Bittersweet Affection[COMPLETED]

First Encounter

REY

When I dropped off Nora at her school, I left for mine after several contemplations.

My stomach lurched as I backed into the lot reminding me how I hated Mondays and going to school from the onset.

Also, having history as the first lesson for the day made the feeling worse for I disliked the subject- perhaps, because of how boring it was or maybe I just loathed going to school.

My mother had told me I had cried, scratched and clawed when I first got enrolled in daycare. I ended the drama in third grade but I still didn't get used to the idea of schooling.

I stepped down from my car, took a container that could fit inside the pocket of my brown hoodie from the back seat. I passed by some students in the lot, their eyes glued on me as I walked in.

I punched the code of my locker in and took out a blue lighter- because, on days like this, I had kept it in there.

Walking to my favourite spot at the end of the hall close to the janitor room, I unlocked the door and entered.

The room was dark and I waited for a few minutes for my eyes to get accustomed to the darkness before going in further. I groaned as my kneel accidentally jammed into a table I didn't notice close by.

Bending down, My hand went to my jean-clad knee, rubbing at it for some seconds.

I straighten back up, set my bag on the table. I felt inside my back pocket, took out a Rizla and wrapped the weed I had acquired last night at Owen's party.

I lit it, brought it to my lips and took a long drag. I let out a cough as the smoke went into the wrong pipe. Though that didn't stop me and I could feel the tension in my shoulder loosening.

My fingers tapped on the table slowly as I waited for the stick to finish; my mind drifted to what could be going on.

Kellen would be in class now and he would be very attentive even though he might not be interested in the topic, he would feign interest. Unlike I who attended classes to check out girls and nothing else.

By attending class, I meant staying at a distance observing everything going on. Most especially the girls as they filed in.

Although the time stretched by slowly, I eventually finished the cigarette. I got up, popped a mint in my mouth and decided to grace history class just this once.

As I walked into the class, everyone became quiet or maybe they weren't talking before I came in as the bored expressions on their face couldn't go unnoticed. I sighted Kellen at the back seat which was the fourth row. He grinned widely, showing off his pearly white teeth as his eyes met mine. I raised my brows at him and he waved me over.

The history teacher swivelled to where I stood as I was about to quietly move to my seat. Also, the whole class now gawked at me.

Great!

"Nice of you to join us, Mr Leslie." Mr Jackson prompted with a sarcasm laced in his tone and peered down at me through the glasses resting on his nose.

"Yeah," I murmured, shrugging my shoulders. Mr Jackson began saying something but I moved to my seat before he could finish.

It not like I was rude or something but I wasn't in the right mind to hear him rant about us, I mean the students, not abiding by rules and regulations.

Red tinted his cheeks and his mouth opened and closed. His gaze turned furiously back on the girl I hadn't noticed was standing in the second row.

"Nice of you to join us, bro," Kellen said, extending his hands for our secret handshake.

"Yeah, I only came to check someone out." I grinned.

Kellen stared at me, a knowing smile playing on his lips.

My gaze roamed around the room and landed on Alyssa. She had discarded the gown she wore at my side for a pink polka dot, chiffon blouse on a white pair of jeans. Her make-up was now two of the ones she had applied this morning, making her look more sluttish.

She smiles seductively as her eyes lock on mine. Though it looked more like a hyena smiling.

Liar!

Whatever.

My eyes roamed around the classroom and landed on Lee's seat which was in the second row. Her back was to me and all I could see was a nice backside inside the red checkered skirt she donned on. I eyed her small waist as she gesticulated.

I wonder what she is saying.

Her honey-blonde hair shone as sunlight from the window hit it.

"Miss James!" Mr Jackson's voice rang in my head and severed the connection I had with my thoughts. The said girl also jerked.

"You have lost it." My gaze drifted to Kellen as he gazed at me intently.

"Me, never," I smirked, rubbing at my smooth chin. "I just like what I see."

"Go easy on her. " He shook his head staring back at the board.

I eyed him suspiciously. "Do you like her?"

He shrugged, glancing away.

"I don't know the answer." The girl facing Mr Jackson blurted out, disrupting our conversation.

"Too bad because that is detention for you." Mr Jackson yelled facing the board. As he was about to write, the bell rang signalling the end of class.

Everyone let out a lethargic sigh.

I, in particular, was glad that I wasn't ready to write anything. Moreover, Mr Jackson's handwriting was not legible. He didn't even add punctuation to what he had written on the board.

I was curious if he did anything like the English Language from wherever he came from.

"Thank goodness, I thought I was going to die back there." Detention girl said.

"We still have detention." Lee pointed out.

So, they were friends?

I slouched in my seat and watched as Lee arranged her books in her pink bag. The detention girl turned and my gaze latched onto her. My mouth went dry as champagne brown eyes stared back. Her dark brown hair was held tightly by a pink ribbon in bows. Dimples appeared on both cheeks as she talked to Lee.

The face that plagued my dreams, the face I thought would be mine forever, the face I had tried to forget. Now stare at me.

"V-Venus," I breathed out.

"Venus?" Kellen repeated.

I nodded, got up and was about to move to her side but he held me back.

I gaze back at him, a frown etched on my face as I thought- I was about to meet her again and he was holding me back.

"Where is she?" He asked.

I pointed to where the detention girl was and he narrowed his eyes. He let out a sigh whilst pushing me to the chair.

"Calm down, Rey. That's not Venus." He said.

I tried fighting him to let go but his grip went tighter. I became weak all of a sudden. My heart thudded and I felt a sharp prick in it which in turn resulted in a throbbing headache.

"That's Winter, Lee's best friend."

"How do you know?" I mumbled.

"She had been in this school since junior days. I even know where she lives." He said. "Also, she is Lee's best friend. They had become close since Lee got into Sunnyville." He added, explaining further as I stared at him sceptically.

"How come I didn't notice?"

"Well, you are just being you. You don't notice a lot of girls here." Kellen pointed out.

My breathing had returned to normal and my hands weren't shaking anymore but it still felt cold. I was glad no one had noticed the exchange because I could imagine the head that would grace the school website.

"Because there's nothing to look at," I said, referring to me not noticing the girls here. It was the truth anyway. There wasn't much to look at since they were all superficial, starting from Alyssa who was the queen of frivolity. Only Lee that somewhat appealed to me.

"And she looks so much like her," I added, referring to the detention girl.

I rubbed at my throbbing head and clutched it in-between my hands.

A shadow passed across Kellen's face, "I know. I was as confused as you are right now."

I mulled over how he would have reacted when he first saw her. Perhaps he had been stunned like I was, then ran over to meet her. Only to apologize for mistaken identity.

However, knowing Kellen, he wouldn't do the latter.

He must have observed her for a while after being startled to make sure she wasn't her.

"Will Lee be in geography?"

I knew all my classes by heart but had never felt interested in attending them.

"Yes." Kellen plucked his notes, lying on the desk and I followed suit.

I got up, slinging my bag across my shoulder. I needed to see her again to clear the doubts in my mind.

**************************************

As we stepped through the entrance, the class turned except Lee and her friend, Winter.

My gaze lingered on her for a few minutes. Her backside was to me and the skinny jean she donned accentuated her curve. She already pulled her jacket. I could make out a creamy smooth stomach as she stood on tiptoes whispering in Lee's ear.

"You are late, young men," the teacher said. A chubby woman of average heights, probably in her early or late thirties. Her brown hair has some grey strands in it and she didn't try to cover it with dye like most women these days do.

"Yeah, it won't happen next time," Kellen said, flashing her a smile.

Shaking her head, she motioned for us to go ahead to our seats.

"You are on time for the project. Kindly look for where to sit. "

Lee tapped Winter's shoulder and she swivelled facing our direction. A second look at her cleared my doubt. I took in all of her features at once.

The eyes were a dead giveaway, however, I had been too bewildered to notice. She had a lighter shade of brown eyes whereas Venus' was dark- Espresso brown. Also, two dimples on her cheeks whereas Venus' own was a dimple below her cheekbone but physically their features look almost the same.

My jaw tightens as a pair of familiar brown eyes flashed in my line of vision with an infectious smile. Her body slammed into mine, hugging me tightly. Lifting her off the ground I turned her around, her giggles filling me. Her vanilla scent filled me. All of her restored me.

“Are you alright, bro?" Kellen's anxious voice drifted into my head, making me blink the illusion away.

“I'm fine," I grunted. I took a swing from the water I often carried with me in a plastic container. The liquid calmed me and my parched throat came alive as the liquid wetted it.

Sighing, I stepped forward when the teacher called my name. She paired me with Winter. I let out an exasperated sigh as I wanted Kellen or Lee.

Kellen was my best friend and we share almost the same interest. Lee, I would be closer to her at the end of the day as well as get what I wanted from her.

I didn't want Winter or Summer or whatever. She also unnerves me by looking so much like Venus and I do not feel like sitting anywhere close to her. Though for the sake of the project and Lee, I would.

A list of how I could annoy her whilst sitting with her ran through me. I could call her something else since her name sounded absurd.

One of Nora's favourite cartoons flashed through my mind. "Winnie the pooh. "

That is perfect.

Since her name was Winter, she would be Winnie for short and the Pooh was to rile her.