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Nyla's P.O.V
"How was school yesterday?" Deon asks me from across the table. My cheeks instantly warm thinking about Tyler's hand squeezing mine.
"Um, it was fine..." I respond trying not to smile. Cleyton stops eating and narrows his eyes at me.
"Nyla? Do you have a crush?!" A fake gasp escapes his lips, as Deon playfully hits him in the shoulder. I can hear Dad's failed attempts at trying not to laugh. I huff and cross my arms across my chest.
"I-I..." I open my mouth and close it multiple times before placing my head on the table. I can't have a crush, I can't pull Tyler into my twisted world.
"Cley look you've made her flustered. Listen, Ny, there is absolutely nothing wrong with liking someone," He reassures me watching Cleyton from the corner of his eye, compassion and loved laced into them. My stomach sinks as I watch them smile at one another.
"May I leave the table?" I ask, standing up when Dad nods her head. I drop my plate into the sink before steadily making my way upstairs. Cleyton is in love. I see it everywhere. I see it in the morning as he whistles making breakfast stopping to grin as his cheeks and neck turns red from the embarrassment that the text from Deon brought him. I see it as he gets dressed in the morning taking ten minutes to get ready trying to impress Deon.
I struggle to keep the tears locked behind my eyes as I realise how lonely I actually am. Dad has his kids and Cleyton has Deon and I have myself.
***
The hallway is scattered with a few groups of students standing near their lockers talking about the upcoming weekend or the latest gossip that consumes the school in giant gulps. I take a deep breath as I round each corner bracing myself for every whisper and finger pointed at me.
I reach my locker after rounding two more corners and hurry to chuck my books into the small box. I watch exasperated as some fall to the floor and I groan in annoyance as I bend down to pick them up. I can feel the burning stares of the people around me.
"Oh, hey Nyles let me help you with those," Tyler stops bending down and placing his books to the side as he helps to grab mine. I try to remain composed as I can almost feel the red creeping up my neck.
"Thanks." I smile after we both stand up. "Um, I'm not usually this clumsy." I laugh awkwardly. He shrugs, giving me a cheerful smile.
"It's okay, Nyla we all drop things." I smile half-heartedly. Just don't drop my heart.
***
I rest my head back against my bag at the base of the tree, placing my headphones in my ears I slowly hum along to Say My Name, by Destiny's Child. I watch The Blues Buffalo's run around the field in drills in perfectly timed sections each timed by the whistle. Say My Name, Say My Name.
