Scholar

Seven

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened on the stairwell yesterday. Why did Ryan do that? Seriously, there was no reason for him to do it other than he wanted to. But why did he want to? It genuinely bothered me.

On top of that, Chelsea was pretending she wasn't mad at me and was acting passive aggressive. She'd say things like, "at least you're not unlikable," or "at least your sibling loves you" anytime she could.

"Hey, can I see the little grammar thing we for English?" Gabriel asked me when I got to school. My friends were all on their usual stairs. I stared at him, and the skin between my eyebrows scrunched together.

"What grammar thing?" I asked. Everyone stared at me. As I looked across everyone's faces, all I saw were raised eyebrows and mouths agape. The odd one out was Ryan. He had a small smirk on his face, but the fact that his eyebrows were nearly touching his hairline showed that he was a little surprised as well. I started feeling a little uncomfortable and flustered. Their shocked expressions made me squirm. "Whatever, it's not a big deal, I don't need to turn it in. I'll still have an A." 

"Who are you?" Chelsea asked. That was the first time she had asked me something that didn't involve a passive-aggressive remark. I shrugged and walked upstairs, still uncomfortable under everyone's unwavering gazes. 

"Where you going?" Jordan questioned.

"Class," I mumbled and walked away. I heard footsteps rapidly trying to catch up to me and prayed it was anyone but Ryan.

"You okay?" Of course, it was Ryan. Why would it be anyone else? That would be too kind of the universe. Too generous of the universe it would be if I got some time to clear my head and focus on whatever the hell mess I was in.

"I'm fine," I told him coldly.

"Well, I may not know you well, but I know you don't forget to do homework, so allow me to reiterate. What's wrong?" I pursed my lips and turned to face him. Again, there we were, on the stairwell. I crossed my arms. I had no idea what his goal was, and I hated it.

"I'm surprised you know what reiterate means." He smiled.

"What's wrong?" 

"None of your business."

"What's wrong?"

"Why do you care?" I don't think either of us were prepared for me to ask exactly what was on my mind, but I didn't really care at the time.

"Because, even though you don't like me, I like you." His answer surprised me a little. I crossed my arms a little tighter. I felt a little bad about acting how I did to him now. "I actually don't have a reason not to like you. Well, you're kind of a douche bag, but other than that, you're cool. Oh, and you don't ever seem to relax. But you're a good friend and care a lot about the people you're close with. That's why I care. I would like to be someone you're friends with, but if you're not about that, there are...other options." He smirked, and I tried to swallow despite my dry throat. I looked away from him. God, he drove me insane.

"Why did you do that yesterday?" I asked, quietly. So much for my distant attitude, I guess.

"What, on the stairs?" I nodded. He shrugged. "I was just saying bye," he said with faux innocence. I turned my gaze back to him. Cocky bastard.

"That's how you say bye to all your friends?"

"Oh, we're friends now?"

"Isn't that what you wanted?" Ryan smiled. He had placed his hands in his pockets, and I relaxed a little and rested my hands in the pockets of my jacket.

"What class do you have?"

"Why?"

"I'll walk you there." I smirked and shook my head. I looked into his eyes which reminded me of a forest. They were wild, with shades of brown and green, but there was also some golden yellow like the sun.

"You walk all your friends to class?"

"Nope," he said and walked closer to me. I looked up to him, my heart beginning to beat faster, inexplicably. After I just stared at him for a moment, he spoke. "Are we going?" he asked with a chuckle. I nodded and looked away.

"Sure, come on."

And I hadn't even realized until after how easily he avoided my question. I don't know what Ryan did to me whenever he was around, but I did know one thing.

It scared me.