~TIANA JACOBS' POV~
I parked my car and turned the key from the ignition, cutting off the music from my iPod. I grabbed my bag and my iPod from its dock and I got out of the car. I walked away and I pressed a button, locking my car. I looked up and I groan internally. Senior High. So fucking glad I made it this far. At the end of my junior year, I told Mum that I had to leave this hell hole, but you wanna know what she said? She told me to have fun on my last year in high school so I can reminisce about the good old times.
The only thing I'm reminiscing about is how much I hated this place. No, I didn't fall in love with someone only to have them drop me while I was sky high. Nope, I didn't get into anyone's way or got into a fight. Well, maybe once. Fine! Maybe a lot of times, but I didn't initiate it. They did. I didn't care, I wasn't the one who walked away with bruises.
I walked to my locker with my earphones plugged into place. Do you have any idea how noisy the corridor is in the morning? Imagine a bustling night market, times that by two and that my friend, is the noise level of this place. I opened my locker and I pulled out my Biology book and shoved that ish into my bag. Don't get me wrong, I like Biology. It's just that early in the morning, my brain doesn't seem to function properly and I end up hating my morning classes.
I sat in the middle because all the tables at the back were taken up already. I kept on listening to music until the Prof came in and I plugged my earphones out. I flipped open my notebook and desperately tried to force myself to take down notes, but my hand didn't want to cooperate, so, there I was, resting my jaw on my closed left fist, looking glum.
Ten minutes into the class, the door suddenly opened and I turned my head lazily to the door, seeing the Captain of the Football Team walk in like it was nobody's business.
"Sorry, Prof, I woke up late," he said, scratching the back of his head, receiving lots of giggles from the girls in the class and good ol' laughter from the guys.
"No matter, get to your seat, Max," the Prof waved his hand dismissively and Max looked around to find a seat and his eyes landed on me.
He gave me a small smile and he walked towards me, sliding into the stool next to me. He took out his notebook and his book from his bag and he rummaged around, desperately trying to look for a pen. I raised my eyebrow in amusement as I watched him from the corner of my eyes.
"May I," he started, but I cut him off by holding out my black pen to him. "Oh, thanks," he gave me a wide grin.
"Hmmm," I said absent mindedly and I continued staring at the board.
From the corner of my eyes, I could see him writing things down on his notebook and I sighed. I buried my head in my hands and sucked in a deep breath. Come on, Jacobs, you gotta learn how to be like this guy! Pretend like you actually care about the lesson by doodling random shit on your notebook! I rested my jaw on my right arm as I doodled random stuff on my notebook.
Fifty minutes later, the bell rang and I stood up to collect my things. Not much, if you ask me. I told you I'm not a morning person. I grabbed my pack and from my peripheral vision, I saw someone reach out to me. Instinctively, I slapped the person's arm away, making something drop to the floor. I turned to my right and I saw Max standing there with his arm stretched out, his expression clearly shocked. I saw my pen lying on the ground near us and I looked back to the guy standing in front of me like a fish.
"Sorry, instincts," I muttered and I started walking away.
"Your pen?" he called after me.
"Keep it," I said as I turned from the door and headed to my locker.
The rest of the morning classes were practically draining the life out of me. First, I fell asleep in my Calculus class and then, I dropped a test tube in Chemistry. I also managed to burn myself, by the way.
By the time lunch came, I was walking towards the cafeteria, exhausted. I don't get how people survive in school sometimes. Seriously. I flashed my ID on the scanner and got in queue. I grabbed a sub, a cup of watermelon and Vitamin Water. I flashed my ID at the end of the queue and I moved towards the exit to go to the field where I always sit down for lunch.
Someone thought better. An arm reached out behind me and opened one of the double doors for me. I gave out a tiny yelp and I turned around, elbowing the person behind me in the process. He groaned from the impact and I looked up and lost myself in a sea of blue.
"Sorry, did I scare you?" he asked me, humour in his eyes.
"Stop doing that," I mumble and I walked out of the door he was holding open for me.
"I didn't get to say thanks for the pen. Thanks, by the way," he added after his first sentence.
"It's fine," I replied shortly.
"I also didn't get to introduce myself. I'm Max Castillo," he said, stretching his hand out to me.
I looked down on it and then, back up to meet his eyes again. He smiled awkwardly and he dropped his hand. He scratched the back of his head and he looked at me sheepishly.
"Tiana," I said after an awkward silence. I walked away to the tree I always take shelter on and he called after me.
"Tiana who?" he asked.
I turned around, "Jacobs. Tiana Jacobs," I said and I walked away.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how I met Max Castillo.
