The Love/Hate

5. Utter Confusion

So up and till lunch was alright until Ryan came and creeper my out by saying we have 'chemistry'

I mean, I don't even know the guy but here I am contemplating whether to sit with him or my best friends Micah and Stella.

"Eva, what're you doing? Come sit with us!" Micah shouts at me.

"Eva, wanna sit?" Ryan raises jos eyebrows and...heck! Why do I even have to choose! I March over to Ryan's table and he smiles until I grab a handful of his mystery meat lasagne and dump it down his shirt.
"Leave me alone!" All of his friends start 'oohing and aahing' but I just go and sit with Micah and Stella like nothing had happened.

*****

"Gee, Eva! What was that about?" Micah rubs the back of his head. "Well, in science he came and sat next to me trying to 'make conversation' when I told him to basically bug off he just asked my name and then he got me in trouble because I wouldn't tell him and at the end he said we had chemistry and he left." I take a huge breath and await the reactions of my friends who are probably trying to process it all.

All Micah says is, "Utter Confusion." and Stella struggles to keep a straight face. "Do you know who Ryan Aitken is? He was like, notorious in his last town!Gee guys!"

I laugh because Stella seems to know everything about everyone. "What did he do?" Micah leans into her. "Well you know, crimes and that...he's a real bad boy!"

"Bad boy's are just cliché, they only exist in books. The ones  who try and be bad boys are just delusional frauds."
Stella's eyes start watering and u know I hit her where it hurts. Her life dream I'd to be the main character in in a cliché and I just crushed her dreams but I don't say sorry.

And then Ryan starts walking up to us casually, lunch tray in hand. I notice a faint stain in his shirt from the lasagne I wiped on him earlier. "Hey!" he sits down and I catch the  scent of Italian restaurant and soap. me, Stella and Micah just stare at him like, what're you doing at our table?

"Eva!!!" Micah stage whispers, "What do you want? I told you to leave me alone!"
Instead of answering, he just offered his hand to Micah, "I don't believe we have met before." Micah shook it apprehensive apprehensive lynx shot me a death glare while doing it. "Ryan."
"Micah."

Then Ryan went on to Stella who was giggling uncontrollably. "I'm Stella. Stella! And let me just say, I love your work!"
Ryan raises his eyebrow at me but I just shrug. "I'm unfamiliar, Stella."
"Your work!Your criminal record mostly! I love a rule-breaker" Out of the corner my eye, I could see Micah scowling with jealousy. "Wait. Girls like that?" Ryan's eyebrows creased and he suddenly turned to me, "You like that?"
but I just get up and emptied my tray, regretting not eating my doughnut... tough decisions you have to make when you're trying to make a point!
Ryan follows me and I can't help but exhale frustratedly. He whispers in my ear, "So...you do like it, huh?"
I roll my eyes, exiting the canteen all together.

im outright annoyed but this whole day has still left me in, as Micah would say, 'Utter Confusion'.