Falling For The Playboy

EVA

“Bitch, I’m going to fucking kill you.”

I ducked before the launched item could hit its target -my head and glanced around surreptitiously, noticing that a few people had turned our way in curiosity.

Oh, for God’s sake. Not again.

“Where the hell did you go? ”

Picking up the launched item -a fry, I gave Laura a ‘really’ look for being so dramatic. She wasn’t even that angry. She just couldn’t open her mouth without calling the attention of everyone in her vicinity.

I chewed on the fry, stifling a grin as she narrowed her eyes at me. Deciding I didn’t want to push her any further and have her draw more eyes to us, I said, “I had an issue that I needed to take care of. ”

Abi glanced at me then. She’d seen me come home but she didn’t know I hadn’t come straight from the party.

Shit. I totally forgot.

Her brows rose and I held my breath, waiting for her to say something. When she simply resumed eating, I took that to mean she wasn’t going to out me. I exhaled. Thank God.

“What ‘issue’ could you possibly have had? ” Laura frowned, cutting into her chicken with a knife and fork. I watched her in envy. I still couldn’t do it even after being taught several times by Abi. The chicken always managed to slip out of my grip.

“It wasn’t that important, don’t worry. ” I dismissed, sipping my juice, but Laura wasn’t buying it at all.

“If it wasn’t important then why did you leave? ” She pointed her fork at me. “You could have stayed and done whatever it was on Sunday. ”

“It was…” I grasped around for something to say. “I mean, it wasn’t. It just demanded my immediate attention and I couldn’t find you in the party quickly enough. ”

I applauded myself for keeping my voice stable as I told the lie. Not that it was a lie. Omar had demanded my attention quick and I might not have been able to find her fast enough considering how crowded the party was. Yet justifying myself still didn’t stop me from feeling like I was lying.

Quite shockingly, she flushed guiltily at that. “Yeah, well, I might have been busy. ” She glanced quickly at Abi as if expecting her to say something. Abi remained silent.

I wondered why Laura looked so guilty. Then I remembered the guy that had wrapped his hand around her waist, whisking her away when I stood next to Axel and I thought I might have an inkling after all.

“How did you get home? ” She asked quickly and if I were to guess, I’d say she was trying to push the spotlight off her.

It was my turn to feel guilty now. I just hoped it didn’t show on my face. “I ordered a ride. ”

“Oh. ” She shook her head. “I forget Uber is a thing since I’m always driving. ”

She believed me!

“People with cars. ” I joked nervously and she laughed, seeming surprised. Of course she was surprised. I’d made her laugh before, but I hadn’t been the one telling the joke.

“I’m sorry, I would have called to check up on you, but I lost my phone at the party. ” Laura apologized. I could tell she actually felt bad and it made me uncomfortable because I was lying.

Stop feeling bad. You’re telling the truth!

“I figured something must have happened to your phone because I called and your number didn’t connect. ”

“How did you lose your phone? ” Abi asked and Laura shrugged.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“It must have slipped out of my purse or something. ”

“How does your phone slip out of your purse, Laura? ”

Laura’s eyes rolled up in her head. “Oh, let it go already. Stop trying to make me feel even worse than I already do. ”

I laughed breathlessly. What was up with her today? She was usually the one making people uncomfortable, not the other way round.

“What? ” Abi backed off, an innocent look on her face. “It was just a question. ”

Laura scoffed. “Of course it was. ”

We fell into silence as we ate our food. Lunch break would be over soon and I didn’t need the annoying Punctuality Prefect who thought just because she had attained the title, she was better than everyone else, to go off in my ears about how ‘seniors should be role models to the juniors’. She’d done it once before when she’d seen me lurking in the hallway when classes were going on because I saw Dexter walking down the hallway and I’d had to hide and wait for him to leave before passing. He didn’t bother me anymore; I was just scared of him.

A pair of feet came into my line of sight just to my left and I turned to see who it was. My eyes slid up past the usual flats associated with the female students of Ivacy High, trailed up slim legs, a short skirt and fitted top -this person had obviously remolded their uniform, and then, the face. Tabitha Laniyan, Head Girl of Ivacy High International Schools.

I watched her lithe frame as she walked past me with unhurried steps, gliding between tables, completely focused like a woman on a mission. Maybe she was. I realized a little too late that she was heading for Axel’s table -where two girls were already seated, by the way. One sat beside Axel, almost leaning on his shoulder and the other was with Henri, Axel’s best friend. Apparently, I knew him, I just hadn’t known his name and Axel’s sister had been right. He was a manwhore. What she didn’t know was that her brother was an even bigger one.

I watched with bated breath as she rounded the table with a cunning smile playing on her lips and slowly…. dropped on Alexander’s legs. When I noticed that the noise in the cafeteria had dimmed, I looked around and saw that I wasn’t the only one watching. Everyone was shocked. I mean, it was normal for girls to be all over him, but no one had expected Tabitha to be one of those girls.

Tabitha had a certain image among the students. She labeled herself the queen bee and bragged of no-one ever being able to compare to her. How come she was over there doing the same thing the girls did now? Mooning over one of the school’s most popular boys.

Except, could there be more going on between them?

My eyes narrowed as I tried to read their body language. I didn’t even have to try to be discreet since everybody’s eyes were focused on them.

Alexander smirked. I noticed he never fully smiled. He shoved her long braids behind her ear, dragging his knuckle down her cheekbone.

Okay. Okay. There was definitely more going on between them.

“Oh my fucking God. ” Laura gasped. “Please don’t tell me Alexander’s dating that bitch? ”

He was. He definitely was.

“Even if he is, it’s not your business, Laura. ” Abi interjected.

“Seriously, Abi? ” Laura gave her a look of absolute disbelief mixed with anger that marred her face until I almost didn’t recognize her.

“You know-”

“Not now. ” The finality in Laura’s voice was unmistakable as she interrupted what was no doubt one of Abi’s preaches. “Another time, maybe, but not now. ”

Abi looked away, grabbing her can of water with both hands as she took a sip. She gave up, admitting defeat in a fight that I did not know the cause of.

Alexander was obviously a touchy subject. Why? I did not know. What did Laura mean by ‘not now’? All these questions and more I wanted to ask but couldn’t. It sucked being the third person in their friend group. I decided that since I couldn’t get answers in words, I would substitute with watching.