Chapter 7: Nesta

Nesta

⛸️

The next day at school, everything felt... off. It wasn't like Akil and I were suddenly friends or anything, but there was this weird, unspoken tension between us now.

We didn't talk in the hallways or pass by each other in the usual casual, nonchalant way. It was like we were both pretending the previous day's locker room incident hadn't even happened, but the awkward energy lingered.

I had to keep reminding myself that nothing had changed. I still hated Akil. The whole towel thing was just a fluke, and I was totally over it. Totally.

And yet, every time I saw him—whether he was walking through the halls or sitting in class—my stomach did this weird flip.

Of course, Ronan was oblivious to all of this. As far as he knew, nothing had happened. He didn't know Akil and I had had that little... encounter. And I was determined to keep it that way.

By the time lunch rolled around, I was already regretting my decision to sit with Ronan and the rest of the hockey team. It was too soon. I needed space.

But as I walked into the cafeteria, Ronan waved me over with a smile that immediately made my stomach tighten. "Hey, over here!"

I couldn't refuse him. So, I walked toward the table, past the usual group of jocks, and made my way to the seat next to Ronan.

Akil was already there, of course. He was slouched in his chair, looking too comfortable for someone who had spent the better part of yesterday making my life unnecessarily complicated. When he saw me, I swear I caught the tiniest smirk on his lips before it quickly disappeared.

"Good to see you," he said, his voice dripping with that same obnoxious smugness.

I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore him as I sat down. Ronan, not catching the underlying tension between Akil and me, happily launched into a conversation about the next game.

"So, what do you think, Nest? Are we finally going to beat those guys from Westbrook?"

I glanced at Akil, who was now staring at me with that irritating, almost knowing look. My heart raced, but I forced a smile, trying to focus on Ronan instead.

"Sure, why not," I replied, shifting in my seat. I was doing everything I could not to look at Akil. But of course, I could still feel his presence.

He was sitting so close, and every time I caught a glimpse of his face or his stupid, self-assured grin, I had to fight the urge to punch him.

"Akil's been a little distracted lately," Ronan said, glancing over at his friend. "You good, man?"

Akil gave a nonchalant shrug. "I'm fine. Just thinking about strategies."

I knew better than to believe him. He had this habit of brushing off anything that mattered. But now was not the time to get into it.

"Yeah, sure," I said, my tone a little too flat.

Ronan, fortunately, didn't seem to notice. He turned to talk to the other guys at the table about the upcoming practice. I should've been paying attention, but my mind kept wandering back to the locker room.

It wasn't even that Akil had been some big deal—he hadn't. He was just... there, looking completely out of place in the towel, the absurdly well-defined muscles that made me want to scream and run at the same time. I had to stop thinking about it.

So, why couldn't I?

"Hey, Nes," Akil's voice broke through my thoughts.

I looked at him, annoyed at myself for letting my mind wander. "What?"

He smirked. "You okay? You've been acting weird all day."

I bit back a groan. "I'm fine."

But he didn't buy it, his gaze still locked onto mine with that same intense look he always had. It was like he knew something I didn't want him to know. I couldn't let that happen.

Trying to keep my voice steady, I turned back to Ronan. "So, when's practice again?"

Ronan glanced at me, clearly not catching the odd vibe between Akil and me. "Tomorrow. Why?"

"Just curious," I replied, fidgeting in my seat.

I felt like I was losing control of the situation. Akil's presence was suffocating, and my attempt to act normal around Ronan felt like a futile effort.

But I had to keep this charade up. I had to keep pretending that nothing had changed, even if Akil's stupid smirk was making my heart beat faster than it should.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. It wasn't supposed to be him.

But somehow, here we were.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, and I barely had time to gather my things before the chaos of the pep rally began. The entire school was buzzing with excitement, and the halls were packed with students talking about the upcoming game, the usual pre-game hype that made everything feel a little bit more intense than it was.

As class president, I had the honor—and, I guess, the unfortunate task—of giving a speech at the pep rally. It wasn't that I hated public speaking, but I much preferred staying under the radar. So, being at the center of attention, in front of the whole school, was always a bit nerve-wracking.

I made my way to the gym with a group of my friends, my heart pounding with every step. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, like my body was holding onto nervous energy that wouldn't settle. Akil's presence kept floating back into my mind, especially the way he'd looked at me earlier.

I was trying to brush it off, but it was impossible to ignore.

When we reached the gym, the entire place was already packed. The bleachers were filled with students from all grades, and the basketball court was surrounded by banners, pom-poms, and all the usual signs of pre-game school spirit.

A few of the hockey players were hanging out by the stage, including Akil, looking as laid-back as ever. I couldn't help but glance his way, but thankfully, he was too caught up in a conversation with some of the other guys to notice.

I was thankful for that. The last thing I needed right now was for him to make me feel even more awkward than I already did.

The rally started with the usual fanfare—cheerleaders, the band, and the mascot doing a routine that got the crowd pumped up. I tried to zone out as much as I could, focusing on the speech I was about to give. I kept going over it in my head, rehearsing every word.

But the moment they called my name to come up to the mic, my stomach dropped.

"Let's hear it for our senior class president, Nesta Meredith!"

I stepped onto the stage, the bright lights blinding me for a second as I tried not to focus on the sea of faces staring back at me. My heart hammered in my chest.

"Hi, everyone," I said, my voice sounding much steadier than I felt. "Thanks for the warm welcome. I know we're all excited for tomorrow's game, but before we get too ahead of ourselves, I just want to remind you all how much we've accomplished this year as a school."

I went into my speech, focusing on the achievements we'd made as a school. It was hard not to let my eyes flicker toward the hockey team as I talked—especially when I saw Ronan cheering from the front. He was grinning at me, the encouragement in his smile making everything feel less daunting.

But then, as I was talking about the importance of teamwork, I caught a glimpse of Akil, who was leaning against the wall in his chair, arms crossed, looking completely unbothered.

He met my gaze, and for a brief second, my words faltered. His eyes didn't have the usual cocky, teasing expression. Instead, he was just watching me, and I couldn't figure out why that felt more unsettling than anything else.

I cleared my throat, quickly getting back on track. "...and let's not forget the importance of supporting each other, no matter what. Whether we win or lose, we've got to stick together as a team. Go, Palms!"

The crowd erupted into applause, but I wasn't done yet. I wrapped up the speech with a final, "Let's make this year one to remember!"

The crowd cheered louder, and I gave a small smile as I stepped off the stage. I could feel my face heating up, and I hurried back toward my friends, trying to avoid looking back at Akil.

As I walked past the team's section, I heard Akil's voice loud and clear over the noise of the crowd. "Not bad, Nesta."

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile that tugged at my lips. "I'm glad you approve, Akil," I said, trying to act casual even though my heart was still beating a little too fast.

The rally continued, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was constantly aware of Akil's presence—like he was always just there, somehow making everything feel a little more charged than it needed to be.

I tried to push the thoughts away. Ronan was the one I was focused on. But every time I glanced back at Akil, the tug of something I didn't want to acknowledge twisted in my chest.

After school, as I head back home, I keep thinking of one person.

Akil.

The moment kept replaying in my head, uninvited, like my brain was trying to torture me. That whole damn locker room incident.

Why could I stop thinking about it?

It wasn't like it was that big of a deal. Akil was annoying and cocky, and I'd seen him shirtless before—on the ice, during games, or even passing at practice.

But for some reason, the image of him standing there with water dripping down his chest, his hair a mess, and that towel low on his hips revealing his sharp v-line refused to leave my mind.

I groaned internally, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks again. Stop it, Nesta.

I wasn't attracted to Akil. I couldn't be. I've never been. Sure, he had abs carved out of stone, muscles that flexed when he moved, and veins that traced the length of his forearms in a way that shouldn't have been attractive but totally was—No. No, no, no.

This was not happening.

It didn't help that my stomach fluttered every time I remembered how he'd looked at me—like he was caught off guard for once, unsure of himself in a way I'd never seen before. That flicker of vulnerability was so out of character that it only made him seem...more appealing.

I shook my head sharply, trying to banish the thought. This wasn't real. It was just my brain being weird because of this situation. Locker room lighting plays tricks on people, right?

And yet, my thoughts kept veering back to Akil, unbidden, in a way that made my stomach twist with something I didn't want to name.

But then there was Ronan.

Thinking about him was like stepping into a soft, warm daydream. Where Akil was sharp edges and chaos, Ronan was calm and steady. He made me feel safe in a way that no one else did, and every time he smiled at me, it was like the world slowed down for a second.

I felt it during my speech when his grin lit up his whole face, like he was proud of me just for standing up there. It gave me butterflies, the kind that left me smiling for no reason and blushing so hard I had to look away.

Ronan had always been my safe place, my constant. He was the one I could count on, the one who would be there no matter what. And sure, maybe I felt a little more for him than just friendship, but that was okay. Crushes on your best friend were normal, right?

Except...they weren't supposed to feel this messy.

Because now, every time I thought about Ronan, my brain betrayed me by flashing an image of Akil—his stupid smirk, the way he said my name, the way he looks like he'd just stepped out of a magazine in that damn towel.

I buried my face in my hands, groaning quietly. What was wrong with me?

All I knew was that I needed to figure it out—and fast. Because if I didn't, I was going to lose my mind.

But what was the point? I couldn't have either one. This whole mess didn't even matter in the grand scheme of things.

Akil and I hated each other—no amount of sparks or racing hearts could change that. And Ronan? I wasn't about to ruin the best friendship I had just because my heart decided to be a complete traitor.

So, that was it. Decision made. I was going to forget all of this—forget the butterflies, the sparks, all of it. I'd shove it so far down it would never see the light of day again.

I'd focus on graduating, on college, on my future. Because at the end of the day, crushes and whatever this was didn't matter. My future did.

At least, that's what I told myself.

Over and over again.

Until I almost believed it.