THE NOTEBOOK

Chapter 4

Courtney's Pov:

A week later

The plan was going well. It was nearly two weeks after Xander and Trisha broke up that people started talking about "us".

We started doing our homework together at the library (under public scrutiny, of course). We ate lunch and recess together. To make a long story short, we spent a lot of time together.

A lot of time. I was getting a little too sick of seeing his face, even if he is cute. I was stuffing my notebooks into my backpack when someone covered my eyes from behind me. A lot of students were studying since exams were really near. I already knew who it was. Xander.

"Xander" I turned around, sounding really annoyed. But it wasn't Xander.

"Andrew" I stuttered out.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but it's only me," he shrugged and sat down next to me. Andrew? Disappoint me? I couldn't even say the two words in the same sentence.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, confused. "Mika has volleyball practice," he answered and took his notebook from his backpack and flipped it open.

"Oh," was all I could say. I was reminded again of my place in his life, a substitute for Mika. When she's not around, he goes looking for me. How interesting.

"Besides," he looked at, into my eyes to be specific. "I need to work on an English report, and you're good in English, right?"

"Yeah, I kinda am," I smiled at him. Substitute. Substitute. Substitute. Substitute. The word kept repeating itself in my brain over and over. I needed to stop torturing myself.

"Nicole, I need to talk to you," Xander suddenly sat down on the chair in front of me. Talk about wrong timing.

"I gotta go," Andrew checked his watch.

"See you around, Nicole." He nodded at his Xander.

"Congratulations to the two of you. You got a great girl, Xander."

"Did I interrupt a special moment?" he smirked again. For the millionth time, I wanted to smash his face in.

"Shut up," I concentrated on the book I was reading again.

"What did he say?" Xander looked like he was in deep thought.

"You got a great girl, Xander. Ouch. That's like drilling your heart."

"You're a horrible person," I hissed at him and stood up. I stuffed my notebooks into my backpack and walked out.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he followed me. He reached for my shoulder and turned me around when we were finally out of the library and alone in the corridor.

"I'm sorry about the things. Blah. Blah. Blah."

"What do you want?" I asked. I wanted to get away as far away from his possible. I wanted to send him on a space ship to Pluto.

"Irned yohlp," he muttered and looked down on his shoes, as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"What did you say?" I started to smile. I was gonna get back at him. Big time.

"I need your help," he blurted out and looked at me like I was the stupidest person on the planet.

"You need my help with what?" I shifted my weight on one foot.

"Ifil my lishtst," he muttered again. "Spit it out, Xander," I tapped my impatiently for added effect.

"I failed my English paper," he blurted out again.

"Say, Nicole, I need your help because I failed my test in English," I said slowly. I was trying my best not to laugh."

"Come on," he cringed. "That's a really stupid thing to say."

"Fine," I shrugged. "You can find someone else to tutor you."

"Fine, I'll say it," he gritted out. "Nicole, I need your help because I failed my test in English. You happy, now?"

"Say I'm sorry about the things I said to you in the library," I smiled sweetly.

"Oh, don't forget to say you're luck to be even in the same room with me."

"I'm sorry about the things I said to you in the library," he sputtered out.

"What about the last part?" I stared at him innocently. He sighed then said,

"I'm luck to be even in the same room with you."

"You never said that to me, Xander," I heard Trisha's voice behind me. I turned around and saw her looking like she looks everyday, perfect. Joey Rodriguez was standing next to her, with his arm around her.

"Well, Nicole here is worth saying it to," he slipped his arm around his shoulders. I wanted to puke, but then I remembered our deal and played along.

"Xander's always very sweet with me," I leaned against his shoulder. He seemed surprised by what I did but he hid it immediately.

"Well, so is Joey," she said sarcastically and grabbed Joey's arms who hadn't managed to say while we exchanged "pleasantries". What an idiot.

"Man, you are dumb," I commented as I stepped away from Xander.

"I'm dumb?" he asked me in disbelief. "You better shut your mouth. No one"

"Has ever called you dumb," I continued for him. "You failed a very easy English test and you want a girl like that back. You are so totally dumb."

"Shut up," he looked like me like he wanted to rip me into pieces. "Take that back." "Okay, you're not dumb," I said seeing the look on his face. I just couldn't resist taunting him. I muttered beneath my breath.

"You're not dumb but you're stupid." "Well, you're dumber than me," he said sarcastically.

"You've been in love with a guy seven years and he doesn't even know. Man, you are so stupid."

"Well, then I guess we're equal," was all I said as I started to walk away from him.

What he said hurt. It hurt because it was true. Besides, I couldn't retaliate since I started it.

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Vomments please? :3