excitedly chatting about the game and party tonight, and soon enough the bell rang signaling for our last class of the day.

"Ready to go, V?" Lucas asked from behind me. Lucas is my closest guy friend and we're both in our school's leadership class which happens to be right after lunch.

"For another day of getting paint all over my jeans? Nope!" I laughed and waved goodbye to my friends.

I was just hoping Mrs. Thompson has us make posters all class instead of actual work. I have to go to my volunteer job at the animal rescue after work and I'm already ready for a nap.

My dad suggested I volunteer there to help relieve my anxiety. I've had really bad anxiety since the accident a few years ago, plus I love dogs so it's a win-win.

My prayers were answered when Mrs. Thompson dismissed us to go make posters for the game tonight.

I grabbed a blank poster and some paint brushes and headed outside with the rest of my class.

I was painting so mindlessly that I didn't notice someone spilled paint all over my jeans until I felt the cool liquid seep through to my skin.

"What the fuck!" I yelped, immediately snapping my eyes up to the culprit.

Nathan Cole. I'm not even surprised. Ever since our friend groups merged freshman year, he's made it obvious of his disdain for me. I mean, we've been in the same friend group for three years and he has barely said a full sentence to me. But honestly I'm glad because I have not exactly heard many good things about him.

"Oh, you got a little something there," he smirked, pointing at the paint all over my leg.

Excuse me?! The nerve of this boy.

I swallowed my anger and plastered on the fakest smile possible. "Thank you. Oh, you got a little something there too," I gestured to his face.

He gave me a confused look and wiped his cheek, "Did I get it?"

I fake examined his face thoroughly then put on a smirk of my own. "Oh I guess that's just your face," I said with distaste.

To my surprise, he didn't react at all. And I thought that was a good one.

"Is it too handsome?" he said almost too seriously.

The ego on this guy.

I rolled my eyes and ignored him, turning back to focus on getting some of the paint off my leg.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see him open his mouth to start talking again, but luckily the bell cut him off.

I quickly got up to put my poster inside and get to the parking lot as fast as possible.

"Hey klutz!" My heart dropped when I hear the same annoying voice from earlier accompanied by quickening footsteps.

I quickened my pace to the parking lot and hoped I could make it to the door before Mr. Ego could catch up to me.

"Hey klutz! In a hurry to go spill on yourself more?" Nathan said proudly.

I groaned and let my head fall back in frustration, "Do you have a little game where you have to annoy one person every day and what terrible thing did I do for it to be me?"

"You should be honored that I'm talking to you right now. Do you know how many girls would kill to have me spill paint on them?" he smirked.

"HA!" I shouted and pointed at him. "You just admitted that you're the clumsy one, not me!" I boasted gleefully.

Finally I made it to the front doors. Thank god. I make a B-line for Daisy's car before he got the chance to respond.

I made it to her car to see her already waiting for me, her eyes narrowed in a suspicious manner.

She slid her sunglasses down from the top of her perfectly highlighted brown hair to cover her eyes, "Did I just see you talking to Nate?"

"Oh is that what it was? Silly me, I thought it was just some annoying bird chirping in my ear," I said, sliding into the passenger seat of her car.

She hummed in response and got into the driver's seat, "Am I driving you home or to the rescue?"

"Rescue," I responded.

Yes, I am a 17 year old senior in high school without her driver's license. Or permit. Ever since the car accident, I've been kinda freaked out about cars. I wouldn't get in one for almost a year after it happened. I biked everywhere, even in the rain. Luckily I got past that fear, but I'm still too afraid to drive one myself.

"Seatbelt!" Daisy chirped and started driving.