Chapter 2

 There he was, leaning against one of the walls. Nathan was as good-looking as I remembered him. He was talking to a guy, one of my classmates.

  I couldn’t help but stand still and stare at him while Addison and Daniel were arguing behind me.

  “Oh, come on! He seems to be a jerk,” said Daniel.

  “Well, I think he’s really cute, “ said Addison. “So does Rebbeca, too.”

  “Bex, are you there? Stop looking at him!”

  “I’m not looking at him!”

  “No, of course not. I’ll never understand women”, complained Daniel.

  “Do you know him?” asked Addison.

  “Well, no, I don’t. But he is really cute.”

  “That’s what I’m trying to say! Do you think he’s got a girlfriend?”

  “I think so. He’s handsome, good-looking, why wouldn’t he have a girlfriend?”

  “Well, I hope they’ll break up soon.”

  “Maybe..”

  “What? Do you like him, Bex?”

  “No, of course not!”

  “Then, why did you say…”

  “Forget it. Never mind.”

  “Okay.”

  Just then, Mrs. Ralph, the math teacher, walked in.

  “Good morning, class! Are you having fun? Actually, I don’t care. Take your seats now.”

  “Is this seat taken?”

  I turned around. Nathan was standing near me, waiting for an answer.

  “No, it isn’t…”

  “Great.” As he sat down, his hand brushed mine sofly and my stomach turned up-site down. That strange electricity was going through me again.

  And then, I started day-dreaming again. I was with him in a café. It was the first time we met. I was drinking (I can’t remember what) and I was very upset after my parents broke up, so I was alone.

  “Hi.. can I, umm, sit with you?”

  “Yea, sure, whatever.”
  “I’m Nathan, by  the way.” He was wearing a leather jacket and his hair was messy, but it looked great. “What’s your name?”

  “Rebecca, but some people call me Bex.”
  “Rebecca, what a beautiful..”

  “Look, I’m very upset right now. And you seem so happy and.. I’d better stay alone.”

  “I’m not really happy, actually. I’ve just broke up with my girlfriend, and that’s why..”

  “That’s why you are talking to me? Do you think I’m a bitch, that you cand hang out with me and forget her?”

  “She cheated on me! Look, I saw you and I thought maybe..you’d like to talk to me. You seem really nice, you know. And I’m not a jerk.”

  “I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m not in a good mood. I’m sorry for being so rough. I’m not that bad, anyway.”

  “I can see it. You look like a really nice person.”

  “Thanks.” I couldn’t help but stare in his blue eyes. “You too.”

  “And this is the moment when I want to buy you a drink., so, do you want any?”

  “Sure. And thanks for cheering me up. You know..”

  I came back to reality, where Mrs. Ralph was standing in front of me.

  “Miss Alford, are you all right?”

  “Yes, I am. No problem.”

  “Fine. Try to stay awake, please.”

   After this funny conversation, Mrs. Ralph turned to the blackboard to write the lesson.

  I was curious to see Nathan, to look at him. I was wondering if he was looking at me. Just then, I saw him smiling at me, then I took my eyes off him quickly, hoping he hadn’t seen me. Actually, I think he had because just then, I heard him giggling and I felt stupid. Damn.

  I was very glad because the bell rang soon and I escaped from Nathan. But another nightmare was chasing me: Addison and Daniel.

  “Wow. If you like the new guy, you could have told me. I’m your friend.” said Addison.

  “What? I don’t like him!”

  “No, of course not!” said Daniel.

  “I saw him smiling at you. And you smiled back. Then you blushed.”

  “I didn’t…” Actually, I blushed. “Look, I don’t know him, and I don’t like him either. Can you leave me alone?”
  “Sure, whatever..”
  I walked to my  locker and took my books for the English class. When I closed it, Nathan was standing right beside me.

  “Wait..What? What do you want from me?” I asked.

  “Nothing. I missed you, that’s all.”

  “Yeah, sure. We broke up, remember?”

  “Yes, of course”, he said, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t hang out sometimes. Look, what I am trying to say is that you seemed so strange back there, in the classroom. Are you all right?”

  “Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be all right?”

  “Never mind. Just remember: I missed you.”

  “Haha. Very funny.”

  “See you later, I guess.”

  “Fine.”

  Then he left, taking his bad jokes with him, and I started heading to my English class.

  When half of the day passed, the lunch had finally came. I met my friends at the canteen.

  “Hey, what’s up?” I asked.

  “Where have you been? We’ve been waiting for you for ages.”
  “I had some stuff to do. Doesn’t matter.”

  “We’d better hurry up if we want any food,” said Daniel.

  “So, Bex, I can see you are getting on well with the new guy.”

  “Well.. yeah, but he doesn’t seem so nice.”

  “Yeah, sure. Come on, we all saw you smiling and laughing at him.”

  “Look, I don’t like him, ok? I don’t even know him.”

  “Okay, never mind.” said Daniel.

  As we were walking to the cafeteria table, I noticed that Nathan has entered as well the canteen.

  As usual, I got a salad and a smoothie and I waited on Addison and Daniel. We were trying to find a free table to sit at when I saw Nathan with the corner of my eye sitting alone at a small table. He was watching us carefully and abstracted… Well, he was watching me carefully.

  We passed him silently, but suddenly he caught hold oh my hand, rising to his feet. Our faces were just some inches apart, his breath falling on my bare neck.

  “I can’t to it,” he said. “I can’t resist on you. You are making it too difficult.”

  “Well, actually, I can do it. So stop following me. Let it go.”

  I thought all the people in the canteen heard us, but then I realized we were only whispering. When he realeased me, I could barely breathe.

  “What was this all about?” asked Addison when we left Nathan alone again.

  “Nothing. He just apologized to me for something.”

  I didn’t want Addison to know about me and Nathan. Well.. I didn’t wans anybody to know about us. He was my ex-boyfriend. Ex. Just because I found him attractive doesn’t mean I want him back, does it? Really, does it? It was just a matter of time until we both will let it go.

  After lunch, I met him again.

  “What was that? Are you crazy or something?” Well, yeah, he was.

  “What? Why?”

  “Because what you did in the canteen…”

  “It was.. Look, I told you. You are so hard to resist. I can’t give up.”

  “You have to! I don’t want .. anything. I don’t want anything with you.”
  And then, I left him standing in the middle of the hall.  



  Statea chiar acolo, sprijinindu-se de unul dintre pereti. Nathan arata la fel de bine cum imi aminteam. Vorbea cu un tip, unul din colegii mei.
  Nu puteam decat sa stau si sa ma holbez la el in timp ce Addison si Daniel se certau in spatele meu.
  -Oh, haide, pare un idiot, a spus Daniel.
  -Ei bine, eu cred ca e dragut, a zis Addison. La fel si Rebecca.
  -Bex, esti acolo? Nu te mai holba la el!
  -Nu ma holbez la el!
  -Nu, sigur ca nu. Nu voi intelege niciodata femeile, se planse Daniel.
  -Il cunosti? ma intreba Addison.
  -Nu, nu il cunosc. Dar chiar e dragut.
  -Asta incerc si eu sa spun! Crezi ca are prietena?
  -Probabil. Este aratos, dragut, de ce nu ar avea prietena?
  -Sper ca se vor desparti curand.
  -Poate..
  -Ce? Il placi, Bex?
  -Nu, sigur ca nu!
  -Atunci de ce ai spus...
  -Uita. Nu conteaza.
  -Ok.
  Chiar atunci, Doamna Ralph, profesoara de matematica, a intrat.
  -Buna dimineata, clasa! Va distrati? Defapt, nu imi pasa. Asezati-va acum.
  -Este locul ocupat?
  M-am intors. Nathan statea langa mine, asteptandu-mi raspunsul.
  -Nu, nu este...
  -Minunat.
  S-a asezat, mana lui atingand-o usor pe a mea, iar stomacul meu s-a intors pe dos. Acea electricitate ciudata m-a strabatut din nou.
  Si atunci, am  inceput sa visez cu ochii deschisi din nou. Eram cu el intr-o cafenea. Era prima data cand ne-am intalnit. Beam (nu pot sa imi aduc aminte ce) si eram foarte suparata dupa ce parintii mei s-au despartit, deci eram singura.
  -Buna, pot sa, hmm, stau cu tine?
  -Da, sigur, cum vrei.
  -Sunt Nathan, apropo. Purta o jacheta de piele si parul lui era dezordonat, dar arata grozav. Cum te cheama?
  -Rebecca, dar unii oameni imi spun Bex.
  -Rebecca, ce nume fru...
  -Uite, sunt foarte nervoasa acum. Si tu pari atat de fericit, asa ca mai bine stau singura.
  -Nu sunt chiar fericit. Abia m-am despartit de prietena mea, si de aceea...
  -Deci de aia vorbesti cu mine? Crezi ca sunt o tarfa cu care poti sa iesi ca sa o uiti?
  -M-a inselat! Uite, te-am observat si m-am  gandit ca poate..ti-ar placea sa vorbesti cu mine. Pari chiar draguta, stii. Si nu sunt un idiot.
  -Scuze, doar ca nu sunt prea bine dispusa. Imi pare rau ca am fost atat de artagoasa. Nu sunt chiar asa rea, oricum.
  -Pot vedea asta. Pari o persoana chiar draguta.
  -Multumesc. Nu am putut face nimic inafara de a privi in ochii lui albastrii. Si tu.
  -Si asta e momentul cand ma ofer sa iti cumpar ceva de baut, deci, vrei?
  -Sigur. Multumesc ca m-ai inveselit. Stii...
  M-am intors la realitate, unde Doamna Ralph statea in fata mea.
  -Domnisoara Alford, esti in regula?
  -Da, nicio problema.
  -Bine, incearca sa ramai treaza, te rog.
  Dupa aceasta conversatie amuzanta, Doamna Ralph s-a intors la tabla sa scrie lectia.
  Eram curioasa sa il vad pe Nathan, sa ma uit la el. Ma intrebam daca se uita la mine. Chiar atunci, l-am vazut zambindu-mi si mi-am luat ochii de la el repede, sperand ca nu m-a vazut. Defapt, cred ca m-a vazut pentru ca l-am auzit chicotind si m-am simtit stupid. La naiba.
  Eram foarte fericita cand a sunat clopotelul repede si am scapat de Nathan. Dar alt cosmar ma urmarea: Addison si Daniel.
  -Wow. Daca chiar iti place de noul tip, puteai sa imi spui. Sunt prietena ta, a spus Addison.
  -Ce? Nu il plac!
  -Nu, sigur ca nu, spuse Daniel.
  -L-am vazut zambindu-ti. Si tu i-ai zambit inapoi. Apoi ai rosit.
  -Nu am.. Defapt, chiar rosisem. Uitati, nu il cunosc, si nu imi place de el in niciun caz. Puteti sa ma lasati in pace?
  -Da, cum vrei..
  Am mers la dulapul meu si mi-am luat cartile pentru ora de Engleza. Cand l-am inchis, Nathan statea chiar langa mine.
  -Ce, cum? Ce vrei de la mine? l-am intrebat.
  -Nimic. Mi-a fost dor de tine, asta-i tot.
  -Da, sigur. Ne-am despartit, iti amintesti?
  -Da, normal, a spus, dar asta nu inseamna ca nu putem sta impreuna uneori. Uite, ce incerc eu sa spun este ca pareai atat de ciudata in clasa. Esti bine?
  -Evident ca sunt. De ce nu as fi?
  -Nu conteaza. Doar aminteste-ti: mi-a fost dor de tine.
  -Haha. Foarte amuzant.
  -Ne vedem mai tarziu, presupun.
  -Bine.
  Apoi a plecat, luandu-si glumele proaste cu el, iar eu m-am indreptat spre ora de Engleza.
  Cand o jumatate de zi trecut, s-a facut vremea pranzului. Mi-am intalnit prietenii la cantina.
  -Hei, ce faceti?
  -Unde ai fost? Te-am asteptat o gramada.
  -Am avut ceva de facut. Nu conteaza.
  -Ar trebui sa ne grabim daca mai vrem mancare, spuse Daniel.
  -Deci, Bex, vad ca te intelegi bine cu tipul cel nou, zise Addison.
  -Pai, da.. dar nu pare chiar asa dragut.
  -Da, sigur. CU totii te-am vazut razand cu el.
  -Uite, nu il plac, ok? Nici macar nu il cunosc.
  -Ok, nu conteaza, adauga Daniel.
  Cand ne indreptam spre masa de servire, am observat ca si Nathan a intrat in cantina de asemenea.
  Ca e obicei, am luat o salata si un suc de fructe si i-am asteptat pe Addison si Daniel. Incercam sa gasim o masa libera cand l-am vazut pe Nathan cu coltul ochiului stand singur la o masa mica. Se uita atent la noi si ingandurat... defapt, se uita atent la mine.
  Am trecut incet pe langa el, dar brusc el m-a prins de mana, ridicandu-se in picioare. Fetele noastre erau doar la cativa centimetri departare, respiratia sa alunecand pe gatul meu gol.
  -Nu pot sa o fac, a spus. Nu iti pot rezista. E prea dificil.
  -Defapt, eu o pot face. Asa ca nu ma mai urmari. Uita.
  Am crezut ca toata cantina ne-a auzit, dar am realizat ca vorbeam in soapta. Cand mi-a dat drumul, abia puteam respira.
  -Despre ce era vorba? ma intreba Addison cand am plecat de langa Nathan.
  -Nimic. Si-a cerut scuze pentru ceva.
  Nu vroiam ca Addison sa stie despre mine si Nathan. Defapt, nu vroiam ca nimeni sa stie despre mine si el. Era fostul meu prieten. Fost. Doar pentru ca arata bine nu inseamna ca il vreau inapoi, nu-i asa? Nu? E doar o problema de timp pana cand amandoi vom uita.
  Dupa pranz, l-am intalnit iar.
  -Ce a fost aia? Esti nebun? defapt, da, cam era.
  -Ce? De ce?
  -Din cauza a ce ai facut la cantina...
  -A fost.. Uite, ti-am spus. Esti greu de rezistat. Nu pot renunta.
  -Trebuie! Nu vreau... nimic. Nu vreau nimic cu tine.
  Si atunci, am plecat lasandu-l in mijlocul holului.