Million Dollar Man

Chapter 13. You intigue me.

The day, as expected, has gone by aggravatingly slow. In every single one of my classes I would barely be able to stay awake. I would find myself slipping away, almost falling asleep. The only thing that would keep me from doing just that is one of my fellow class mates nudging me or even one of my teachers catching my attention. But even that didn't really help. The only real thing I had to look forward to was lunchtime, because that is when I would get to see Nolan. Just thinking about seeing him excites me.

So when the bell rings signifying that it is indeed lunchtime already, I fly out of the main office like it is going to explode in 10 seconds. I make sure to say a quick goodbye to Jane and the other office workers as I gather my things and make my way out of there. I walk towards my locker to leave some notebooks and my copy of To Kill A Mocking Bird, as well as grabbing the lunch I left in there earlier before walking towards our usual lunch table. Once reaching it I greet Angelina who is already there, munching on a chocolate chip cookie. One by one all of our friends reach the lunch table but the one I am the most eager to see, makes no appearance.

"Umm.. do you guys know where Nolan is?" I ask openly, taking a bite of a strawberry.

"He went home early." Liam says. "Don't know why, he didn't either."

"Oh." is all I say. I look down and pick at my fruit, feeling disappointed. What I was looking forward to the most this day, isn't here. He left home early. Without letting me know. Well, I don't know that. After all I haven't checked my phone all day.

I reach into my bag and get my phone out, turning it on. I don't use it during school hours, and hardly use it outside of school so I turn it off to save battery. The only person I really use my phone to communicate with besides my parents and most recently Nolan is Jaime, and I see her more in person so there really is no need. The light from my phone screen comes to life and instantly I feel my phone buzz. I have two text messages from Nolan.

'Sister pulled me out early for my doctors appointment I forgot I had, sorry.'

'See you later? Miss you already'

I smile at the second message and flip the screen to reply,

'It's okay, miss you too. We can meet at the cafe later?'

I tuck my phone into my back pocket and look up at my group of friends, each of them in their own conversation. I pick up another strawberry and bring it up to my mouth, taking a bite out of it when I feel someone's eyes on me. I look around me and see no one staring at me, not a single person. Everyone is going about their own business, so I decide to do the same. But something tells me to look up ahead and when I do, I see the same blue eyes that have been staring at me, looking directly at me.

Once again, not even bothering to look away. This time though, I do. I don't bother trying to see who can look at the other before one gives in and looks away. He always wins anyhow. I always give in before he does. I can hang at first, because something about him makes me want to keep staring, and I can't look away. But I grow uncomfortable when I realize that he has no reason to stare at me, I don't even know him. He doesn't even know me.

I can feel him looking at me the rest of the lunch, but I don't dare look back. I distract myself by talking to my friends, eating, and occasionally checking my phone to see if Nolan has replied. He hasn't. And by the time it is the end of lunch I have checked my phone a total of 10 times. Maybe he's busy, I think to myself. He did have an appointment after all. I reach my English class in time and take my seat, taking out my notebook for the class once I see the warm up on the board.

One by one everyone of my classmates comes into the classroom, all but Henry and Mila. I can't say I'm surprised, but it is after all the second day of school. They could at least save the ditching until later.

The bell rings signifying the end of the period but for me, the end of the school day. I gather all of my things and I make my way out of the classroom, beginning to walk to the student parking lot. I see other students who too get leave early at the parking lot, but one surprises me.

Right there, leaning against the hood of a car, the car that took my parking space yesterday I realize, is Henry Dean. A cigarette between his fingers that he occasionally brings up to his mouth. I look around to see if there are any faculty or staff, worried that they might see him smoking a cigarette on school grounds but there is no one. He doesn't seem to care anyway, and I realize then I shouldn't either. It's his problem.

I continue to walk the rest of the way to my car and once I reach it I look up again at him, catching him staring at me. I try not to let it bother me and look away, but as I open the drivers door and make a quick glance up again, I let my anger get the best of me and slam the door.

"Why are you always looking at me?" I ask annoyed, surprising him. I'm sure he wasn't expecting me to burst like this, because neither was I, but I am tired of this.

"What?" he asks, surprisingly calm. And that only annoys me more.

"Why are you always looking at me?" I repeat, louder this time.

"I don't look at you." he lies. I make my way around my car and over to the car parked next to mine that he is currently laying against, that I assume is his.

"Yes, you do. Last night at the party, today in the morning, when I pass by you in the hallways, lunchtime, right now. You are always staring at me. And I want to know why."

He takes in a drag from his cigarette and blows out the air calmly, as if he has all the time in the world.

"Why don't you calm down Red?"

"I will not calm down, not until you tell me why you are always staring at me."

"You intrigue me." he says, never breaking eye contact with me. I feel myself grow red and fiddle with the material of my dress.

"What?" I don't know what I was expecting when I bursted out and confronted him, but I wasn't expecting that. I intrigue him? What does that even mean?

"You heard me." he gets up from against his car and I take a step back, realizing for the first time how much taller he is than me. "You intrigue me."

I break my eye contact with him and look down at the floor, taking another step back.

"Do I intrigue you?" he asks smoothly, and I grow warm.

"No." I back away. He's just as intimidating as I thought he was, and him being this close to me asking me what he is asking is making be feel beyond uncomfortable.

"Now that's a lie." he steps closer, and I find myself bumping into my car. This allows him to tower over me even more. "I see you looking at me too."

I don't want to answer him, because I know he's right. I do stare back at him, and he does... intrigue me? But I don't want to admit that to him.

"I- I got to go." I slide to the side away from him and make my way around the car and to the driver side door. My hands shake as I try to open my car with the keys and my embarrassment grows. I hear him laugh as I finally manage to open the door and I start the engine as quickly as I can. I look up at him before I back out and see him wave goodbye to me, a stupid smirk on his face. I nod towards him, but look away as I do. I need to get out of here.