Deepest Desire

Stay away

The bell rang and students hurried out of the class. Calculus wasn't the subject most of the students liked. I shoved the materials inside my bag and saying goodbye to Miss Lana, I exited the class.

It was the lunch break and since I told Olivia about telling her everything, I quickly texted her to meet me at the food line.

First keeping my bag in the locker, I headed to the cafeteria which was crowded with students. I scanned the place trying to look for Olivia but I couldn't see her anywhere. Since I told her to meet me, I didn't think much, and taking the tray, I stood in the line.

Fortunately, the line wasn't huge. Ten minutes was over and still, there was no sign of Olivia. It was my turn to take my food— salad, apple, Sandwich, and a carton of pomegranate juice. I walked to the cash counter and paid for it.

I look for an empty seat but it was hard to find one. Jamie's voice came from somewhere and I snapped my head to the region where it came from.

Jamie was sitting across the corner along with Alex by his side. They both waved at me, gesturing me to come. I smiled, grateful to see them, and walked to their seat.

I parted my legs and sat on the vertical seat keeping my tray on the cobalt blue table. “Why did you took so little?” Jamie pointed to my tray.

“My stomach isn't wide as yours” I retorted and started tearing the plastic off the sandwich. Jamie said something under his breath and started eating his food. “Have you seen Olivia?” I asked as I took a bite of the sandwich. Ugh! It didn't taste good.

“Nope,” they both said in unison. Where the hell was she? I checked my phone to see any messages from her but there weren't any. Usually, she replied to my text within a fraction of seconds.

I chewed the sandwich while I sipped the juice with the straw. “How were your classes?” I asked Jamie who was busy gobbling his food.

“Boring but I did some study” he someone managed to say that as his mouth was full.

“Astra!” Olivia called from somewhere. I turned around to see where she was. My eyes darted to her where she was standing and she wasn't alone. My blood boiled when I saw her with Ivanna.

I grimaced seeing them both. That weirdo was odd. Wasn't she the one who told me to stay away from her and now she was chit-chatting with my best friend? What does that suppose to mean?

They approached towards our seat and I was glaring at that weirdo. I clenched my teeth and my grip on the carton of juice was so tight that it started spilling.

“Star!” Jamie yelled and smacked on my hand. I immediately came to reality and saw the juice has spilled on the table. I groaned and taking out five-six tissue papers kept on the middle of the table, I wiped the liquid. It was all because of her!

“Hey!” Olivia chirped standing beside me. I kept my head to the head, trying to appear as if I was wiping the table.

“Who is she?” Jamie asked, his voice filled with amusement. It pissed me more.

The weirdo spoke, “Ivanna. Transfer student.”

“Stay out of my line, fake Barbie” her words roamed in my mind and I couldn't help but get infuriated.

I lost my appetite and since I hated to waste food, I had put the remaining piece of sandwich in my mouth, put the Apple in my jacket pocket, and gave my salad to Alex. I got and without looking at any of the two, I walked out of the cafeteria.

“Astra!” Olivia called my name but I wasn't listening to her. I told her not to talk to her yet she came with that girl.

I went straight to the washroom and locked the door once I was inside the compound. Dammit, I should have given the sandwich to Jamie. I couldn't swallow it.

I swallowed out the chewed sandwich into the toilet and flushed the water. I came out and

washed my hands and also the corners of my mouth. I need to calm myself. Breathe...Breathe..... Breathe.

“Astra!” Oliva yelled, coming inside. “Goodness! There you are!” She approached me and tried to hold my arm but I back away.

She frowned. “I told you not to be around that new girl” I firmly said.

She bit her lower lip making a guilty face. “I told you to meet me but you were busy laughing with her” I continued. Why was I sounding like a jealous boyfriend?

“What were you—”

“I know about what happened” she blurted, cutting me midsentence.

“What?” I implored, my eyebrows were pinched together in frustration.

She sighed, “About why you told me to stay away from her.”

“How?”

“I know I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself. I asked her about you and she told me this whole story.”

“What did she told you?” I asked cautiously. I had no idea what that b***h told her or what story she narrated to her.

Olivia twisted her lips to a side looked at me with skeptical eyes. I had a feeling that weirdo must have said something to her that's why Olivia was acting strange.

She started, “That she is your new neighbor and you both have bumped into each other long before you knew about you and her being neighbors. She told me that you destroyed the pack of fresh cream which she desperately wanted and also when you went to her house with your Mom, you spoke to her rudely.”

Oh. My. God. What a liar! That b***h just told the opposite of what happened!

“It wasn't very polite of you, Astra” she added, shaking her head in disappointment.

After a minute of pause, I asked her, “Do you believe what she told you?”

She hesitated for a second but then she spoke, “At first I wasn't sure because as far as I know you, you aren't like that but she seemed sincere when she told me. Besides, why would she lie to me even?”

Because she wanted to put a wall between us!

I couldn't let it slide that easily. Determined and full of rage, I went straight to find her and confront her. She was supposed to stay away but she didn't. I curled my fingers into a fist and reaching the cafeteria, I searched for that weirdo. She could be easily spotted just by her hair.

She wasn't in the cafeteria. Where the hell was she? I turned around and headed to the Hall, hoping to find her there.

Fortunately, I noticed her near her locker. The anger inside me was boiling every second and it grew more when I saw her. I marched in her direction and stopping just beside her, I demanded, “What do you want?”

As if she didn't know I was there at all, she made a surprised expression. “What do you mean?” she asked, having no idea what I was talking about.

“Why did you lie to Olivia?” I said through clenched teeth aware of the people walking around us.

She acted as if she just remembered what I asked her and with a smug smirk, she said, “What lies? She asked a question and I answered.”

“Don't act cool, you get that? What benefit will you get by lying to her about me?” I questioned, glaring at her.

She closed her locker with a bang and smirking, she replied, “No benefit. I was bored and thought it would be fun to see some drama between the two of you.”

She was insane.

I took a step closer and with a grave tone, I warned her, “Stay away from her or any of my friends.”

She glared at me, the smirk on her face gone. “I can do whatever I wish. If I want to toy with that annoying girl, I will.”

She called Olivia annoying. b***h!

I curled my fingers into a fist, my nails digging inside the skin but that wasn't concerning me at all.

“You warned me to stay away from you. I am warning you to stay away from me and my friends” I warned, confidently eyeing her.

She sucked in air and I knew she was getting furious. “Eyesore” she mumbled but she clearly wanted me to hear her. Shooting a dirty look at me, she turned around and went the other way, her boots making sounds as she walked.