Odessa’s POV
I had never been so aware of the time before.And no , it’s not because Landon asked me to come to his house for the session today.
Every tick of the classroom clock seemed louder than the last.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
What was wrong with me, it was just an innocent offer and it would even be more comfy, those were the words I repeated.
“Miss Hopkins.”
I blinked.
My literature Professor lowered her glasses and looked directly at me.
“Would you like to share the answer with the rest of the class?”
I had completely zoned out “What was the question?” I asked
A few students laughed.
“Exactly what I thought.” She said
Heat rushed to my cheeks.
“I’m sorry.”
She smiled kindly.
“Your mind seems to be somewhere else today.”
If only she knew.
By the time the bell rang, I was the first person out of my seat.
“Someone’s in a hurry,” Maya teased as we walked into the hallway.
“I’m hungry.” I said
“Liar,” Naomi said immediately.
“I am!”
“You’ve barely spoken all morning.”
“I’ve spoken.”
Maya nudged me with her shoulder and wiggled her eyebrows”So”
“So what?”
“When are you going to tell us?”
“Tell you what?”
“What happened after the race.”
I blinked innocently.
“Nothing happened.”
Naomi gasped dramatically.
“Maya!”
“What?”
“She’s lying.”
“I know.”
“I’m not lying.”
Maya folded her arms.
“So you definitely didn’t disappear with Landon after the race?”
“Nope”
“You definitely didn’t spend twenty minutes talking to him?
And he definitely didn’t invite you somewhere?”
I stopped walking.
“How do you know that?”
Naomi and Maya exchanged victorious smiles.
“Aha!”
I covered my face.
“I hate both of you just stop.”
Naomi laughed.
“You’ve been smiling all morning.”
“I have not.”
“You literally smiled at your chemistry book.”
“I was not smiling at my chemistry book.”
The lunch bell rang before either of them could tease me any further.
“Food!” Naomi cheered.
“I thought you were supposed to be elegant,” Maya said.
“I can be elegant while eating.”
“You literally inhale your food.”
“I prefer the word appreciate.”
I laughed as we joined the stream of students heading toward the cafeteria.
The room was already packed.
Students filled every table, conversations overlapping until the entire place buzzed with noise.
We found our usual table near the windows and Naomi immediately stole one of my fries.
“That’s mine.”
“Our fries now baby.”
“No my fries.”
“Sharing is caring.”
“I suddenly don’t care.”
Maya chuckled as she sat opposite us.
“So”
I pointed a fry at her.
“If this conversation is about Landon, I’m leaving.”
Naomi looked offended.
“We’re capable of discussing other things.”
“Oh?”
“Absolutely.”
She took another fry.
“Do you think he cooks?”
I dropped my head onto the table.
“You see?”
“What?”
“You proved my point.”
Maya burst into laughter.
“I can’t help it my friend is tutoring the hottest guy in campus of course I have to be curious”
I looked away before either of them noticed my face warming.
The cafeteria doors suddenly opened and I felt a gush of cold air.
Conversation after conversation died out and Naomi frowned.
“What happened why is everyone staring at the door ?”
Maya looked toward the entrance.
I followed her gaze and it was Landon.
He walked into the cafeteria wearing his usual black hoodie over a white T-shirt, the sleeves pushed up to reveal his forearms.
His backpack hung carelessly over one shoulder, and his expression remained as unreadable as ever.
As always he ignored everyone and a few boys quickly moved out of his way.
He didn’t acknowledge any of them.
Naomi leaned closer.
“He’s probably looking for an empty table.”
I hummed
“Wait why is he headed here” Maya whispered furiously
Wait what?
I looked up and he kept walking straight toward us, it felt like my heart skipped a beat, there were dozens of empty seats.
Why would he come here.
He stopped beside our table and Naomi’s mouth fell open.
Maya looked between him and me with wide eyes.
I simply stared at him and Landon pulled out the empty chair beside me and sat down.
The cafeteria became completely silent.
I could actually hear someone drop a spoon.
Landon calmly opened a bottle of water as though nothing unusual was happening.
He took a sip and I stared at his Adam’s apple and he looked at me.
“Morning, Pinky.”
“Morning Landon.”
Naomi looked like she was seconds away from exploding.
Maya had suddenly become very interested in pretending to eat.
I cleared my throat.
“You.
usually eat here?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Too noisy.”
I blinked.
“Then why are you here?”
He reached into the pocket of his hoodie and placed a neatly folded piece of paper on the table in front of me.
I stared at it.
“What’s this?”
“My address, i won’t be able to drive you there.”
My eyes widened.
“What?”
“For today’s tutoring session.”
“Oh.”
He leaned back slightly.
“Four o’clock.”
I nodded.
“I remember.”
I picked up the paper and carefully slipped it into my notebook.
Landon stood up “I’ve got class.”
“You came all the way here just to give me your address?”
“Yes.”
“You could’ve texted it.”
“Right.” He said
A tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
“I’ll see you later.”
Then just like that he walked away.
The silence lasted exactly three seconds then the cafeteria literally burst int whispers, Landon just made me the center of attention again.
Whispers erupted from every direction.
“Did you see that?”
“He sat with her!”
“Since when do they know each other?”
“Isn’t that the new girl?”
“What is going on?”
I slowly turned toward Naomi and she was staring at me with the biggest grin I had ever seen.
Maya looked equally excited.
“Oh no,” I muttered.
“Oh yes,” Naomi whispered.
Before either of them could speak i felt it a pair of eyes burning into the side of my face.
I looked across the cafeteria and immediately saw Cecily.
She was standing beside her table, her lunch completely forgotten.
Her eyes were locked on me.
Then I did the most crazy thing ever, I smirked at her and watched her face tighten with rage.
The final bell rang a little after three.
I had survived the rest of the school day.
Barely.
After what had happened in the cafeteria, everyone suddenly knew my name and I became the new source of attention.
It was exhausting.
Naomi bumped my shoulder as we walked out of English.
“I still can’t believe he sat with us.”
“He sat with me.”
“Exactly!” she squealed.
Maya laughed.
“I’ve never seen the cafeteria go that quiet.”
I sighed.
“I don’t understand what the big deal is.”
Naomi stopped walking.
“Odessa.”
“What?”
“That boy has never willingly sat beside another student.”
“Seriously?” He was so dramatic
She nodded dramatically.
“He usually eats alone or never at all.”
We reached the school gate and Naomi stretched her arms.
“Today’s the first tutoring session at his house.”
“It is.”
“You nervous?”
“A little.”
“Excited?”
“Maybe.”
Maya smiled.
“I think it’ll be good but to be safe, get a can of pepper spray.”
I nodded and Naomi suddenly looked at her watch.
“My driver is here, my parents asked me to come for something important.”
She hugged me quickly.
“Text us everything.”
“There won’t be anything to text.”
She gave me a look.
“We both know that’s a lie.”
She climbed into the waiting car.
Maya’s older brother arrived a few moments later.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Maya said.
“Bye.”
Soon I was alone.
I reached into my bag and unfolded the piece of paper Landon had given me.
The address was written in neat handwriting.
You really are something else Landon
“The popular new girl” someone said and the voice made my shoulders stiffen.
I folded the paper immediately.
It was Paxton.
He stood a few feet away with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket.
His bruised ego was written all over his face.
“What do you want?”
He walked closer.
“So that’s why you rejected me.”
I sighed.
“Not this again.”
“You were already interested in Harlway.”
“No.”
“Don’t lie.”
“I’m not.”
He laughed bitterly.
“I watched him walk into the cafeteria today.”
“So did everyone else because we all have eyes.”
“He ignored the entire school” His jaw tightened.
“just to sit beside you.”
I shrugged.
“You’d have to ask him why.”
His expression darkened.
“You think you’re special now?”
“I never said that.”
“He doesn’t care about you.”
A few nearby students slowed their steps and watched him, Paxton noticed but his pride wouldn’t let him walk away.
Instead he stepped closer until there was barely any space between us.
“You embarrassed me.”
“You embarrassed yourself.”
“You slapped down my invitation.”
“I rejected your invitation.”
“You’ve made me look pathetic.”
I folded my arms.
“I think you’ve managed that on your own.”
His face hardened.
“You’ve changed.”
He reached out suddenly and grabbed my wrist.
“Let go of me.”
“No.”
“I said let go.”
“You think you’re too good for me now?”
I tried pulling away and his grip only tightened.
My heartbeat quickened.
“Paxton.”
My voice was calm.
“This is your last warning.”
He laughed.
“Or what?”
“Let.”
He smirked.
“Go.”
“Make me.”
Before I could think too much about it, my free hand flew through the air.
SMACK!
The sound echoed across the school courtyard.
Paxton’s head turned with the force of the slap.
A bright red handprint slowly appeared on his cheek.
His grip loosened and I pulled my wrist free immediately.
He stared at me in disbelief.
“You” His voice shook.
“You slapped me.”
I looked him straight in the eyes.
“Next time I’ll gouge out your eyes”
I walked past him and I heard some girls whispering.
“She actually slapped Paxton”
Another voice answered, “I don’t think anyone’s ever done that before.”
“He deserved it though, manhandling a woman in public, he’s a jerk” another saud
I smiled and kept on walking