Rejected At First Sight (Spinoff Series)

27

Ash

I wore my hair down today, the golden strands falling to my butt. A soft white t-shirt rested snuggly on my body, black leggings dangerously hugging my legs. High top converse in no other shade than red seemed to draw the eyes to me, but then those eyes slowly roamed up, and were fixed upon my body.

A small smirk had been cemented to my face. I walked past a boy with wide brown eyes in the hallway, I smiled brighter at him and flung my hair over my shoulder as I walked past him.

Sage shook his head at my side, but a smile of his own was plastered on his face. "What is with you today?" he asked, sparkles in his eyes.

I shrug. "I just woke up feeling refreshed."

Sage's eyes flick down, glancing at where my clothes cover my bruises. "The pain?"

I smile at him when his eyes meet mine again. "Sage you need to stop worrying about me." I gestured to my body. "I'm obviously fine."

Sage's eyebrows furrowed. "But the pa-"

I link arms with him, dragging him along the hallway and successfully shutting him up.

"I'll see you next period." I say and let his arm drop from mine.

It only takes a split second for Sage's arm to reach out and catch my wrist. "Ash." He says. "Take it easy today. You're still healing."

I shift my weight onto on leg. "Got it." I say, nodding once.

This seems to satisfy Sage enough to let go of my wrist. "Math."

I give him a small smile and wave as I walk into history.

Tucking my hair behind me ear, I don't have to look towards my chair to know that he is there. I walk to the back of the classroom, keeping my eyes pointed downwards.

In one fluid motion, I slide into my seat and place my bag on the ground next to me. I make a show of not looking towards him as I get out my text and notebook.

Once I had carefully and slowly arranged the needed materials on the table, cautiously placing a ball point pen to the right of my notebook, I look towards Jay.

He stares back at me, his blue eyes shining against his slightly tanned skin and dark hair. Jay was wearing a dark blue shirt and black jeans, the soles on his black and white converse clean. "Hey." I say quietly and look back towards the front of the room.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see the side of his mouth jerk into a smile. "Hey." He replied, his voice husky in the quiet morning.

For the rest of the period, I make sure that he knows that this does not mean that we are friends. I avoid any unnecessary interactions with him, going out of my way to make sure there is absolutely no physical contact between the two of us.

We were supposed to be collectively working on the history project, the deadline in less than a week. But alas, I had been stuck with the dead weight of catching up on 3 chapters of notes and in-class-lectures by myself, with no other material but the 2000 page text.

My pen scribbled along my notebook paper, my other hand propped on the side of my head, simultaneously pulling my hair out of my face.

Jay's elbow shifted slightly. When he moved his hand into his lap I saw that he had subtly shifted his notebook closer to me. He had opened it to the section of notes I had been struggling with for the past 20 minutes.

I reach out to his notebook and shove it back to him.

Jay sighs beside me and crosses his arms over his chest, leaning back into his chair. I continue scribbling notes and ignore him beside me.