My High School Billionaire (Sequel to TMDG)

Chapter 42

After I've quickly changed into one of Angie's baggy shirt and sweatpants with my hair tossed up in a bun, we leave the flat. Silence settles in the lift as we ride down to the ground floor. Awkward glances are shared to my left and right, between myself and Angie and myself and Jule. Nathan stands behind us, towering above us all. My eyes catch his in the reflection on the door of the lift and he looks away quickly. Oddly enough, I can feel his breath on my head. Calm and controlled, the scent of Jack Daniels lingering in it.

More than one breath of relief fills the cubicle as it lands on the ground floor and we hurriedly exit it. No one is sure of what's going on in the air surrounding us. I look at Jule to my right, who manages to be almost an inch taller than Angie which is a couple of inches taller than me and the same shorter than Nathan. His slim form oozes off a comforting vibe and it draws me to him. He blinks his eyes with a smile on his face and draping an arm around my shoulder, draws me closer to him. The ease that comes of being with Jule is soothing. Even though its been ages since we've even shared a text, let alone met, it doesn't make things strange. Nathan, on the other hand, ALWAYS manages to intimidate me.

Every freaking time.

"So, Miss Ricosta, how have you been lately?" He asks with the smile still on his face as we round a corner. A few girls are already drawn to us and I can't say who's to blame for it. We've got the all the kinds of handsome men, dominating and rude, boyish and sweet.

I can feel a pair of eyes on my back as Nathan and Angelina follow behind us. What I am not sure of is whose eyes they could be.

"Fine, thank you." I look up at him with a smile and he nods his head.

"You've got an accent now! The Brits doing good to you, eh?" He jokes and I snigger.

"You've got a slight one as well! The Aussies doing good to you, eh?" Its his turn to laugh and we both try to keep the tension light inspite of the conscious feeling of being exposed to laser beams on our backs.

"If anyone of you fancies a burger right now, that cafe across the street does the best ones! halloumi, bacon, mac 'n' cheese, you name it! They do all the best kinds." Angelina's voice distracts us and we all pause in our tracks to stand and look at the cafe she's pointing at. She looks back at me and the sparkle in her eyes from earlier has disappeared. Her smile is clearly a forced one.

"That's tempting! A burger sounds good. What d'ya think, Hale?" Jule turns around and we all stare at Nathan. He only drops his eyes to meet mine and then looks straight again.

"Angie, would they have a salad?" He asks Angelina and her eyes widen at the mention of her name.

"I'm not sure but I'm guessing, yeah. I mean most people do prefer salad as a side so." She looks at me and I nod my head in understanding.

"What, you're on the salad team too, mate?" Jule pats his back and he shakes his head with a small smile.

"Just making sure my fiancée doesn't starve while we stock this place out of groceries." All of us take a moment to really let those words sink in. Is Nathan really being thoughtful about her? I look at her and she looks back with a tint of red shading her cheeks.

What? I'm not jealous.

"Ggggreaaat." Jule shakes his head with raised eyebrows and takes my hand in his. "It's you and me against this bipolar couple." He whispers in my ear and when I pull back, he winks at me leaving me in failed attempts to stifle a laugh.

Angelina eyes us like she's dying to know what he just said. When she realises me watching her, she smiles at me and I return it. We start crossing the road but at the same time my phone vibrates in the pocket of my pants. I pick it out and the text pauses me in my tracks.