Double Trouble novel Chapter 7

"We will," Nahla responded, grabbing hold of me. She dragged me out into the corridor and then grunted as someone walked into her. As soon as Nahla saw who it was, Jacen Kerner, she squealed, dropped me and flung her arms around him. "Jacen! You're back. How was the vacay in Aspen?"

"Wonderful." The Brit replied. "Thank you, Nahla." Then he finally noticed me and smiled, although it was slightly strained. "Darcy."

"Jacen." I responded. "Hi."

Nahla sensed the tension between the two of us and she dropped Jacen's arm. I was looking at the floor as she cleared her throat. "I'll catch up with you later, Jacen."

"Sure." He replied before walking off. He didn't bother saying goodbye. Not that I could blame him, I didn't really want him too. Jacen was nice, don't get me wrong, but just before Christmas he'd asked me out and I'd declined him. He'd been drunk so he didn't take it very well. But I didn't have time for a boyfriend. Brogan wouldn't have approved a boyfriend. Am I not good enough for you? Jacen had shouted. Is no one good enough for you? But he didn't understand, so I didn't hold it against him. He didn't know.

Still, as much as I hadn't wanted it to be awkward, we hadn't spoken since.

Nahla sighed lightly. "I think the two of you, if you're not going to go out, need to have a chat to at least go back to being friends."

"We are friends." I protested.

"It looks tense." Nahla retorted.

I stared at Nahla for a few long beats. I knew she was right. Jacen and I had had a good friendship before, but things had changed now. It wasn't either of our faults really, but I don't think we'd ever get back to the people we used to be. Sometimes that happened in life. Sometimes these moments made impacts great enough to change us, and we cannot revert after that. I could accept that. Whether Nahla or Jacen could was another matter entirely. The bell rang before Nahla could say anything. "Shoot," she said. "We're now late."

The art room was only along the next corridor, I thought, and if Mrs Winters had been here it wouldn't have been a bad thing. We would have apologised and gone into class. But this was the first day with the new replacement teacher. Being late did not send him a very good message, whoever he was.

Anxiously, I grabbed Nahla's hand and tugged on it. "Come on." I urged. We ran as fast as we could along the corridor, and rounded the corner. From here I could see that the door to our art classroom was still open. We headed for it quickly.

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