Avoiding August (ONGOING)

Chapter 13

Straight after roll call, I had my Music III class. Louis and I parted ways; Louis going to his Stage Management class.

I felt excitement surge through me as I walked into one of the many performance spaces of the school, where Mr. Watson had said we would have our class today. The performance space was pristine, which shining wooden floors and a black stage with rich, burgundy curtains.

Half of my class had already arrived. And were taking their instruments from the storage room. A drum kit was set up on the stage, as well as a keyboard.

Mr. Watson spotted me, the roll for the class in his hand, and nodded at me. I felt myself almost explode on the inside from being recognised by such a musical genius.

I went up to the keyboard, plugging it ini the power source and switching the electronic instrument on before pulling the stool up in front of it to sit on. I turned up the volume so that I could hear myself as I began to play.

I was playing the song a few times through, smoothing it out, polishing it into the perfection I wanted to hear pour out from the keys, when I heard a mournful sound.

I glanced up to where it came from, her playing slowing to a stop as August moved a beautiful bow over the stings of the violin. With every move of the bow, he pulled sad, yet amazing sounds from the violin so effortlessly.

His eyes locked onto mine, catching me staring, and he smirked. I blushed and looked back down at the keyboard keys.

I continued to play for a while longer, until Mr. Watson called for the class' attention. We all stopped playing to listen immediately. He was holding onto a piece of paper, and looked around to make sure we were all listening attentively before beginning to speak,

"For your practical assessment, you all are going to pair up and play me a set of three songs." He said, and straight away, most of the class groaned. Others looked over to their friends as if to say "let's be in a group together."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked up to see August looming over me. "You're in my group." He said, not even asking if I wanted to join him,

"Why aren't you grouping up with a friend or something?" I ask, trying to shrink away from him.

He pouted, and I could see a gleam in his eye. "What, are we not friends, kitty?"

I huffed. "No, we're not."

He grinned. "Well, too bad. I already told Mr. Watson that we're grouping together."

"Can't you go annoy someone else?" I asked irritably.

He scoffed, and I shrunk back immediately. I blushed, turning back to my keyboard and shuffling my music sheets around to try to seem too busy to deal with him.

I heard him walk away from me, and sighed quietly to myself.

Louis came running over to me, smiling big as he spotted me. He began walking next to me, joining me as we headed toward our usual spot, in the cafeteria, on the outskirts.

Together we say down at the table, across from Gabriel and Thandiwe, who were whispering together, voices low, leaning on close.

They both smiled and greeted us, as we all began to take out lunch out to eat. A feeling of dreadful realisation washed over me as I realised that I hadn't packed any lunch for today.

Louis, Gabriel and Thadiwe all looked over at me curiously as I sighed.

"What's up?" Louis asked me, hand going to my arm.

"I must not have packed lunch for today," I frowned.

Immediately, Thandiwe offered his thermos full of chicken soup -which smelled delicious. However, I turned the offer down, not wanting to take his food away from him. Gabriel offered a banana, and Louis offered his sandwich, and I declined them as well, insisting that I would be fine to go a few hours without food.

I jumped when a tray full of food was placed down in front of me. An apple juice from the cafeteria, and a wrap from the take out place across the road and a small tub of Ben and Jerry's. Whoever had given this to me had obviously snuck out of the school to buy some of these things, and I had a feeling I knew who it was.

I looked up as a ruggedly handsome August Right pushed between Louis and I, plopping down onto the seat between us.

He looked down at my friends, condescendingly -as usual. They all scowled at him unhappily, all put on edge by the unpredictable, wolffish boy.

"I overheard you had no lunch, so here, you can have mine." He smiled, nudging the tray closer to me.

I could sense his pack of friends hovering around the table, and I glared at him. "Can you go away?"

"Why?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

Gabriel growled under his breath. Louis frowned. Thandiwe remained quiet.

"I don't want you or your pack of friends hovering around me -or Gabe, Louie and Thandiwe." I huffed.

He gave his friends a glare, and they dispersed at his silent command. August then looked at me. "Better?"

"I want you to leave as well."

He smirked at me. "Really, kitten?" I didn't bother saying anything. "Okay, I'll see you later in English class." With that, he got up and left the table.

Once his presence no longer cloaked over us all, I could feel the boys lose the tension in their muscles.

"God, I hate that guy." Louis sighed.

Gabriel took the ice cream tub from my tray. "I'll take this."