Pieces of Love

Chapter 28

The next Monday was met with anticipation as I walked into school. The reasonable part of mind was telling me that the chances of him moving in to our school in the middle of the semester was a pretty wild and crazy idea, yet the descriptions of him and his name were too coincidental.

Walking into History class, I saw the new boy talking to Jacob. Oh Jacob, you sweet innocent naïve boy. Despite our uncomfortable silence, I couldn't help but smile at his ability to speak to new people. It was how we met, after all. It was a sad smile, but I smiled nevertheless. Jacob's figure was shielding the new boy's face from view and when he moved to the side, I made eye contact with the new boy. My heart almost stopped beating.

It was Tom.

After one year of not seeing each other, what Lily and Sophie said was still true. He still had the same dreamy eyes, the obvious muscles bulging under this thin shirt, but his hair was now cut shorter into a manlier haircut. I almost missed his hair back in the day, when it was longer and he would always have to flick it out of his eyes. Tom's eyes also widened at the sight of me, but it was quickly gone as a smirk took over his features. Jacob turned around to see what was going on, and the familiar look of hurt appeared on his face, making me feel guilty. If only Jacob knew that the reason for me rejecting him was standing right in front of him. I don't think he would be that eager to talk to Tom anymore.

Tom's unwavering stare was starting to make me uneasy, so it was a relief to have Ms Portia enter the classroom, asking us to settle down. The seats that Jacob and I had occupied were at the very front of the class, and out in the corner of my eye, I watched as Tom took a vacant seat a few desks behind.

I had always found History interesting. Add that with Ms Portia's obvious experience in this subject, despite her being only in her mid-twenties, it was often very hard for me to be distracted in this lesson. Jacob was an exception. And now, with Tom behind me, it would be a miracle if I managed to take down any notes in this class. Jacob's arm brushed against mine every few minutes while he was writing down things in his notebook, and I surprisingly found myself wanting more.

This strange new feeling, the feeling that I realised had suddenly surfaced with Tom now in the picture, was the thing that was dominating my brain as I made my way to the cafeteria a wasted History class later. I was now biting the tip of my pen, something that I did when I couldn't figure something out, when I accidentally made a wrong turn and ended up in a deserted corridor next to the cafeteria that hardly anybody uses.

It was then when I heard giggling. And then a male voice sounded out, muffled yet distinct. I recognised the voice immediately and alarm bells rang in my head.

I turned the corner, ignoring the sinking feeling in my stomach, and saw a mop of dark brown hair. A hollow feeling appeared in my chest as I saw a muscular arm snaked around what was unmistakeably a girl's waist. The boy and girl were leaning against the wall, and his head was dipped down. There was no doubt what the pair was doing and the urge to vomit was hard to suppress. There was just something about couples making out that I hated with a passion, and this was no exception.

But what that caused bile to rise up in my throat was when the boy turned around to the sound of my footsteps. His face was blank, a complete opposite to my emotions as they erupted into chaos. The moment felt like déjà vu. Exactly one year before, in my last year at middle school, I also found Tom in the same compromising position, kissing a girl who was my former best friend. What was worse was that both of them knew that I had a crush on Tom in that period of time.

It seemed like one year had done nothing to diminish the same hurt that I felt. Tom and his player ways were the reason for my pain, the reason for the ultimate feeling of betrayal I felt the first time. And now, the only thing that I could do was run. And run I did.