White Crest

2

Adelaide surveyed the cafeteria and groaned. The only table available was one near the back door, which was wide open to cool off the room packed with students. There was a light rain that misted the pavement outside and the fresh rain smell curbed the greasy cafeteria aroma. Adelaide grabbed some tater-tots and a Coke for lunch since she forgot to load her meal card with extra money to buy a decent lunch and made her way to the back table. After she sat down and started concentrating on her measly lunch a voice made her snap out of her tater tot induced trance.

"Hey, Gaines. Is this table free?" Nathan stood behind her, balancing a tray and his shoulder bag.

"Yeah, but that'll be ten bucks." Adelaide popped a fry into her mouth and gave him a sarcastic grin. "Didn't make it to the popular club on time?" Nathan rolled his eyes at her comment.

"No. I had soccer tryouts. It ran into the lunch bell. Besides you're my friend, right? Just between you and me, I don't really think my posse is on my side right now." Nathan picked up a slice of pizza and started devouring it. Adelaide made a 'help me' glare to Aria in the lunch line.

"Seriously? Your captain of the lacrosse, volleyball and soccer team. The only reason you're not in basketball is because you have an AP physics class during basketball season. You're the perfect guy."

"So? Doesn't mean I can't do bad things." He gave a look and smiled slyly.

"Really? You can't seduce me." Adelaide scoffed. "Where is your skinny blonde cheerleader that you probably pay in lipstick to hang off of you?"

"You're such a hypocrite. We both know that Jennifer is on the cheer squad." Jennifer was one of Adelaide's best friends and a total sports junkie.

"Yeah, well, she's different. She has her head on straight. Not like Ms. Barbie over there." She looked in the direction of Jennelle. "If she's the cheer captain isn't there an unwritten rule that you two have to be together?"

"We were together. Now that I've been seen with you I have a feeling I've been shunned. " He said with a slight grin.

"Now your just making fun of me. Why are you sitting with me anyway?" She liked making fun of him because he always took it so seriously. Like last week she said she was transferring to a popular drama school and he came by every single day to help her pack until she told him she was joking.

"I need a break for a while. Cheer leaders aren't very good company."

"We need to have a discussion. Now." Adelaide heard an annoying voice behind her. She turned around and saw Jennelle with a manicured hand on her hip, tossing her perfectly curled shiny blonde hair off her shoulder.

"I think we're done." Nathan made no effort to disguise the anger creeping up in his voice.

"Library in 15 minutes." She gave him a snooty glare and turned around and Adelaide could hear her feet stomping as she walked away.

"Looks like you're in trouble." Adelaide raised her eyebrow at him. He shook his head with a faint smile on his face. Now that she noticed his blond hair which was usually sticking up in the front was a little damp and fell on his forehead... she shook her head. 'Stop staring at him. He's supposed to be your sworn enemy remember?' Then why was she having a friendly conversation with him in the cafeteria? Nathan hadn't noticed her staring (thank goodness) and she stared at the bottom of her empty fries carton.

"Here." He passed her a slice of pizza and a fudge brownie. "I heard your stomach growling from here."

"Thanks." Adelaide mumbled and picked up the brownie. "I wish someone would close the door." She shivered in her plaid skirt and t-shirt, wishing she had brought a sweater from the dorm this morning. Nathan dug a striped maroon and grey hoodie from his gym bag.

"I want it back later. And washed too, preferably." Nathan handed over the hoodie and got up and dumped his tray in the garbage. "I have to run and have that conversation with Jennelle. See you in drama later." Adelaide stared at the shirt in her hands and pulled it over her head. It smelled clean and fresh like the rain and had a hint of spicy cologne mixed in with it. She picked up her bag and walked to the auditorium for her last period. When she walked in Aria and Jennifer were already seated in the first row and Nathan was talking with some of his lacrosse friends. Drama wasn't a 'formal' class per se but just an unwinding time for the students. There were three performances during the year that they prepared for but usually it was just a free block instead of actually working.

She went backstage to see if the costume room was in need of reorganizing. She liked hanging all of the elegant dresses and suits back in their rightful place, aligning the dainty slippers with their pairs. Nobody else touched what was in there until they had gotten permission from her. She suddenly felt a pair of hands over her eyes.

"What the hell! Nathan!" Adelaide almost fell off of the stool she was on.

"Sorry. I was just wondering if you wanted a ride across campus since your dorm is the farthest away from the rec building." Nathan looked at all of the costumes spanning the walls.

"I guess since it's still raining. How'd your 'conversation' go." She rolled her eyes and used air quotes to emphasize her point.

"Lets just say that she's a bitch and now every girl hates me. Meet me in front of the football fields." Nathan grinned and sauntered out of the costume room, not giving Adelaide a chance to reply.  

"Nathaniel Page where the hell did you get a motor cycle?" Adelaide stood under the stands of the football field and caught the helmet he threw her.

"I bought it from Matt." Nathan smirked and motioned for her to get on. Mr. Matthews was the youngest teacher at White Crest. Originally he was supposed to just be the gym teacher but all the students loved him so he'd decided to take on more classes. Oddly enough his name was Nathan too but everyone called him Matt.

"Don't worry, I'll go so fast you won't even get wet. It'll be like teleporting."

"Oh Jesus." She muttered and got on the back of the bike and clung for dear life onto him, feeling his muscular stomach and chest through his thin t-shirt. Nathan revved the engine and started across the football field spraying mud and grass everywhere. Adelaide clung onto Nathan and pressed her face in his back.

"Addie. You can let go now." Nathan laughed and pried her arms off from around his middle. "See you at the rec building later?"

"I have some things to take care of." She put on a fake grin and quickly shut the dorm room door. He had said her nickname that only her brothers used.