The entire situation was getting ridiculous in Nathan's opinion. A week had passed and the entire school had somehow heard about what was going on between him and Paris. Of course, they were all on Paris' side. The girls thought it was sweet and romantic while the guys were trying to get Paris out of the picture so they had better chances with all of the girls. Nathan was just caught in the middle of all of this.
Plus Paris was driving him insane. He held the door open for him wherever he went, he'd finished the majority of the English project by himself, and he continually asked Nate if he could carry his book for him. Little by little, Nate became more and more homicidal. He was probably going to go insane pretty soon if this didn't stop.
He went to his photography class and sat in the back. The girls in the middle would giggle about him and the art types in the front would complain about them being in the class at all while the guys around Nate would just ignore everything. Nathan wasn't sure why he took this class, but he liked the teacher and it was an easy A. So he sat and waited for their lunch bell to ring, yet somehow dreaded it.
He knew Paris would sit next to him and try to talk to him and ask him if he could get him anything and all of that. This was extremely uncomfortable for Nate seeing as Paris was dementedly overbearing and he wasn’t used to sitting with people at lunch. Being the odd kid he was, people tended to not want to sit with him. So now with Paris sitting by him, a bunch of Paris’ followers would also sit with him. It was obnoxious.
So the teacher talked and Nate made a futile attempt at paying attention and then the bell rang.
Sighing, Nathan walked to his locker to put his camera away and get his lunch. Paris was waiting for him.
“How was photography?” he asked like a 13 year-old girl hyped up on Pixie-Sticks.
Nathan rolled his eyes, “It was fine.” He put his camera in his locker and pulled out the brown paper bag that held his lunch and walked to the cafeteria, Paris nearly walking on his heels.
“How was your class, Paris?” He asked dryly.
“Horrible,” he chuckled in reply, “I’m so behind because I haven’t gone in so long and now I have so much work to catch up on and my teacher is being a total ass about it.”
“Why didn’t you go?” Nate asked.
Paris shrugged, “Girls.”
“Ah, the masses of females waiting for you to fill their weeping orifices… Lovely.”
Paris sighed, “Yeah. I know. I’m an idiot who’s made a lot of mistakes. I’m trying to make up for it, aren’t I?”
They made their way into the cafeteria and sat down at a table. Nathan frowned as he pulled out his tomato and mayonnaise sandwich and Paris just stared at him.
“Paris, go get yourself some food,” Nathan ordered.
“I’m not really hungry.”
“Hey man, what’s up,” said one of Paris’ minions as he came over and sat with us.
“Not much,” Paris replied. While Nathan couldn’t stand the guys Paris drew to their table, he was glad they pulled some of Paris’ attention away from him.
Several other guys came over and talked to Paris while Nathan finished his sandwich, his goldfish, his carrot sticks, and his grapes.
Paris stared at him as he at his chocolate chip cookie and peanut butter sandwich and Nathan shifted uncomfortably.
“Do you have to stare at me?” Nathan muttered.
Paris shrugged, “I can’t help it. I like looking at you.”
“Well, cut it out. It’s annoying.”
“Sorry,” murmured Paris, still staring at Nate.
“Paris, STOP!” Nathan yelled and Paris stared at the table when everyone turned to look at them.
Nathan finished his cookie sandwich without being stared at by Paris, but half of the cafeteria instead.
“You’re not still hungry, are you?” asked Paris quietly.
Nathan twitched, “No, Paris. I’m fine.” He was going to explode….
“Are you sure? …Because I can go get you something.”
“I said I’m fine, Paris.” He clenched his teeth together as he spoke.
“It wouldn’t be a problem or anything. It would only take a second.”
“Paris, stop it.”
“I’ll go get you a hamburger, how’s that?”
Nathan stood up so fast; he knocked his chair over and promptly dumped the remaining contents of his diet coke on Paris’ head. Everyone in the cafeteria, including Paris, stared at Nate in shock.
“Paris, this needs to stop. I’m not going to date you. I don’t like you. It’s stupid for you to think that you like me when you know nothing about me.” His voice was deadly and cold.
Paris didn’t know what to say, “I... I know a lot about you.”
“Paris you’ve been sitting with me at lunch for a week. You just offered to buy me a hamburger.”
“Yes…”
“Paris, I’M A VEGETARIAN!!”
Paris bit his lower lip, “Wow… when did you start that?”
Nathan’s eyebrow twitched and a vein was slowly beginning to protrude from his forehead, “ Paris, I was RAISED A VEGETARIAN! I HAVE NEVER EATEN MEAT A SINGLE DAY IN MY ENTIRE LIFE!!” Nathan was so frustrated, he was crying, “You never listen to what I say, Paris. You want to make things right so bad, but it’s not enough, Paris. It’s not enough.” And with that, he turned and walked out of the cafeteria.
No one spoke.