Noted

TEN

Christian's note is the first thing June notices in her locker that morning.

How was your weekend?

That's it? He isn't going to respond to her ballsy note? It's so unlike him not to continue the bicker that she can't help the glare she shoots at him during free period as she listens to Maeve talk about her night with Ryan for the twentieth time. His complete, ignorant behaviour ticks her off further when he doesn't give one back.

What is going on?

"But the convention isn't until a month away, so I doubt he'll remember asking me to come with. Maybe we should just rock up and I can pretend we'd bump into each other by accident—"

"Christian asked me if the pizza was good."

Maeve gasps silently. "I'm so glad you brought that up. I've been dying to ask what that was about, but I didn't want to bring up in case you'd shut it down."

June frowns. "What?"

"Oh. Kim told me. She also mentioned something about Zachary, but honestly, hearing her mention Christian's name and your name in the same sentence on a canon scale... blew my mind."

"Huh?"

Maeve blinks. "You know, a canon scale. It's canon. Like, not made-up."

"Go back to you dying to ask for a minute."

"Right, yeah. I want to know how that went." Her friend's eyes light up in excitement. "How did that even start? Was he checking you out?"

"You're asking me questions I have no answers to," June says. "Why are you so hyped over it?"

Maeve sweeps her eyes over June. "Why bring it up if you're not just as curious?"

"Because," June starts, calculating her next words. "Christian hates me."

Maeve looks over to the man of the hour, grazing through a textbook two tables away. "I can definitely feel the hatred coming through."

"Don't you think it's suspicious?" June whispers, gazing at the back of Christian's head. "He threatens me through notes, then arrives at a party where he knows I'm attending, asks me if the pizza is good, then sends me a note to ask about my day and then ignores me."

"Wait, why are you mad at him?"

June lowers her gaze. "He's infuriating."

It's an unsolved math equation that June hasn't seen before. The answer is there, but the formula is unfamiliar. Whenever she thinks she has him locked down, he would throw her a curveball, completely shattering her work into minuscule pieces of powered glass.

At this point, her best bet is to go up to him and ask what his issue is.

June sits up with a start, eyes wide at Maeve. "He's trying to throw me off my game."

"Or maybe he's just being nice." Maeve keeps her brows raised as she flicks pages of her textbook over. "Not all villains are born with hatred in their hearts."

"I never said he was a villain."

"You don't have to. You just treat him like one."

The accusation hits June personally. "Wow, Maeve."

"When was the last time you said hello to him? I'm serious, June. Don't look at me like I grew another head."

"You're out of your mind if you're suggesting I do exactly that."

She notices the sigh dragging out of Maeve sounding like a tired mum of four. "It wouldn't hurt to try."

That is the icing on the cake for June.