Christopher | ✔

Chapter Seven

Picture of Emmett Nehel

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***

We casually strolled down the school halls, all eyes on us. Probably because the allegedly missing girl was at our side, looking unfazed. Although it was obvious that she was masking her inner fears. She had a lot on her shoulders right now, quite too much for a teenager to bear anyway. I pulled Nina closer to my side, seeing her 'resting bitch face' slowly crumbling away, revealing little bits of her emotions which would do nothing less than to please the crowd.

Eventually, we made it into the cafeteria, seating at our usual table, trying our best to avoid the tension that surrounded us. No one wasn't trying their best to be heard over the usual chatter, but rather trying to whisper as quietly as they could.

"Just letting you know," Emmett edged closer to Nina on the seat. "If you need anything, I'm right here." It warmed me up the slightest, happy to see that Emmett hadn't given up once one her. I was the one who did. But she didn't need to know that. What she needed to know, was who fertilized her egg, and whether or not he was willing to be a part of her and the child's life. And come to think of it, Nina had never really given me the name of her certain sperm distributor.

Darlene pushed her glasses further up her nose, focusing on Nina's calm yet alerted demeanour. She raised a brow, analyzing the poor girl in every way she could. Caleb, on the other hand, wasn't so into the fact that she was somewhat okay and safe. He seemed the exact opposite of everyone else on the table. He glared at her with such resentment, that I feared for whatever may be going on through his mind.

"Hey, Caleb, are you okay?" Darlene asked, snapping him out of his angered trance. He blinked, shaking his head.

"Yeah, I'm good." Darlene nodded, but she wasn't fooled. She opened his hand, and placed a bright red apple in his palm. Caleb looked confused for a split-second but quickly turned his attention to me. "We need to talk." I quickly followed him to the empty hall of the school, until he stopped at a random locker, clutching the apple tightly in his hand.

"What is it that's got you so tensed?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I thought you didn't care about her well-being." By her, I knew he meant Nina. He probably loathed her so much, that it troubled him to say her name out loud. But I wasn't letting that pass over my head.

"She has a name." He rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"I don't have time for your games. We're drawing unwanted attention to ourselves." He ran a hand through his hair. "Someone tweeted this morning, that we were all fucking each other, and that's why we re-invited Nina to the squad!" Oh boy, he was enraged. But I remained calm.

"And why would you care?" I sighed. "We both know that's not true." Caleb's eyes widened in shock. I was confused since he seemed more concerned when she was missing earlier this week.

"Well, someone's gotten somewhat soft," he huffed. He leaned against the locker, sighing exasperatedly. Just as he was about to add on his words, a group of some players from the soccer stopped by on their way out from the cafeteria, smirking at Caleb as they paused in front of him.

"Look at you," one of them laughed, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "You're finally going to get a little taste of Nina the whore." They burst into laughter, walking away. "She has a great pussy!" Caleb didn't respond. Instead, he stood there, applying rage on the apple as he stared in the direction the boys took.

"Caleb, calm down," I urged as apple juice begin to drip down his fingers, reaching over but he flinched by the mere sound of my voice.

"Calm down? Why the fuck are you asking me to calm down!" He threw the apple against a locker door, smashing it to bits. "This whole scenario, it's destroying my good name!" I frowned at how selfish he was being.

"Don't you want to at least help and be there for Nina, instead of worrying about your good name?" I seethed. Something was wrong, and he was passing it out on Nina. "Is there something that you'd like to tell me?" Caleb shook his head, taking deep breaths. "Because this isn't like you."

"Just forget it," he mumbled incoherently and walked off, heading for the school's exit doors. We weren't even that far into the morning.

"Caleb!" I called, but he ignored me. I wasn't even sure whether to follow him or not. Just when I was about to take one step further, the cafeteria doors burst open and Darlene came, worry masked over her facial features. "He just walked off..."

"Let him be." She simply shrugged nonchalantly. Once again, the doors opened, and out bounced a hyped Candace, with her cellular device her hands. Where did these people keep coming from?

"Hey, Zoe. Would you have guessed that Chris took part in the Yerlen Awards?" she asked excitedly, bringing the phone to my face. Sure enough, there was Chris, standing there with a wide smile and two trophies in his hand.

"This is the Chris you've been babbling about?" Darlene asked, taking one step closer to us. She pulled her glasses down one bit as if to make sure she was seeing correctly.

"Yep. Quite a view, eh?" Candace laughed. Darlene didn't join her, only crease lines formed along her forehead as she grew confused by the moment.

"Darlene?" I asked, as her silence grew too bold to ignore. Candace tapped her feet impatiently, and eventually snapped the phone from out of our view.

"I have stuff to do," she explained and walked off. I on the other, stared at Darlene as she seemed deep in thought. She sensed my growing curiosity.

"It's nothing. He just seems vaguely familiar."

***

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