The Exchange Day

19. THE FATED ONE?

The courage that Sam had felt soaring high came plummeting to the ground just like his body.

If that was not enough, the girls behind Alice snickered as they passed by. Now that Sam was in his full senses, he could hear people whispering around him. He looked around and all eyes seemed to be targeting him.

A second later, Hannah came huffing and made him jolt. "Hey Sam, I really need a dollar. I'll pay you back later." She snatched the note before he could say anything and jogged to the kissing booth.

What was happening?

It all happened so fast that he couldn't comprehend.

When Sam dared to look in Noah's direction, he saw the boy looking at him, eyes wide with... what... was it pity? Was it sympathy? Or was it laughter and contempt?

Alice had wrung around his arm, lips pouting for a kiss and Hannah too was right by his side, presenting Noah the required fees, who absent-mindedly took it from her, his eyes darting slowly between Sam and Hannah.

And Sam's sweet little crush was shattered right in front of his eyes.

Unknown to himself, tears brimmed his eyes and his lips quivered.

Without a second's delay, he got himself up and ran off. He had nothing left to see. Nothing left to wish for.

This whole idea was a huge failure. He shouldn't have come. He shouldn't have attended this fest in the first place. This stupid exchange day brought him yet another heartbreak and a firm realisation that he could never get the one he wanted. That Noah Smith could never love him back.

Sam fought back tears as he regretted having hope that just maybe, just this once, he can have something; something...

He reached the locker section and managed to not break down as another student from his class hurried her way back after collecting some stuff from her locker.

The bell rang signifying the end of this year's booth fest and the speakers announced all the students to go to the auditorium for the declaration of results.

Now that the locker area was empty, Sam was confused about what to do, where to go from there. He didn't bring his bag, nor the key to his locker. Why did he even come here in the first place?

That's right. All because of Noah fucking Smith. The one who made his mind a mess. Thinking about the name, tears welled his eyes again and Sam violently wiped them away like they stung on his cheeks.

Stupid, that's what he was for having hope. An absolute idiot! Never in a million years could Noah look at him the way he looked at the boy.

What was Sam even thinking of going to the kissing booth with a dollar bill in his hand? What did he expect? A kiss? How stupid of him! He deserved that slap of reality in his face for being such a fucking loser.

He was too busy cursing his worthless self that he didn't notice the hurried footsteps coming his way.

"Sam?"