Chapter Three
Author’s Pov
I entered the hall, searching for a comfortable spot where I could relax and read my novel without any interruption.
My gaze swept around the hall slightly before stopping at a desk placed beside a tree... Determining that it was the perfect spot, I made my way towards the desk, putting my head down to avoid any unwanted attention.
“Touch out.“ Someone shouted, "Shouted making me raise my head to see a cute guy riding a skateboard heading my way. I dodged as quickly as I could, making my books drop to the floor.
I bend down,down,down, picking them one after the other while swearing under my breath.
"I amamam, so sorry. Are you okay?" The guy asked while quickly bending down to help me get the remaining books.
“Yeah, yeah, I am fine, but you really need to watch where you are driving that thing.“ I said it in a polite tone, trying not to get myself any enemies around here.
“Yeah, sorry about that.“ He replied,replied,replied, chuckling nervously, while using his free hand to ruffle his hair a bit.
“My name isisis Ethan,Ethan,Ethan, by the way.“ He said he was saying he was stretching his hands towards me.
“Tina,“ I replied,replied," taking his hands, then turning immediately and leaving.
I really don’t want any friends for now. I want to first adapt to the system before associating myself with anyone.
I sat on the desk, spreading my book, ready to read, when I felt a presence by my side. Turning, side. Turning,  side. Turning, I saw the guy from the other time.
“Pick somewhere else to sit.“ He said it and said it rudely, then placed his headphone in his ear. I growled inwardly, but I gathered my books and made my way out of there.
“Ahhh, the audacity of rich kids.“ Isaid itsaid it said it under my breath.
I heard a chuckling sound coming from beside me, making me turn to see the guy from before, the one with the skateboard.
I raised my eyebrows at him, wondering what was so funny.
"It looks like you had a rough encounter with Ryan.“ He said this, licking the ice cream in his hand.
“Who is this, Ryan???“ I asked,asked, and was curious as to why he was acting all high and mighty. There’s always a reason, right.???
“The popular rich guy.“ Ethan answered before handing me a snack bag. I looked at the snack in his hand before looking at him.
“No thanks.“ I answered, turning around to leave.
“Hey,Hey, Hey, you don’t have to be mean,mean,mean, you know... I get it; you don’t want to be my friend. Sorry, sorry, sorry, I was just here and was looking for someone to talk to.“ He said he was pouting before turning around to leave, making me feel guilty.
“Wait!“ I called out.
“I'm sorry; it’s just that I'm trying to be careful and know my environment first.“ I said,said,said, looking at him with a pleading gaze.
“Ahhh, but at least it won’t hurt knowing someone,someone,someone, right???“ He answered,answered,answered, smiling.
“Yeah, yeah,Yeah, I guess.“ I answered back.
“Okay, okay, okay, let’s start the introduction from then on. I am Ethan, same class as you; I resumed two days before you, and no,no,no, I don’t have any friends. What about you?“ He said all that once, making me chuckle.
"Well,"Well,"Well, I am Tina; I also don’t have friends, as you know; I am trying to read so I can pass with great grades; I have two cousins in this school; I think that’s all.“ I answered, answered, and smiled.
“You have two cousins but no friends?“ He asked.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's kind of complicated.“ I answered,answered,answered, smiling at him.
“Okay, okay, okay, okay, so where are you planning to read now that Mr. PopularPopularPopular sent you packing???“ He asked
“I don’t know really; maybe I should just use this recess to enjoy the view instead.“ I replied,replied,replied, smiling. Actually, actually, it's nice having someone to talk to, I thought inwardly.
“Or we could go to the library; it’s quiet and nice, and it's also good for sleeping.“ He said itsaid itsaid it, making me chuckle.
“Are you going there because you want to sleep?“ I asked.
“Well, well, well, you caught me. Common, common, common, let’s go.“ He said he was saying he was leading the way. “
He came out of the hall to see her walking away with the guy from the other time. He stood and watched until she was out of sight.
“Caleb, didn’t you say you knew that guy?“ He asked his friend, looking at him.
“Yeah, why?“ Caleb asked, raising his head from his mobile phone and giving his friend his full attention.
“Find a lash for him already; he is getting annoying.“ Ryan answered, rolling his eyes.
“Why, what did he do?“ Caleb asked, but got no response as Ryan only turned his back at him as he walked away.
…………….
“Let’s sit in the back, please,“ Ethan said, pouting a bit so Tina would accept.
“You are adorable.“ Tina said, chuckling, making Ethan chuckle.
“Yeah, I know; that’s my most useful superpower.“ He said it smugly before picking a desk to sit at.
“Are you just going to sleep?“ Tina asked her new-found friend, who rested his head on the desk, immediately after they got to the desk.
“Hmmm, I am tired, and books bore me, so I am just going to sleep for a moment.“ He answered, closing his eyes.
Tina shook her head before opening back her book, picking up from where she left.
After school hours were over, Tina and Ethan made their way to the packing lot to wait for their drivers.
"Hey,"Hey, it It looks like my ride is here.“ Ethan said, looking at Tina and Tina and smiling.
“It was nice getting to know Tina; now I have a new friend.“ Ethan said before rushing off, waving at her.
Tina chuckled at her new friend's bubbly behavior, shaking her head before making her way towards the spot. She She and her cousin wait for her aunt.
“Hey man, your cousin is here.“ One of Alex's friends called out, making everybody’s attention turn to her.
She quickly put her head down and slowly made her way towards them, standing a good few meters away from them.
“Doesn’t she talk? She looks like a fool.“ One of Rita’s friends said:
“Probably because her mother abandoned her.“ Another replied, laughing, making Tina look up immediately. She couldn’t believe her cousin's sister would tell the world about her issues.
“What do you want to beat me?“ Rita asked, raising her eyebrows at her.
She quickly averted her gaze back down, not wanting to cause any trouble for herself.
“Hey! “ A deep voice called out.
Deciding not to raise her head, thinking whoever it might be wasn’t referring to her, she kept her gaze to the floor.
"I am talking to your floor face.“ Ryan said, trying to get her attention.
Tina immediately raised her head to look at him before looking around her, noticing that everyone's attention was now on her.
Me?"  she asked.
“Is there any other person who finds the floor as interesting as you here?“ He replied, rolling his eyes.
“What do you want?“ She asked, asking her possible best not to roll her eyes at his rude self.
“Here, you left this on the desk.“ He said, handing her biology note book.
Tina immediately collected it, thanking him before shoving it into her bag.
“Hey Ryan, I am so sorry that my cousin sister disturbed you with her nonsense.“ Rita said while adjusting her clothes a little, making Tina give her a disgusted look, not believing she was ready to expose her cleavage just to please some rude guy.
Tina averted her eyes so as not to cause her any trouble, but she met Ryan’s own, which was already trained on hers.
She coughed slightly, feeling uncomfortable from his stare, snapping him out of whatever lala land he was in.
Ryan turned and looked at Rita, shoving her away from his arms, before giving her a disgusted look and leaving.
Rita looked at him in disbelief before stomping her feet, then turning to look at Tina.
“Bitch, what did you do?“ She yelled at Tina.
“Nothing; I was just sitting at a desk in the hall, and he told me to leave, but I forgot my book; that’s all serious.“ She said it quickly, as she could clearly see that her cousin was interested in that guy.
“You better take your eyes off him; he’s mine.“ Rita yelled.
“Since when?“ One of Rita’s friends asked.
“Yeah, the last thing I remember was the fact that he slept and dumbed you.“ Another one replied, making Alex woo the girls.
“Yeah, Alex, I think you should stop your sister and her friends before they fight.“ One of Alex's friends said:
“Ahhh, no need, my mom is here already. Bye guys,“ he said before matching towards the car.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?“ Aunt Lynn asked Rita immediately as we entered the car.
“Asked that bitch mom; she’s trying to take Ryan away from me.“ Rita yelled, and my aunt looked at me from the rear mirror, saying nothing.
“I told you we should put her in another school; now it looks like she is ruining my future.“ Rita continued crying.
I never felt this nervous in my life. My aunt was silent right now, but I could see the storm in her eyes. I was preparing myself for whatever might happen to me when we got off this car.
Immediately after we reached the house and my aunt got back in the car, I slowly got off it and made my way inside while thanking her.
“Stop right there.“ My aunt yelled, making me stop in my tracks as I turned slowly to look at her.
“How dare you, you ungrateful child? What do you want to compete with a guy with my daughterr?“ She asked, making me shake my head quickly.
“You this spoilt brat, you are just like your mother, who couldn’t keep her leg shut, burdening others with her scandalous behavior.“ She yelled, matching me and using her bag to hit.
I tried to protect myself as much as I could, but the next thing I knew was that my leg was slipping from the floor and my head was making contact with the floor. After that, everything blacked out.