She Belongs With Me

Chapter 3

After about a week off I'm finally back in the hallways of Meadow Crest High. As I walk down the halls I can feel people staring at me and whispering. I try to ignore it as I walk into my first class and sit down at one of the desks. I was able to study the school map on my time off so I knew where all of my classes would be.

I got there early so I could organize myself before we started. I got all my things out and ready and then pulled out my phone.

"No way!" I hear a girls voice from beside me as I see her plop down in the seat next to me. She's beautiful with dark straight hair piled into a messy bun and piercing black eyes to match. Her skin is an olive tone and she has cute French tipped nails.

"Um... I'm sorry?" I say as I look at her awkwardly.

"You're the one that told off Mateo, aren't you?" She asks me with a huge smile on her face.

"Uh, yeah that's me I guess," I say looking down at my things and straightening out my pencil.

"Dude everyone thought that you like left this town and moved somewhere else because of what happened."

"Yeah right, I'm not scared of him." I say, pushing a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"I believe that," she says nodding her head in agreement. "I'm Natalie, by the way." She extends her hand out to me and I reach over and shake it.

"Vanessa," I tell her as we both let go.

"Honestly, it's about time someone shit on him. Everyone's always too afraid to stand up to him. That or they're all swooning over him," she rolls her eyes in annoyance. My eyes light up at what she just said.

"So I'm not the only girl that isn't throwing myself at him?"

"Thank god!" She breathes, "I'm finally not the only one that's normal around here." We both giggle at each other. She looks at me and smiles, "you know, I think we're gonna be good friends."

Great.

~~~

Natalie and I spent the rest of the period exchanging our schedules and trying to keep up with the teachers lessons. It was great because a majority of the classes I had were shared with her. Except for this one of course. She admitted to me that he hated math so of course she was in a lower class than me.

As I walked into the calculus class I chose a seat near the back since I wasn't wanting to bring attention to myself. I got my stuff out and started writing out my paper before class started.

"Hey kitty cat," I hear a familiar voice say. Eva sits down in the chair next to me followed by Alex on the opposite side.

"Kitty cat?" I question her. Then I see Mateo enter. We make eye contact and I gulp, looking away before I blush. He comes over and sits next to Alex.

"I figured that could be your nick name," she says to me as she plays with the ring on her index finger.

"Oh?" I say laughing a little, "And why is that?"

"Well because when you're calm you're all cute and cuddly, but when you're angry you go all ferocious and scary. Just like a cat in my opinion." She looks at me with a smile. Her face covered in a look of confidence.

I laugh a little before saying, "okay, I guess you got me there." I look over at Mateo slightly, to see if he has any reaction to the conversation. He's staring blankly at the wall, spinning a pen in his fingers.

"So Vanessa, are you doing any better," Alex asks me. I can see the concern on his face which weirds me out a little.

"Yeah, all healed up. I spent a couple days in the er before they let me go home," I give him a thumbs up and I can see him soften up a bit. He gives me a small smile and a nod.

Suddenly Mateo gets up randomly and comes around to face me. He looks angry and I can see his muscles tense under his shirt. He leans his fists on my table and looks down at me but his expression is foreign.

"Can we talk?" He asks me. I look up at him with a confused look as he raises his brow at me.

"Like right now? Isn't class about to start?" I ask him, barely getting the words out. I'm flustered by his presence but I try to keep my composure.

"Just come with me," he grabs my hand and pulls me out of my seat. I follow him out of the class giving Eva and Alex a questioning look as they give me one in return.

He brings me out to the back of the school and into a little overgrown garden. I look at him confused as I feel my breath hitch. I hate how breathtaking he is, it makes it hard to hate him. He lets go of me hand and there's a good two feet of distance between us. I lean on an old railing as I look at the ground to try and catch my breath.

"What is it you brought me out here for?" I ask him intently as I tug at a loose strand of hair. I twirl it in my fingers as stare at the dirt.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened," he says, sheepishly, as he looks at the ground. I look up at him both confused and shocked. Did the schools biggest bad boy just apologize to me?