Miss Incomplete | ✓

67 | He Loves Me

Julian tried to talk to me.

Several times throughout the days, when he's not with Tasha; but I've always managed to avoid him just in time. Either by the signal of the bell, or Tasha managed to catch up to him and drag him away to do their business—it worked in my favour overall.

I exit out of Ms Wilkins' classroom, making the turn towards my locker to see Julian pressed against the arrays of metal boxes, his eyes scanning from left to right in searching for me.

I bit my lip, looking down at my backpack and declared that having to carry my bag to the cafeteria wasn't such a horrible idea. It sounds better than having to meet Julian and having to be forced into a conversation I wasn't ready for.

I walk down to the lunchroom, finding Iris and Graham already situated at their tables as they share laughs at some joke someone—most likely Graham—told. I head up from behind them, sliding into the seat I usually occupied; next to Graham.

"Where's Gabriel?" I ask, haven't seen him at all today. Graham merely shrugs, taking a fry off his tray and into his mouth.

"I think he had to take make-up a test," Iris explains, "at least, that's what he told me in second hour."

"Oh, so you saw him?" I query, and she nods.

"Yeah; Gabriel has two classes with me. Second hour and seventh."

I nod, at least having the information that Gabriel is doing well and isn't waddled in sickness or a fever of some kind.

"Hey, Rose, can I come over tonight? I have a test coming up and I need tutoring again," Graham asks, eyes focused on our best friend as she nods.

"Yup. I'm not doing anything tonight, so come over early so we can cover more ground." Graham nods at her words as I lean over to Graham, snagging a piece of fry off of his tray and into my mouth.

"Hey!"

"Karma's a bitch," I said, chewing. Graham only grumbles, but returns back to his lunch. "When's your next soccer game?"

Graham hums, "I think it's going to be this Friday—but you don't have to come if you don't want to."

"I can handle a soccer game with Julian playing. I'll just be focused on you," I countered, giving Graham a pointed look. He raise his hands in the air, shrugging.

"I just want you to be comfortable with everything. Not to mention, if Dean is going, Tasha is most likely going." I frown, knowing having Tasha mixed up isn't the best. She's incredibly sweet, and always tries to make conversation whenever she sees me—and with that credited, I knew if Tasha appeared at the game, then she'll sit with me and talk about Julian to some extend. I'm not ready for that.

"Alright, maybe not then," I nod, and Graham took that for my word. Iris' eyes me before looking down to her lunch, grabbing the cookies she packed and sliding it cross the table for me to take.

"Thanks," I mumble and Iris nods, returning to her lunch. The cafeteria doors creaks and I focus my eyes away from the cookies to see Julian—and for once, without Tasha hanging around his hip.

His eyes searching, almost in a rushed, before landing on me. His legs begin to take him, the strides quickly to get to me before finding itself in front of my table. Oh shit.

"Francena, we need to talk," he said in a hushed voice. His eyes locked on me and I found the bags under his eyes once more.

"I–I don't want to talk to you right now," I said quietly, and the focus of the cafeteria landed on us. I knew with the wandering eyes, and the curiosity to everything was going to stir and explode one way or another. Into another rumour, probably.