Loving The Boy Next Seat

CHAPTER SEVEN: DECISIONS

Angel stands in front of her opened locker; she is contemplating her next step at this point. The first thing she begins to think of is the reason why Sawyer would stand up for her; she hasn’t even thanked him or returned his t-shirt yet.

And the next thing she does is ponder about what to do with Tess.

Should she go?

She checks her phone for the time and it is five more minutes till the PESTs starts their membership whatever. “From the information she heard from the girls beside her locker, it was supposed to start around this time.” Angel doesn’t even know what she’s doing or what the plan is about.

All she knows is that she cannot let Tess become a member; her last year in Crestville High may end in a permanent mental breakdown. Angel inhales, what are the odds that they will even accept her or pick her?

This is insane. Angle nods her head in disapproval as she realizes that they would not pick her.

“Look who it is.”

Angle halts when she hears a familiar voice right behind her, that familiar awakening of traumatic familiarity sets in and her heart leaps in fear. It is no other than Tess, she can tell.

Did my boys treat you well? Tess whispers from behind and Angel stays still.

Angel jams the locker while Tess is still speaking, she faces her and puts on the face of audacity.

Tess steps back in shock.

Angel smiles.

“I pity you.”

What? Tess asks in confusion. She is confused that Angel still has the courage to look her in the eye even after what she made those goons do to her.

“It’s because your parents do not care about you that is why you turned out this way.” Angel whispers too and Tess eyes quiver.

“Repeat that.” Tess says this time.

“You call me an orphan, but we are alike. Your parents are living but they do not exist in your life.” So, go on.

“Run your mouth, it is all you can do.”

Angel says before walking away.

As she walks she checks the time and this time she has made up her mind to try out. Even if she doesn’t get picked into the PESTs, at least she tried and that’s that.

Especially now that she has said those hurtful and mean things to Tess, she would definitely come back for her, but it is up to her to be prepared for anything at all. Angel stops at the door of the auditorium before she walks in it; she takes in a deep needed breath and nods in response to positivity and self-reliance

She pushes the door open and to her surprise, the whole room is filled with tons of students, Angel makes her way and finds a seat in the auditorium.

She raises her head to the stage and then, she can see Ashley and Benita, they are the only females in the PESTs. Ashley is currently dating Peter, he is known to be on the edges with Sawyer, for some reasons, they are not on friendly notes.

“No one knows the story or has the evidence of their beef, but rumours say they are not on good terms and that is all rumours have.” And no one would know the whole story because the PESTs are a confidential group and the public is exempted from knowing their affairs.

Benita, on the other hand got into the group before Ashley, her parents sponsor the school just as much as the boys, and you could say she earned her seat there through her parents. Ashley and Benita became best friends after a short while, and that’s it for their story.

They are both gorgeous looking, Ashley has flaxen bouncy curls and brown eyes that lights up any atmosphere, she already has her own fashion blog that is popularly known by fashion companies and brands. Before she joined the PESTs, she was struggling with recognition because unlike the others in the squadron, she isn’t a blue blood or a peer of the realm.

She comes from a normal family, but has big dreams. Ashley is lucky to have friends like Benita; who is one of her biggest supporters and has helped her gain recognition.

The auditorium begins to gain more crowds and Angel begins to feel the suspense.

What will be the catch?

How will they pick a single person from everyone here?

Who would it be?

Angel’s moves her hand in her hair as she thinks; it is the biggest suspense of her life. She turns her head and finds Tess. She is paving way for herself as she walks into the crowd, Angel turns her head away in order to avoid getting seen but it is too late.

Tess has seen her and there is this frantic shock on her face.

She stands still when she sees Angel and whispers something negative to her underlings who grow that same shock on their faces too.

Angel focuses on the stage, she doesn’t care whether they have seen her or not. It doesn’t affix or lessen anything in her life. She has come too far to care about what Tess thinks, it’s either she takes a risk or sit back and cry without trying.

If there is one thing Angel is not, it’s being a quitter.

“After several minutes of testing the microphones and walking in and out of the stage.” Everyone is seated in some type of silence as they wait for the deal to occur; it is a chance to get popularity, not just in Crestville High but every where the PESTs have connections, and this is a whole lot.

And trust me, it goes wild and beyond.

Ashley used her membership to the squadron into becoming recognized as a high school blogger who would have her fashion brand in no time. Every single sole sitting has something in their minds about their presence here and it meant something to each and every one of them.

From behind the stage, four boys walk out from it and everyone in school recognizes them immediately and starts cheering vigorously. Angel raises her head when she hears the sound, her eye catches Sawyer first and her heart leaps as she lets her eyes follow him.

How would her eyes not catch him?

He is the tallest amongst them and she’s pretty sure everyone has their eyes on him too. From where she seats, she can see him. He has loosened his hair from the former twists and has now packed it.

Unlike the PESTs who are wearing basic shirts, he’s putting on a blue jersey and it makes him stand out so incredibly. Angel smiles unknowingly as she remembers when he stood up for her.

The crowds are still cheering and some even stand on their feet as they emerge on their feet and fill the room with applauses. They all stand at a corner before a table where four boxes are right in front of each of them having their names on it.

Hello, Crestville High!

Benita says as she and Ashley walks up to the stage.

The crowd cheers again and they laugh with each other at the attention they are getting.

Angel watches as they are so close and jovial with each other. It suddenly hurts her that she is in her senior year and yet, she doesn’t even have a friend to sit with her in these rough moments.

“So, we are so grateful for having you guys join us here, but first let’s give a round of applause for our main actors who have been able to join us.”  Ashley says as she uses her hand to points to the PESTs.

The crowd resumes their cheering at full volume once again and Angel blocks her ears, but doesn’t let her eyes skip PESTs, Sawyer in particular.

“Without further ado, who will be our next member? Benita says as she flaunts her hair and walks closer.”

She is wearing a short plaid skirt and a white crop top. It isn’t school dress code, but Crestville High literally belonged to them.

“It could be you.” She decreases her voice and the auditorium becomes quiet as she lets the suspense crawl in under their skin as she speaks.

“The deal is...” Ashley takes over.

“Look over at these four handsome boys right over here, in front of them are numbers that you are gonna pick” Each of you will pick a number from the box, but there is a catch to it.

“The boys are going to write their own numbers and specifically give it to you without your knowledge.  And once every number has been picked, the boys would call onto the number that they chose specifically.”

“So, one lucky person will hold on to it and then, we will move onto the next stage.”

“In the finale, four persons only would be able to carry on and from there, a winner will emerge.” Ashley says with a cunning smile, it shows they are up to something.

So let’s go ahead, shall we?