Savanna

Chapter 13

Now this looked bad. Nicole stared at me the whole lesson, her eyes revealing clearly that she wasn't happy. I had been late for half an hour, and Nicole probably thought we enjoyed some time together with Jake. And when the lesson was over, Nicole just disappeared, so I didn't even get a chance to say anything.

At the cafeteria I shared a table with only Rudy. I often glanced over at the door, but Nicole still hadn't showed up. In my opinion, she is overreacting.

"Did you talk to Nicole?" I finally asked Rudy. He didn't chat much lately, but at least he didn't leave me alone.

"She believes you were late in purpose, to be alone with Jake. You know, you and him have been seen kinda together lately."

I sighed. Of course that was what Nicole thought. But then I suddenly remembered I don't have any real reasons to tell them why I actually was late. I can't declare them how suddenly hyenas started to follow us, and how Jake, as a jaguar, then led me to his house where he took a gun and started shooting the hyenas.

"We got lost," I finally said, poking my food with a fork.

I saw it in Rudy's eyes like he knew I was lying. But he only nodded and kept eating.

"There is nothing between me and Jake, honestly." My voice sounded almost pleading. I didn't want them to get so wrong picture of what really happened, just because I can't tell the truth. It was all Jake's fault. Why can't he just leave me alone?

"Jake knows these woods," he eventually mumbled. I barely heard it.

"Why do you think so?"

He shrugged. "Jake lives in the middle of a forest himself, doesn't he?"

"How should I know," I muttered, turning my gaze back on the table.

"You two came with his mother's car."

He even knows that the car belongs to Jake's mother? "How did you know when came with a car?"

"I sat under the window in the class," he answered nonchalantly.

I sighed again and tried to eat something, though my appetite was gone. Rudy didn't say anything else either. And I noticed he wasn't eating much, too. I wonder what has made him so out of mood lately. Should I ask him about it?

But before I could, I heard familiar footsteps and a tray was placed on the table, across from me. Looking nonchalant, Nicole sat down and stared at me for a moment, not exactly seeing anything. Though I could tell she held herself back from bursting out the words neither of us wanted to hear. But her glimpse at me was short. Then, without saying anything, she started eating. I knew she wouldn't be the first to say anything, which meant I had to be. I didn't want to lose my best friend just because of Jake.

"Nicole, I'm sorry," I said sincerely. "Nothing happened between me and him... We just got lost."

"No, no, It's nothing," she answered with fake apathy. "I just hoped that my best friend will be honest enough to tell me when she and a guy - who I really like - get into some kind of relationship. Maybe I just don't know you as much as I thought." Though she made herself look like she didn't care, I could see anger and betrayal in her eyes.

"I am honest. Nicole, please... I don't like Jake-"

"You don't have to say this."

"But I'm telling the truth." I sighed. "Nicole, you are more important to me. We've been besties since we were little kids. I wouldn't lie to you like that."

Nicole slowly raised her head to look at me. Now I could see them full with sadness. I'm sure that she wouldn't like to lose me just because some guy, too.