The Arranged Marriage

Chapter 7: Old Trouble, Trouble

"How's it going with your prince charming?" Gwen asked.

"I wouldn't say he's a prince, yet," I said. "But he's kinda cute."

"Oh yeah... Like that guy over there who's trying to read his book upside down?" She glanced over me.

I turned around to see who she was talking about and I caught Bobby hiding his head back behind the book thinking that I did not see him. He looked up again, this time giving me a sheepish smile.

I rolled my eyes. How did that idiot manage to find his way here? I ignored him and returned to my work.

"He seems to be infatuated with you," Gwen commented.

"Please ignore him," I said coldly.

For the next two hours, I diligently studied my books as I needed to ace my upcoming test. The library was the most conducive environment for me to concentrate. The silence was perfect. The temperature was just right. The smell of books surrounding spurred me on. The only thing that got on my nerves was this young man pacing up and down the aisle next to me every ten minutes trying to peek at what I was doing at the moment. The constant movement distracted me and it did not help knowing that it was the very man whom I would gladly strangle if I ever had the chance.

Finally, I could not take it anymore. He walked past me again and I picked up my textbook and smacked him hard in his side. The sound it made got the entire library staring in our direction.

"Ouch!" He yelped, while rubbing his side.

I heard someone try to shush us with a long 'shhhh'.

"Why not you go over there and help us buy lunch instead of being a nuisance here?" I said.

"Wow, that's harsh," Gwen said, without looking up from her work.

Bobby pouted but obediently compelled.

Once Bobby was gone, I was glad that I finally had the chance to really focus on the materials in front of me. But my happiness was shortlived when my nose caught this waft of strong, rosy perfume. The ever so familiar smell that never failed to set my heart beating slightly faster. Not only was it too strong for my liking, I knew very certainly it came from the person I hated to the core.

"Hey Nerdball, studying eh?" a squeaky voice spoke.

Nancy, with her group of followers. The queen bee in the level. She was known to have a nasty personality yet boys seemed to like bad gals as she had many suitors waiting in line, kissing her ass (figuratively) all around the place. Not that I cared much about other people's business. It was just that Nancy did not know how to stay in her lane. Everytime we crossed path, she would call me out by the nickname that only she used, "Nerdball". Just because my grades were always in the top rankings did not mean that all I knew to do was study. I did have a life and Gwen could be my alibi. But because of Nancy, everyone in school somehow believed that I was a nerd.

I knew I could just show them how fun of a person I could be and that I was not a loser. Gwen had always been telling me to. In fact, I just could not be bothered with these gossipy stuff in school. Who cares about what they think of me? Imma graduate proper and get out of here eventually. But apparently, Nancy had a different purpose here than me.

"Of course. I wouldn't wish for my grades to drop and myself to become like one of yalls good-for-nothings," I said calmly, eyes focused on my papers.

Nancy scoffed. She flipped her curled hair and leaned down.

"Anyway, who was that hot dude you were talking to? He's new, isn't he?" Nancy asked, a little flirtatiously in her tone.

"That's none of your business," I replied.

"Why not? We have a new kid in the house, of course we need to show our warm welcome." She crossed her arms, twisting her curls with her finger.

"He won't be interested."

"How would you know?" Nancy leaned in close to my face again. "Are you two close?"

I resisted the urge to straight up just push her face away from me. I wanted to tell her "yes, we're close, so damn close" but I figured that would not suit the nerd image she had of me which would lead her to question about our relationship and ramble on till no end. I needed peace for a moment.

"No," I replied coolly, hoping she would not press on.

"Right, why would a nerd like you have such a cool friend. Nerds should just hang out with other nerds," she glanced at Gwen, who knew better than to respond to her bullshit.

Seeing that she was not getting the attention that she wanted, she clicked her heels and started to move away.

"I'm sure I can find out about him on my own," she announced before disappearing around the corner.

I rolled my eyes and pretended to be unaffected by her at all, signalling Gwen to just continue with our work. But deep down, I felt a little bit of unease. Would it really be alright now that Nancy, the high profile campus flower, knew about Bobby, especially after she had expressed interest in him?

I tried to brush that thought off my mind.