Desolate - h.s. ✓

° twenty °

     About two weeks passed with the same old routine. The only difference was that Harry and my brother still had not gotten along, and Harry was still a dick when it came to talking to my brother or me. The end of the second quarter would be here in about a month, and my English teacher Mr. Johnson was assigning groups for a project. I was looking forward to about two weeks of free time in a class, but when he actually announced who would be in each group, I was genuinely disappointed in my pairing.

"I call doing the PowerPoint," Martha stated quickly.

"I call posters," Kian continued.

"I'll put a video together," Angelo offered.

"I'll make pamphlets," I told the group.

They all nodded, leaving me to grab my laptop from my backpack. I kind of ignored the rest of my group, knowing that I needed to be by myself and not focus on one of the people who were in my group. However, he sat beside me, Angelo creating an idea along with Martha and Kian in front of me.

"So, what do we want to create?" Angelo asked, coming up with sample company names swiftly. "We could be the Loyal Royals. Or Key to Success."

"I'm not doing something related to DJ Khalid," Martha scoffed.

Angelo rolled his eyes, glancing at me. Or, I was pretty sure he was glancing at me. It wasn't very long before I found myself creating an overall look for each pamphlet, the three still trying to decide what we would be called, and what our product would be.

"How about we just find something online and copy it, but also make it better," Kian suggested.

"Uh, I don't know about that," I shrugged. "I don't want to fail."

"We won't fail," Angelo stated. "It will all be fine."

Rolling my eyes, I researched ideas for inventions until they all saw something they liked. We then came up with a product that had the same general concept, but overall was a better option. Toward the end of the period, we had a company name of Kian's Supply Co., and a product that was supposed to be highlighters that faded after a certain period of time. Once the bell rang, I was up and out of my seat, wishing to get out of class before Angelo could attempt to talk to me anymore. However, I was maybe three feet out the door when he appeared, his hand grasping my wrist easily. If it was anyone else, I probably would have been flattered by them wanting to talk to me, but not with Angelo.

"Nikki, don't be like that."

"Be like what Angelo?" I muttered. "You broke my heart and acted like it wasn't that big of a deal. Not to mention I almost had an eating disorder from all the garbage you and Trinity kept saying to me."

Angelo shook his head. "I was stupid."

"Yeah, no shit."

He looked a little hurt, but then snapped out of it. I found myself tucking my hair behind my ear, feeling anxious as I stood in front of him. Part of me wanted to bolt, but I had the slightest feeling that if I attempted that, Angelo would just stall me even more. So, instead I stood there, trying to make minimal eye contact.

"Let's just hang out somewhere public and work on this project tog—"

"What are you doing?" a familiar voice asked, my brow pulling in at the sight of dark clothes except for the silly yellow Converse. "Angelo, I'm talking to you."

"I'm sorry," Angelo chuckled. "I think the better question is, what are you doing? Don't you two hate each other or something?"

"I might hate her, but I do have actual feelings, you know? Not the shit you claim are feelings."