Choices

Chapter 22

After collecting my food, I move back to our table with a frown on my face. I attempt to force a smile into my face as I sit down.

"Did something happen Hannah?" Julie asked, ever observant.

"No." I said. I didn't want to bother them with Chloe and her irrelevant tantrums.

"Are you sure?" She asks still a little bit disbelieving.

"Yeah." I mumbled "I'm just hungry."

She nodded her head to show that she accepted my explanation. After sometime, Nate joined us and explained that he got held up in class by his teacher.

We talked about different topics and I could see how Noah eventually relaxed with my friends and was now even contributing frequently in a conversational manner. When lunch was over, Noah said goodbye and left to attend to something.

"I'm going to run over to my locker to get my maths textbook. Meet you guys back here?"

"Sure," Nate replies, looking at me "we're not going anywhere."

Nodding in response, I turn around and hurry to my locker but when I'm almost there I get intercepted by Mason. He moves quickly and he starts walking with me side by side.

"Hey. How are you doing?" He tells me with an easy-going smile.

I smile a bit tensely. Mason was talking to me? After he stormed off during gym class, I had assumed he wasn't going to.

"Fine. You?"

"I'm good."

Once I get to my locker I quickly type in the code and pull it open. I hum in response to his words then turn towards him as I cock an eyebrow. "I thought you weren't talking to me?"

"Why would you think so? You know how much I enjoy our conversations."

"Really? I thought you were mad at me." It wasn't a baseless accusation. His actions lead me to believe that.

He shrugs and probably assumes the space between us is too much as he steps closer towards me. "Yeah, maybe I was. But I got over it. After all, no use stressing after something that's already happened right?"

I chuckle as I search for my textbook. "When did you become wise?"

I hear his voice from behind me as he chuckles. "I'll have you know that I'm actually very, very wise."

"Sure." I reply sarcastically. I find my textbook and I quickly shift and shuffle my other books so that it looks neat and presentable. I might be lazy at times but I didn't like too much clutter.

I close my locker and turn around only to be startled by his close proximity. I gasp softly and attempt to cover it by chuckling but it only comes out nervously.

"By the way why do you always hang out with that guy?"

I ignore his closeness "who? Nate?"

"No, the other dude."

Is he talking about Noah? "I don't know who you're talking about."

"Sure you do." He replies smoothly as he leans even closer. "The guy with brown hair that sat with you during lunch."

Was he watching me? How was I supposed to feel about that? "Your point is?"

"Why do you keep hanging out with him?" Is he jealous or what? I didn't understand his concern or see how it was his business.

"Because we're friends." For now.

"Oh really?"

"Yes." I reply firmly.