The cut that always bleeds - materialrolls

part 3

˗ ˏ ˋ Nina stood there. A startled expression on her face. She wasn't used to Evan dismissing her as such. Well, she wasn't used to anyone dismissing her at all.

She hated him. To her even hated wasn't strong enough to describe her feelings towards him. She loathed Evan, with the deepest darkest corners of her heart.

The way he walked, the way he used to speak. It was all irritating, agitating. The way he used to spontaneously know the answer to everything, the way he thought himself so vital that he'd withdraw and turn away whenever he pleased, it all made her detest and despise him.

She thought him to be a self involved, mindless jerk, nothing more.

Nina felt his footsteps fade away from the corridor and took a deep sigh. She straightened up, fixed her bright coloured hair and walked out the door.

She couldn't help but think of him. He was a sort of abomination that ran through her mind, making it go insane from the immense disgust. What he did, what he had been doing, it all buzzed inside her head like a caged animal. Every passing minute she thought of his loathsome soul, knowing that every time she'd see him again she'd want nothing but to hurt him.

Nina stepped down the stairs in her normal cool composure. She might act like a ruthless bitch around Evan but she was much different. Nina was sharper than a needle yet sweet as honey. Everyone seemed to get along with her and immediately admire her lovable bubbly self.

She finally caught up with her large group of friends crowded on a bench alongside the school walkway, making her way to them in a collected manner as if she hadn't just encountered the root cause of distress in her day.

"Then we went on a walk under the stars at the silver bridge." Ariana babbled on dreamily with her hands locked with Wills, her boyfriend, her love.

"Oh so we're still talking about that." Nina said jokingly and Ariana smiled at her friend.

She and Will had been dating since primary school after an accidental kiss. The two of them were committed to one another and had already planned their life in the Bahamas with their two imaginary children. Will was slightly shorter than Ariana, maybe half an inch or so but either way the two were madly in love.

"All this shit about dating is making me throw up can we talk about something else now?" Owen interrupted and the girls let out short giggles. ˎˊ ˗

♪ 'Alright, alright. Maybe I did get a little too carried away. I'll stop so that you guys don't feel so left out', Ariana said with a wink.

'Okay, so-', initiated Ray and Nina in unintentional unison.

They stared at each other, competition hidden beneath their disguised smiles and high-pitched laughter. The familiar tension between them had always existed for as long as the either could remember but neither one of the two attempted to address it. To avoid unwanted events, Nina yielded and smiled at Ray, a sure sign she could continue with whatever she had to say.

'Right, so guys, I am genuinely in such a good mood right now. LIKE, LANA DEL RAY JUST RELEASED A NEW ALBUM? IT'S SO AMAZING? IT FILLS ME WITH EUPHORIC FEELINGS I'VE NEVER FELT BEFORE'. Ray fired off about her all time idol, not holding back in the slightest.

Ariana and Nina made eye contact with a slight grin, it's not that they had a problem with Ray's obsessions but sometimes it really was all she talked about. Nevertheless, they all nodded and agreed with her continuous rants.

'Well, at least this is an improvement from lovey-dovey, cheesy romance', smirked Owen.

'Oh, come on, Owen. I'm so sure I saw you reading Jane Eyre on the bench you always sit on yesterday', Will pouted, rolling his emotive eyes.

'Hon, there's a difference between classical romance and whatever you guys have going on. Perhaps the only way I'll support your romance is if you name one of your children after me. Owen Edward Williams. Has that 18th century English touch to it.'

Everyone collectively burst into laughter at Owen's humorous statements, including the infamous couple. His jokes were always so witty that even if they were a bit insulting, the comedy outweighed the offence.

'Onto Nina now everyone. Why do you look so upset?', asked Ray.

'Oh, you know. The usual. Met some asshole, got pissed and then he leaves to show how important he is', she answered, popping a gum in her mouth.

'Yikes, been a good day, hasn't it? You keep talking about a certain asshole a lot recently. Wonder who it is', replied Ray, her tone full of curiosity.

Nina broke eye contact with her and looked in the distance. The last thing she wanted was to be reminded of what had went down a while ago. She was relieved when Hugo unintentionally provided a diversion for everyone in the group.

'Ray! How've you been? I got you these chocolates and, of course, a bouquet of Lilies. Wait, I almost forgot the Lana Del Ray album', Hugo said enthusiastically.

'Ah, Lilies. My favourite, ahah. Oh my god. Hugo no way. THE LANA DEL RAY ALBUM. You're such a considerate friend', Ray practically screamed.

'Uh, about that. I was thinking... we could... possibly, uh', he rambled.

'Hmm?', hummed Ray, looking up at Hugo with her mesmerising eyes.

His heart fluttered at the sight of her. She was absolutely beautiful. He could even argue about how she was the very embodiment of beauty itself, what with her strawberry blond hair and sapphire crystals embedded on her frail face.

'Have I ever told you, Ray? How you're eyes are like sapphires that gleam in the Sun, like the um.. ones on my mother's engagement ring?'

She couldn't help but let out a fit of laughter. Ray found Hugo's awkwardness extremely cute
and entertaining, unaware of where he was trying to get at.

And so he asked the million dollar question. The one full of more uncertainties than the very structure of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He closed his eyes as if to block out all the anxiety churning in his stomach. He knew Ray had called him a friend multiple times, but would she want to go farther than that?

'Ray Barlow, do you want to go out with me?' ♪