Betrayal by love-Chapter 8 - : I am not scared

Mrs. Anabella continued, "You're going to choose your partner from your stream."

The students stared at each other in shock, the atmosphere charged with surprise and uncertainty. This wasn't a typical assignment.

Evangeline leaned over to Zoey, a wry smile twisting her lips, and murmured, "Are we in university or kindergarten? It's like she thinks we're still kids."

Zoey nodded, watching her professor, chewing the gum, tapping her pen against her notebook. "I was hoping for a regular lecture today. This feels like P.E."

Mrs. Anabella, ignoring the mutterings, continued, "I've written all the boys' names in this jar. Each girl has to pick one. That'll be your partner for the project."

A wave of whispers washed over the classroom. Some girls giggled with excitement, already eyeing potential partners. Others expect their crush's name. Everyone excitedly awaited their time to take the jar.

Evangeline rolled her eyes, already fearing the instability that would ensue. She tapped her fingers on the desk, her thoughts divided between the classroom and the person from the previous night. Was this just a prank? Is someone playing with me? Or something worse? She tried to shake off the thought. Concentrate, Eve... Concentrate...

Rachel, always the first to volunteer, practically skipped to the front. She plunged her hand into the jar and pulled out a slip of paper. "Mike!" she announced, her voice a mixture of relief and slight disappointment.

Mike, lounging in his chair, gave a nonchalant shrug.

The names continued to be drawn. Lisa, with a dramatic flourish, declared her partner to be "Henry!" Henry, a shy guy with glasses, turned bright red. The tension in the room thickened with each draw.

With an air of confidence walking, Zoey strode forward, her steps purposeful and certain. She digs through a stack of papers before finally selecting one from the jar, a sly grin spreading across her face. "Harry!" she declared, casting a playful wink.

Harry, known for his charm, responded with a cheeky wink of his own.

One by one, names were called. Some females yelled with excitement while others complained in despair.

Finally, it was Evangeline's turn. Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing within her. She walked to the front, each step feeling heavier than the last. Nate, leaning back in his chair, watched her descend the stairs. The gentle sway of her skirt, the flash of long legs with each step, the click-clack of her high heels on the polished wood—each detail held his attention captive. I want a good one. Evangeline thought, her palms starting to sweat. She reached into the jar, her fingers brushing against the folded slips of paper.

She pulled one out; the clock sounds tick-tock on the wall seemed to mock her breath, catching in her throat as she unfolded it. Nathaniel. The name seemed to burn in her mind. Her eyes flicked up to Nate's, meeting his gaze for a fleeting moment. His lips curved into a slow, knowing smirk, sending a shiver down her spine. She quickly looked away, her cheeks heating.

A hush fell over the room. All eyes were on Evangeline and Nate. Some girls looked envious; others looked surprised.

"Okay, Eve, take your seat," Mrs. Anabella said, breaking the silence. "Next!"

Zoey leaned over with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Lucky you, Eve. Fates have a strange sense of comedy."

Evangeline looked away and forced a smile. It didn't quite reach her eyes. "Mock me all you want. I'm going to make his life miserable with this project," she said, crossing her arms, trying to project an air of confidence she didn't feel.

"This seems to be too much! My man is innocent." Luna pretended to be horrified.

"Innocent or not, it's too late now," Evangeline said, rolling her eyes. Inside, however, her mind raced. What am I going to do? Please help God. .... Even though I spoke confidently. In reality, I was scared of him. I don't know why.

Nate, still smirking, thought to himself. Well, well... This should be interesting.

The class continued, but for Evangeline, the game was far from over. It had just begun.

The next lecture began, but Evangeline's mind remained trapped in a whirlwind of thoughts about the previous night and the future project with Nate. How am I supposed to work with She? she wondered, her brow furrowed in concentration. I don't even know how to approach him. Maybe... I can ask him after lunch. She pictured herself walking up to him, rehearsing the words in her head, but they felt awkward and stilted. No, that won't work. She sighed, frustration bubbling inside her.

Nate, meanwhile, was having his internal debate. It's happening, he thought, a flicker of disbelief crossing his features. She's going to be my partner. I mean... My... communication partner, changed quickly in his mind. This is going to be interesting. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Before we get into the actual work, let's take a moment to have some fun. He leaned back in his chair, a naughty glint in his eyes.

Evangeline, still lost in her thoughts, pulled out her phone and quickly typed a message. "Hey Aaron, where are you" she texted.

A few seconds later, her phone buzzed with a reply. "I'm at Dad's office. I'll be back this afternoon for practice."

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"Um, okay," Evangeline replied, a hint of disappointment in her tone. She switched off her phone, the weight of the situation settling back on her shoulders. She looked over at Nate, who was chatting excitedly with his friends, a carefree smile spread across his face.

----

The afternoon sun, a weak, watery light filtering through the thick blanket of clouds, barely illuminated the entrance to the sports club. Nate, Kim, and Mike pushed through the heavy glass doors, the familiar scent of polished wood mingling with the sharp, almost metallic tang of sweat, a common aroma in such places. The rhythmic squeak of sneakers and the insistent thud of basketballs echoed from the court beyond.

A tall, athletic guy in a club jacket approached them, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Hey, man! I'm Jason, the final-year president of the sports club," he said, extending his hand.

Nate returned the firm handshake, glancing around. "Hi, I'm Nate, and these are my friends, Mike and Kim, we noticed on the student organization board outside, So, we are interested in joining the basketball club."

Jason's smile widened, revealing a flash of white teeth. "Great! Just fill these out, and we'll let you know by the end of the week." He grabbed a few forms from the nearby desk.

Mike took a pen from the bag and glanced towards the hall where players were spiking a volleyball over the net. "Nice place," he muttered, a flicker of excitement already stirring within him.

"Yeah," Nate and Kim agreed.

Mike glanced at his form, a slight frown on his face. He wondered aloud, "Are we all giving our guardian's phone number as our emergency contact, or are some of us just putting down random numbers?"

Kim shrugged and replied with a smile, "Honestly, I just wrote down the first random number that came to mind!"

Nate raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Hey, man," he said, "you really should put down your parents' number instead! If something serious happens and you're in trouble, that random number isn't going to help!" His tone was light but made it clear just how important it is to have the right emergency contact information.

As they filled out the forms, another group of students entered, tossing a basketball casually between them, the sound of the ball bouncing echoing in the empty hall. Nate's gaze drifted towards the newcomers, and he noticed Aaron. He was lean and muscular, with broad shoulders and a confident posture. A wide, genuine smile lit up his face as he chatted easily with his friends, occasionally throwing his head back in laughter. Nate wondered what he was like on the court. Was he as skilled as he looked?

"Hey, are you guys finished?" Jason asked, interrupting Nate's observation.

"Yeah, we're done," they replied, handing him the forms.

Jason glanced at them. "Okay, thank you. We'll let you know by message or call," he said, joining the other students, including Aaron.

Kim turned to Nate. "Okay, Nate, I must run to my business math lecture." He grabbed his bag and hurried off.

Nate and Mike nodded, each heading toward their respective lectures.

Evangeline tapped her pen against her table and glanced around the hall. Everyone was busy with projects; some were already ready for dates, some were on dates, and her friend was engrossed with his partner. But she still didn't know where her partner had gone, still searching for him. Where the fuck has, he gone, God doesn't have a 0.1% grace on me, she thought. Everyone's paired up, laughing, actually working... and I'm stuck with a no-show. She rested her chin on her hand, glancing at her watch and the other students.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of scrolling through reels, Nate strolled in. He didn't even glance at her, just plopped down in the chair opposite her. She checked her watch. Three o'clock. Shit. This wasn't going to work, even though he had no idea an innocent girl was waiting for him, definitely going to pay for that.