The Girl in the Boys' Dorms

Chapter Eleven: With every awkward touch, my heart goes thump, thump, thump.

***BTW, I know the titles are different in the table of contents and different at the beginning of the actual chapters, but it has to be that way. The one in the description above had to be shorter, or it wouldn't fit. The one below is the actual, full version of the chapter title. Choose which you like better, and roll with it :) Now, back to the regularly scheduled program; The Girl in the Boys' Dorms, chapter eleven.***

The Girl in the Boys' Dorms - Chapter Eleven: With every awkward touch, with every nervous glance, with every brushing kiss, my heart goes thump, thump, thump... Would someone please call an ambulance?

"Stop acting like this is weird. Just hold my freaking hand and walk with me. Bailey, no, don't stick to my side - be normal. Normal."

I clenched my teeth as Chase kept up this constant commentary. It was already awkward enough that people were staring at us like we were aliens, but his new habit of instructing me on everything was just too much. I wanted nothing more than to push him away and go along on my own - it was a hell of a lot easier than having to listen to his every word, and pretend as though it was extremely entertaining.

We were making our way to lunch, and I just knew that the entire cafeteria would erupt with rumors the moment we stepped in. The anxiety was fluttering inside my stomach like a ticking time bomb - at some point, it would explode, and I would have to deal with the consequences. It was enough that Alexa had given me the most baffled, disbelieving, hurt look when she saw me with Chase, but to know that I would have to be the center of attention for the next forty minutes - well, I didn't know whether to dig up my grave right this second and dive inside, or wait to be thrown overboard by the popular crew, which included none other than Evelyn Walker, Lucie Blake, and Brenda Packer.

As my shoes clacked on the linoleum floor - I still hadn't gotten a chance to wring Chase's throat for exchanging them, but I would get to it soon enough - I felt my heart pounding in rhythm with them. The constant beat created a kind of music in my head, and I found myself following it, instead of the drumming of nervousness in my chest.

Clack. Thump. Clack. Thump. Clack, clack. Thump, thump.

I could've composed a song and made millions as a popstar, had I been able to sing. But you never know, maybe I could turn it into sheet music, and sell it to someone else. Sure, that could be an option - if I made it out of this pageant thing alive, that is.

My breath hitched somewhere in my ribcage as I saw the entrance to the lunch room looming in the distance, and the crowds of people inside it were even more intimidating. If I had been with Kathleen, and we had been doing our usual routine of buying the school's slop and claiming our table, it wouldn't be such a big deal. But I was hand in hand with Chase Gold, and we were planning on unveiling our not-so-real secret to the entire school, which was a completely different situation. It would either play to my favor, and I would be rewarded with many more votes - or Evelyn would open her enormous mouth, and ruin everything for me.

Here's to hoping for the former.

Just as I had predicted, as soon as Chase and I shuffled into the cafeteria, all four hundred pairs of eyes sped to where we were standing. And as though he couldn't see them, Chase clamped his hand tighter around mine, and continued on his way to the lunch line - dragging me unceremoniously behind him, I might add.

"What is everyone looking at?" A velvety, commanding voice came from the entrance to the lunch room, and I felt myself stiffen.

That was Evelyn's voice. Any minute now, she would march to where Chase and I were in line, and demand what we were doing together. And that would be the nice outcome - knowing Evelyn, she would probably tackle me to the ground for even coming near Chase. So, what would happen when she saw us holding hands?