Chapter 61: Chapter 61

Nate's POV

Ethan was completely ignoring me the last two days.

Monday, in Calculus class, he went and sat at the back even though there was a free chair beside me. During lunch although we sat together, he didn't speak a word to me or look at me. I tried to talk several times but each time he ignored me like I was nothing. I thought Gavin or Grace would interfere and ask him to drop that attitude and talk to me. But they didn't say a word. I'm sure they noticed I was miserable. Still they didn't do anything.

Tuesday he bunked history hour. I can’t explain how much angry I felt. I was hoping to finally sit with him in history and he didn't come to class.

Then at lunch, Gavin asked him why he was sitting with Gabriel in the canteen during first hour. " I didn't feel like going to class. And first hour was free for Gabriel.", was his nonchalant reply.

So he now like to sit with Gabriel than me. Earlier he was saying he can sit and stare at me for hours. Now look how everything changed when a beautiful girl entered the scene.

" How's things going between you and Gabriel ?", Gavin asked him. He replied with a mischievous kind of smile.

" Woah ! What is with that smile ? Did you ask her out already ?", Grace asked surprised.

" No..not yet.", he shook his head, laughing slightly. " I'll definitely tell you guys before I ask her out."

So he has already decided to ask her out.

I thought I can finally sit with him in arts and talk to him. He had to draw my nose and lips for next week's assignment. And indeed he came and sat beside me. But before I could say something to him, Miss Anderson stepped in and told us that we were going to watch some videos about drawing techniques.

I was totally disappointed. I thought Ethan would finally look at me since he has to draw my features. But it was ruined. We started watching some stupid videos about shading, to which I didn't concentrate at all.

But anyway he has to do his assignment. So it was inevitable he call me to his dorm or come to my dorm to draw. I was hoping he would ask me, when I'll be free to come to his dorm. And I thought to say I'm free today evening. But he surprised me with what he said when finally the bell rang.

“ Hey, please send me a close up pic of your face. I'll draw looking at it."

That was what he said without actually looking at my face. He didn't even call my name. He stopped calling me Michael long ago. Now he isn't calling me Nate too. It was hurting me too much.

" Ethan..I- I don't have any p..problem in you looking at my face and drawing.", I told him.

" No I'd rather draw looking at your photo. Send a pic.", He said in a stern cold voice and stood up from his chair. Then he briskly walked out of the class.

I sat there on that chair for a long time, feeling upset. He is doing all this because I told him not to come in front of me again. But I told him I didn't mean it. Why is he hurting me like this ?

Yeah...what else he should do ? He told me he likes me and I slapped him. This is exactly how he should behave. Here the problem is actually with me. How stupid of me to think he would behave and talk normally to me after I slapped him ?

I've lost Ethan's friendship and I'll never get it back. And he probably hates me now.

The thought made me feel like crying. Indeed I cried myself to sleep, yesterday night.

Currently it's Wednesday afternoon, last hour. I'm sitting in the chemistry class beside Andrea. She had already reserved a seat for me when I reached here.

Andrea is trying hard to get close to me since the party night. I'm sure she likes me. I also like her and all. She is a nice girl, smart and beautiful. And she has been nothing but kind towards me from the very beginning.

But right now I'm not actually in a mood to think about a relationship. If this Ethan's problem didn't exist, I'd surely have asked Andrea out, although it is a daunting task. But again, this is my last year of high school and I haven't dated a girl yet. I'm actually lucky to have attracted a girl like Andrea. If I don't ask her out now, I'll miss the chance.

" Hey..", Andrea suddenly whispered. I tilted my head a little towards her. " You aren't paying attention in class, right ? What are you thinking?", she whisper asked.

" No..nothing.", I shook my head.

" Are you thinking about Ethan ?", she asked.

" E...Ethan ??", I asked almost taken aback.

" Yeah...I mean are you thinking about Ethan and today's football match.", she asked.

" Oh..yeah..yes. I was th...thinking about that.", I replied. I wasn't lying actually. I was thinking about his match since morning. And till five minutes ago, I was thinking about it. Thinking whether he would be able to play well today, whether Gabriel comes to cheer for him- she definitely would, whether I should try to cheer- no I shouldn't cause I can't. And what is Ethan doing right now ? He might be in the dressing room, getting ready as it's almost 3: 50 PM now and match begins at 4:30.

" You are coming to watch the match, right ?", Andrea asked. Sure I'm going to watch his match. I had promised him last week that I'd come.

" Yeah..", I nodded. " Will you be c..coming ?", I asked.

" Yeah..", she smiled. " Let's sit together ?"

" Yeah..of course.", I nodded.

" Nate, we need to go as soon as the bell rings. Or we won't get any seats. Almost everyone will be there to watch the match.", she said. I nodded my head and averted my gaze to the front, only to see Miss Allen glaring at us. Andrea let out a low groan.

" If you guys are so eager to watch the football match, you can go out now itself and reserve seats. I don't have any problem.", Miss Allen said generally to the class. The whole class was noisy actually. But her glare was particularly pointed towards us. She then let out a sigh and went back to teaching.

As soon as the bell rang, I and Andrea rushed out of the class in direction of the football ground along with the rest of the people. I got a message from Grace asking me to reserve three seats as she, Gavin and Milan are in the canteen buying snacks. They accompanied us five minutes after we reached the ground and sat down on the bleachers.

" Oh..hey ! You were along with him ?", Grace asked Andrea as she sat down beside me. Her tone wasn't that welcoming.

" Yeah..we both had chemistry last hour.", Andrea replied bringing a smile on her lips.

Soon Grace, Gavin and Milan were talking about the match and the opponent team in great excitement. Andrea seemed kinda uncomfortable. She was shuffling in her seats.

" Oh Noah..!", Andrea suddenly uttered as a tall muscular guy came walking in our direction whilst staring intently at me. This might be her bestfriend Noah. But why is he staring at me ?

Soon he approached us and kind of glared at me. I looked away as he was scary.

" Go sit somewhere else.", he grumbled in a harsh low tone at the boy who was sitting beside Andrea. The guy, who was probably a fresh man or sophomore, soon got up terrified, grabbing his juice box and snacks packets as Noah was now glaring intimidatingly at him.

" Hey ! ", Noah said to Andrea and sat down in that seat as the other guy practically scrambled away from us.

" Why did you frighten that boy ?", Andrea asked him with a frown.

" How else do I get this seat ? He wouldn’t have got up if I asked politely. And why couldn't you reserve a seat for me ?", He scowled and then glanced at me.

" You didn't tell me to. I thought you'd be sitting with Rose.", Andrea said and then turned to me. " Nate, this is Noah. I couldn't introduce him to you at the party. He was so busy dancing."

" You were the one busy dancing along with him.", Noah chuckled bitterly and again glanced at me. " After that I searched for you and you were nowhere to be found.", he added.

Andrea chuckled a bit. " You really thought about me during the party ? I don't believe that. I saw you drinking and dancing along with Rose like there's no tomorrow."

Excuse me, what’s going on ? Between who is this Rose ?

" Andy, are you mad at me ?", Noah's tone softened. Andrea didn't reply anything. " Is it because I didn't come to you after the match ? I'm sorry, then we were busy taking pics."

" No. I didn't even think about that.”, Andrea replied. “And I'm used to being ignored by you in front of your friends and others since sometime. It doesn't matter to me anymore. You might be ashamed to say I'm your friend..."

At this, Noah grabbed Andrea's hands. At the same time Grace tapped on my shoulder. I tilted my head and found she and Gavin were staring at Andrea and Noah whilst carefully listening to their conversation. " What's happening?", Grace whispered in my ear. I shook my head conveying her I don't know.

" Why would I be ashamed to say you are my friend? ", I heard Noah ask.

" I don't know.", was Andrea's reply and she was trying to squirm her hand out of Noah's grip.

"Andy, I'm actually proud to say you are my friend. You are the top scorer and all."

Andrea chuckled. " It took me some time to realize you only wanted me for homework and assignments."

Noah left a sigh and then glared at the three of us who were staring at him, particularly at me. I quickly averted my gaze and right then the stadium filled with loud cheers from the stands as our school team came walking into the ground, wearing matching blue Jerseys.

I looked for Ethan and soon found him among the guys. He was number twelve. He had worn a red bandana around his head to prevent his hair from falling into his eyes and the style suited him. He was looking really handsome today.

Gavin and Grace were calling out his name loudly that he soon looked in our direction and his eyes met mine. I smiled at him but his gaze moved to my left and his eyebrows scrunched a little. I tilted my head and found that Noah was not beside Andrea anymore. And the seat has already been occupied by an excited looking girl.

Okay, what's his problem now ? He almost got a girlfriend. So what's his problem in Andrea sitting beside me ?

He then averted his eyes to the far left. There a group of girls were yelling his name. It was none else than Gabriel and her friends. She was sitting in the middle, smiling and waving at Ethan. He flashed his charming smile at her and then turned around running to the other side of the ground where the players were huddling around the coach.