CHAPTER 10: Drama Queen
The bus pulled up to the school, and I was more than ready to escape the cramped space and the overly loud chatter of early morning gossip. I grabbed my bag and stepped off, inhaling the crisp air that smelled vaguely of freshly cut grass and exhaust fumes from the line of cars pulling into the lot.
And then I saw her—Tess. She was just parking her car, the bright red paint gleaming in the sunlight like some sort of showpiece. She spotted me almost immediately and waved, a wide grin splitting her face as she jogged over. Her blonde curls bounced with each step, and her oversized sunglasses looked ridiculously glamorous for someone in high school.
“Well, well, look who decided to show up bright and early,” Tess teased, adjusting her bag strap as she reached me.
“Yeah, yeah. Don’t act too surprised,” I shot back, smirking. “Not all of us have a car and can roll in whenever we want.”
“Oh, trust me, I noticed. You’re looking very… public transportation chic today.”
I rolled my eyes. “Bite me, Tess.”
She laughed, nudging me playfully. “Kidding, kidding. But seriously, next time, text me. I could’ve swung by and picked you up.”
Before I could respond, a familiar voice chimed in.
“Are you two always this loud, or is this a special occasion?”
I turned to see Liam strolling up beside us, effortlessly cool as always. His dark jeans were perfectly fitted, his white shirt looked annoyingly crisp, and his leather jacket gave him that “too cool to care” vibe that somehow didn’t come off as pretentious. His perfectly styled hair made him look like he belonged on the cover of some teen magazine, not walking through a school parking lot.
“Liam,” Tess said with mock sweetness, “don’t you have some fans to charm or something?”
He smirked, adjusting his jacket. “Not yet. I figured I would grace you two with my presence first.”
I snorted. “How generous of you.”
Liam leaned closer to me, lowering his voice just enough to be playful. “You’re welcome, by the way.”
“For what?”
“Brightening your morning,” he said with a wink.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. Tess groaned dramatically, throwing her hands up. “I swear, this school would be so much more peaceful if you just stayed home.”
“Not my style,” Liam quipped, falling into step with us as we headed toward the school building.
The three of us were mid-banter when the atmosphere shifted. It was subtle at first, a hum of excitement rippling through the crowd of students. But then it grew louder—whispers, gasps, the telltale signs that someone important had arrived.
I glanced around, trying to figure out what the fuss was about, and that’s when I saw him. Ethan.
He had just pulled into the lot in his sleek black car, the kind of car that looked way too expensive for a high school student to be driving. As soon as he stepped out, the entire parking lot seemed to collectively hold its breath. His presence demanded attention, even if he wasn’t actively seeking it.
But it wasn’t just his arrival that had me frozen—it was the way his eyes immediately found mine. He didn’t look around, didn’t acknowledge the other students gawking at him. His gaze locked onto me like he had some kind of radar.
I tried to look away, but it was like he was pinning me in place with just his stare. My pulse quickened, and my grip tightened on the strap of my bag. What was his deal? Why did he keep doing this?
Beside me, Tess whispered, “Uh… is it just me, or is he staring right at you?”
Liam followed her gaze, frowning. “Why is that?”
“Nothing,” I said quickly, breaking eye contact and looking anywhere but at Ethan.
“Nothing? That guy looks like he’s ready to—”
“Liam!” I cut him off, my voice sharper than I intended. “Let it go.”
Tess exchanged a look with Liam, but thankfully, neither of them pushed it. Instead, Tess looped her arm through mine, pulling me along. “Alright, drama queen. Let’s get inside before the bell rings.”
I nodded, forcing myself to focus on her voice and not the burning sensation of Ethan’s gaze still on me. As we walked away, I could feel it, like a weight pressing against my back.
The rational part of me knew I was being ridiculous. He wasn’t some supernatural being with laser vision or mind-reading abilities. He was just a guy. A really creepy, overly intense guy.
And yet, as much as I tried to shake it off, a small, nagging part of me couldn’t ignore the way his presence made my skin prickle. Like there was something more to it—something I wasn’t ready to face just yet.
