Define Spy

Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

There's stutters and hesitations coming from the both of us, when finally Cameron speaks up.

"I had a homework question." he confirms, looking back to me and then to Ms. Potter.

"So, what is it?" she urges on.

"Um, does the homework require any research? I mean, we can't possibly know off the top of our heads five sonnets that Shakespeare wrote." he asks casually.

"I suppose so," she glances at me, "but Ariana seems to know a lot about the history famous poets and writers."

I smile awkwardly and laugh out a very fake laugh. "Thanks! We should probably get back to lunch, Tristan." I drag Cameron out with me, not bothering to look back to Ms. Potter.

Once we're out of the classroom, I look to Cameron with a dumbfounded look on my face. "Really? Shakespeare?"

"What?" he says innocently, but then cracks as he breaks into a smirk and starts laughing.

"Tristan, whatever your middle name is, Rhynes." I say disappointingly, shaking my head in disgrace.

"Ariana Marie Castel." he mocks my tone.

"We weren't assigned middle names."

"Yeah, so I gave you one."

* * *

The rest of this oh-so-great first day of school consisted of trading off from sitting in a classroom till you foot falls asleep to scurrying through the halls, trying not to get caught in the huge barricade of careless high school students. And it just so happens that was what I was doing right now, fighting my way to my locker so I could shove all these overused textbooks and tattered notebooks and just get out of here already.

Yep. I'm loving high school so much.

"Hello, Ariana Castel." I hear a familiar voice call out my full name-minus Cameron's added middle name-and turned around to find Danni smiling happily as I was trying to avoid running into random people, him gracefully weaving his way through students, making it look effortless.

Danni always seems to be happy. Why? I rack my brain and make up an imaginative story.

But what's his story?

"Greetings, Danni Martin." I say back, though it feels odd calling people by their full names.

I don't know why I analyze people, I guess it's something that just comes naturally to you, and then you start doing it everyday like some bad habit. But was it actually bad?

"Having fun in this great place of Summington?" he smirks.

"Lots of it." I say sarcastically. Once I reach my locker, I would start jumping with joy if Danni wasn't standing at my side.

"Can I ask you a question?" I ask Danni, who leans against the other lockers casually.

"Why not?" he smiles again.

"I was wondering if you noticed..." I trail off..."well, everyone seemed to be staring at my table at lunch today. I just found it a little weird."

"Well, Summington is a little weird." he laughs.

"Have any good explanations?" I ask him, just wanting any answer, besides Cameron's inaccurate one.

Danni shrugs his shoulders. "Well, the people you eat at lunch with isn't exactly the type of people some would see you hanging out with." I give him a blank expression and he continues. "I guess people believe that you would sit with someone else, like someone who looks similar to you. Not someone who's like Verity, or Tristan, you know?"

There's a pause as I look down to my outfit, my fingers running across the hem of the pink skirt.

"Ariana?"

I look up to him and smile, though it's fake. But he can't tell.

"I guess. It's just weird, how many people judge you based on your appearance."

"Don't worry. I agree. And for the record, I don't find it weird that you sit with other people. It's cool. Different. Unique."

"Got it, Mr. Martin." I chuckle, as we both start making our way to the school's doors. "Thanks for the description of me."

"The list could go on. But I don't want to keep you here." he laughs, a big smile stretching across his face. The thing that I noticed is that his smile seemed real, it's was genuine. It wasn't like other guys' smiles where they're trying to impress. He seemed genuinely happy.

"It could."

"Of course."

"You barely know me."

"I'm getting to."

I don't know why, but what Danni just said makes my legs stop moving, as I freeze in the middle of the doors and the crazy mob of students. I just couldn't help but notice that's exactly what Cameron had said to me.

In the middle of my little frozen-in-time moment, I spot my team mates walking in a blob towards my direction. I look back to Danni as he stopped in front of the doors next to me, a curious look plastered on his face.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Danni Martin." I smile, nodding my head to my team mates.

"Yes you will." he returns a smile, opening the door and slightly waving a hand behind him.

"Who's the cutie?" Tilly wears a big goofy smile on her face, causing me to look at her dumfounded.

"Danni?" I say, completely fazed.

"If that's the guy who you were just talking to?" she questions, leaning forward.

I roll my eyes and walk out the doors, my team mates following.

"It's your first day and you're already flirting, Ariana?" Parker gasps. "Maybe I should have a talk with this Danni."

"No you shouldn't." I shake my head.

"Why not?" Cameron joins in, and it surprises me that he hasn't said anything till now.

"Because..." I hesitate.

"Ooh, Ariana has a crush!" Johanna mimics a little girl, and I face-palm.

"You guys are so childish." I roll my eyes.

"At least he is cute." smirks Johanna, and I'm so close to slapping her upside the head. "Don't worry honey, I won't take him from you." she winks.

"Honey?"

"Yes, honey. Maybe that's what Danni will start calling you!" the idea pops into her head, and I'm ready to hit my head against the lockers only if we were still inside the school.

"That's what married couples call each other." I shake my head.

"So you're saying you guys are getting married?" Parker raises his eyebrows, amused.

"Too soon, Ariana. Too soon." Tilly shakes her head.

"Would you guys just drop the subject? I just met him! And I don't have any feeling towards him!" I say, losing my temper.

"You might not now, but sometimes you just fall unexpectedly." Tilly says in a more serious tone.

"Trust me. I'm always aware of what's happening." I assure her.

"Like they say, love is blind." Parker adds.

"And so are you!" I spit back, glaring at him.

"I can see perfectly." he scoffs.

I have rolled my eyes so much the past minutes that they might just get stuck like that. "Trust me, I'm never going to have a relationship. They're much more work than this mission and they're bi-polar and someone always ends up getting hurt." I say in one whole breath, not bothering to take a second glance at my team mates.

Thankfully, it shuts them up, but the air becomes more stiff and everything becomes awkward.

It stays quiet on our way home.

***
Thanks for your reads and fans and votes and existence.

Why does summer have to be almost over? That cuts down the time I have to write :(

Yeah, I'll stop complaining for your sake and spare you the sympathy of your sorrow of summer's endings.

Comment, vote, and fan!

~summer