Chapter 10

Hera's POV

During science class, the whole class is in the school laboratory and as if the universe is against me, Baek and I are paired together to work on a science experiment. As we work together, I try to avoid his eyes and not engage in any small talk with him. He doesn't try to say a single word to me either and I wonder what could be going through that mind of his after our accidental kiss.

Maybe he hates me and is disgusted with me now.

Behind me, I can hear Brianna and her minions giggling and gossiping about what happened in the field earlier. She and Shawn are paired together too and for the rest of the practical, I have to ignore and pretend not to take notice of Brianna flirting so noticeably with Shawn. Obviously to get on my nerves.

"Are you alright?"

I almost lost my grip on the chemical tubes I am holding as Baek finally broke the silence between us and spoke first.

"Uh…I'm fine" I stutter.

I glance behind me to see Shawn and Brianna laughing and chatting. She touches him lightly on the arm and I can feel my heart burn with jealousy.

"Do you like him?" Baek's question draws my attention back to our practical. I shake my head in reply.

"No, I don't."

"I see the way you look at him." He maintains.

Woah. Look at who's a mind reader. Got a good eye huh?

"I don't. Besides, he is not even interested in me."

Baek doesn't say anything else again and I am grateful he let the topic die. Talking about Shawn always puts me in a bad mood. Ever since the night of the party at his house when he had pushed me into the water and laughed while everyone laughed and took photos of me, I realized I had no spot in Shawn's heart.

He is just an asshole like everyone else who had hurt me before.

"How are you preparing for tomorrow's field trip? You're coming, right?"

I notice how his face goes cold and he pales for a moment. He shakes his head and doesn't spare me another look.

"No. I won't."

"No?" Why?" There is a surprised expression on my face.

"There are important things I have to take care of tomorrow."

"What's more important than a field trip. Asides from the fact that it helps with your grades, it's sorta fun. The entire class is gonna be there."

He scoffs a little ridiculously.

"I'm not a dork like you, Hera. I don't need a field trip to boost my grades. I have my ways. Plus, I am not in the mood for fun. So, that's a hard pass for me."

How rude!

"Do what suits you." I end our conversation, trying my best to hide the fact that I felt a little disappointed that he wouldn't be coming with us to the field trip.

I shouldn't let it bother me so much. As long as I've got Makayla, I should be fine. I don't need a hottie whom I had an accidental kiss with to be my partner on a field trip.

Even if I am alone on the field trip with no plus one, what is the worst thing that could possibly happen?

…………

It is 9am the next morning and our school bus leaves exactly by 10am. I quickly pack my things inside my backpack and rush head down the stairs. My dad is preparing breakfast in the kitchen.

He smiles at me as I walk into the kitchen. "Hey, princess. All packed up?"

He shoves a piece of ham into my mouth and I take a bite and giggle.

"Yep." I reply and receive a plate of sandwich from him, immediately sitting on the kitchen table to have my breakfast. I glance at my wristwatch and it's already 9:20am. I wonder how it is that time runs so fast.

I am only a few bites away from rounding up my breakfast when I hear the loud horns of a car outside the house. I rush to the window to see who it is and as expected, It is Makayla in her red shiny Mercedes benz. A birthday gift her mom gifted her last month.

I snatch my backpack from the table and rush to leave but my dad stops me before I could reach for the door. He has a well packaged lunch box of sandwiches in his hand which he hands me.

"Take this with you just in case you get hungry along the way. It's obviously going to be a long trip."

"Dad. Not again." I grumble. There is nothing I dislike more than my dad treating me like some elementary school kid. Even though his gestures are sweet, I prefer he stops it already.

"Hey. I won't take no for an answer today."

"I don't need this and besides I am not a kid anymore."

"It doesn't matter if you are a kid or not. You are still and will always remain my little girl." He reaches for my hair and arranges a tendril neatly behind my ear.

Makayla's car horns again impatiently and my dad places a kiss on my forehead.

"Make yourself some friends and find a boy you like, okay?"

"Ew, dad."

He laughs and escorts me to the door, opening it for me. I hurry out of the house and towards Makayla's car. The windows of her car are rolled down and she brings her dark sunshades down to the bridge of her nose.

She waves at my dad and smiles cheerfully. "Morning, Mr. Thompson!" she yells.

"A good morning to you too, Makayla." My dad waves back. He stands by the doorway, watching me join Makayla in the car.

"I'm doing perfectly well."

I hop in the passenger's seat, beside Makayla and shut the door after me.

"You girls, be careful now, okay? Love you sweetie."

I sigh, tired of my dad already.

"Just drive"

Makayla starts the car and we drive away. She bumps her fist against my shoulder lightly.

"Hey grumpy. What's in there?" She refers to my lunch box.

"Just some luncheon my dad forced me to take to the field trip like some six years old."

She scoffs. "If my parents cared this much, I would be the happiest person on earth."

I sigh and roll my eyes at her.

"You know, you should appreciate your old man a little more."

"Of course I do. It's just that he is does too much sometimes."

"If my dad makes me breakfast every morning, I would smile a little bit more."

I smile at her. "You smile all the time, silly."

"Last night, my mom didn't show up for our planned dinner and when I called to ask why, her secretary picked and told me my mom was in a meeting and won't be returning home for the next two days." She fakes a smile as she narrates.

I feel instantly bad for her and give her a gentle pat on the shoulder. It's so sad to know that even though she is broken sometimes, she always has a happy face on. More like a camouflage.

"I'm sorry about that, Makayla." I send her a goofy smile. "But you've got the whole house to yourself and the cash as well."

She chuckles lightly and nods her head.

"You're right. Also, I'm thinking of having a house party as soon as we're back from this field trip. It's going to be the biggest party of the year. You should come too."

"Come on, Makayla. You know I'm not the party type. Especially not after what happened at Shawn's party."

"Hey. Don't let that asshole ruin your high school, okay? You should actually pay him back this time around. Go out with Baek and drive that ex of yours crazy." She raises a mischievous brow at me and sends me a wicked grin.

"Oh, no. No, please. Plus, Shawn is my ex. We never had anything going on in the first place. It was only just a misunderstanding."

"And Baek? I see the way you look at him. You kissed him in front of everyone in the field the other day."

I feel a heat of embarrassment on my cheeks.

"That was a mistake and the whole class knew that."

She laughs.

"Well, just in case you didn't notice, you're the only one that the Korean kpop idol talks to in the whole school and Brianna won't shut up about it. Every girl hates you for that."

"Ugh. I hate that witch." I throw my head back to the headrest.

"I know, right? Ninety nine percent of the school hates her. She thinks she is better than everybody else just because she's the cheerleader."

"Did you notice how she throws herself on Shawn? She's clearly doing it to spite you." She adds.

"So annoying." I try my best to hide my jealousy.

I hope Shawn hurts her just as he hurt me. I would be most delighted to witness that.