I can't get high, I can't get by,

I can't get through.

I can't stop thinking about you.

ー Dua Lipa

Autumn

Damn him! Damn that nerd! Since the Math class in the second period, I kept listing down reasons on why the hell he was there in the alley that night, looking like a junkie. Now it was the seventh period and no matter how many hours I wasted thinking about him, I couldn't come up with a proper answer. He was the top student in this school, so why would he do such a thing that could ruin his scholarship and possibly get him kicked out if his secret got out.

The most unimportant question that somehow still bugged me—though I tried to ignore—was, "Why did he kiss me?" My body shuddered as I remembered that kiss, it wasn't a sloppy kiss, it actually felt nice. Despite the roughness of his lips moving on mine, there was something sweet, even tender about the kiss.

Stop thinking about the kiss, Autumn! It's not important!

I knew I should've slapped him when he kissed me but instead I was too indulged in the kiss, totally consumed by it, which made me a total moron, who allowed him to touch me. I groaned at the realization.

"Hey, you okay, Autumn?" Mey, who was sitting beside me, leaned closer and whispered. It was an English test, and I've finished it about ten minutes earlier then spent the rest of the time thinking about the nerd.

"Yeah, don't worry. It's nothing." I nodded and gave her a small smile.

A familiar, annoying voice interrupted us. "Mr. Rodriguez, aren't we supposed to do the test on our own?" It wasn't Ellie Bitch Lawson if she didn't use every opportunity to mess with me.

Joe raised one brow. "Yes, Ms. Lawson. That's why it's called a test."

Speaking in her sweetest tone that made me want to puke, she gave him puppy eyes and pouted. "Then why are you letting Autumn and May do the test together?"

I was going to smack her lip-smackered, caked face onto her table, when her minion, Rosie—aka bitch number two—who was always in the same classes as Ellie, raised her hand and said, "I totally saw them talking, Mr. Rodriguez." Typical sidekick.

Ellie flipped her hair and smiled. "I thought there was no special treatment for anyone here in Carlton."

I glanced at Joe, who watched me in pain. We both knew I didn't cheat or anything, but Ellie putting him in the spotlight didn't help. He closed his eyes briefly and when he opened them, I knew the decision was made.

"Ms. Summers, Ms. Wang, I'll see you later after school to retake the test with different questions. You have time until school's over to prepare." With that, he took my paper and Mey's. I looked at my best friend and I could see she looked like she wanted to cry. Like I've said, she was an innocent one, the sweetest soul I've ever met. Things like this shook her though she did nothing wrong. It was the bitch's fault.

I grabbed my bag from the floor and signaled Mey to follow me.

"Goodbye, cheater." Ellie gave me an innocent smile and waved her long-nailed hands.

Turning around, I gave her a lopsided smile. "You know, Ellie, jealousy is a disease. Get well soon, bitch!"

"Ms. Summers, no swearing in class." Joe's tone warned me that he could not always let this kind of things slide.

I shifted my gaze to him and shrugged. "Sorry, Mr. Rodriguez, see you later."

"Are you really okay?" Mey asked me once we were outside. We had fifteen minutes left before the next lesson, so we decided to go to our lockers. "You are not acting like your normal self."

I put one arm over her shoulders and hugged her. "Yeah, just cramps." I stopped and looked down at her. "I'm sorry though, I dragged you into this."

"Nah," Mey shook her head, smiling, "Ellie's a bitch."

I widened my eyes and burst into laughter. "Wow!" Mey blushed. "Mey Wang just used a curse word, everyone!" We both laughed.

We were at Mey's locker, which was only three lockers away from mine when I saw a movement and glanced up. The nerd was walking toward us. Behind his thick glasses, his eyes watched me like a predator watches its prey on National Geographic. He looked like his normal, boring self with a buttoned-up shirt topped up with sweater and brown pants.

Right when he walked past us, he gave me a meaningful look and there was something in his eyes that sent shivers through my body.

I gulped and thanked God Mey was too busy talking about the upcoming Chemistry test, so she didn't realize I froze like a statue right there in the middle of the hallway

I gulped and thanked God Mey was too busy talking about the upcoming Chemistry test, so she didn't realize I froze like a statue right there in the middle of the hallway.