Chapter 2 Two

Sarah Hampton

"It's not over yet, so keep on believing."

....

~ Elizabeth ~

"Good morning, students. I am Felix Morgan, your health teacher."

A young white man stood before the class, his ebony-dark hair contrasting against his fair skin. It glowed under the fluorescent light, making me wonder-was he a refugee? But then again, how was that any of my business?

"Good morning, sir," the class responded in unison, and I found myself joining in. I was almost amazed at how united they sounded. Almost. Who knew if they were just faking it? And how would I even find out?

"Good. I hope you are all here with your-"

"Good morning, Teacher Felix."

A voice interrupted from the entrance, and every head turned.

Patrick Diego.

I watched as he straightened up under the teacher's gaze.

"This is your final year, Patrick," Mr. Felix said, voice firm. "If you're serious about getting into Oxford, you need to start following the rules. And that includes no late coming."

"Got it." Patrick nodded, strolling into the class without waiting for permission.

The teacher sighed, almost as if this was expected. A pattern, maybe?

I lowered my gaze, hoping to avoid any interaction. But just before I looked away, our eyes met.

And there it was-a smirk. Mischievous. Knowing.

I quickly dropped my head, counting his footsteps as he walked.

'Please don't sit near me.'

But it seemed my silent prayers went unheard.

"Hey, Virginia."

He slid into the seat beside me, his voice barely above a whisper.

I felt my face warm up. Wait, Virginia?

It took me a second to remember. And when I did, I blushed even harder. How did he figure me out so fast?

I managed to ignore him for the first half of the lesson, convincing myself he wasn't there.

Until-

"Our main topic for today is STDs, which stands for Sexually Transmitted Diseases," Mr. Felix announced.

Patrick chuckled beside me. "A lesson on sex? Gotta be fun."

I clenched my jaw. Of course, he would say that.

"As we all know," Mr. Felix continued, "STDs are primarily transmitted through sex. The best way to avoid them is to abstain until you're ready."

A boy a few rows ahead scoffed. "We're hormonal teenagers. Abstinence is the last thing on our minds."

The class erupted in agreement-even the girls.

I frowned. Why couldn't they just avoid it? Abstinence is always the best choice.

Patrick's voice came again, low and teasing.

"That's what happens when you're still untouched, Virginia."

I stiffened. Was he reading my mind?

I didn't reply.

"There's always the option of a condom," Mr. Felix continued. "But it's not one hundred percent safe."

"Why not?" a girl with platinum-blonde hair asked, chewing her gum loudly.

"There's a small chance of breakage, or it could be pierced, causing leakage."

"That only happens, like, 0.1% of the time," Patrick said, his voice carrying across the room. "I believe that as long as I'm using protection, I can do whatever I want."

Heads nodded in agreement.

I shrank in my seat. Was I the only one here who hadn't done it?

Patrick leaned in slightly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Because you haven't met someone like me."

I rolled my eyes and shifted away from him. He was unbelievable.

For the next thirty minutes, I focused on anything but him. And when the class finally ended, I let out a deep sigh. So much for my first class at Holland's High.

As I gathered my books, Patrick's hand landed lightly on my shoulder.

"See you around, Virginia."

A shiver ran through me. I didn't respond, just watched as he walked off.

"You got his attention."

I turned to see the red-haired girl watching me, her expression unreadable.

"And?" My voice wavered slightly.

She sighed. "This is bad."

My stomach twisted. "What do you mean?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead, she flicked her gaze toward the window.

I followed her eyes.

And there she was.

Sarah Hampton.

The infamous Queen Bee stood outside, her piercing gaze locked on me.

Not just watching.

But glaring.

I swallowed hard.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

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A/N: What do you think of the chapter, guys?