Until I Met You

Chapter 4. I feel like Ursula stole my damn voice

      Its been 3 months and I know what you're thinking. "Whoa why the hell is she skipping so far ahead?" Well let me tell you why. It's Wednesday. Middle of the week..and probably one of the most random times during the year to enroll in this school. But no, I'm not talking about me. Im talking about mystery boy, the one guy who came into my life at probably one the most embarrassing moments of my teenage years. That night I got stood up, the night I thought, what the hell am I doing in this small ass town, the night I realized, "okay it might not be so bad here". Yes, I am talking about Nathan. Standing about 50 feet away from me and talking to Hunter. I stand in shock trying to come up with explanations about why he's here. Kayla waves her hand in front of my face snapping me out of my thoughts. "Earth to Iris!??" I look at her. "What? What's happening?" She laughs shaking her head. "You were staring off into space...or were you looking at something?" I gulp and look back over hoping it wasn't just my imagination. Nope, he's standing there, talking to Hunter. Kayla turns her head and looks, tensing up at the sight of Hunter while trying to hide the fact she's blushing. "That's him." She looks at me confused. "What do you mean?" Blushing I bite my lip and look in Nathan's direction. "Wait! That's the guy? Nathan? The one who you've been talking to the past couple of months?" Funny story, uh Kayla and Adrian haven't actually seen or met him yet, just heard the stories. "We're just friends, we aren't talking." She sighs and smiles. "Iris, you're one of the most stubborn girls I know, of coarse you guys are talking. It's obvious, plus you're just too afraid to admit you like him." I roll my eyes and laugh. "You missy, have no room to talk." She blushes. "Hey this isn't about me. This is about you, go talk to him." I shake my head. "You know, for someone who's extremely fun and outgoing at parties you're shy as hell when it comes to him." I glance at him then look back at her. "But I don't even know what he's doing here." Sighing again she crosses her arms. "And that's why you go ask." She nudges me forward a little. "Move along." Groaning, I start walking toward him getting more nervous by each step. My legs feel like jello. Hunter sees me and stops talking to look at me while staring over Nathan's shoulder since his back is facing me. Wow, I don't blame Kayla. His face is intimidating even when he isn't trying, which just gets me more nervous. "Nathan, I think you got a visitor." He turns his body in my direction and looks at me as a smile grows on his face. His smile. "Well if it isn't Ms. California." I blush and smile and trying to speak but nothing comes out. I feel like Ursula stole my damn voice. His smile fades a little as curiousness shows instead. "You okay Iris?" Gulping I nod. "Yeah, sorry.." He smiles relieved. "Oh good." I run my fingers through my hair and look up at him. "I don't mean to sound rude but...what are you doing here?" He chuckles. "Oh right, I transferred." I look at him surprised. "Transferred? What for?" Not that I mind, I mean now I get to see him all the time. "Well, my Dad thought I wasn't getting a good enough education or something at my other school, and the teachers there sucked. Our school is only known for their sports mostly. With him it's always education and good grades first." I know how that feels. "My mom is the same way, she's all successful in her job and expects me to do the same." I shrug. "Isn't that cute?" I raise my eyebrow. "What?" He smirks. "We have another thing in common." Blushing I look down at the floor and he chuckles. "What's your next class?" "Oh, uh I have Chemistry." He frowns. "Aw I have History." Dammit. "I'll find you at lunch?" He asks looking at me, I nod and smile. "Sounds good."

    "I can't believe he switched schools." Kayla smirks. "Well now you can get even closer to him." Blushing I roll my eyes playfully and laugh a bit. "Yeah yeah sure, maybe you would too if you'd stop denying the fact that he likes you." Suddenly I hear to trays being set down in front of us as Nathan, Hunter, Chase, and Miles sit down. Chase and Miles are Hunter's best friends I think, I really hope Nathan doesn't turn into a jerk. He doesn't seem to be that kind of guy though. "Denying that who likes who?" Hunter asks looking at both of us and raising his eyebrow. Whoa, why is Mr. Popular is sitting at our table? "No one, we're talking about no one. In fact we were actually just talking about Nathan and Iris." She smirks still a little shocked that he's sitting with us, as am I. Wait what'd she just say? Embarrassed and blushing deep red I elbow Kayla in the side as she winces. "Hey!" She pouts rubbing her side. "Talking about us? Ooo I like this topic." Nathan chuckles and my face burns like hell. Obviously Nathan notices because he decides to make a sly little comment that makes me like him more. Huh? Like him? Nope nope don't like him, we're just friends. Snap out of it Iris. "Aw Iris did I make you blush again?" I cross my arms and look away trying to hide my face. "N-no I'm not." He laughs a little again and turns to talk to my friends. "She's stubborn, but I find it cute. So you guys are her friends?" He smiles at them and I eat some of my food. "Mhm, I'm Adrian, this is Jace, and that's Kayla. By the way you like her a lot don't you?" He nods and takes a bite out of his Apple as if the question had an obvious answer. Which apparently to them there was but I'm still confused to how that's possible. "Yup. Glad I got a chance to come to his school." She giggles. "That's so cute!" Shaking my head I eat my sandwich embarrassed yet trying to hide the fact that it makes me extremely happy. I mean him not the sandwich by the way, okay yes it was obvious I didn't mean the sandwich but-- you know what I'm just gonna go back to the story. "So you two are friends?" Adrian asks curiously. Nathan looks at Hunter and nods lightly. "Yeah I guess so, we just became friends today. He's pretty cool." Chase takes one of Kayla's fries. "Damn, what are we chopped liver?" He chuckles and rolls his eyes smiling. "Give me a break I just met you guys at the beginning of lunch." Nathan answers looking at Chase. I look over at Kayla who seems more quiet than usual. Poor girl, she seems nervous around Hunter. I look over at Hunter. He's basically eyeing her down, I mean we can tell he likes her but he shows it in the worst way possible, just tell her don't toy with her feelings. My protective friend mode is going overboard. Don't say anything, don't say anything. "Hey Hunter." God dammit Iris. Everyone turns their heads and look at me including Kayla who seems a bit surprised. No turning back now, I really hate being stared at. "Not to sound rude, but you never wanted to sit with us before..either you're just here to tease Kayla or you're actually trying to be friends with us for once.." Hunter looked at me raising an eyebrow then started laughing lightly. "Not looking for any trouble just came to hang out with Nathan, so no I'm not teasing Ms. Sunshine over here." Kayla rolled her eyes. "I told you not to call me that." He laughs. "I'm never gonna stop callin you that so get used to it." Adrian sighed. "Whelp this is fun." Feeling someone nudge my leg I looked up to see Nathan smiling at me which made me blush. Not surprising.

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        "So how'd you like your first day at our school?" He smiles. "It was great, only one thing that sucked though." I laugh a bit. "And what might that be?" Suddenly I felt my hand being grabbed as our fingers intertwined. Oh my. "Well I can't say it sucks, but it looks like we aren't school rivals anymore." He smirks. "Y-yeah." He's never held my hand before and I feel like electricity is stinging my whole body. Do I actually have feelings for this guy? Are you dumb? Of coarse you have Iris. No I haven't. Yes you have. "Shut up!" He looked at me a little shocked as my face burned with embarrassment. "No no! N-not you I uh." Okay  NOW I'm dumb. He laughed a bit. "It's okay, you want a ride home today?" Well Kayla drove me to school today. "Yeah sure, thanks." I say smiling. "You uhh could come over if you wanted to.." What the hell are these words falling out of my mouth??! "Sounds better than going back to my place, sure." I nod and smile. Why did I ask that.