Chapter 237
CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVEN
NICOLE
Halfway through lunch, I walked into the Redwood Academy cafeteria and stared at all the students chatting busily with each other. Nobody peered my way, and I wasn’t sure where I was accepted anymore.
Not with the cheerleaders. They hated me.
There weren’t any seats left with the jocks. Plus, all they wanted was to fuck anyway.
My gaze traveled to an empty table in the front of the cafeteria, near the deans and teachers who oversaw lunchtime. I blew out a breath and really wished that Akio had come to school today, but his wounds were really acting up.
I tightened my grasp on my backpack and headed to the empty table. Well, I guess—
“Nicole!” someone shouted from my left.
Standing at a lunch table, Allie waved both her hands in the air. Imani looked over her shoulder at me and smiled softly, nodding me over too. Warmth spread through me, and I … I couldn’t explain the feeling inside my chest.
They sat with Vera, Maddie, and Sakura Sato, who I think had a thing for one of the teachers here. I slowly walked over to them, unsure if they actually wanted me to be here with them, but none of them gave me any sour expression.
Instead, they all looked actually inviting.
After another hesitant pause, I placed my bookbag on the lunch table and sat in the only empty seat next to Allie. She beamed at me, and the girls continued grilling Sakura about her relationship with Mr. Avery, to which she blushed uncontrollably.
I listened to the gossip and pulled out a sandwich. Allie leaned closer to me and gently knocked her shoulder against mine.
“So, where’s Akio?” Allie asked. “I heard from Kai that you two are a thing.”
“Is it true?” Imani asked, leaning forward.
The attention was suddenly all on me.
Sakura looked over, her gaze telling me that she was desperate to have the attention taken off her. I bit back a small smile and kicked my legs back and forth underneath the table, wondering if this was how it felt to have friends.
Did they gossip like this all the time with each other? Should I tell them? Trust them?
“Yes,” I whispered. “We’re dating.”
“Dating?!” Allie squealed. “I would’ve never imagined you dating him.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Maddie asked.
“Well, Nicole is totally way out of Akio’s league,” she said. “I mean, no offense to him.”
“He’s really sweet to me,” I whispered. “And way too good for me, but we work.”
And we worked well together too.
“Do you want to come over and hang out with us tonight?” Allie asked. “We’re going out for ice cream to see if we can get any more info out of Sakura about her bab—I mean, her relationship with our professor.”
“Or are you too busy with your new man?” Vera asked.
While it was nice that people were finally being good to me and while I really wanted to have friends who actually cared about me for the first time in my life, Akio and I already had plans tonight and for the rest of the week.
“Rain check?” I offered. “I’m a bit busy tonight.”
Allie nodded. “Sure. What are you up to? Cheer?”
“No,” I said, my lips curling into a smile. “Something that will actually make me happy.”