Winchester High| 16+

Chapter 4: Ideas

"Well, everybody thinks I did it, and that's an issue because this is really bad, and it could mean getting expelled." You could tell Nico's been thinking about this all day.

"Oh, wow," Val leans up in her chair.

Nicolo begins to think about who the vandal is with brainpower only, but for right now, that's all we have.

"You think he could be one of those kids who show up to school really early?" Nico asks.

"What makes you think he's a he?" Valerie adds, "Anybody could've gone in the bathroom before you."

"True." Those were all his ideas.

"For right now let's just not do anything that would garner more attention," Then I looked directly to Nico, "No skateboarding in the halls, and don't even think about--"

"Is that him?" Valarie points out a familiar figure in the distance. It was the curly head, I still don't know the name of. He was checking out some book, granted it was a basic-level math book and he put it back right away.

"Who?" Nico turns around quickly.

He caught my eye and wouldn't let them go, he was just about perfect. I felt stupid doing this in front of Nico. Meanwhile, V kept excitedly nudging my arm. Suddenly, he caught me looking again and started with that smile. Again, he was on his way over.

"Oh my god. He's coming over here," Val was doing absolutely nothing, yet I couldn't stop chanting, "Stop. Stop."

Only god knows why he sat down with us. I've got to hand it to him, he's bold. He walked over and actually... sat down with us. In an age of cell phones, and limited physical communication. He was really a wonder.

"Hey, everyone. I'm Carlos." For some reason, he cared to introduce himself. Valarie kept egging it on.

"Hey, I'm Val, Valarie, V. This one with the buzz cut is Nicolo, and--"

"And who's this?" He looked right at me. His eyes were a fresh brew of coffee, I could dream of drinking in the morning. If anybody could read my thoughts right now...

"Ismael...?" Val found that funny.

"I'm Carlos." He wouldn't stop locking eyes. I wasn't mad though, it was just very embarrassing.

It got quiet, and then Carlos slapped the table and left.

Valarie was cracking up, and Nicolo was just uncomfortable, rubbing his head and all with a distraught look on his face.

"Don't get any ideas... I'm outta here." Nico started, but before he got up he caught a glimpse at one of his brothers, cousins, or a friend, whatever, they all sounded the same to me.

"Are we hanging out today?" Nico called out. His brother came over and patted his shoulder, saying, "Can't be seen with criminals. It's a bad look. Real dumb move you know, what you do reflects all of us."

"It wasn't--"

"See you at home, maybe." His brother left, and so did his band behind him, high-fiving and whatnot, which I found pretty corny. Val was focused on her work, which we surely distracted her from, and Nicolo looked sad. Then I remember Nicolo isn't an A+ student, he doesn't have free periods.

"Are you skipping?"

"Oh, shit!" Nicolo got up fast and scurried out of the Library. We're only allowed bathroom breaks for around 5 minutes; if you don't come back in those 5 minutes, you get detention. Pretty unfair rule, if you ask me, but it's how it works in a school where the drug rates are as high as they are.

Valarie was focused, so I let her be, and then I caught Carlos again between the shelves. Okay. I can do this. Just be the snarky, wise-ass you normally are, and everyone will swarm to you. Right.

I got up and nodded goodbye to Valarie to which she nodded back.

When I came by, Carlos was bopping his big head of hair while looking at some cookbooks. Never in a million years have I picked up a cookbook.

"I love that book!" I said ironically.

"Oh, really?" He turned to me. He had one headphone in, and I was desperate to know what he was listening to.

"No."

He chuckled and started walking away, but I won't give up so easily.

"Hold up!" I blurted. That seemed a little desperate, but desperate I was.

"If we're gonna start dating we should start hanging out." I kept blurting.

He held a confused expression.