Confessions of a hopeless romantic

Chapter 3

Leah's POV:

Dammit, 10 minutes more before my history test starts, and I've just gotten dropped off by the bus. To make matters worse I am totally unprepared for the test. Maybe it's not a bad idea to take the driving test Dad insists on me having after all.

Just then, my phone starts ringing, and I pull it out of my pocket to see Anna's name display on the screen. She sent me a couple of texts this morning, but I ignored them, assuming it is just another "how I'm gonna have a glow up " topic. I'm expecting this call to be more of the same.

It is kind of funny how she always messages me for her selfish interests but at school she pretends to not know me.

Anna is my cousin but you'd never guess it, because we never speak to each other, always trying to keep our distance. Anna always tries to weasel her way into the popular crowd while I try to keep a low profile.

"Not now, Anna, this isn't the time for this," I think to myself, silencing and slipping my phone back into my pocket .

As I step into school ,I sense a fishy atmosphere, becoming aware of everyone's gaze on me. I look down at my faded jeans to see if there is anything wrong with it, feeling my butt if I had just gotten my period unexpectedly or torn clothes, but there was nothing .

From my left, I hear two girls bickering , "Well I don't think it's her," the brunette says, eyeing me from head to toe.

"Shut up girl, I know it's her.Look at the curls!" the African American says crossing her arms, staring me down.

I badly want to slap the bitches .

I am not the type that gives a f**k what people say about me , I've been called a freak, too many times to count . Sure , it hurts but I can't control people's thoughts.

What the hell is going on? I can feel people whispering, staring and pointing at me but I tune them out and make my way to the parking lot. With classes already in session, I guess there wouldn't be too many people.

Dialing Anna's number , I turn the corner and collide face first with someone's chest sending his car keys clattering to the floor.

"Watch where you're going!" A deep male voice exclaims.

I lift my head to see the basketball captain staring back at me, he searches my face and a look of recognition slowly spreads across his face .

I take a step back and look up to his face, noting his striking face features _ green eyes and dark brown, straight hair. I can't deny, he is undeniably good-looking and damn attractive but he is not my type _ not like I'd ever have a chance with him .

"You're the girl from the library" he says, abruptly pulling me from my thoughts.

"W_ what do you mean?" I stammer .

"Okay" he smirks, looking from my face to the keys on the floor.

"Oh my God !" I let out a humorless chuckle "you're kidding, right? " I ask, looking him straight in the eye .

"I mean you dropped it" he says , his face stern.

I let out an annoyed huff "You bumped into me and you're asking me to pick up your damn keys?" I ask, "you should pick it up, it's yours .

He stares at me, possibly lost for words . I know I bumped into him, but I ain't ready to admit it .

I look down at my phone to see my phone ringing. I totally forgot I called her back and my phone is in silence mode, I need an explanation for what is going on in this school and she possibly has all the explanations I need .

"Holy s**t" I utter picking up the call to Anna's voice.

"Meet me in the girl's restroom." she says in a whisper "I'm waiting."

I part my mouth to respond but she hangs up. Something feels off, I could sense the slight disturbance in her voice.

I glance down at the floor, intending to pick up the keys and get this over with but it's gone . I look up to see the basketball captain holding the keys .

" Uh, I've gotta go" I say , trying to maintain my cool but the truth is I am panicking internally .

I start to sprint towards the school building when he shouts out, "I didn't get your name"

I halt, unsure if to reveal it to him or not, I look back and I see him standing, expectantly.

"It's Leah " I reply, sending him a brief smile.

As I enter the school building,the silence of the hallway envelopes me, indicating that classes are in session and reminding me that I've missed my test _ the last chance I have at aceing history. Now I'm certain ,I will definitely be attending summer school.

I head to the restroom trying to avoid meeting any teachers or principal Ó conner.

I push open the restroom door, and walk my way to its corner where I find Anna sitting on a bench dressed in the most revealing outfit: a short skirt that barely covers her thighs and a crop top that has her n*****s poking through the material.

She rises up from the bench and advances towards me while I pause, processing how a normal person would come to school in such a slutty outfit .

" Earth to Leah, I can't believe you just got to school" she said with a grin.

" Oh my goodness, what are you wearing?" I asked, scanning her with my eyes . You're dressed like a f*****g w***e .

"Young lady , you should care less about my fit and more about yourself." She said sternly.

Confusion etched on my face , processing what she said and replaying people's behaviors when I walked into the school.

I was about to respond when she continued speaking." Don't tell me you have no idea what's going on" she lets out an amusing chuckle "Didn't you go through the school platform?"

Replying almost immediately "what are you talking about? , I quit that s**t a while ago."

The school platform titled "The exposé of Lincoln high" is a group chat where an anonymous member posts dirty secrets of others every Friday.

Two weeks into my first semester in Lincoln high, I've witnessed how two seniors nude pictures _ of a boy and a girl leaked and how they were shamed by the other students. After witnessing that , I quit the group chat because I would never encourage such a low and retarded behavior.

Principal Ó conner always addresses the issue but of course he could never have done anything about it because nobody has an idea who is behind it all.

Am I being targeted now? I have been in Lincoln high for barely a semester . Who could possibly have dirt on me ? Considering I never interact with anyone, I suspect it's Anna.

"Anna, what did you do?" I say in a long-drawn tone ."I swear I would kill you with my bare hands if I find out you set me up." I add.

"I did nothing, I swear", she assures me . "It's just_ you shouldn't have messed with Alicia, she dropped this message in the chat saying..."

She grabs her purse from the bench she was sitting on and pulls out her phone, Scrolling through it before she side-stepping me. She holds out her phone showing me a picture of myself in the chat, captioned "I need y'all to take care of this b***h".

I have no idea when the picture was taken but it looks like I was in class.

"That was an empty threat r_ right?" I ask, rubbing my forehead.

"Um I don't think so" she shakes her head "look at all these replies" she adds scrolling through her phone.

As footsteps approach the restroom, Anna suddenly grabs my hands and pulls me into a toilet stall.

"Be quiet" She whispers, clamping her hands over my mouth.

She slightly opens the door and peeps through it with her hands still gripping mouth. I try to push it off but she doesn't budge .

We hear the door creak open and close and she checks peeping through the door. She pushes open the door and we step out.

"What the f**k was that,are you nuts?" I yell at her, catching my breath.

She snaps back almost immediately, her voice lacing with anger" I saved your ass , I mean our asses," she corrects herself "and you have the guts to yell at me ? What if some goddamn teacher walked in , how do you explain yourself not being in class? You should be thanking me"

"The f**k, calm down" I mutter "Who was it?" I ask, glancing at the door.

" A girl from your grade, I guess" she replies , shrugging.

" If it was a student, why didn't you let us out at the time, you just had to wait till she was out didn't you?" I sigh.

" She would assume we were making out or more..."

"Ewwww, don't mention it" I stick out my tongue in disgust.

She winks at me " And that would drift everyone from the main topic."

"Let me guess, I am the main topic?" I ask.

" Of course you are, you'd better stay away from Alicia and other people too because you may never know" She warns .

" Besides you know Alicia is my friend and I can't stand up against her no matter what." She adds.

"What do you mean? So you'd rather pick your friend who treats you like trash over your own cousin?" I ask.

"That's not what I mean" she whispers.

"Well I think it is pretty clear" I state " Here is a free advice , you should be able to wipe your butt yourself, don't go around licking other people's toes"

I have no idea what I mean by what I just stated, I tend to blabber nonsense when I'm angry or nervous but she obviously needs to hear it from someone.

I start heading to the washroom door not letting her say anything. I turn to her while she stands there, looking confused."And f**k off" I add.

"Leah , Leah" she calls out.

I slam the door, the sound echoing through the hallway.