Chapter 126: Making him jealous
**OLIVER WEST**
"Are you even listening?" I jolted a little at the sharp sound of William’s voice beside me.
"What?" I blinked back to reality.
"The teacher has mentioned your name, where are you lost?"
"What am I paired with?" I asked, not showing any enthusiasm.
We were to go search for mushrooms and note down their different types and similarities; at least, that was what I thought William had said earlier.
"You, Kieran, Heath, and um... her"
My gaze widened slightly. I was paired with Kieran?
My heart rate picked up instantly. I would get to work with him, this might allow me to clear up things between us.
He had not given me a chance to explain anything this morning, and I had also been too nervous to approach him again after that, but now if we were going to work together...
"What’s with that expression? Who else...?" I followed William’s gaze to see Kieran and Heath, and also Amanda standing with them.
I was also to be paired alongside her? A scowl crumpled my face immediately and I could hear William laughing at me.
"Just when you thought it couldn’t get worse"
Across the classroom, I caught sight of Xander being assigned to a different group. Our eyes met briefly, and there was something in his constant stare that made my stomach twist. I looked away quickly, but the tension lingered in my chest.
I hated feeling like I had unfinished business, should I approach him first and make sure that we were good?
That would have to wait, from my spot, I could see Amanda holding a sheet of paper in her hand. I was too far to hear what she was saying, but she was standing too close to Kieran for my liking. She even went as far as to touch his arm while explaining something to him!!
I turned my attention towards Kieran who didn’t even seem to mind her closeness.
How could he let her breathe in the same air as him?!
A hot spike of jealousy swept through me, making my insides churn even as I remembered the rude words she had spoken to me this morning.
I clenched my fist tightly and turned my attention away.
"What was Mrs. Wayne thinking? Pairing me with both of them? I’d rather fail! They both deserve each other!" I bit out and spared another glance at them only to be met by Kieran’s stare.
What was he even staring at me for? He should enjoy his time with his ex! I gritted inwardly, looking away immediately from him.
"Look who’s turning green with envy! Now, you understood how I felt back then, weren’t you telling me I was too obvious?"
"Shut up, Will" This wasn’t the best time for him to think of paying me back with my words, I was too angry at my boyfriend and his ex.
"I wonder how you are just watching and taking it. It’s your duty as his boyfriend to be that crazy wizard that wards off all other girls or boys from him."
I scoffed and crossed my arms, fight for Kieran?
I WOULD NEVER!!
To think I had been racking my brains on how best to explain everything and make him believe me, but he seemed not to mind having his ex hover around him. I could clearly see the look of interest in Amanda’s eyes, she looked like she wanted to climb him even with everyone around!.
"If he doesn’t even care about mending our relationship, why should I? He keeps on ignoring me whenever I try to approach him. I’m done with him, done with this relationship!" I said at last with every ounce of determination.
"You’re kidding, right?"
"Watch me! I don’t chase after boys, that’s not a main character energy," I spoke. William shook his head laughing.
"You’re starting to sound the way I did some weeks ago. You know? Crazy crazy."
Ignoring the look William shot me, I started to head towards them. And it wasn’t because I wanted to make peace with Kieran.
I just refused to fail my project because of them!
"The teacher didn’t need to include you, other teams have three members, why is it only us that gets four?" Amanda didn’t try to hide her displeasure.
Yeah, like I wanted to work with her.
"If you don’t like it, you are free to leave. I don’t want you here either."
"Yeah Mandy, I’m sure you won’t like working with your ex and his new boyfriend, why don’t you join your other friends?"
I whirled around to see Heath. Amanda’s face flushed a bright red. She didn’t say a word, but she also didn’t leave.
Against my will, my gaze snuck towards Kieran who was typing on his phone.
HE SHOULD KEEP TYPING FOREVER! SHAME ON HIM IF HE STOPS!
I bristled. Wait, why was I even upset? I just said I was done!
I walked past Kieran to the shed space behind him and began to arrange our specimen containers.
"Hey," Heath said, joining me with a small smile. "Thanks again for what you did. With Matt, I mean. I heard it was you who beat him up, I didn’t think you had it in you," He chuckled
I had a lot of things in me, like how I felt like chopping off Amanda’s hair right now!
Instead, I forced a smile, "I didn’t think, I just hated that you were wrong so bad. Are you alright?" I asked, genuinely concerned. With the rumours and everything that had spread about him. Some students had even made a sticker of him and Claude kissing.
"I’ll be fine," Heath replied, but I noticed his eyes darted nervously toward something behind me.
I turned slightly and saw Claude staring at us intently from across the field and he was starting to approach.
We were done arranging the specimen container, I started to lift the bag when Heath snatched my wrist.
"Isn’t it heavy? I’ll take it for you," Heath said suddenly, reaching for it.
"It isn’t heavy at all," I stared in surprise at him,
"Relax, we’re walking far into the woods - a short guy like you shouldn’t carry stuff while I’m here." He grinned.
It wouldn’t be Heath if didn’t call me short, I was already so used to it that I didn’t get offended at all.
But what is he playing at? My eyes narrowed suspiciously at him.
"So, don’t worry. I can be your assistant boyfriend of the day, doing all your work" Heath slung the bag over his shoulder, walking away with his usual swag.
An assistant boyfriend? Yeah, I couldn’t handle one, let alone too, I must say hats off to Matt.
"Can we go now?" Amanda rolled her eyes when we reached them.
As we started walking, I began to understand Heath’s game. Every time Claude started to approach our group, Heath would engage me in conversation or find some reason to stay close. I realized that he might be using me to keep a brooding Claude from getting too close.
We shared and discussed our tasks, after that, a spark of an idea formed in my mind. I dragged Heath to a corner, I wanted to play his game too, but in a different way.
If he could use me to lure Claude away, then I wanted to earn Kieran’s attention with him.
I whispered the plan to his ears and he blinked, then smirked. Did it sound too cringe?
"Don’t laugh and don’t look at him!" I warned him when he began to turn in Kieran’s direction.
"You’re quite funny you know? Who would think of that?" he whispered back, almost choking on a laugh.
"Shh! Keep your voice down!" I hissed, sneaking a glance at Kieran.
Heath clapped a hand over his mouth, still laughing. "You’re evil. Pure evil. I love it."
"I’m smart," I corrected.
Heath wiggled his brows. "Fine, let’s do it. Operation Make-Kieran-Explode is a go."
I shoved his arm lightly. "Don’t call it that! We can start now," I gave him the signal.
Three.
Two.
One.
And Action!
"Thinking about it, I think we might have been soulmates from the very beginning, you know? You’re always there when I need someone. You’re kind and handsome too, the perfect package" Heath said and I nearly rolled my eyes, my cheeks stinging. He was overdoing it, what was that? Poetry?
"Really? Do you think I’m kind and handsome?"
"Like this," Heath said, taking a picture of me, and grinning. I posed some more, making peace signs and kissy faces while he laughed.
"You are photogenic too. For memory," Heath said, taking another selfie, but this time wrapping his arm around my shoulder to pull me closer. "And wishing I made my move on you earlier."
I sneaked a glance at Kieran, and my heart crumbled with dismay. How dare he still be on his phone with Amanda trying to talk to him?!!
Fine. Let’s see how long he could take it!
"Who knows? My boyfriend has been ignoring me lately. I think I prefer a charming guy like you. You’ve been working out lately?"
From my peripheral vision, I saw Kieran’s head turn in our direction, an irritable look spreading across his features.
"You noticed?" Heath raised a brow, an amused glint in his gaze.
"Of course. Can I... um... feel it?"