Nearly Euphoric {Nate Jacobs}

Chapter 17

The town's annual carnival is coming up this week and I'm excited because they're usually pretty fun, but I'm also kind of anxious because I know Maddy will be there. Usually, I hang out with Lexi, Rue, Kat, Cassie, and Maddy, but this year I can't for obvious reasons. I wish that things could just go back to the way that they were but they won't. The worst part of it all is that I have no one to blame but myself.

It's Thursday and the carnival is tomorrow. Everyone at school can't stop talking about it. Pretty much everyone at East Highland goes. It's just like a rite of passage around here once you are in middle school.

I got to school early today because we have a biology test in first period that I barely studied for. I sit in my seat, with only a few other kids in class yet, frantically looking over my notes and study guide. After a few minutes, people start to pour in, and eventually, Nate takes his seat next to me.

"Hey," he says.

"Oh hi," I say looking up and immediately looking back down to read the definition of the next term.

"Didn't you study?" he asks me.

"No! That's why I'm freaking out. I had ballet rehearsal all week to get ready for the showcase and I haven't had a moment to study with all of the other homework I've had," I explain.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. You're like the smartest person I know," he says.

"Thanks, but that doesn't mean I just understand the process of mitosis without ever looking over it," I say.

The teacher comes into the class and passes out the tests immediately. I glance over it and feel overwhelming relief as it is almost all things I already know. That's literally the best feeling ever. I finished the test with time to spare in the period. I worked on some other school work while everyone else was finishing up. Soon, everyone was finished with the test and there were still about ten minutes left in the period.

Nate was on his phone texting someone. I didn't want to be nosy, so I tried not to look at who it was. Although I won't lie, I was somewhat curious because he's been on his phone a lot lately, and when he is it seems like he's texting someone. Even if I wanted to look, I couldn't though. He had the phone tilted to the side in a way that I couldn't see.

I know it makes me a totally terrible person, but I just had to know who he's been texting. I had a really bad feeling about it. I leaned back in my chair a little until I could see his phone. I could see that he was texting someone on some kind of private messaging app or something. I know it wasn't just regular text. But I couldn't make out any of the words or what the name was. I think I did briefly notice a heart emoji. I decide to stand up and pretend to go fill up my water bottle, hoping to get a quick glance at his phone as I walk past him.

I take my water bottle out of my bag and stand up. I squint as I slowly walk past him from behind. As I read the name I know exactly who it is. Jules!

Why would he be texting Jules all this time? He hates her. He totally lost it on her at the party. Not to mention, he got super mad at me when I was starting to become her friend. Was it all just an act to make it seem like he hates her? Or was he trying to steer me away from her because he didn't want me to find out that they are friends? Or maybe even more than friends! Then again I don't know for sure what they were texting about. But what about that heart emoji? Oh my god, he is totally cheating on me with Jules! Do I confront him? And how?

My racing thoughts are interrupted by the water overflowing out of my water bottle. I quickly turn the water off, screw the lid back on, and walk back to my seat. Nervous, I fumble to put my water bottle back in the side pocket of my book bag. I then proceed to knock an entire notebook off the shared desk along with two of my pencils.

Nate looks up from his texting makeout session with Jules, finally noticing his actual girlfriend! He Bends down to pick up the notebook.

"I've got it," I mumble bitterly, picking it up.

"What's wrong? Did you do bad on the test? It's not that big of-"

"I'm fine!" I snap. "I actually did well on the test. Not that you would care anyway," I say.

"What do you even mean? I literally asked if you did okay," he says caught off guard.

"You're always too busy texting God knows who to pay attention!" I exclaim.

"I can text whoever I want whenever I want, Sabrina," Nate says offended.

"But you get to dictate who my friends are? How exactly is that fair?" I say.

"I already explained this to you. Jules is a bad influence on you!" He says, his anger rising. Oh is she now? You know what? Screw it!

"Well, maybe you should take your own advice then because I saw you texting her," I say pissed off.

"What?" Nate says totally shocked. He looks exactly like someone would look like when they just got caught.

The bell rings, and I immediately storm out of the room not looking back.

**Author's Note: I know this chapter is super short, but I mostly just wanted to get this part of the storyline done before I wrote the carnival chapter. As always, I hope you enjoyed it!! :)