See You Again

III

The doping tests from the last race came back all negative. Well, all negative from our school. There was someone from FHS that tested positive and will be taken out of the team. I hope it isn't Theo. He is not that stupid...

Still, it didn't stop the looks people were already giving us. Not that I cared that much, but it gave the team a bad image and was just something else to add to the pile of 'Reasons to dissolve the Swimming Team'.

Ignoring the consistent whispering, I grabbed my books from my locker and went straight to my last class of the day, glad it was Friday already.

I'm not a writing genius, nor am I capable of creating a whole alternative scenario. Just a down-to-earth guy that is dyslexic. I have no business being in Creative Writing; I find it boring and too hard, but it's the only class I share with Vanessa, so I make the effort.

I dropped my books on my table, right next to her, and sit on my chair, preparing myself for my ninety-minute nap on the more that uncomfortable chair.

"Where were you?" she asked since I had not escorted her to class today.

"Team meeting," I answered, rubbing my eyes. "The results came out. I told them it was stupid, we were all clean."

She looked like that was too petty of a matter for someone like her. "That guy is an idiot."

"Indeed," was all I could say. I'm pissed at him and pissed at everyone who believed or believes it. People who know me and still drag my name to the dirt like that.

Our teacher entered the classroom, ten minutes late as usual. Miss Bremer was an eccentric person. She was a failed writer who resigned herself to teach a bunch of uninterested kids who couldn't care less about her and her life saga on becoming a famous author and always dressed with the most ridiculous colour combinations. I don't know if that's her style, or she's just trying to make a point. Either way, she looks like a clown. Did it hurt to wear less orange eye shadow?

Anyone who saw her without the clown clothes, and I had the pleasure of it, knew that she was smoking hot. Do you think I'm joking? I'm not. She's only twenty-seven, but the makeup made her look much older and the baggy clothes hid her figure. I don't know why she dresses like that. In reality, she's nuts, but she'd have a different reputation if she dropped the overalls and colourful scarf.

"Good afternoon, students," she greeted in her drowsy voice. "Please open your books on page 56, where we left off last class."

I opened it and looked at the poem. Then I supported my head on my arm, closed my eyes and let Miss Bremer's voice take me to dreamland.

I didn't dream, at least not that I recall. As the class was ending, Vanessa poked me and my eyes shot open, adjusting to the light as I remembered where I was.

"You'll be working in pairs to present to the class on Monday. The person on your right will be your partner on this project." She said when the bell rang.

I looked at Vanessa and smirked as she turned her head to me, that silky smile and knowing eyes meeting mine.

Finally, this class pays off.

"You're going to write a short story that starts with the following sentence. 'When I woke up, life was not the same, the world was not the same, and I was yet to find that what that meant.'"

And she ruined it.

I stuffed my books back inside my bag and turned to Vanessa to discuss details.

"Do you want to come to my place?" She asked before I could open my mouth. "My parents aren't home, and Peter still has classes. We would have more peace."

Sadly, that's not an invitation to Netflix and chill, which is frustrating because I think I already deserved a reward for all the years waiting for her.

"Sure."

She enlaced her arm on mine and we walked down the corridors, heading outside where her driver was waiting.

I sent the twins a quick text to let them know I would get home later and sat next to Vanessa in the backseat.

"We should write a love story." She said out of nowhere. "A forbidden love. What do you think?"

She can do whatever she wants because she'll hardly get anything from me. I might get a sudden outburst of creativity, but I doubt it'll be anything good.

"Sounds perfect."

She seemed pleased, not that she was expecting a no. I don't think anyone has ever had the guts to tell her no. I might be in love with her, but most people in school worshipped the floor she stepped on. Peter and her, they were above all them on the chain; we were all above but especially them.

Soon, we stopped by her place, and I could not ignore how majestic it was. I was more than used to the filthy rich mansions, mostly because mine is one, but Vanessa's was something out of the ordinary. It was a real-life palace made almost entirely of stone and adorned with statues and fountains here and there.

"When I said my family wasn't home..." she added as we walked through the door. "I wasn't being a hundred per cent truthful."

I rose an eyebrow at her but as we went further in, it all made sense and did not make me happy at all.

"NESSA! You took so long." Her voice came from the large living room. "We're out of After Eights."

Vanessa stopped for a moment. "Deal with it."

"You're mean!"

"McKenzie is here," I concluded in annoyance, easily recognising the irritating South Wales accent.

We found her laying down on the couch with a chocolate stick in her mouth, watching something too violent on TV.

She sat up as soon as she spotted me, looking confused. "I'm supposed to know you, am I not?"

Vanessa chuckled lightly. "That's Will, Mackie, remember him?"

She looked at me scrumptiously and I felt uncomfortable out of a sudden. Stupid, right? But the way she was looking at me was as weird as if she was looking deep into my soul.

"Not really," she said, without ever breaking eye contact. "Are you the one who's in love with Ness?"

I didn't know what to say; I wasn't prepared to be directly confronted in such a nonchalant way.

I heard Vanessa laugh beside me, probably finding the circumstance hilarious from her point of view.

"I am," I responded.

"Mm, I see." She looked at me pityingly. "You're aware of the fact you have no chance, right?"

"What?" I blurted automatically. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Vanessa shook her head, no longer amused, and dropped her stuff by the table. "Do you guys want anything to eat?"

"More After Eights," McKenzie complained again. "Also tea. No milk."

She rolled her eyes at the blonde's request and turned to me, but I wasn't hungry.

When she left the room to go find a maid, leaving me and McKenzie looking at each other awkwardly. She laid back again to go back to whatever she was watching.

As I was about to turn around, she spoke again. "I'm Kenzie, not sure you know that."

"I know." I retorted, insulted that she didn't even remember me.

"Good." Kenzie didn't look at me again once. "And I meant that you're not her type. No offence, but there's no way she feels the same way about you, no matter how much of a catch you might be."

I looked at her, somehow pissed. Damn straight I'm a catch! How dare she say that? She's not the one who's here with her every day, nor the one who grew up with her! I know her better than she thinks and I refuse to acknowledge anything she just said.

"We'll see," I said, which made her giggle as if calling me stupid.