Nessa

Chapter 12

I try to walk very fast, past Max without him noticing me in the hallway. Unfortunately wishes don't come true so easily.

"Nessa!", he calls out trying to catch up with me much to my chagrin given the number of people in the hallway watching us.

I try to walk faster but well he catches up quite fast.

He grabs my hand and pulls me into a small storage room. It looks like a janitor's closet basically.

This is not a movie. This isn't where he gets to woo me or pretend he doesn't have a girlfriend he's committed to and won't leave.

"Max it's dark in here"

He quickly finds a switch and suddenly the small room floors with light.

"Why are you ignoring me?", he goes straight to the point

"Am I?", I ask raising an arched eyebrows. He runs a hand through his hair in frustration.

I was in fact avoiding him. Since last weekend, I've found myself forgetting Ash and venturing again into another unrequited like for someone.

"I tried to say hi to you three days in a row! Each time you bolted"

"Huh..I didn't realise ", I lie through gritted teeth.

"How are you?", he asks staring at me intently

"Fine"

We fall into an awkward silence

"Stop staring at me", I huff annoyed. He's looking as good as always. The number of girls who just stop and stare and hush, I am slowly becoming part of them.

"I can't ", his voice is strained

"Max-"

"You're so pretty...", he trails off, he looks slightly dazed. I look away avoiding the intense gaze.

"Look at me", he sighs gripping my chin lightly and forcing me to stare at him. I shudder at the unexpected contact

His head dips slightly much closer to mine.

I don't know when my senses came back to me. He has a girlfriend. I'm not allowing him to be a cheater. That's disgusting.

"I'm sorry", he blurts out stepping away from me before I could move away too

"I'm leaving -"

"No wait-"

I turn to him forcing a bored look on my face.

"Look, I don't want you to misunderstand anything. You are pretty -"

"I'll be late to class"

"Nessa just listen....I like Marissa. Very much. So I don't want you to misunderstand. Whatever happened the day of the soccer game and a couple of minutes ago, I wasn't thinking "

"Good to know", I force a smile. First Asher. Now this guy. Why can't I ever focus on people who won't hurt me ?

"Let's hang out -", he says suddenly. He leans on a wall behind him casually

"Not a good idea", I try to leave but he blocks my part

"Max!"

"We're just going to chat. It's nothing dramatic "

"No I have tutoring ", I say remembering

"Are you trying to avoid me?", he asks

"Look focus on your girlfriend, okay? She won't like whatever this is", I say coldly