𝑊𝑎𝑟 𝑆𝑜𝑛𝑔 (𝐵𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝐼)

ii. Gʀᴇᴇᴛɪɴɢs

"Hi, I'm Nathaniel." the boy says while holding put a pale hand.

I look at his hand then to his face and back at his hand, debating whether or not I should shake it. "Cool." I decided not to.

I turn on my heel and continue my walk to the bench outside to read. Right before my butt touches the wooden seat, a voice stops the action. "I just introduced myself. You might not have heard me, I'm Nathaniel Ozark, but my friends here call me Nathan or Nate. We're new." the boy says holding his hand out and smiling handsomely.

"No, I heard you. I just want to read at least a chapter before I have to get back to class and you talking to me is kind of getting in the way of that." I explain. I wince at how rude that sounded. Why do I always have to be so damn blunt?

"Shit, feisty, I like it. So, darling, will you do me the pleasure of...telling us your name?" he asks flirtatiously, brushing aside my crude words earlier.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because, to learn our names, we must learn yours, of course. That's just simply how this little game of ours that, we started, works." the bubbly blond boy puts.

"Who says I want to learn your names?" that sounded rude also! Damn you, Hunter.

The mixed boy, I think I'll nickname him Curls because 'mixed boy' sounds wrong, snickers in the back of their group. Nathan snaps an elbow back and slams it into Curls' ribs, making him grunt quietly in pain.

"You make a good point, but wouldn't it be nice to make some new friends?" Nate asks and I hear Mr. Brood scoff. And just to piss him off, I'll tell Nate my name so that we can be 'friends'.

"Hunter Singh, nice to meet you," I tell them.

They sort of falter at my name, like Shawnee and his friends, did this morning. Why does everyone keep doing that?

"Well, Hunter, I'm Leonardo Rothchild, or Leo. The happy goofball of the group." Bubble Boy says with a wide and joyous smile.

"I'm Issac Benjamin." the quiet one with amber hair speaks up.

"Arlo Betchel." Curls says and I notice his British accent and almost lose my shit right there. "This is Levi De Loughrey, he doesn't speak much. Just stares into people's souls, so, don't feel too offended, or you know what? Don't feel too intimidated." Arlo finishes.

"Got it," I whisper and quickly glance in Levi's direction only to find him staring at me already, with those black eyes.

"And lastly, the effing 'Bad Boy' of the group, Rhysand Havalliard. Scary, yes we know, but he won't bite." Nate pauses and four of the boys chuckle. "Or maybe he will, never know."

"Okay." I feel a little awkward.

A loud ring sounds through the school and my mouth drops open, I look down at my watch and see that almost fifteen minutes passed while the seven of us were talking. My shoulders deflate, sadly, realizing that I never got to read.

"Crap."

"Oops, sorry about that." Nate chuckles a little and I glare at him and begin to walk back into the school dragging my feet.

"Nice meeting you!" Leo shouts from behind my fleeting figure. "Whatever," I say under my breath.

I get into my next class, History, and take a seat more towards the back. The door opens about five minutes before the late bell rings and in comes a certain blond boy. We make eye contact the second he comes in and I get stuck, almost paralyzed, by his eyes. Like a deer caught in headlights.