A Poppy In The Stars

Chapter 04

My jaw literally dropped.
He has to be one of the most handsome people I've ever seen, including my favorite, Tom Hiddleston. His messy brown hair was so messy, but somehow it suited him pretty well. His blue eyes looked as though it release some electricity from them, and his olive skin matched all of this very well. Just like Eva has told me, he does have perfect teeth and a perfect jawline with high cheekbones. His nose was so sharp, just like his other features. He wasn't thin, but not muscular or fat either. Just....... perfect!

"Hey." He simply greeted us with a rough, but a very clear voice. "How's everything?"

Eva shrugged. Obviously, he was talking to her, not me. "Um, I guess fine. Great, actually." There was a slight edge to Eva's voice, but she controlled herself pretty well. "You?"

"Oh, I'm just tired after all this practising. Ugh, it's just...too much."

"I can see that." Eva said, nodding.

"And... who's this with you today?" He asked, turning his bright blue eyes to me. I gulped.

"Oh, this is my best friend, Hope."

"Oh nice to meet you, Hope. I'm Jasper. Jasper Alby." He said, smiling brilliantly. I smiled slightly back.

"Yeah, hi. I'm Hope Williams. Nice to meet you too." I said. Somehow I managed to sound normal.

"Oh, Charlie's calling me." Eva suddenly said and stood up. She turned to me. " Is it okay if I go?"

"Um, sure. Why not?" I said, again surprising myself.

She smiled and nodded. She turned to Jasper. "You two have a chat while I'm gone. I think he's going to ask me about the upcoming assignment, and it's going to take some time. See you. " Just like that, she walked away, leaving me and Jasper in an awkward state.

"So," he said and took Eva's seat beside me. I had the urge to move a bit away, but I sat still. "I haven't seen you before. Where do you live?"

"Oh, um, just a couple of blocks away from Eva's." I answered, but felt a little impolite. "You?"

"Oh, I live a little farther than that street you live. But," he turned to face me. "How come I've never seen you before?"

I felt my cheeks flushing. Should I tell him? "Um, it's kind of hard to explain." I simply said. I can't trust him to keep that secret of mine. I've only met him!

He nodded, but kept his eyes on me. "You do look a bit familiar, but not so much."

"I don't think so."

"Well, I'm never wrong." He said, sounding so sure, and turned away to face the court. Ugh. Okay. Now I'm getting doubts about this boy.

"Well, I think there can be an exception." I replied, sounding somewhat annoyed.

He shrugged. "Hmm, maybe for others, but I'm sure I have no exceptions."

I was starting to get annoyed with him. What's wrong with this person?

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I know what I am. I'm cool with everything that happens. Whatever it is."

"Even if it's something bad?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, why not? I mean,
You get over it someday soon right? You have to practice yourself to deal with certain things!"
What?

"So... you're saying that no matter what it is, you know that you won't be sad or maybe even broken hearted?"

"I'm just telling that I'm sure of myself. Self confident? Well, that's what it is."

"How can you be so sure that you are self confident? Because someone said so?" I scoffed. I felt enough of this nonsense.

He turned to me with an unpleasant smirk spread across his handsome face. "Well, I'm saying I'm self confident because I believe I am. Surely, you are not. You seem weak." He said and stood up. I gaped at him, my insides boiling with anger. "Nice talking to you. Bye." He walked away.

What the hell just happened? So much for a first impression! I thought he'll be nice and smart, but he was a stupid, self absorbed git! How dare he call me weak?! He doesn't even know me! What a shithead!
I stood up and searched for Eva. It was easy to spot her with her bright red hair. I walked over to her, well, mostly stomped, and took hold of her shoulder. She turned to me.

"Hope! What are you doing here?" She asked, looking over my shoulder to where we were sitting. She turned back to me, clearly noticing something wrong has happened. "What's wrong?"

"We need to go. Like, right now!" I said, trying to keep my voice even. She obviously sensed that I'm not okay, and she bid a simple goodbye to Charlie and started walking towards the main gate.
I got into the car first and slammed the door shut.

"Whoa! What's wrong with you girl? What happened?" She asked starting the car.

"Drive. I'll tell you along the way. "
She turned the car back to the street and started driving towards the mall.

"Now, tell me. What happened?"

Tears blossomed in the corners of my eyes as I flashed back to what happened earlier. "I don't think that Jasper is a good one."

She sighed. "Why not?"

"You should've heard what he told me, Eva!! He told me that I'm weak!" I almost yelled.

"Okay, now calm down. Tell me what happened!"
So I told her. Every single detail. She looked confused but mostly worried when I finished the story. "But I thought he's one of the good ones." She said, mostly to herself.

"That's where you got it all wrong, Eva." I said, sounding mostly calm after all the confession.

"But....no, he is good. He stopped one bully attack last week!" Eva said.

I shook my head. "I don't trust him anymore. His first impression didn't go very well with me."

"I don't know, I mean, I don't understand that! He has been very nice to everyone!"

"Maybe he decided that he hates me!" I said, sounding foolish.

She shook her head. "This is confusing, Hope. I don't know what happened back there, but I'm pretty sure he's one of the good ones."
I do trust my best friend, but if she says that he's good, then why was he so mean to me?
Ugh. This society is very complicating.