𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧.

A U T U M N ' S P O V

It's lunch and Maya and I enter the canteen as we make our way to the back and to the seats we were sat at yesterday.

"Did you bring food today?" She questions as she takes out a pot of fruit and sandwich.

"I did, actually. I have a bagel." I smile as I take it and some water out from my bag.

"I'm proud of you." She smiles back.

My stomach immediately swarms with butterflies at her comment as I take a bite of my bagel, trying to cover my smile.

"Did you speak to Elijah yet?" I ask after I swallow a mouthful of my bagel.

"No, not yet." She says clearing her throat as she blushes slightly, straightening her posture after.

Hmm...

"Do you like him?" I question, lowering my voice a bit.

"What?! No! What makes you think that?" She whisper yells to me.

I raise an eyebrow.

"I mean... maybe a little. I don't know, we don't really speak. But I've known him since I was five, and everyone in our grade thinks we should get together."

"Oh yeah?" I question.

"Yeah... but it won't happen in a million years, because he's my brothers, Aaron's, best friend."

"Why don't you guys just be a secret thing?"

"I don't know. He's really shy and I don't wanna overwhelm him or anything." She says playing with the ends of her hair.

We both carry on eating our lunch, Maya telling me all the gossip and everything that goes on in the high school, which is very different to a British one too I must say.

After we finish, we throw our rubbish away and make our way to the hockey boys table.

"Hey Elijah, can I speak to you for a sec?" Maya says, placing her hands on the table and looking down at him.

All of the boys cheer and clap their hands.

"Go on my son!"

"Elijah, you're fucking whipped."

"Can you just fuck already?"

"Jesus, you guys." Maya scoffs, taking Elijah's hand and walking him out the canteen, not before whispering 'I'll be back in a sec' to me.

"Make sure to keep it PG13, guys." Luke shouts to them.

"Dude that's my sister, you creep, shut up." A boy who I remember being called Aaron, scoffs.

"Yes, whatever. Winter, come sit next to me." Luke smiles, waving me over to Elijah's now empty seat.

I awkwardly walk over and sit down, and as I do, I realise I'm opposite Grayson.

Lovely.

"Sooo, have you love birds been sexting all night?" Luke smiles, resting his elbow on the table then his chin in his hand.