‘Yes, boss.’ The three girls nodded at Natasha, who seemed happy.
Just as Carola was about to begin eating, another presence appeared. One that made Carola’s mouth dry.
‘Hi, girls,’ Elliot said and said down next to Carola. ‘You all look beautiful today, especially you, Princess.’ He motioned towards her, and it made her heart stop.
Princess.
That is what he used to call her. That is how he had her number saved in his phone. And it was precisely this, this kind behavior and attention towards her, that had made her fall in love with him.
‘Hi, Elliot,’ both the sisters greeted, already in love with him. But it was Natasha’s attitude that made her more curious.
Carola had no idea Natasha had a crush on him. It was yet another thing she had been oblivious to in the past, and she didn’t know how to keep her away from him.
But it seemed Elliot had other things in mind.
All throughout lunch, he had kept trying to talk to Carola, trying to get her attention. At one point, she had asked him to stop bothering her, quite loudly, too, after which she felt another heated gaze at the back of her head.
Ian.
He sat at the table behind hers and kept his intense gaze on her. She was hoping no one would notice, but the sisters did, and they made sure everyone knew.
As happy as Carola had been when lunch had begun, she was far more pleased when it ended. As soon as the bell rang, she left the table, trying to maintain her calm. Her head and heart were a mess, and it had only been half a day.
As much as she wished, she could not skip school today, so she stayed put. She attended her classes and met with the cheerleading squad after school with a fake smile and a fake enthusiasm – hoping that no one would notice.
And no one did, except Ian, she feared.
By the time she had reached home, she was ready to bet her new life that this school year would be nothing like the rest. The drama was just waiting to happen, and she knew she would find herself right in the middle of it all.