Steal my Heart.

3

Banner by @MeekhaMynoBabu .

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As I leisurely walk towards the class, I check the time. Shit, only two minutes left for the bell to ring and I'm lazing about. I run up the stairs, the corridors seeming to be empty since everyone has already entered class.

Panting, I stop near the door of my class room and push it open. Bored eyes look up to greet me and I bite my lip as I look around, trying to find a seat. It's really awkward as these people are staring at me like I killed their pets. Okay, that was an exaggeration but they need to stop looking at anyone who enters class like that.

Moreover, all the first seats are occupied. Great. The girl who has always sat on the first bench will sit on the second last one in her senior year, considering that only the last two seats are empty.

I drag myself to the end of the aisle and slump down on the second last seat. Let's hope some decent person comes to sit behind me. I look around the class, thank God the professor hasn't arrived yet. There's Leena from the cheerleading team, Jacob from the yearbook committee, the twins with the ribbons in their hair. The students are almost the same.

I keep my head on the desk and close my eyes. Hopefully, I have enough energy to carry me throughout the day. Someone's footsteps thud beside me and the bell chooses to ring at that exact moment.

I feel someone's heavy breathing behind me and Mr. Steward enters the classroom. Glasses perched upon the tip of his nose and a brown french beard, he looks in every way the quintessential English professor.

I slyly turn around and see Stuart York sitting behind me, his gaze on the teacher. Great. The school's jock, Alastair's best friend. His dark brown hair is pulled back and he looks like he's come running to class, sweat beading his temples. He suddenly turns his blue eyed gaze towards me and I turn my head quickly, flustered. I just had to stare the hell out of him and creep him out. Stuart York is very attractive, I admitted to myself as I saw him up close. I thought girls went crazy on him for no reason because he was known to be quite stupid. But now that I saw him up close, he does look good.

"So senior batch class two, welcome to your last year at the Presidency. Do not take this year lightly, be as disciplined and hardworking as you were throughout your school year. Since I'm the class teacher, I make the rules over here. The very first one is, the places you all are sitting on today, are the ones you students will be occupying for the rest of the year." He rants and there is a collective groan throughout the class.

Not only am I completely outcasted here, the people around me are totally disinterested. Two girls are whispering in each other's ears while a guy is doing something on his phone. I turn around to see Stuart who is leaning against the wall, with his eyes shut. First day of school, and he's sleeping.

All of a sudden his eyes snap open and he catches me looking at him. Instead of saying anything else, he leans forward and flashes me a charming smile.
"Hey there." He says, grinning.
"Hello." I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear self consciously.

"Gracie Hyde, aren't you? I know every girl around here." He winks and I find myself smiling.
"And you're Stuart York." I say and he holds his hand out. I shake his hand and he says,"You came third last year, am I right?" He says and I nod.

"So you must be willing to help me in my tests then." He says and the smile falls off my face. It always came down to that. People wanted to be my friend not because I was a nice person but simply because I was smart and a good student. Somewhat like friends with benefits?

"Hey I'm kidding." He says when I don't laugh. His eyes are sincere and alight with humour. I smile and look ahead, now that Mr. Steward has finished with his boring rules and is opening the textbook to to teach us.

I was never noticed much. People didn't approach me for conversation and I was too socially awkward from the start to initiate it. For this reason, I never got any real friends. Partying and drinking were just not my things. I'd rather curl up in bed with a book and music to accompany me.

So when Stuart York, one of the most popular people around here, tells me I am his friend, I am taken aback. Maybe that's how you become well known, by being friends with everyone and oozing confidence.

After class is dismissed, he gets up and walks me outside the class.
"How come I've never seen you around before?" He asks as we stand outside.
"We've always been in the same batch. Exactly, how come you haven't seen me around?" I counter and he laughs.

Out of the corner, Alastair comes walking towards us, jacket flying behind him and a stride that suggests that he rules the place. He has an air of nonchalance around him, which creates a barrier between him and the world. Like he's perfect without a damn in the world. I like that. His vulnerability is never exposed. He always looks like he owns the ground he walks on. He ruffles his hair with one hand and pats Stuart on the back as he comes near us.

When his gaze lands on me, his smile turns to a sneer. I look up at him and he smirks before turning to speak to Stuart.
"So you're hanging out with the nerds York?" He says in his honeylike, deep voice. My jaw drops to the floor.

"Don't be mean man." Stuart says to Alastair and he just scoffs before moving away. Not before staring at me once again. Stuart follows him and shoots an apologetic smile my way. I force a plastic smile on to my face and shrug, as if it is no big deal. As if I am someone he disrespects every other day.