2-Unwanted attention
Shawn's pov
Starting the year at a new school feels weird and definitely awkward. I already wasn't enthusiastic about today but now that the day has arrived, I'm not too sure how to feel.
To my surprise, no one made fun of me if only during the entire class everyone kept staring at me. I don't know if imagining it because this has never happened to me before.
It feels really odd that everyone seemed really interested in me and tried to talk to me earlier. I'm not used to all this attention. I'm used to being all alone or with Jasper, that's it.
Maybe they are interested in me because I'm the new kid but it doesn't feel quite right. Though, I hope it's only because of that, I already don't like the attention. It's overwhelming and overall, just awkward. I don't know what to do, I wish I were like Jasper in those situations.
I really hope it'll die down in the coming days, I just want to be alone or be with Jasper far from others' interests.
It may come out as rude but I don't intend to make friends and I never did. I'm here because my dad Garrett got a promotion and not by my own choice.
Besides it's not like others were interested in me either which is perfect for me.
But now...Gosh, I already hate being the new kid.
While I hate being the new kid, for some reason Jasper embraces it. They love the attention and I hate that it's bringing more attention to me.
I just don't get how Jasper can be so optimistic about this and enjoy the attention they are getting. I know they wish to start anew and have some friends, but why do I need to be involved? I never asked for this, I just want to be in the shadow like before...
It's only been half a day and it's already been a long day, I can't wait for it to be done.
It's not that I don't like the school, in fact I think it's a nice school so far and people don't seem to be that bad, minus the uniforms, ah yeah those are weird.
"Hey, I want to go put our new material in our lockers, you coming?" Jasper asks.
"Yeah, sure. You made me realize that keeping that material all day would suck." Jasper chuckles.
"Definitely"
We head for the lockers and we notice four people right next to ours and I recognize them from my class. I immediately get grossed out when I notice two of them basically make out, the guy with red dyed hair and the blond girl. Ugh, I can already tell they will be a pain to see this year.
I decide to ignore them and just put things in my locker but Jasper doesn't.
"Hey, weren't you all in that Calculus class from earlier?" Jasper asks. Ugh, why is Jasper doing this...?
The four of them look at Jasper but do not pay Jasper any mind and to Jasper's horror, they ignore them, even worse the tall girl seems to be looking at me instead but doesn't say a word.
They continue pretending like we don't exist surprisingly and once the bell rings, they leave.
Jasper and I are about to leave too for our next class but the tall girl stays behind and comes closer to me.
"I didn't mean to ignore you earlier. They aren't interested in you but I am. I'm curious about you, you seem quite an interesting new guy." She smirks devilishly and that makes me feel awkward.
"Not really but aren't you going to be late to class?"
"It doesn't matter, it's just the first day, I won't get in trouble, what is interesting right now is you." Usually, I would be flattered but I don't know, I'm not sure I get good vibes from her, who even is she?
"Hey Shawn, I'll get to class."
"Oh yeah, I have to get to class."
"No, stay. I'm not done talking with you." she comes even closer, too close for comfort.
Unfortunately for me, Jasper picks this moment to leave me all alone with that girl.
"I'm going to be late."
"It doesn't matter, what's your next class?"
"French," I say remembering my timetable.
"Same, see we're in the same class, so don't worry I'll make sure we don't get punished." I don't know if that's a good thing.
"Anyways, you're interesting and I want to know more about you." This is so weird, why would a girl be interested in me? I don't know her!
"Why are you interested in me?"
"Oh Shawn, have you seen the news, everyone is interested in you, you're the new celebrity of this school." Wait what?!
"No, I didn't, but is it supposed to be important?" Her eyebrows twitch and her mood darkens, did I do something wrong?
"Oh yeah, I forgot you're new so I forgot you don't know about the school's account." School account? Oh no...I thought it must be a joke but are they really making posts about me?
"Are they really talking about me?"
"Yes, you are! You should totally see it! You're on the front page." Well, she seems overly happy about it which makes me more anxious.
I take my phone and start searching for possible social media accounts of Selcan High and find one. Omg...she isn't lying...Wait what is that Hootie alert thing? Wait, the girl that posted this is...Is it really her? So her name is Tessa?
"You made a post about me?" I ask confused.
"Couldn't help it when you're such a hottie! By the way, let's exchange numbers."
Exchange numbers? Gosh, I barely know her...She didn't even tell me her name herself and I don't want to cause misunderstanding by making think I like.
"Oh, um, thanks for calling me a hottie but I really need to get to class." Her face darkens and she no longer smiles. Oh no...
"You're trying to run away from me is that it?"
"No..." I say growing uneasy. She seems to be mad and I really don't want to deal with that.
"Wow, you don't even want to admit it, how heartless of you. You wouldn't want everyone to know how heartless you are and have your reputation ruined on day one, right?" Omg, what is she planning to do? Did she actually change her mind about me?
I don't want to be in the spotlight and I certainly don't want my life to be hell, so if
she does that...
"No, I don't want that."
"Good then give me your number if you don't want me to make your stay here pure hell." Gosh, she's scary.
I guess I'm forced to do this all because I refused to give out my number.
This girl is definitely a walking red flag and dangerous, I don't want to know what she's capable of doing, I already know enough.
"OK, what's your number?" She surprises me by taking my phone and entering it herself and then handing it back to me.
"Now what about yours?"
I tell her my number and she enters it, shortly after I get a text saying hey.
"Did you get it?"
"Yes...so your name is Tessa?"
"Of course, well it's Tessa short for Nathalee but just put Tessa with a heart." Ew as if I would but I do it because she watches me intensely.
"There it's done."
"Good"
"Hey you two, what are you doing skipping, get to class!" A teacher says I can't be punished already on my first day.
"I guess we better go."
"Yeah..."
And we go to class together to my dismay.
———————-
During the entire class, I couldn't stop thinking about the posts about me, I can't believe people are so interested in me.
I thought people would talk baldly about me or not care about me but it seems to be the opposite.
Why are they even calling me a hottie or good-looking? I'm not that good looking, I'm just plain average and if they are so interested in me, they'll be so disappointed once they get to know me.
Anyway, I find it odd that no one seems to care about Jasper. Jasper's new too so it makes no sense they pay them no mind and I feel guilty for taking the spotlight away from Jasper knowing they wanted this.
Literature just ended and it's lunchtime. I'm definitely telling Jasper about that.
We leave the class and walk down the stairs.
"Hey, I heard that this school has a social media and they keep talking about me on it." Jasper smiles.
"That's great! That means you're getting popular. It's about damn time people notice you."
"What do you mean?" I ask confused.
"You're always in my shadow and honestly this is your chance to meet new people and make new friends. " Jasper says excitedly but everyone might be able to buy it but not me, I know Jasper like the palm of my hand.
"But they're not talking about you. Does it not seem strange?"
"Yeah, it's a bit strange but it's not the end of the world, I expected it, and I am so happy that you get to be popular! You're so lucky!
Jasper shifts from a bit of sadness to being excited.
"Jasper! I don't want to be popular!"
Right as I say that we arrive at the cafeteria and stop. The cafeteria...
As if they were all waiting for me, everyone started looking at us, rather should I say me...I'll never get used to this...
"Where are we gonna sit?"
"How about near that window over there?" Jasper points and I agree.
We go sit there and during the entire time, everyone is looking at me cautiously.
I barely have time to sit, and people are already starting to look at our table in interest and start approaching me but it stops when suddenly the girl Tessa sits in front of us.
"Hey, cool table you chose."
"Yeah, I chose it," Jasper says and Tessa glares at Jasper.
"Whatever, I know it's only Monday but this Friday there's the first Football game of the season and then there'll be a bonfire. We do this every year and you're invited to come." She uses her usual threatening smile of hers.
Wait what? I've been invited to a popular event?
"What about me?" Jasper asks and Tessa stops smiling as she looks at Jasper uninterested entirely.
"Yeah, you two I guess. So what do you say? You're coming? I'll be there." She looks at me intensely.
Does she really think I'll come? I've never gone to a football game and even less so to a party thing.
"Oh...I don't know if it's my thing."
"Nonsense, it'll be fun."
"I don't know, can we think about it?" Her smile drops.
"Fine, you better think about it and I expect an answer tomorrow."
She then straight up leaves.
"Wow she's something else but still, I think we should go to the football game and the bonfire. We've never done something like this and now's our chance!"
"I don't know...It's really not my thing."
"Oh come on, it's gonna be fun. It's always been a dream of mine to go to a football game, football really wasn't a thing back home. Now's a chance to experience teenage life, we only live once after all! Come on, I know you're interested in that bonfire thing too." I don't feel like going but I don't want to disappoint Jasper either...
"Fine, we'll go but just this once and you'll stay by my side."
"Yes, yes, I will!"
I look at where the Tessa girl is and find her with the others from earlier. I get startled by the guy with dyed red hair from earlier, why is he staring at me?
From where I stand, he seems to have brown eyes and if I'd have to guess his natural hair colour is black. He seems quite built, yet slim, especially compared to the blond guy. He doesn't seem much taller than me, 5.11 ft at most. Though he's got a sort of badass vibes. Why is he even dating the blond girl?
Wait, why am thinking about him, focus on...right Tessa. Tessa seems popular...she has my number, yet I don't know much about her, and I need to know what I got myself into.
"Anyways, you should totally check out Selcan's High social media account, you'll like it."
"For sure, it's important to keep tabs on what goes on in school."
"Not really but if you do, can you figure out who's Tessa, well Nathalee?"
"Sure, I can look at it right now even."
Jasper doesn't lie about those things.
While they do so, I look around and notice how everyone is still looking at me, ugh, I feel so self-conscious, I hate it.
"Ok, based on my research, Tessa is not the Queen bee of the school. Rather the blond girl Grace is the queen bee of this school and the guy with red hair is her boyfriend."
"Yeah, that was obvious but what about the guy?"
"You mean Axel?"
"I think so?"
"Yeah, seems like Axel's originally just a skater boy but Grace got interested in him and they have been dating since."
"Wow ok, so he's really not Mister popular."
"Well, doesn't seem like it, it seems more like the Zayne guy."
"How odd that the Queen bee isn't dating the number of one guy in school."
"I know but it's interesting, Zayne seems to get his status from being the quarterback of the school's football team, the Selkees and Tessa is obviously Grace's best friend."
"Oh great...Queen's bee's best friend is interested in me..."
"Omg! It's your chance to be popular!"
"But I don't want to be a part of that gang, they seem like trouble."
"Oh come on, cheer up. This is the best thing that can happen to you."
"I don't believe you."
"Oh well, you will eventually." I really doubt it.
———————-
Finally, after a long day, I'm all alone in my room but no longer the case because of dinner, still what a relief.
I go downstairs and sit down.
"How was you two's Day?" My dad Garrett asks, sitting in front of me and Jasper.
Before I can even answer, Jasper answers for me.
"It was great, Shawn's became popular, one of the popular girls might become his girlfriend and thanks to that, we got invited to the first football game and even to a bonfire!" Jasper says excitedly and we all get surprised to hear that, my parents the most.
"I knew my son would be popular someday, did you pull the moves on her?" My dad Brandon asks smiling and his pride regarding me is obvious to all of us.
"Dad..." I say embarrassed.
"The bonfire and the football game, are you sure you two want to go? You've never gone to such events." My dad Garrett asks concerned.
"Yeah, it's gonna be fun, it's an opportunity to get to know people," Jasper says.
"That's nice but I'm still worried. Is there gonna be alcohol at that thing?"
"I don't know maybe?" My dad Garrett's face darkens.
"Jasmine Peterson, do not mess around with me like that."
"Sorry, sorry. I don't know really." And that makes my dad even more furious and anxious.
"Hey, let them live a little. They're allowed to go to a party if they want to, besides they are almost 16 and they are old enough." I don't know if I should thank my dad Brandon for that.
"Fine...you're dad's right. You better not come
back drunk. You two should be back for..."
"Just come back safely, that's all we want." My dad Brandon interrupts my dad Garrett, which makes him a bit mad.
"Fine, but don't forget to text me or your father, when is that?"
"This Friday," I answer.
"Hm, makes sense."
"So, you'll go to a party?" Literal Satan asks.
"Basically yeah," Jasper says.
"Wow, one day I'll make my own party and Shawn, I'm still more popular than you." My younger sister Alice smirks devilishly and I roll my eyes.
As usual, my Dad Garrett thinks we're behind this and lectures us, then the dinner continues without too many issues.
———————
It's been two days and I was hoping everything was a dream but how wrong was I? It hasn't changed, everyone keeps talking to me nonstop and posting about me.
I really don't get it. Seriously, I never asked for this unwanted attention.
Regardless today it's club day and usually I don't pay attention but everyone has been begging me to join a club.
So once Jasper talked me into the idea of joining the music club, I couldn't say no.
So when the time comes, we get in the music classroom and sign up but as I try to leave
I bump into someone and we almost fall.
"Hey, aren't you the new guy?"
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