The Human Luna

Chapter 7 - Mariah

*Edited*

I felt good about today. I was able to shower, and all my favorite clothes were clean and my hair was curling just how I wanted it to as I diffused it. It was just one of those perfect mornings.

My playlist shuffled all my favorite songs as we drove to school and it was a nicer day outside. My favorite jeans were slung around my waist with a belt and my tank top and flannel top protected me from any unwanted breezes.

Walking to my locker and back to the English room had no hiccups and I was settled as I waited for class to begin. Annabelle and Nathan trailed in with the other students just as the bell rang.

When the red-headed girl sat down, I greeted her before asking, "Where were you guys? Usually you're here earlier,"

"We were catching up with Ryder! He's back today!" Annabelle quietly cheered as the teacher started the lesson. The light bulb went off in my brain as I remembered all that.

It had totally slipped my mind that their friend Ryder returned today. The thoughts of what he would be like filled my mind for the entirety of the boring lesson that prolonged the class.

Finally, eighty minutes later the bell rang and I hopped up from my seat. Eager to get up and move. I walked along with Annabelle and Nathan as we headed to meet up with the other four.

"Hey! You were supposed to have a whole bunch of interviews this weekend right? How'd those go?" The bubbly girl beside me questioned.

"It was so good! I got a job at the coffee place down the street, Bakes and Beans!" I told her excited. Annabelle congratulated me before we made it to the CALM classroom.

"See you!" I called to the pair as they left to head to their next class. I walked in the room and quickly found Yvonne and Bryli who were sitting in the back of the room. I took my usual seat before exchanging, 'Hellos'.

Our conversations didn't last long as the next class started though. Leaving me to my boredom as our blonde teacher explained the importance of grocery shopping in college.

We did a quick project on that before the next bell took mercy on the students and released us for lunch. "Lord, I thought that would never end," Yvonne groaned, her accent coming through thicker with her annoyance.

"Hey Mariah we got to introduce you to Ryder! Common!" Through Yvonne's sudden burst of energy she excitedly half dragged me to the cafeteria and towards our normal table.

I could see that the others were all there, but a new person sat with his back turned talking to Damien. He had dirty blonde hair that looked sort of familiar...

"Ryder!" The boy turned his head at the sound of Yvonne's voice and I swore that the ground could've swallowed me up. Because there, sitting at the table looking awfully handsome. Staring up at me with bright green eyes,

Was the guy from the smoothie shop.

The one who rushed past me and ruined my interview and my outfit. The way his neat eyebrows rose told me that he remembered me also. And I couldn't help the glare that caught my face before I fixed it.

The key thought there that I fixed my face. But the other guy, this oh-so-famous Ryder kept his nasty frown on his face. His lip upturned in annoyance that was blatantly clear to everyone around us that he didn't like me.

"Mariah, this is Ryder. Ryder, Mariah!" Annabelle spoke into the tension filled area. I cleared my throat before casting a quick, forced smile down at the sitting boy.

"Nice to meet you," I turned to the others before saying, "I've got an errand to run so I'll see you after lunch,"

I left before anyone could stop me, but my ears picked up on Damien's hushed voice as I passed him and Bryli, "Do you think we were wrong?"

I stormed slightly out of the cafeteria. Feeling my perfect day start to crumble with my sanity. Of course! The one guy I never wanted to see again would be the dude that all my new friends worshipped. And his audacity to be mad at me! Like I was the one that dumped my smoothie all over him!

Huffing, I walked out to the car and grabbed the spare keys from my pocket. Groaning as I collapsed in the driver's seat, I clunked my head on the steering wheel in defeat. I was having such a good day!

Ten minutes before lunch ended, I lifted my head from the wheel only to find a huge red spot in the center of my forehead. I rubbed the skin to get the blood flowing again before looking in the window.

Everyone seemed to be gone, getting ready for their next class, and I supposed I should be too. I gathered all my stuff together before making my way back into the school. Hoping to avoid my group for a bit longer.

This hope though, much like my other dreams that liked to splatter themselves across the pavement, crash landed into a burning tree when I stepped inside the History room and was met with all six of my friends and Ryder.

My usual seat beside Annabelle was looking far less tempting than normal, but I still sucked it up and sat beside her.

"You okay, Mariah?" The red-headed girl asked me quietly. I nodded with a smile on my face before looking to the board. Though the feeling of Ryder's eyes burning holes through the back of my head from where he was behind me didn't go away.

I tried to focus on the short elderly woman who was teaching our class. Her PowerPoint slides gliding across the screen. My notes were messy and jumbled from lack of focus as the man's gaze never shifted.

I looked back up from my notebook to find that the screen on the wall had gone blank. The poor teacher was messing with the computer while telling the students to give her a second. Immediately chatter filled the air as people turned in seats and laughed.

"Mariah how'd your weekend go?" Christian all the sudden spoke to me. I turned in my seat slightly, ignoring the green gaze that was locked on my face.

"My interviews went fairly well, one of them was sort of a disaster but I got a job in the end," I told him in a light voice. I had to carefully control the tick of my lips when I noticed Ryder's eyes widen in shock ever so slightly.

"Okay everyone, can I please have your attention back up here," The woman's voice flitted through the air as students settled down. For the first time since I met him, I looked straight into Ryder's eyes.

Our gazes locked and it took quite a bit of effort to hold it. My anger grew with the way Ryder's brows furrowed and his jaw clicked. He was so snooty. Getting all annoyed by me simply being there.

I raised my own eyebrows ever so slightly, somewhere between unimpressed and questioning before turning back in my seat. Refusing to shift and meet the eyes glued to me.