Tainted Love

27. James and Nova

I get into my next class. I was already taking off my backpack so I can take off the sweater when Astrid grabbed my arm.

"We need to talk!" Is all she said as she pulled me into class and we took our seats in the back.

"I can see Nova from my seat. I almost never sit in the back but I kind like when I do. I get to see everyone from here.

"Why? I ask her putting my attention back on her.

"Oh I don't know let me see. Maybe because you have his sweater on!" she whispers shouts.

"So its true people are talking about me. All because of this sweater? it's not just my paranoia?"

"Yeah its true." She confirms what I was to in denial to believe.

I cover my face and breath in a few seconds and let it out.

"I got to take it off." I say.

I was trying to take off my backpack and put it on the floor so I can take of this sweater when Stacey walks in. I have my fingers on the zipper of the sweater when I stop fidgeting with it. We both just look at each other. Astrid calls for my attention, she tells me not to take it off because it will look like I'm trying to hide something that obviously isn't true.

"Its not true right?" she says.

"Are you serious I haven't even slept with James and you know that!" I whisper to her.

"Page 122," the teacher walks in already putting us into our misery.

"I knew people would assume that if I took it off. I haven't been able to concentrate because I've been debating on whether I should take it off or not." I whispered to her as other students as well as the both of us were digging into our backpacks for the book.

It was finally lunch time and I asked Astrid to let me borrow her green wind breaker she wasn't wearing so I can put it over the sweater.

"Here."

"Where do you want to go?"

"Well I texted Michael about his hoodie but he never messaged me back and I'm actually gonna meet up with Andy so that Nova, James and I can talk it all out.

"Ya'll haven't talked about it?"

"No I didn't want to talk to them and I wanted this weekend to be about me before I found out the whole truth."

"I understand."

I called Carter while she called another one of her friends Carter and her friend answered at the same time we hugged each other bye and went our separate ways. Carter said he was going to meet me by the side of the gym changing rooms because there would be less people there. I told him to FaceTime Nova to meet us there and I texted James and Andy to me us there as well. Nova was already there when I got to Andy. The reason I wanted Andy there is because he was the only one I can trust right now. I needed Carter to translate to James and I even though I know how to sign and understand it but only if they sign slow.

"Hi." Nova signed to me and Andy.

"Hi." I signed back to him as I saw him looking at Michael's sweater. I had buttoned up Astrid's wind breaker so it wasn't as obvious that I'm trying to hide it or have it on to begin with. He looks at Andy as if conforming or denying something. I know exactly what they're doing because I used to do that with Nova and James. Being able to look at each other, as if we can read each others mind. Andy rolls his eyes and looks at him again with an aggravated look. I see him relax I didn't even notice that he was tensed I'm so nervous and anxious for when James gets her. I text him again to hurry up.