Smack!

NINE - red Gatorade (part ii)

NINE 

Chelsea was still a little drowsy when she slipped onto the passenger seat beside me.

"You should've at least told me that you're going to pick me up early," she mumbled, her eyes were still half-way close as she locked her seatbelt in place.

"Girl, you're wearing two different kinds of shoes."

"What?" She straightened up and glanced down on her brown Dr. Martens alertly. All her drowsiness suddenly disappeared.

"Just kidding." I laughed.

It'd happened twice to Chelsea whenever I picked her up super early for school because I had track training and her mom couldn't drive her. So now it'd become a habit to check if she was wearing the same kind of footwear.

Chelsea sighed and slumped back down on her seat. "Do you have track practice today?" she asked.

"No, but I have to be early so that I could avoid Eddie," I replied. "Or try to avoid him. Gosh, I'm so nervous about today that I just had the craziest dream last night."

I then launched into a retelling of my dream, down to the every detail of it till the moment I'd woken up.

"Oh my gosh," was all my best friend replied after I was done, staring at me, her almond shaped eyes twice as wide, and her mouth hanging open.

"It felt so real, Chels," I thundered. "I had goose bumps when I woke up this morning."

"Did he really say illuminated?" Chelsea's expression was still in awe as she asked.

"Yeah," I replied and I couldn't help but cringed on my seat as one specific scene replayed inside my head. "You know what? I should probably stop watching regency era tv shows with you. They're corrupting me in my dreams."

After Chelsea and I had finished watching Bridgerton, she went to a regency era tv show black hole. All the shows that we'd watched the last few weeks during our slumber parties were in that genre.

When we arrived at school, Chelsea bid me with a good luck as we separated to go to our homeroom. I didn't bother to stop by at my locker to dump some of my stuff.

I sighed in relief as I'd entered my Anatomy class when I noticed the empty seat of Eddie.

Great.

There were already a few students in the room, chatting with their friends. I sat on my seat, pulled out my stuff from my bag, and listened to some music with my headphones on.

My phone chimed.

A text from Chelsea.

Chelsea - how's you? is he there yet?

Me – a little nervous. he's still not here.

Chelsea- electron just walked in. eddie might be otw there

Me - ok let's just keep texting. i need to look busy.

Chelsea - K

Me - Ndaofnanfaaak

Chelsea - Mfonvweknvneve

The chair beside me moved but I didn't dare to look up, my eyes remained transfixed on my phone.

Me - he's here

Chelsea - omg!! did he say anything?

Me - nothing. he just sat down. I'm trying my best not to look at him.

Chelsea and I continued texting until Mr. Quattlebaum finally entered the room. I took a risked and gave Eddie a quick glance. As per usual, his hair looked messy. Like he'd just woken up, rolled down on his bed, and went to school without bothering to look in the mirror. He was wearing his usual white t-shirt under a blue-button down shirt which he'd left opened and dark washed jeans. He was writing something on his notebook and I quickly looked away as he was about to turn in my direction and focused my attention on Mr. Quattlebaum in front who began checking attendance.

It was so hard concentrating on Mr. Quattlebaum's baritone voice as he drone about the epigastric system. From my peripheral vision, I noticed Eddie throwing sneaky glances at me a few times. But I remained my eyes transfixed on the board or in my notebook as I took down notes.

When the bell rang, I took my sweet time to put all my stuff inside my bag while the rest of my classmates, including Eddie rushed outside the room.

I kept my head low as I entered my Calculus class. I could sense Eddie's gaze as I took my assigned seat beside him but he didn't say anything. I was getting my pen inside my bag when it stumbled off my hand and fell to the floor.

My hand shot down to retrieve it, but another hand was already picking it up. I froze as Eddie handed me my pen and I tried my best not to meet his gaze as I muttered a weak "thanks" under my breath and twisted on my seat to face in front just as Mr. Tittles was walking inside the room.

I almost jumped on my feet as the bell rang signaling the end of class. I quickly put my things inside my bag and I was out of the door before everyone else.

Chelsea was waving at me wildly in the cafeteria to spot her. Aaron was sitting with her today.

"Hey," I said, slumping down on the seat beside Chelsea.

"How did it go?" she asked as we started to pull out our Tupperwares inside our bag.

"Horrible," I replied with passion.

"Did he try talking to you?" Chelsea asked.

"No, thank goodness. But I guess he has an inkling now that I am avoiding him," I said.

"Wait, wait, wait, hold up," Aaron said, raising a hand at us. "What are you guys talking about? Did something happen last Friday night?"

When Chelsea and I didn't respond, Aaron continued, "Because I really can't remember anything except that I really had a good time on the karaoke."

I put a large piece of pork cutlet inside my mouth and avoided Aaron's gaze.

"Seriously guys? What is it?" Aaron asked.

Chelsea nudged me at my side and I nodded my head at her slowly. My best friend leaned in towards the table to Aaron's direction and he did the same as she said in a low whisper, "Emi accidentally kissed Eddie last Friday night."

Aaron couldn't control his reaction. "What?!" he asked, his voice loud that he slapped a hand on his hand in shock. And then continued in a lower voice, "Eddie as in Eddie I-Dislike-Smiling-Because-It-Contorts-The-Face Eddie?"

I rest my head on the table as Chelsea nodded her head. "Yeah, that Eddie."

"But how?" Aaron asked.

Chelsea launched the story to Aaron while I die on embarrassment on my seat. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi! long time no new chapter. it's just been so hard for me these past few months and my creativity really takes a hard toll on it. this is the part ii of chapter nine and i hope you like it. don't forget to vote and comment. it'll be much appreciated. 

anyway, i hope you are doing ok. xx-Ji