Ruel//Wrong number

Chapter 8; just by the forest

>Mataya's Point of View <

I sat on the oval with my hair down, reading The Hate U Give. I liked sitting on the oval, especially when lots of people were at school. I could hide in the trees where the forest meets the oval. Technically it's off school property, but it's peaceful. When people are on the oval sometimes I sit on a tree branch and read up there, no one can see you. I've been coming here a lot lately, usually during 3rd period Chem. I don't want to see Ruel at the moment. I continued to read my book, with my earphones in listening to The Neighbourhood. I didn't realise he was standing there till I felt a tap on my shoulder. To be fair, it made me jump a little. No one's usually this far from the school buildings, especially not to see me. I took out both of my ear phones and looked behind me. Ruel. The person I've been trying to avoid. "Oh, uh hi." I can't look at his face. He makes me nervous, but at the same time when I look at him, I wanna cry my heart out. "Hey, uh I was wondering if I could talk to you?" He walked past me and sat down so we were eye level. I lowered my vision to my hands that I was already fiddling. I only did that when he was around, most of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it. "Uhm, yeah sure." I could feel his stare. I tried to shift back a little but I just bumped into the tree. I think he could tell I was uncomfortable, not that he probably cared.
"Uh we got paired to do an assignment together, Mr. Gowder said it's gonna take a while. You weren't in Chem today, so I picked up all the information and uh, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to study at mine. After school, today. If you want to." I looked up briefly, but looked down the second I made eye contact. I could feel the tears in my eyes. Had he forgotten everything that happened, it was only 6 months ago. I couldn't even look at him, let alone spend a few hours studying in his room. "Uh, I can't sorry." My voice cracking as I gathered my stuff, tryna get away from him as quick as I could. I stood up to leave but he grabbed my wrist. Only gently, but it still caught me off guard. "Mataya please." I looked into his eyes, this time for a few more seconds. I didn't want to talk to him, but I think he got what I say tryna say because he let go. I walked as quick as I could, Ruel didn't move. I could feel the tears swelling up.