LAW OF ATTRACTION

CHAPTER 17 : HIDDEN TALENTS

He instantly grabs my tray. "Come sit with us." And with that, he starts walking to his table.

I'm left staring at his back with eyes like saucers. 'Us' who?! The questions rush in my head, making it boil even more. His gang? His friends? The knots come back in my stomach and my brain. I'm not at ease with people I don't know, even less with popular bad boys...

But I guess I have no choice, as Alex is already heading to the back of the catering hall with my tray. So I quickly follow him, even if I'm not really hungry anymore, and the eyes I feel on me all the way are not helping my knotted stomach. I try to ignore them, focusing on Alex's back in front of me.

I finally catch up with Alex just as he puts my tray on the table, the table the farthest from the entrance, the bad boys' table.

I don't even have time to catch my breath that he announces, "Dudes, this is Elena."

The four heads that have been down on their plate or on their phone – or both – not noticing us until now, all turn to us, or more exactly me, at the same time. I've been speaking of the lions' den just minutes ago, and now here I am.

"And here are Logan, Greg, Cameron, and Dylan." He points to each boy.

Though I already know them: two are in our class, and I know the others by sight because everyone has heard about the bad boys.

They all say 'hi', greeting me with smiles or nods. Despite their 'bad boys' appearances with dark clothes and strong features, they all seem quite friendly and not as scary as I've thought. However, next to Alex, no one looks as dangerous and dark.

Speaking of the baddest bad boy, he pulls out a chair for me like a gentleman, and then he sits on the one right next.

Sitting down, I stare dumbfounded at my plate, not used to so much attention as all eyes around the table are on me, and I can also feel around the wide room.

"So you're new here?" Cameron asks me, observing me with his bright blue eyes.

He's a senior too, but not in my class, and even if I know him by sight, apparently he doesn't know me.

"No, I've always been in this school," I reply, a light burn coming to my cheeks as I start to fiddle with my fork.

This is exactly what I've been talking about: I'm not good at interacting with people. I'm only good at setting awkwardness.

A slapping sound pulls me out my stare at the cutlery and out of the awkward atmosphere: Greg, who is in my class, smacking Cameron behind the head. "Don't mind him, he's a dumbass!" He gives me a smile.

"Hey!" Cameron grumbles.

"That's okay, it happens all the time..." I say, nibbling on my lower lip. Though at least, their little playful fight has lightened my mood.

"Then they're fucking blind," Alex whispers.

My cheeks turn hotter, and a smile spreads on my lip from the warmth. Even though we're just friends, it means a lot to me, maybe more than it should.

"Do you want some cheese?" Cameron offers me, probably trying to make up for what he has just said but not really succeeding.

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch sight of Alex's jaw tensing, while Cameron looks at me with big eyes, like a puppy, waiting for an answer. I don't know why but I just burst out laughing. I must look like a lunatic, yet the pressure from what has happened minutes ago is just letting up in a lightness, even though I'm currently surrounded by the bad boys of the town. "No thanks!"