Finding Hearts

Chapter 10

KATE

I successfully managed to avoid Cal for three whole days. Five days, if you count the weekend.

I might as well deserve a medal.

Whether before we were in the same school and I didn't even mind him that much, only the occasional sneak peeks to fuel my delusions, after everything that happened, it turned hard to avoid him.

Every time he passes down the hallway, my body grows aware. I don't even have to look up to feel a shiver down my spine and a sudden growth of tension.

Every time someone talks about him, I have to turn my head, wondering if he's near.

As you can see, avoiding Callum Slade is almost impossible. Physically and mentally.

And I somehow did it. It only involved daily therapy baking at home, by now I have so many sweeties I could open a bakery, tones of music and much more pink in my outfits.

Like now. Pink gloss, headband, sambas and even a pink notebook.

"And so, we are going to go over to the French Revolution, where we're going to analyse what role did the monarchy play in the course of-", our history teacher, Mrs. Kelly keeps going on and on, as I take notes in my notebook. Our class has tables of two, Vee being my seatmate. But unlike me, my bestie is chilling her life as she is munching on some chewing gum, scribbling lyrics on a piece of paper. Vee is in the school band and is also writing her own songs. But while she has no problem to sing in front of an audience, she would never show anyone the lyrics she writes.

I would give the world to hear at least one of her songs.

The door flies open and as I look up, my cheeks turn pink. Standing in our classroom is Callum, wearing his uniform.

There goes my plan of avoiding him.

His brown hair is a bit ruffled, and I can't help but wonder if it was him who went with his hand through his hair, or someone else. A female someone else.

A dagger pierces my heart at that thought.

The shirt of the school does him injustice, clearly not designed for such large muscles. He seems trapped in it, the thing almost bursting open when it meets the arms and chest. There is a tie hanging around his neck, the school pants, a pair of sneakers.

He looks perfect.

So fucking perfect.

I notice he's not alone, yet together with two other guys. One of them is my brother, who doesn't seem at all happy with the company he's in. The second one has chocolate coloured skin, his hair shaved as small as possible. Dark eyes and a smirk on, I recognise him as the football captain, Trevor Huxley.

Callum's eyes meet mine for a millisecond, before they look at the teacher. "Are we disturbing?", he asks, voice polite, yet smirk on his lips. I can see some girls start swooning.

Vee, who just now realised that we have company, looks up and a bright smirk tugs on her lips as she notices Cal. "There's your man", she whispers in my ear, then placing her feet on the table, making herself comfortable for the show.

"Miss King, remove your feet from the table", Mrs. Kelly quickly notices her and frowns. Then, her face more relaxed, she turns to Cal and says: "Yes, you are disturbing. But for you, Mr. Slade, I'll make an exception."

Turns out not even the teachers are immune to Callum's charms.

His smirk grows brighter, as he makes a sign to Aaron and Trevor to follow him inside the classroom. The air completely shifts as they enter. All three of the are huge, over six feet. Callum is the tallest, followed by Trevor, then my brother. They all seem out of place here, rather belonging in magazines and runways. Well, obviously not my brother. My brother's place is somewhere mid-Antarctic.