The Hottie Next Door

Chapter 10: You Only Regret It Once It's Over

CHAPTER 10

To fill the silence, I cleared my throat loudly. I started walking toward his next class, noticing he quickly fell into step beside me.

I passed by the blue lockers, and at the end of the hallway, I saw a room with a round window revealing stacks of books in a corner and a science lab filled with students. Suddenly, I froze. Oh no. I realized I had science too, and the principal had probably planned this on purpose since I was his "buddy."

One thing I hated more than anything was being late and having everyone stare at me, whispering behind my back. I hesitated, but then a hand pushed the door open, and Ewan walked past me into the room. I slowly followed behind and handed the teacher the slip from the principal.

Our science teacher was eccentric and laid-back. She always wore bright colors, bold makeup, and her blonde hair was always up in a bun. Her lipstick was either red or pink, and she always wore a pearl necklace to complement her outfits.

"Okay, class, we have a new student, surprisingly late as well. I hope you treat him like a friend and show him the ropes around the school," she announced loudly to the class.

"I'm Ms. Winter," she added, lowering her voice, "Introduce yourself, sweetie."

"Hi, I'm Ewan. I like quiet and being left alone, so don't talk to me," he said coolly. The girls swooned, while the guys looked bored by his response. I rolled my eyes and sat at the front where there was an empty seat. I knew that Ewan, being the "bad boy" he was, wouldn't sit up front—sitting there would ruin his rep.

"Ewan, you can sit next to Emma," Ms. Winter said.

I closed my eyes in frustration, silently cursing my teacher. Ewan plopped down next to me, giving me a wink. I turned away, scooting my seat slightly farther from him.

"I'm not going to bite you," he whispered, leaning over.

I rolled my eyes and shoved him back. "I've definitely heard that before."

I took out my textbooks and pencil case, arranging them neatly in front of me. I heard a tap on the desk and looked up at him.

"We need to share, buddy," he said cheerfully.

"Sure, but don't distract me. I'm trying to learn," I replied, turning my attention back to the board where Ms. Winter was writing equations and instructions.

I copied the equations into my notes with red and black pens, highlighting the important parts and numbering them as I went. I opened my textbook to a page filled with long lists of formulas. For a while, I focused on solving the equations and jotting down the answers, and surprisingly, I wasn't disturbed. No one pinched me, called my name, or tried to talk to me. It was almost... peaceful.

Glancing at Ewan's papers, I saw he had already solved the equations and was now lying across my textbook, asleep.

Annoyed, I kicked his leg to wake him up. "You do know class is for learning, not sleeping. You don't want to get kicked out again, do you?"

He yawned and laughed. "I've done the work. My job is done." He stretched his arms and neck before casually leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs.

"Right, class. I hope you've all completed the work I set on the board. If not, don't worry. You can finish it for homework, along with some extra reading on pages 170, 175, and 180," Ms. Winter said.

"I hope you can send me some pictures of those pages," Ewan muttered under his breath.

I rolled my eyes, trying to block him out. Calm down, just focus on the lesson, I told myself.

"Now, the next task is a chemical experiment," Ms. Winter continued. "I want you all to carefully read the instructions and the chemicals we'll be using today, as some are dangerous if handled incorrectly."

Suddenly, the room erupted with voices.

"NO!"
"DUCK DOWN!"
"OMG, MY HAIR!"

A figure shoved me aside, and I tumbled to the ground. The figure hovered above me, their arms wrapped around me as the books scattered across the floor and the classroom descended into chaos. Everyone ducked behind the desks, and before I realized it, the figure above me had shielded me from the blast.

I gazed up at him from the floor. This was the second time he had saved me from danger, and I couldn't help but question him. Why was he being so nice to me? Why did he keep helping me when I hadn't asked for his help?

Ewan's arms were warm, keeping me in a tight hold. His eyes flickered with concern as he looked down at me. I wanted to respond to him, but the words just wouldn't come out.

"Emma. Emma! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" His voice was frantic.

I shook my head, trying to assure him. "No, I'm fine. Just a little lightheaded."

Ewan helped me to my feet. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I repeated.

Ms. Winter stood at the front, calling out instructions. "Right, class. I understand there was an incident where a student didn't follow the instructions and mixed the wrong chemicals. I'm going to take the injured students to the nurse's office. The rest of you can go home. I'll report this to the principal, and in return, I want a 2000-word essay on why petrol is both a pro and a con in modern society."

I sat at my desk, still processing everything that had just happened.

"Here, drink some water," Ewan said, handing me a bottle. He packed up my things into my bag and waited for me to take a sip.

After I finished, I got up, and Ewan took my bag, leading me out of the classroom.

When we reached the school gates, I stopped. "I'll go home by myself. Thank you, though."

"No, I'll take you home. I don't want you collapsing halfway from shock or injury."

"Why are you being so nice to me? I don't need your help. I'm perfectly fine. I just don't get it. I never asked for it, and yet you keep hovering around me like a fly!" I snapped, frustrated with whatever game he was playing. I just wanted to go home without the extra baggage.

"I'm not playing any game. I'm not some toy for you to mess with," Ewan replied, moving closer, his hand reaching for my arm. I pushed it away.

"I'm sorry, but I just want to be alone," I said, grabbing my bag from his hand and turning to walk away.

....

As I lay in bed later that night, staring at the purple ceiling above me, a small cushion in my arms, I thought about the day. It hadn't been so bad. It could have been worse, with more drama and tears, but I really believed that my quick thinking had worked out for the long term.

I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, wishing that tomorrow would bring peace—and that people would just leave me alone.

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THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LOVE!!!

I'M SO HAPPY YOU'RE ALL ENJOYING THE CHAPTERS, THANK YOU FOR THE KIND COMMENTS AND LIKES!

I will be updating soon, so look forward to the next chapter as that will have more of Jax.

QUESTION: who do you ship Emma and Jax (JEM) or Emma and Ewan (Emme)?

I'll look forward to your replies!

hugs and kisses

~B.