Chapter 5: Cafeteria Chaos: Nerdy Baby Strikes Back
Everything around me felt… weird.
I was standing in a huge kitchen I didn’t recognize. The lights were bright, the counters were spotless, and the only sound was water dripping from the sink.
Drip.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡttjbHVDqwW
Drip.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTiRQ7XRk6H
Drip.
“Hello?” I called out, looking around.
Then I saw someone standing near the counter.
Tall.
Messy hair.
Drinking water from a glass like he lived there.
My eyes widened.
“Alex Ford?!” I blurted.
He slowly turned toward me, still holding the glass. After taking another sip, he smirked.
“Oh,” he said casually. “Good morning… Alex.”
My eye twitched immediately.
“Do NOT call me that,” I warned.
He leaned against the counter lazily, clearly amused. “Relax, Alex. It’s just a nickname.”
“I hate that nickname!”
He took another sip of water.
“Sure it is, Alex.”
That was it.
I marched toward him and grabbed his collar dramatically.
“I told you to STOP calling me that!”
“Whoa Alex calm down!” he said, nearly spilling his water.
“You burger scammer!” I shouted.
“What?!”
“This is for the burger! The fries! And the soft drink you made me pay for!”
Before he could react, I started choking him.
“HEY WAIT!” he gasped.
His face slowly turned red.
Then pink.
Then
“Alexandra… I… can’t… breathe…” he wheezed.
Suddenly his face started turning blue.
Blue.
Like… cartoon blue.
My eyes widened. “Wait why are you turning blue?!”
“Because you’re choking me!” he croaked dramatically.
“You deserve it!”
“Alexandra,” he gasped weakly, “you’re… too pretty… to be this violent…”
I froze.
“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!”
Before the chaos could continue
“ALEXANDRA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
We both turned.
Eliza suddenly appeared in the kitchen out of nowhere, hands on her hips like an angry teacher.
She stared at me in shock.
“Why are you choking Alex Ford?!”
“I’m getting revenge!” I yelled.
Alex pointed at me weakly. “Your friend… is insane…”
Eliza ran toward us, trying to pull my hands away.
“Alexandra stop! You’re literally murdering him in your dream!”
“I DON’T CARE!” I shouted. “HE MADE ME PAY FOR BURGERS!”
Alex gasped dramatically again. “I regret… nothing…”
“YOU SEE?!” I yelled at Eliza.
Eliza facepalmed. “You two are impossible!”
Everyone started shouting at the same time.
“STOP CHOKING ME!”
“PAY MY MONEY FIRST!”
“ALEXANDRA LET GO!”
“STOP CALLING ME ALEX!”
“AAAHHH!”
“AAAHHH!”
Suddenly
My eyes shot open.
I sat straight up in my bed, breathing hard.
My blanket was tangled around my legs, my pillow had fallen to the floor, and my heart was pounding like crazy.
“What the?!” I gasped.
I looked around my room.
No kitchen.
No Eliza.
No Alex turning blue.
I slowly ran my hands down my face and groaned.
“Oh my gosh…”
“I just dreamed about Alex Ford.”
I collapsed back onto my pillow dramatically.
“Ughhhhh,” I muttered to the ceiling.
“Why is he even in my dreams?!”
Of all the people in the world…
My brain had to choose him.
The burger scammer.
The guy who kept calling me Alex.
The guy with that stupid, smug smirk.
I buried my face in my pillow.
“This is a nightmare,” I groaned.
And the worst part?
The day hadn’t even started yet.
I stared at the ceiling for a long moment.
Then I slowly covered my face with my hands.
“I just dreamed about choking Alex Ford…”
I groaned loudly and rolled onto my side, burying my face in my pillow.
“And he called me pretty. In my dream.”
I paused.
Then immediately shook my head.
“Nope. Absolutely not. That means nothing. My brain is just… weird.”
Just as I was about to bury myself deeper into the pillow
“Alliiieeeee!”
My mom’s voice echoed from downstairs.
“Allie, wake up! I made you breakfast!”
My eyes widened.
Oh no.
School.
“I’m awake!” I shouted back.
I jumped out of bed so fast my blanket almost tripped me. I rushed to the bathroom, brushed my teeth in record time, and quickly fixed my hair.
But even while I was getting ready, my brain kept replaying the dream.
Alex turning blue.
Eliza yelling.
And that ridiculous line
“You’re too pretty to be this violent.”
I groaned again.
“Why would my brain even imagine that?!”
A few minutes later, I ran down the stairs.
The smell of breakfast filled the house eggs, toast, and something sweet.
My mom was already sitting at the table with a cup of coffee.
She looked up and smiled. “Good morning, Allie.”
“Morning, Mom,” I said, sliding into the chair and grabbing a piece of toast.
She raised an eyebrow at me. “You look… dramatic this morning.”
I blinked. “What?”
“You sighed three times in the last ten seconds.”
I froze.
“Did I?”
“Yes,” she said, taking a sip of coffee. “What’s on your mind?”
I quickly shook my head. “Nothing! Just… school stuff.”
She gave me that suspicious mom look but didn’t push it.
“Alright,” she said. “Just make sure you eat before you run out again.”
“Yes, Mom.”
I started eating quickly, but my mind was still wandering.
Why was I dreaming about Alex Ford?
Of all people.
I mean, sure, we argued yesterday.
Sure, he tricked me into paying for burgers.
Sure, he kept teasing me.
But still.
Dreaming about him?
I frowned at my toast.
“That’s weird,” I muttered.
“What’s weird?” my mom asked.
“Nothing!” I said quickly, almost choking on my juice.
She laughed softly. “Okay, mysterious child.”
A few minutes later, I grabbed my bag and headed for the door.
“Bye, Mom!”
“Have a good day, Allie!”
“I’ll try!” I called back.
As I walked down the street toward school, I shoved my hands into my pockets.
But one annoying thought kept circling in my head.
Why was I still dreaming about Alex Ford?
I shook my head.
“Nope,” I muttered to myself.
“Not thinking about him today.”
Absolutely not.
By the time I reached school, the hallways were already buzzing with students talking, lockers slamming, and people rushing to class.
Normal.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB7dFsHoBwX
Everything looked normal.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIueOzkC9z
Good.
No Alex Ford. Perfect.
I walked to my locker, feeling oddly proud of myself. See? Today I would ignore him completely.
I opened my locker and started taking out my books…
Then I remembered something important.
Eliza!
I quickly pulled out my phone and typed as fast as my fingers could move.
Me: Ella! I need to tell you something about my dream last night. Like… we need to talk in person. Urgent.
Ela: OMG yes! Meet me where?
Me: Near the cafeteria in 5 mins. It’s hilarious and scary at the same time.
Ela: Kk. I’m there. Can’t wait lol
I shoved my phone back into my pocket, my heart racing. Why is it so embarrassing? Why did I dream about Alex Ford?!
There he was.
Alex Ford. Standing casually by the lockers with his idiots friends like he owned the hallway, smug smile in full effect.
I quickly stuffed my phone back in my pocket, praying he wouldn’t notice.
My brain immediately flashed back to the dream him turning blue, me choking him, Eliza yelling. And that ridiculous line…
“You’re too pretty to be this violent.”
I groaned silently. Oh no. Oh no no no.
Before I could think of a plan, my phone buzzed again.
Ela: I’m here. Come fast!
I bit my lip, debating whether to run to Eliza or… face Alex.
Then I made a split-second decision.
I would text her from behind the lockers so Alex wouldn’t notice.
Me: I’m behind the lockers. Hurry. It’s about my dream.
Ela: OMG I see you. Hurry!!
I ducked behind a row of lockers, clutching my bag like it was a shield.
“Please don’t notice me. Please don’t notice me…” I muttered.
Of course, fate didn’t listen.
Alex stretched and casually walked toward the lockers… right toward me.
My heart started racing.
I groaned quietly. This is going to be a disaster.
I crouched behind the lockers, heart hammering, phone in hand.
Eliza came running over, grinning from ear to ear.
“What happened last night? Spill!” she whispered urgently.
I groaned, covering my face with both hands.
“Eliza… it’s… it’s bad. Like… really bad,” I muttered.
“Oh no. Is it Alex Ford related?!” she asked, eyes sparkling.
I shivered. “Yes. And no. And yes. And ugh! Just listen!”
I took a deep breath and started recounting the nightmare.
“So… I dreamed I was in a huge kitchen. Totally random. And Alex Ford was there… drinking water… like nothing was weird. And then… he called me ‘Alex’…”
Eliza gasped dramatically. “He called you Alex?! Noooo!”
“Yes! And I lost it. I grabbed him” I paused for effect, shaking my head “and started choking him!”
Eliza nearly fell over laughing. “Wait, WHAT?!”
“I told you it’s bad!” I shouted. “And then he started turning blue! Like… literally cartoon blue! And I was panicking even more!”
Eliza was clutching her stomach from laughter. “OMGGG I CAN’T. HE TURNED BLUE?!”
“Yes! And then… and then you appeared!” I exclaimed. “You were yelling ‘ALEXANDRA WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!’”
Eliza doubled over. “I remember! I was so dramatic. I couldn’t believe it!”
“And he was like… gasping and saying something ridiculous” I groaned, covering my face again. “He said… ‘You’re too pretty to be this violent!’”
Eliza shrieked with laughter. “NOOO. THAT’S GOLD. OH MY GOD. I CAN’T. Alex Ford in your dream is a full-on anime villain!”
I buried my face in my hands. “Exactly! And the worst part?! It felt so real… I woke up, and I still can’t stop thinking about him!”
Eliza nudged me, still giggling. “Ohhhhhh, so that’s why you were panicking this morning.”
“I didn’t want to tell anyone!” I groaned. “It’s embarrassing!”
Eliza smirked. “Embarrassing? More like… hilarious. And kind of adorable.”
I shot her a glare. “Do NOT say that!”
Just then… I heard a familiar laugh.
Slowly, I peeked around the lockers.
Alex Ford was walking down the hallway… right toward us.
And yes. That same smug, smirk-on-point, knowing-everything smile was on his face.
I froze.
Eliza nudged me. “Oh no. He saw us.”
“SHUT UP!” I hissed.
Alex stopped in front of us, leaning against the lockers like he was the king of the hallway.
“Sharing secrets?” he asked casually, voice teasing.
I panicked. “Uh… n-no! Just… homework stuff!”
Eliza barely stifled her laugh, giving me a pointed look.
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Homework, huh? Looks intense.”
I groaned. “It’s… very… intense…”
He smirked. “I see… sounds like fun.”
I tried to hide my face in my locker.
Eliza whispered, barely holding in laughter, “Maybe you should tell him it’s about your dream…”
I shook my head violently. “NEVER!”
Alex laughed softly, clearly amused. “Whatever it is… it’s fine. I like watching you panic.” then suddenly he walked away
I groaned so loudly it probably echoed down the hallway.
Alex Ford. Impossible. Infuriating. And now starring in my dreams AND in real life.
Eliza just laughed, leaning closer.
“Ohhh, this is going to be fun,” she whispered.
And I knew… today was going to be a very long, very chaotic day.
The bell rang, signaling the start of our first subject.
I grabbed my bag, already feeling the tension of the day pressing on me.
“Eliza… I gotta go. Class,” I muttered, waving a hand.
“Babye,” I added quickly, a little embarrassed, and blurted, “Bye, Ella!”
Eliza smirked immediately.
“Byeeeee,” she drawled, leaning against the locker, her tone teasing, “and don’t fall too much for him.”
I froze.
Slowly, I turned to her, eyes wide.
“What?!” I hissed, my cheeks heating up like a neon sign.
She just gave me a sarcastic smile, flicking her hair back.
“Oh, nothing,” she said innocently. “Just… you know… don’t let him steal your heart or anything.”
I groaned, covering my face with my hands.
“ELIZA! You are impossible!”
She laughed, giving me a quick wink before heading off toward her classroom.
I muttered under my breath, half to myself:
“Impossible… infuriating… and somehow… somehow still annoying me the most.”
With a dramatic sigh, I squared my shoulders, shoved my bag onto my back, and headed toward my classroom.
But of course… the thought of Alex Ford was already creeping back into my brain.
Why is he everywhere? Why is he always… him?
Ughhh.
I slipped into the classroom, doing my best ninja impression.
Step one: Sit as far away from Alex Ford as humanly possible.
Step two: Avoid eye contact at all costs.
Step three: Pretend the lesson is the most interesting thing in the world.
I scanned the room.
Alex… was already there.
Sitting in his usual spot at the back, leaning casually in his chair, smirk plastered on his face like he had inside information about my soul.
I groaned quietly.
Mission: Avoid Alex. Status: Almost failed before even starting.
I slid into an empty desk near the front and buried myself in my notebook.
Yes. Perfect. Invisible. Safe.
Ha. Ha. Ha.
As the teacher droned on about something about algebra (I think?), I could feel Alex’s eyes on me.
I froze mid-note.
Nope. Don’t look. Don’t look. Don’t look.
I even tried strategic moves:
Pretending to write math equations furiously (even though I had no idea what I was writing)
Adjusting my hair obsessively
Leaning over to “tie my shoe” in an attempt to make myself invisible
Alex… was not fooled.
He leaned back in his chair, tapping his chin thoughtfully, eyes on me, smirk widening.
Ugh. He’s everywhere.
Then, of course, he raised his hand casually, slowly spinning the pen in his fingers…
…and glanced right at me.
I froze. My heart was pounding.
Step four: disappear.
I ducked lower in my seat, pretending to be completely engrossed in the notebook.
“Rough morning?” His voice whispered across the classroom.
I jumped, nearly stabbing my pen into the desk.
Rough? My brain short-circuited.
“Yes! Absolutely! Nothing to do with you!” I whispered sharply, stabbing the notebook for emphasis.
He chuckled softly. “Hmm… sure.”
I slumped in my chair, pretending to scribble notes like a studious genius, but my eyes kept flicking toward him.
The rest of the class passed in a blur. Every time I dared to glance up, there was Alex, leaning back in his chair, smirking like the king of chaos.
By the end of the lesson, I was exhausted.
Step five: escape before lunch.
I bolted out the classroom door the second the bell rang, nearly tripping over my own bag in my hurry.
Eliza caught up with me in the hallway, still laughing.
“You’re never going to survive lunch,” she said.
“I don’t care!” I muttered. “Today, I will avoid Alex Ford… at ALL costs.”
Deep down, though… I knew that was impossible.
Today was going to be a very long day.
I grabbed Eliza by the arm and yanked her toward the canteen.
“Come on! Let’s eat before it gets crazy crowded!” I muttered, dragging her like a fleeing ninja.
Eliza laughed, letting herself be pulled along. “Geez, calm down! You’re acting like we’re escaping an army.”
I didn’t care. Mission: Avoid Alex Ford.
We rounded the corner and froze.
Alex.
Ford.
Sitting at a table near the window, smirking like he owned the place.
And worse… he wasn’t alone.
He was laughing, relaxed, surrounded by five of his idiot friends.
I groaned dramatically, letting go of Eliza’s arm and sinking into the floor for a moment, wishing I could just vanish.
“Of course,” I muttered. “Of course he’s here… laughing… eating… like a normal person who hasn’t completely ruined my life yet.”
Eliza leaned over, whispering, barely containing her laughter. “He looks… happy.”
I groaned louder. “I don’t care! That’s not the point! The point is I need to avoid him!”
Eliza tilted her head, smirking. “Uh… you just walked us right into his territory, Allie.”
I blinked. “I what? No! I thought… I thought we could sneak past!”
She laughed. “There’s no sneaking past Alex Ford. Never. Ever. You might as well sit down and face it.”
I groaned and buried my face in my hands.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed Alex glance over.
Of course.
He caught me staring, and his smirk widened.
My stomach did a weird flip, the same one it always did.
Ugh.
Alex Ford. Impossible. Infuriating. And somehow… completely unavoidable.
Eliza nudged me, whispering, “You know… you could always just… sit somewhere else.”
I shook my head frantically. “No. That would be… I can’t… I just… ARGH!”
And of course, my eyes kept drifting back to him.
Laughing with his friends. Eating like a normal human. Smirking like he had some secret plan just to mess with me.
I groaned loudly, wishing for literally anything invisibility cloak, teleportation, disappearing spell just so I didn’t have to face him.
But deep down… I knew that today, avoiding Alex Ford was going to be literally impossible.
I froze mid-bite of my soup.
Alex… was standing up.
And… walking toward us.
I panicked. My eyes went wide, heart hammering.
I lightly tapped Eliza’s leg under the table, whispering,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5Pm8I2ud8
“Hey… Ella… do you think Alex is… going to our desk?!”
Eliza’s eyes widened, and she whispered back,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVBiYnbGm0
“Sh… sh-shet… Allie… he’s coming…”
I felt my knees go weak.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXEPlImBPtu
“Haysss… shet… he’s coming… Elizaaa!” I muttered under my breath in full panic mode.
Eliza glanced around nervously, then whispered decisively,117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqH4sagfjv
“I’m going to buy a soft drink… first. Yeah… totally… avoiding him too.”
I groaned.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlyFjyjTVqe
“Wait! Eliza! No! You can’t leave me here! I need backup!”
Eliza gave me a small, sympathetic smile.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPpaqkGwVMg
“Bestfriend… you got this. Good luck. I’ll be back soon.”
And just like that… she turned and darted toward the counter, leaving me… alone.
Alone. With Alex Ford.
My stomach did a flip.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbPzCrEkLG
My brain short-circuited.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTWPA28uJ3
Every warning bell in my head screamed: PANIC!
I tried to steady myself. I clenched my fists under the table.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSpshoz5oN
Do not panic. Do not panic. You can do this. Don’t let him ruin your life… today.
But of course… that plan failed instantly.
Alex stopped a few steps away from our desk, smirk curling on his lips like he knew exactly what I was thinking.
My eyes locked on him, and suddenly… time slowed.
Every movement was in slow motion.
The way he tilted his head.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3aAXto8yuc
The way his smirk stretched lazily across his face.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqkzS0BIcP0
The way his shoes scuffed softly against the floor.
I could hear my own heartbeat pounding in my ears.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5beJ7WVmN0
Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.
I panicked again.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6wSaEnCSvB
Do not talk to him. Do not talk to him. Do not breathe too loudly.
I had barely caught my breath from Eliza leaving when I saw him…
Alex Ford. Walking toward me.
My stomach flipped.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInMbEBZsCq
No no no no no.
Before I could even plan a strategic retreat, he reached the table and then, with a single swift motion, slammed his notebook right onto my desk where I had been getting ready to eat.
I froze.
The sound echoed in my head.
The cafeteria, the chatter, even the soft hum of the fluorescent lights… everything seemed to slow down.
My world… stopped.
Alex leaned casually over the desk, smirk curling across his face like he knew exactly how much panic he was causing.
“Hey there, nerdy baby,” he said, voice low, teasing, dripping with sarcasm.
I felt my brain short-circuit.
“M-Mad… whatttt????” I stammered, jaw dropping, eyes wide.
He leaned back slightly, still smirking.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDXbRbGwepx
“Ohh, calm, Miss Avery,” he said smoothly, like I had just imagined everything.
I glared daggers at him, trying to regain some dignity.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1tEFUgyXQV
“Why… why are you here?!” I demanded, my voice rising, half panic, half outrage.
He just chuckled softly, tapping the edge of his notebook.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjaMjB7ZdXy
“Why? Hmm… maybe because I wanted to see my favorite nerdy baby up close. Lucky you.”
I groaned, feeling heat rise to my cheeks.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVwl4IO4Iy
“Impossible. Infuriating. Annoying. You are all of the above.”
I muttered, glaring at him.
Alex laughed, that soft teasing laugh, and I couldn’t help it I had to ask again, curiosity bubbling despite my panic.
“So… why are you here, huh?” I demanded, tilting my head, trying to sound serious but failing miserably.
He leaned back, smirk fading slightly into a sheepish grin.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaeLAeFaSoi
“Well… I… uh…” He hesitated.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMgg6lgoEeD
“You… need to teach me math.”
I blinked.
“Excuse me?” I said, eyes wide.
He scratched the back of his neck, looking genuinely embarrassed.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRnm5vyxgGy
“Algebra… I can’t understand it. And… well… you’re really… good at it.”
I stared at him for a moment, trying to process.
Wait… the guy I’ve been fighting academically, the one who’s always teasing me… can’t do algebra?
I burst out laughing. Hard. Full-on, unstoppable laughter.
The kind that echoed across the cafeteria.
People started turning, staring, but I didn’t care.
Alex… Alex was standing there, cheeks red, looking like a tomato about to explode.
“I… I really hate math… and numbers!” he admitted, voice a little shaky, eyes darting away from the cafeteria crowd.
I laughed even harder.
“Ohhh my god!” I gasped between laughs, clutching my stomach. “You… you… you can’t even do algebra?!”
Alex’s face went bright red.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAhSBKI1Dp
“Stop laughing… it’s… embarrassing!”
But of course, that only made me laugh more.
Heads turned, whispers started spreading, and still… I couldn’t stop.
Alex… the guy I constantly spar with in academics… was completely flustered over algebra, and somehow… it was the funniest thing I’d ever seen.
He groaned, hiding his face behind his hands.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMuUX4BsOu
“You’re… laughing… at me?!”
“Yes! Absolutely! Hilariously!” I cried between giggles, still clutching my notebook for support.
Alex’s ears were bright red now, the smirk completely gone.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7EuKkxLW87
He mumbled something under his breath, muttering about how nerdy babies shouldn’t laugh this hard, but I couldn’t hear it over my own laughter.
And even though everyone was staring… I didn’t care.
Because right then, Alex Ford… the impossible, infuriating, maddening Alex Ford… was just… a flustered, embarrassed mess, and it was absolutely glorious.
Alex waited patiently or at least I thought it was patience until I finally stopped laughing.
He leaned slightly forward, arms crossed, lips pressed in a thin line, and gave me a face full of annoyed disbelief.
“So… are you going to teach me… or not?” he asked, voice low but clearly irritated.
I stood up slowly, letting the smirk creep onto my face.
“Awww,” I said, teasing, letting my voice drip with sarcasm, “you need help from your nerdy baby?”
Alex blinked.
I continued, enjoying every second, “Your nerdy… nerdy… baby, Alex Ford.”
He groaned loudly, clearly annoyed, red creeping up his neck.
“No!” I shouted suddenly, slapping my hand against my notebook for emphasis.
Alex threw his head back, groaning in frustration.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRUoP6bGqjG
“You’re impossible!” he muttered under his breath, clearly fuming.
Just then… Eliza returned, holding her soft drink and looking confused.
“Uh… what happened to your face?” she asked, curiosity obvious in her tone.
I grabbed her hand, dragging her toward the counter.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx1WaskR1z2
“Let’s go, Ella. I’ll get your soft drink.”
She raised an eyebrow, giving me a smirk.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbMzGgkb3yp
“Uh… okay… sure, bestfriend,” she said, clearly sensing something was up.
I walked toward Alex, carrying her drink, heart pounding.
And of course… as luck would have it, a group of students were passing by.
One of them didn’t even mean to bump into me…
But they did.
And before I knew it… the soft drink slipped from my hand and spilled all over Alex.
The cold liquid soaked his shirt.
The cafeteria went dead silent for a moment.
I froze. Heart pounding. Face burning.
Alex stood there… soaked… staring at me.
I muttered under my breath, panicking:117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZ3qHnQFMc
“Oh no… oh no… oh no…”
Heads were turning, whispers spreading.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiW8tTfY0aZ
Everyone was staring… including Alex’s friends, Eliza, and me.
Alex’s face was a mix of shock, disbelief, and rising anger.
I swallowed hard.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ4waC08NPo
what!!.... the fuck!!!
“U-uh…” I stammered nervously.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOcZYl9mQQa
“I… I’m so… sorry?!”
Alex just stared, his smirk gone, replaced with pure annoyed horror.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTaNVn8fFV5
“You… spilled… your drink?!”
I nodded frantically, my hands shaking.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxNKaChM8AS
“Yes! I… I didn’t mean to! I swear!”
Eliza peeked at us, trying not to laugh, but clearly dying inside.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ12ZIswsNBP
“You… okay, Allie?” she whispered, giggling.
I groaned, clutching my head.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOj7JrUnt3
I’m officially doomed.
Alex took a deep breath, glaring at me, clearly calculating how much trouble I was in…117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIon2nE0cFt
…and I knew… today was far from over.
Alex stood there, drenched in soft drink, staring at me like I’d personally declared war on him.
I wanted to shrink into the floor.
“I… I… I didn’t mean to!” I stammered, shaking, face burning red, hands flailing helplessly.
He blinked slowly, taking a deep breath… and then smirked.
“Ohhh,” he said, voice dripping with sarcasm, “so THIS is what my nerdy baby looks like when panicked.”
I froze.
“WHAT?! NO! I” I started, but the words tumbled out in a panicked jumble.
He leaned slightly closer, wiping a bit of the sticky drink off his sleeve, smirk still on his face.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ27nL94DqWi
“You really are… adorable when you freak out. Can’t even hold a soft drink without creating chaos.”
I groaned, burying my face in my hands.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RwCtB4QyE
“Impossible… infuriating… maddening… fuckyou!, Alex Ford!”
Alex chuckled, clearly enjoying every second of my meltdown.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrlWrXDTCae
“And yet… somehow… I still like seeing that face.”
I peeked through my fingers, glaring daggers, only to see Eliza crouched behind a pillar, trying and failing not to laugh.
“Bestfriend…” she whispered, giggling, “you’re… really… on fire today.”
I threw her a glare that could melt steel.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVzcULzvb1r
“Shut up, Ella! You’re just lucky you weren’t holding the soft drink!”
Alex groaned dramatically, leaning back and tapping his forehead.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgpiKscwZmx
“You know… I think you might be dangerous. Soft drinks, algebra, sarcasm… dangerous combination.”
I shook my head, muttering under my breath, “I… can’t… deal with this guy.”
But as I looked at him messy hair, drenched shirt, smirk still faintly playing on his lipsI realized something.
No matter how infuriating, impossible, teasing, or chaotic Alex Ford was… somehow, he made even the worst disaster… kind of fun.
I groaned again, throwing my head back dramatically, but a small, guilty smile threatened to escape.
Alex noticed, of course.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSV40QrCbVl
“And that little smile? That’s what makes you really impossible.”
I groaned louder.117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvO1jWkrKE3
“Ughhhhhh…”
And with that, the cafeteria erupted back into noise. Everyone whispering, some laughing, Alex glaring, me panicking… and somehow, this was just another day in the chaotic, impossible, infuriating saga that was Alex Ford and me.
117Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa4PEVEjHTv
and then Add to home screen.