Away With Him

08 - Not Affair Game

Monsieur Gasly was droning on about the digestive system in biology class but I don't think that anybody was actually listening to him. It was a Monday so naturally everyone was tired. We were all just watching the clock on the wall anxiously waiting for lunch. It had been a whole three hours since I last saw Max and, let me tell you, it was torture. Though it was difficult adjusting our behaviours when we were in public. We weren't sure how the school would react to us being together. Hell, we didn't even know if they were homophobic. So that meant minimal physical contact of any kind between us. And that was harder than you might think. I was getting on pretty well but I could tell that Max wanted to spend more time together. He always got dragged away by his friends. I think that they have realised that Max wants to spend more time with me than with them. And they're not very pleased about it.

"So are you going to tell me about it?" Hugo whispered, holding up a book to shield his face from Monsieur Gasly's view.

"Huh, what? Sorry I was daydreaming." I turned my head to Hugo but kept one eye on the teacher. He could be very strict about the smallest things.

"Your date. With Nadine. How was it?" Hugo stared at me blankly waiting for a reply.

"It wasn't a date," I stated, perhaps a bit too loudly because Monsieur Gasly paused his lecture for a moment and scanned the classroom with squinted eyes.

Hugo continued, "Well Nadine thinks otherwise. She's been telling everyone that you two are together now."

"She what?!?!" I blurted out. Loud enough that everyone in the room looked at me.

"Silence Riley!" snapped Monsieur Gasly, though I couldn't care less if I got in trouble. What on earth was Nadine doing? I thought I had made it overtly clear that I had no interest in her. Was I not obvious enough, or was she playing at something else?

"We're not dating. We're barely even friends," I explained to Hugo quickly, "You have to stop this from spreading," I insisted.

Monsieur Gasly stopped speaking once again and glared at me. He raised his hand with one finger pointed at me and was about to start scolding when the bell rang and he hesitated for a second. I took my chance and stuffed my books into my backpack hastily.

"Sorry 'bout that," I offered as I walked past the teacher looking shocked with his mouth agape. I had only one thought: find Nadine and sort this whole mess out.

I knew that I could probably find her sitting at her usual table in the cafeteria but unfortunately I was at the far end of the building, giving her even more time to spread her lies.

As I walked through the corridors it was only then that I discovered the full extent of Nadine's rumour. Every girl in the hallway tried to catch my eye, and those who succeeded flicked their hair back, pursed their lips or winked at me. I must've gotten dozens of high fives and pats on the back from boys who I didn't even recognise. Most of them were older than me. Usually they were accompanied by the person congratulating me. I felt like a king, or a God. But it had to stop.

I marched through the crowded cafeteria, straight towards Nadine's table. There was an empty seat next to her which she patted as soon as she saw me. Her bubbly smile disappeared when she noticed my stern expression. Charles and Danielle were sitting opposite Nadine.

"Riley I haven't seen you all day!" Nadine chirped. I stood still at the end of table as she brushed off the seat beside her with her hand, clearly wanting me to sit next to her.

"Can we talk? Alone," I firmly demanded. Nadine looked up at me and feigned confusion.

"We can just talk here." She gestured to the seat again but I was not budging. I narrowed my gaze raised an eyebrow.