†𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖉 ∞ ongoing

chapter 2 ∞ level up

Nova

"He's full of shit that's what he is." Willow retorts and links our arms together as we head on over to lunch. A full four periods have already passed, yet I've cried in every class I've stepped foot in. A couple of people I know have come up to me and asked what was wrong but of course, my response was just a 'rough day.'

I hate crying at school. I hate when there's attention directed towards me.

Syrena and Ayra wave over at us from across the cafeteria as Willow rushes us over there together. They don't react when they see my tear-stained face and instead start cursing out Mason just as Willow joins in with them. Seems as though she already told them the magnificent news.

"You need to take a break from all the guys Nova, it's really unhealthy. Plus you're better off on your own." Ayra calmly reassures me, offering me a part of her uncrustable sandwich which I deliberately take and start chewing on.

Ayra Lavery's the calm, collected, peacemaker of our group. She has this gorgeous hair that is somehow perfectly styled all the time even though she's always complaining about how this 'afro of hers can never be tamed.' This we all knew was false — she was known for having good hair. Her dark skin is also always glowing too, not to mention, perfect skin.

"Bitch no. Not a chance, you have to bounce back. Get another man off the street and one-up him. He really thinks he's all that for what? He barely even has a di—"

"How do you know that?" Willow laughs and wiggles her eyebrows. Syrena flips her hair and proudly remarks, "Two words. Gray. Sweats."

Syrena Rhiley on the other hand is almost the complete opposite of Ayra. In fact, she's super similar to Willow herself. They both love to party, get loads of guys without trying (as you can see from her previous given knowledge), and they're attractive. One difference is that Syrena gives more fucks about the world than Willow does. In other words, she has more of a brain.

"You stare at guys' pants to approximate their ding dong size?" Ayra looks horrified. She's the more innocent type, doesn't curse, doesn't like to party, and is actually really book smart. We all come to her for help with homework.

Syrena laughs at her disgusted face and Willow simply joins along, "Oh and hand sizes. You know, the measurement from their thumb to their pinky when their hand is spread open is apparently their dick size. Usually, it's a good estimate. I can vouch for that."

"Oh god," I mumble and bite my lip hard. Ignoring their remarks, I try to look away but I can't force myself to at this point. That blonde, 6'4 boy that I had for four months walks in with a brunette girl right by his side. And the worst part about it is that Mason looks happy.

"If you give me your permission, I'll go deck that girl he's with. The fuck is she wearing?" Willow whispers in a low voice, dangerously close to her breaking point.

Syrena chokes on her Pepsi and covers her mouth before laughing, "My god. Holy shit she's wearing white vans. The pure clean white ones. Like George Washington white."

Willow slams her hand down on the table and hunches over laughing which sends me jumping at the collision. I stuff the rest of the peanut butter and jelly into my mouth to distract myself from the horrid sight. That's an image I'll have to burn from my head later.

Ayra squints her eyes at the brunette and looks back at me concerned, "I've never even seen her before... Therefore, she's irrelevant. Get your mind off of it Nova, come on you're better than this."

Her heartfelt eyes send me a warm smile and I know that she stands correct. I need to move on, stop messing around, and opening up to so many guys too often. Nothing good ever came out of it anymore. Split seconds of happiness soon drowned out from events like the one today. I hated myself for always falling for it. Wrong person, wrong time, wrong place, wrong headspace.

"You're right. You're right." I say and take a chug of water before turning to Syrena and Willow who have their shoes on the table for some odd reason.

"Teach me your ways. I wanna not give a shit and not get into any more relationships. Just solely turn off the emotion switch." I explain to them and Willow squeals, "I've been waiting for this day to come!"

Syrena agrees and immediately starts off, "First, you have to level up from where you are now. Don't go for someone Mason hates, go for someone he idolizes."

"Then jealousy will kick in so fast. And before you know it, your confidence is already boosted." Willow smiles and gives me a thumbs-up, "You don't have to fuck them — just have a mild 'thing fling' going on is more than enough."

"Who's up next?" She asks the rest of my friends who have gathered in towards the center of the table.

"How about someone Alex hangs out with?" Syrena suggests, looking towards Ayra who gives her a strange expression. Alex, Alex Ganter, is Ayra's boyfriend. She's the one person in our group with a boyfriend. Well, now that I'm dumped it makes her the only one. Alex and her are both very different people yet, they make a really good couple. Not to mention, Alex is on the above-average spectrum in society. Therefore, he also knows and is friends with the same type. Perfect target.

"I dunno..." Unsure, Ayra looks in the direction in which her boyfriend is — at a table on the other side of the cafeteria — seated around a large group of senior boys.

"Literally all of Alex's friends are hot, so take your pick V. Knowing the way they act, one of them will be down anyway." I contemplate Willow's words for a second and let them sink in. It'll take a bit for me to not get emotionally attached. I don't know if this is the right decision anymore, maybe I should just lay off and take a break from boys.

Then again, if I did, I would be moping around, crying, and binge eating for the next few days which isn't a pretty process.

"Yo Ayra."

It takes a minute for the unfamiliar voice to settle in. A deeper male one I didn't recognize calls Ayra's name and all of us turn towards the sound. A tall, slim but muscular boy stands a couple of feet away from me. From where I'm seated, I look up towards his face and I unconsciously tell myself to keep my mouth shut. From drooling.

He has dark brown tousled hair that is neither straight nor curly, and peculiar greenish blue-colored eyes that I can't quite make out. And his face — is just gorgeous. Insanely attractive.

"Oh hey, Jackson." Ayra replies with the usual sweet smile on her lips, "Did Alex send you?"

This Jackson grins this oh-so-charming smile and stuffs his hands into the pocket of his white hoodie before handing her a five-dollar bill.

"Nah. You paid for my snack that one time at the gas station with Alex, so I'm repaying my debt." He says, his voice smooth as butter. It was the perfect amount of deepness in my taste and after exchanged looks with Willow and Syrena, they definitely thought the same.

"Oh no, you don't have to—"

He crosses his arms this time and shakes his head, "It's all good, Lavery." His eyes suddenly divert from Ayra to me, and I lose my ability to think. He's so far out of my league that I feel tiny in his presence. His eyebrows narrow, then he looks behind him and back to me. A pompous, conceited look glazes into his eyes as he snickers, the left side of his mouth tugging upwards, revealing a dimple.

"Did Mason dump you or some shit?"

The words slip from his mouth so abruptly, I can't tell whether my heart stopped from shock or anger. So I just sit there— my mouth forming into a thin line, refusing to believe he said that so plainly to my face. Ayra, Syrena, and Willow have suddenly become dead silent.

And as Jackson glances around, and he seems to be taking our silence as an assumable yes. I can feel a mix of frustration and annoyance rage through my blood as he smirks, "That fuckin sucks. I mean compared to you, the girl he's with —" he looks behind and back to me again, "can't tell if he downgraded or upgraded." He smiles. A feel a tingle in my hand.

I finally let out a scoff and roll my eyes to the literal back of my head, "Exc—"

"Have a wonderful day ladies." He rudely interrupts, winks at us, and walks off with a cocky smile, headed back towards the table with Alex.

I'm once again, left speechless.