Love Invasion

Chapter 7

“Hey!”

But I kept walking. Hundreds of people moving, laughing, chatting around me didn’t provide me as much affliction as I doled out from Nathaniel Stone. The guy was the epitome of confidence. He always seemed so self-assured that I found it hard to not get stuck under any kind of complex. One second I always found myself staring at him in wonder as well as awe and the next, I found myself dreading his strong personality, the aura he exuded.

Either something was wrong with me, or him.

“Jennifer!” Nate called out to me louder, in person this time. But again I evaded his call, walking to mind my own freaking business as if the world around me was empty.

Why was it that every time I tried avoiding Nathaniel Stone, he ended up even closer to me? The million dollar question was that why did it matter to me when we ended up together when meant to be poles apart? After all, he was just a normal, high school going guy who simply meant no harm to me. By the looks of it, he was only a cocky, narcissistic, attractive and popular boy studying in Bellmont High. High school was his kingdom and the rest of the students were his subjects. He couldn’t possibly have any remote connections to Juan.

Could he?

You’re being paranoid!

But my subconscious’ warning did nothing to reduce my angst levels. Moreover, when someone’s fingers latched onto my wrist, I lost it completely. Fretting mutated into full blown lashing out as I tried to withdraw my arm from the stranger’s gentle hold unsuccessfully. The stranger’s hold, yet gentle, was like glue, not easily detachable. Juan’s cold, porcelain face flashed before my eyes and an unnerved scream tore from my throat all of a sudden.

“Jennifer!”

The scream died at hearing Nate’s reassuring voice and I looked at his surprised face. He was eying me as if I were a small, troublesome child, ready to do something reckless. Confused at the way he was staring down at me, I eyed myself up once and finally noticed that I was hyperventilating. I was having a serious meltdown. “Jennifer, look at me!” Nate cried out to me guardedly.

A tear glided down my cheek like butter. “Let go of my hand!” I breathed, gasping for air.

“Jenni…”

Wiggling my wrist in his hold, I felt myself withdrawing my hand stubbornly. “I said let go, Nate!” I started yelling at him. Thankfully, the hallway was deserted by then; otherwise we would’ve suffered a detention at the least.

At last, it felt like I’d found freedom when his fingers left my squirming wrist. I knew that I could inhale and exhale properly when he stepped back and threw his arms in the air in surrender, telling me that he meant no harm to me. But I didn’t wait for myself to take a deep breath of independence. I couldn’t breathe the same air as Nate. It wasn’t him, to be honest. It was me. I had embarrassed myself in front of the guy yet again. I was slowly becoming an open book for him to read because of my cowardice. No wonder he was getting too suspicious of me.

Therefore, I took a glimpse of him for one last time, taking in his facial expression. He looked desperately curious as well as shocked by my outburst.

Then, I ran.

I was scared out of my wits.

It was Home Economics period and I was waiting for the class to arrive inside the classroom. Mrs. Winters was already fastened to her teacher’s desk, grading some tests and not paying any attention to me, who was sitting at her usual seat with Nate.

Nate.

The fact that I was dreading to face Nate was hilarious. I had nothing to do with the guy and yet, I felt myself get crimson in the face whenever thinking of the last time we had an encounter with each other. Also, the certainty that it was always him to catch me red handed in my weakest moments was also kind of unfortunate yet comical.