The Romance In Our Rivalry

2 | Aubrey's Animosity

Nova

I felt awkward, sitting between two people who were cool in their own retrospect. Aubrey was a bitch, but a rich bitch, and was pretty. So overall, she more than likely had enough points to be considered an "it girl" around here. Nick was a varsity football player and seemed likable, so I'm certain that he's at the top of the list around here as well.

When the bell rang, I didn't waste another minute wallowing in my poorness or being incredibly jealous of Aubrey's amazing looks and self-confidence. I quickly grabbed my bag, opened my phone up to show my schedule, and began walking.

That was, until Nick got a hold of my arm.

"Wait," he insisted, "what's your next class? Let me walk you there." I nodded, although I didn't know if I truly wanted that or if it was something I did out of being a people pleaser, but told him nonetheless.

"I have Spanish," I answered, and with the way Nick's face lit up, I assumed that he had Spanish too.

"Let's go!" he beamed.

Aubrey

I watched as Nick practically threw himself at Nova, and I fucking gagged. I mean, Nova was cute, but not me cute, and I honestly couldn't see what Nick saw in that. Maybe it was because she screamed "virgin," and he was probably just trying to be the first to fuck her. I don't blame him there.

All I knew was I needed to quickly find popular kids or jocks because Nova would be welcomed into both of those cliques with open arms say she and Nick become an item. I couldn't have that. I had to be the lead around here if I wanted to take home prom queen this year.

Nick

There were a few things on my agenda this school year, and I intend to stop at nothing to make sure I attain my goals. First and foremost, I need to make the all-state team or win a championship for football. The rules are set up weirdly so you can't do both, but either is fine. Either of those things would almost guarantee me a partial athletic scholarship, at the very least. Second, I needed to win prom king, because it would help with my credentials for college, in terms of extracurricular activities. But to do that, I needed a girl counterpart.

I've never had a "type" to be honest, but Nova was most definitely eye candy. I'm sure she got the impression that I'm some snotty stuck-up kid like Aubrey, but I'm trying my best to convince her that I'm not, without overdoing it. I don't wanna rush things with Nova, who is either shy or super innocent, and make her uncomfortable.

"So, maybe we can sit next to each other in Spanish class?" I attempted to subtly suggest as I led the way to Spanish with Nova. My words gave off a middle school vibe, because who asks to sit next to someone as a way of flirting when you're damn near eighteen? But, I couldn't think of anything else. I just wanted Nova to be interested in me.

"Sure," Nova answered shyly with a smile. "It's not like I could decline the offer anyways, I don't have other friends... if you couldn't tell."

I didn't know what to think of Nova's response, or if it was even a thinking matter whatsoever. I nodded and gave Nova the same kind of smile she had just given me. "Cool," I finally verbally replied to Nova as I opened the door for her. She gave me yet again a limp smile, and I knew then and there that her warming up to me, or maybe anybody for that matter, may take a good while.

"This your girl bro?" my friend Jason, who I went nine years back with, asked me as soon as he noticed me walk down the aisle with Nova closely behind. I shook my head and looked back at Nova.

"No, she's just my friend, and she's new. Her name is Nova." Jason reached out his hand to shake Nova's, and she shook it with ease. That made me wonder if Nova was only awkward with me. Is that a good thing? Does she find me attractive?

Nova sat to my right, and Jason to my left. As the class went on, Jason went on his phone. About ten minutes before class ended, Jason texted me.

"Be real for a second man" the first text read. I waited for a second one because I knew that Jason wasn't done saying whatever it was that he was trying to ask. "Do you like her? Or are interested in her? Because if not, I think I'm gonna make a move."

I didn't know how to reply, because I didn't know how Jason would react. What if he goes behind my back and tells Nova that he wants her, or tries to flirt with her as much as possible, in hopes that she would like him? She seemed more open towards him in regards to body language, and I'm not sure about what that means.

"Yeah I'm interested in her actually" I texted Jason back, "but I know another new girl here who's not too bad-looking, and wealthy. Her name is Aubrey." Jason looked up from his phone for a second to give me a look. It wasn't a bad look, but I couldn't read his face.

"Our grade?" he finally replied in a text, after having left me on "read" for a good minute.

"Yeah man" I texted back, "she's in my first period class. Brunette hair, blue eyes, white girl." Jason claims to have a thing for white girls, but in reality, he just has a thing for pretty girls. He doesn't care what the color of their skin is. I could name five non-white women that he was smitten over before.

I was this light coffee-toned, basically 'light-skin,' tan guy with greenish eyes and short, curly hair. In my eyes, I was cute, but maybe too cute. I don't mean that in a cocky way, but there is such a thing as a "fuck boy look"...and I kind of have that. On top of that, being a popular athlete wasn't helping.

Jason was a tad lighter than me, as I was somewhat closer to Nova's golden hash-brown, brown complexion. Jason was like maybe a Starbucks mocha-vanilla drink kind of color, but he wore it well. He had well-cared-for grown-out hair, although I believed short hair suited him better, and abnormally straight teeth. He wasn't ugly, no homo.

Nova was really attractive. Her shade was just the perfect brown, and her face seemed so well put together. She had plump lips, but not lip filler plump. A narrow nose, a diamond-shaped face, sharply arched eyebrows, and super long eyelashes. She was like this form of beauty that I had never seen before. The more I think about her, the more I want her.