Just a Competition

Chapter Two

        Once they made it into the lunchroom, Jamelyn began to weave her way through people, smiling at a few people as she went. After they waved at her, their eyes wandered to him, probably wondering who he was. He attempted to give shy smiles back, but he had never been good in lunch rooms. They were social status central.

        Jamelyn ended up leading them outside, where a few concrete picnic tables were settled underneath apple trees. Most of the apples were gone, whether picked off by students or fallen into the grass beneath them. That's what he had been paying attention to until suddenly he noticed her stop, almost running into her completly. She had stopped before a table with three guys and two girls. It seemed there was only space for one more person before Jamelyn motioned for the girls on the less full side to scoot down, making room for Hayden and her.

        He awkwardly smiled at the guys who seemed to be either trying to figure out who he was and what he was doing there or planning how to get him to leave. Maybe both.

        "Jax, Luke, Parker, no need to glare, this is Hayden. He just moved here, he's new," Jamelyn explained and Jax and Luke broke out into grins as Luke began to eat again, but Parker continued to stare Hayden down. He figured either Parker liked Jamelyn, didn't like new people, or the two were a thing. But wouldn't she have sat next to him if they were a thing?

        "Just looking out for our debate team leader, our math team champ, and our soon to be student body president," Luke joked before nudging Parker with his elbow and mumuring something in his direction. That made Parker lighten up and smile a bit although Hayden wanted to know what he said. It seemed to have been directed towards him.

        That's when Hayden had realized all of what either Luke or Jax had said. She was in debate club, math team, and was planning to be student body president? She really was going to be tough competition. Suddenly he was worried how many more things she was involved in. How was he going to be able to keep up? Was anything else even open to join?

        Hayden looked over to Jamelyn, noticing that she had already unpacked her lunchbox and was beginning to eat as the girls beside her whispered something frantic to her. He heard the words "who, cute, and insane." Did they think he was insane? He hadn't even said anything yet. But then again, they had said cute which made him flush until he realized Parker was still glaring.

        Jamelyn nudged him, offering him a smile before she began to point around the table. "This is Ansley, Georgia, Jax, Luke, and... Parker," he watched as she gave Parker a look of what seemed like a warning before looking back to him. "Better known as, my bestfriends."

        Ansley, the girl closest to Jamelyn, leaned over her to hold her hand out to him with a large grin splayed across her face. He looked up to notice Jamelyn roll her eyes just before the girl spoke. It made him smile. "Nice to meet you Hayden, we don't get new people like you around here often," he took her hand only so she would pull it back sooner and gave it a small shake. Thankfully she retreated back off of Jamelyn who snickered with Georgia.

        "What she means," Georgia began as she unwrapped a piece of gum and stuck it in her mouth. " Is we don't get new boys that look like you often," she only smirked as Ansley hit her. All Hayden did in response was furrow his eyebrows, looking back to the boys. Parker had thankfully went back to looking at his lunch although he seemed uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as Hayden felt though, there was no way possible.

        "Ansley is a bit boy crazy if you know what I mean," Luke commented with a laugh before it came to an abrupt stop. It seemed as if Ansley had kicked him underneath the table, shooting him with daggers through her eyes.

       "Am not," she replied simply, giving no further arguement, and Hayden watched as he didn't respond back but looked at his food with a smile and his eyebrows raised. "So what school did you go to? A regular public school, a private school?" Ansley pushed, obviously trying hard to make conversation. He looked over to Jamelyn for help, but she was watching Parker while she bit into a plum.

        Naturally, his eyes flew to Parker, wondering why she was watching him and what was going on between the two. That's when Parker looked up and made eye contact causing him to look away and back to Ansley quicker. He then realized he had yet to answer her question. "Ramsley, I'm not sure if you have heard of it. It's um," he suddenly wished he had food as an excuse not to talk so much. "A magnet school."

        He heard a couple forks drop onto their trays and plates although watching Jamelyn, she didn't even flinch. Why hadn't she reacted like they had?

        "Ramsley? 'The' magnet school in Maine?" Jax asked as Hayden looked around at the others, all gaping except for Parker whose head was turned toward his tray, eyes clenched shut, and Jamelyn who suddenly seemed really interested in her lunch.

        "Yeah, that's the school," he murmured, looking down at his lap. All of the staring was making him feel awkward. Suddenly he wished he would have just stuck to his plan of not eating lunch, denied Jamelyn's invitation. She seemed more interested with Parker at the moment anyways.

        "Looks like we've got another genius on our hands don't we? Some more competition for Jamelyn" Luke joked before shooting a look over at Jamelyn who seemed to be paying him no attention although she did look more tense than before.

        "Or maybe a match from fate," Georgia said, obviously joking as well although Ansley shot her a look. The girl probably had already called dibs on him, he could tell from the look she gave her. It was almost amusing.

        His attention was redirected though when Parker got up, bringing his tray along with him. "I'm going to put my tray up," his voice was deep and his dirty blonde hair shifted on his head in the wind when he stood up. Jamelyn quickly followed, leaving her lunch behind, and Hayden could easily say he was disappointed. Ansley quickly took her place although Hayden watched Jamelyn try to catch up to Parker.

        "Parker wait!" she called.

        After they walked inside and were out of sight, he turned back to the group. The boys were looking at him as if he were a math problem they had just solved. "They aren't dating if that's what you're thinking," Luke commented before looking back down to his food.

        "He hasn't acted like that in a while," Jax added, stuffing his mouth with some mashed potatoes. "I'm surprised he didn't say anything, isn't like him to stay quiet."

        Hayden only wished Jamelyn would return with a smile on her face, but moments later she still hadn't, and he figured she just wasn't coming back. That's when he decided it was time for him to go and he stood up. He could tell Ansley was trying not to look disappointed, probably how he looked when Jamelyn left. "Well, this was... what this was, but I need to go to the library before next period so," he didn't even say bye but left, the guys nodding at him and the girls waving.

        He walked back into the lunchroom, holding his books tightly against him, trying not to make eye contact with anyone and praying he didn't run into the office aides. He couldn't even remember their names, and he especially didn't want to know how they would react to that.

        Weaving his way through the lunchroom, he finally made it to the door leading back into the hallways. He rounded a corner before hearing quiet voices. He slowed his steps and peaked around the corner, having backed up quickly. He saw Jamelyn, standing pretty close to Parker as he looked down into her eyes, speaking in what seemed like an intense way. It was obvious how he felt about her now.

        Hayden would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed a little, but it was better this way. She was competition not a potential girlfriend. She was Parker's.

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I wrote this one up kind of quick, but I actually like how it turned out. I had to throw some drama in there somewhere sorry guys. But do you think Jamelyn likes Parker back or do you just think they were a thing of the past? Luke didn't specify, he just said they weren't dating. Surely Hayden will snoop around right?
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