Song Of The Day : Domino by Jessie J.

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E i g h t e e n

  "What was all of that about?" Asked Hailey as we left the closet a few moments after Nick left.

  "Nothing. I'll tell you later. And by the way, Nick had bolted the door. How did you open it?" I asked, genuinely curious.

  "I heard your voice and thought you were in danger. The bobby pin came in handy," she said shruggling, her anger cooling off a little.

  And that's how I found appreciating the existence of the bobby pins for the second time in a day.

  --

  "Firstly you're supposed to remember that root of a negative number doesn't exist. That is the reason that a root of a negative number is considered to be an imaginary number not a real one. The value of imaginary number is 'under root of -1' and it is denoted by 'i.' The combination of a real number and an imaginary term is called as a complex number," Nolan explained as he wrote down the name of the chapter 'Complex Numbers' in a page. I nodded my head. It was pretty much easy to understand right now. It wasn't tough at the moment. And  truly hoped, it wasn't going to get tough as well.

  I and Nolan were currently sitting in the school library as he taught me a new concept in Maths called 'Complex Number.' It took all the will power in me, to not just stare at his handsome face and his full, pink lips as he droned on and on about the topic. It wasn't like I like him or anything like that, but that didn't mean that I couldn't appreciate the eye candy in front of me.

  "When the operation is addition or subtraction between two complex terms, you are supposed to pair the real part with real and the imaginary part with imaginary and bring the answer in 'a+bi' form. See for example, like this," he said as he scribbled down a question in the book and started solving. I paid attention to what his hands oh so skillfully solved. He completed a large big arse sum that would take me two minutes in a mere thirty seconds. Weird right?

  "Come on, now. You try this one out," he said as he prepared to look at the wrist watch to note how much I was taking to finish the sum off. I took the book from his grip and looked at the sum. It seemed fairly simple and easy to me right now. I tried remembering all the rules he said about complex number, as my pen started working against the smooth texture of the paper. Real part with real and imaginary part with imaginary. A few moments later, I was done with the sum.

  "Wow, Brown. That was great. Just fifty three seconds. I am impressed," Nolan said, nodding appreciatively as a small smile etched on his lips. I smile back at him, his smile no matter small, was contagious.

So is AIDS, replied my stupid brain.

Oh, so you're back now? I had just started having some fun, I responded back.

I never left, I was just too absorbed in Nolan's handsome features to pay any attention to you, retorted back that annoying voice in my brain.

"Shut up, idiot," I said absentmindedly, not realizing I just said that out aloud. Nolan started frowning at my words and then it hit me. He thought I called him an idiot when he's the smarter one here.

  "Idiot?"

  "No, no, not to you. T-thanks I guess," I responded back to Nolan as his words registered, embarrassed. Heat had crept up to my cheeks. I was talking to myself. I looked crazy in his eyes, I believed.  

  Since when do I care about what other people think about me? I asked myself mentally.

  Since Nolan came along. Just admit it you like the guy.  You even look a little presentable now, replied my annoying brain. I looked down to what I was wearing and frowned deeply. Just a goddamn pair of worn out black jeans and a flannel shirt. Since when was a plaid shirt considered fancy?

  I decided not to respond back as I looked up at Nolan and found myself staring at the amazing sea green colored eyes. They were so different from any of the eyes I had ever seen. They were rare. And they were so deep. His gaze on me was unflinching. And he wasn't embarrassed by the slightest that I caught him staring at me. But then again, nothing lasts forever. The moment too had to die. But by an annoying ring tone. And dun dun dun! It was mine. I fished it out and saw the name. A smile spread on my lips as I took in who was calling me. I quickly picked it up.

  "Caleb?!" I half yelled as a loud 'shh' echoed through the library and my head turned to the counter where the librarian sat with a stern look on her face as she held a finger to her lips silencing me. I nodded and focused my attention on the phone call, remembering to be quiet this time.

  Caleb chuckled on the other end and I smiled. "I take it you are happy that I called?"

  "Happy? I am ecstatic. But is something wrong? Everything's okay right? If something isn't-" I was cut off rudely by none other than Caleb.

  "Calm down, Cad-Cad. Everything's fine. I just wanted to check up on you. Haven't seen you in while, you know?" He said and I smiled, my worries melting away at his words.

  "I am fine, really. Thanks. How are you by the way?" I asked as I turned and looked at Nolan. His eyes were flashing dangerously and he  had his fists clenched tightly. So tightly, I could see his knuckles paling over. It didn't seem like him. He somehow felt the weight of my gaze and turned his eyes to look at me. The look in his eyes had me withering away. I didn't understand his weird behavior. Did he know Caleb and didn't have a good past with him? Or maybe it was for the fact that he didn't like to interrupted during a study session. His eyes softened and smouldered mine, leaving an invisible ash behind. An ash only our minds could feel. I raised my brow in confusion and mouthed 'you okay?' He just nodded and offered me a small forced smile. I could see his smile was forced because it didn't seem as playful and lively as before. It just seemed empty and the smile seemed like the one to reassure me. Not himself.

  "I am doing great. Actually I was wondering if today, after your working hours, you could come down to my office. I wanted to tell you something," he said and I tensed up. Was he firing me? No, it couldn't be. I had done my best and put my best in every dishes I made till date. There wasn't a chance that I probably screwed up. Fingers crossed, if I did.

  "Everything's okay? I mean I still have the job right?" I asked, worry easily slipping through my voice and my hands started shaking badly. I gripped the phone tighter to my ears. I finally had decided to love the job and do it because I enjoyed it, not because I thought it would make my mother happy. And I wasn't going to let it slip away from my hands. Not this soon, without some proper experience.

   A loud chuckle filled my ears and I found myself relaxing a little. "You still have the job, don't worry. I just wanted to talk to you. Nothing serious."

  "You scared me there, Caleb," I muttered instant relief washing over me.

  "That's my job," he said and I could feel him beaming at me through the phone.

  I stuck my tongue out at him even when he couldn't see me. Nolan just looked at me, amused by my actions. Luckily he had cooled off a little.

  I ended the call with Caleb a few moments later and then quickly, we started off with the next topic. I was smiling a lot after the phone call. I didn't know whether it was the phone call with Caleb or the side effects of studying properly after what felt like ages that did it. But I was smiling a lot, like literally. Nolan noticing this looked at me questioningly.

  "Why are you smiling so much?"He asked, a small smile fitting his lips.

  I didn't know what to answer, so I blurted out the most unusual and strange thing I possible could.

  "Jessie J looks so much like Katy Perry in her Domino music video."

  Nolan didn't say anything for a moment and I started doubting whether I had actually spoken something or not. But a moment later, he was on his knees - no not proposing me or anything. He was putting the expression, 'Rolling on the floor laughing' to shame. He was practically on the floor, laughing. His laughter could be heard all through the walls of the library. I turned and looked at the counter where the librarian usually sat and found the seat empty. Lucky bastard. I waited for him to calm down and when he did, I was scowling and he was beaming.

  "I guess someone's father was naughty," was his reply before my scowl broke and laughter bubbled from the pit of my stomach. He was laughing with me. I was laughing with him. It was just us that moment. No it wasn't a romantic moment. It was a lot more than that. It was happiness that we both felt. It was the satisfying guffaws that made our stomach coiled. And somehow, I believed it was a lot better than something romantic.

  After our laughter died down, which didn't completely happen since we were still grinning widely. I realized something. This was the real Nolan Moore. The Nolan that the world knew nothing about. He was the supposed bad boy of our school but at that moment he wasn't that bad. In fact he wasn't bad at all. I knew something must have happened in his past to make him the way he was today. Closed off. Angry with the world. Brooding.

  "You are a lot different from what I have heard about you," I said absentmindedly. But then it clicked and I opened my mouth to apologize at how wrong that sounded. The grin faltered from his face a little but a small smile was still there.

  "And what have you heard?"

  "That you're a big bad boy and have anger issues. And the fact that you don't hang out with girls makes people think you are gay," I said, gingerly, not wanting to make him angry.

  "Really? People here, no offense, are shit. If you're seen with too many girls then you are a fuckboy  and if you're not then you are gay," He muttered.

  "Well most of the girls find it cute that you aren't that type of guy to sleep around. It makes you loyal to your first girlfriend. That's the type girls in our school normally go after, after the manwhores,"I replied, not bothered by the fact that I just swore.

  "And what about you? Am I your type?" He muttered huskily, flirting with me as my eyes went as wide as saucers and I sucked in a large breath. The face was probably crimson red by now. 

  I quickly looked away from him and towards my book as I snatched it from the table and started acting as if I was reading something. But I wasn't. The book was suddenly snatched out of my hands and again placed back, but this time I could finally read something.

  "The book was upside down," Said Nolan as he controlled his laughter and ruffled my hair. My face went from crimson red to magenta, if that was even possible.

  Idiot.

  --

  Nolan didn't show up at school the next day. Nor did Asher and Breckin. I was worried. I mean I knew it was Wednesday and Nolan wasn't supposed to tutor me on Wednesdays, but I was worried. I still remembered the look on his face when I asked him what did he do on Wednesdays. It was dangerous to say the least. I had to control the urges my fingers had to just fish out my phone and dial out his number. And trust me when I said that the urges were very strong.

  Turns out that Caleb had called me for nothing important but for a review on a book. He bought a new book and wanted to ask me how was it. Of course, any doubts about any book, go to Cadence, the nerd.

  I slammed the door to my locker close and groaned out loudly as I held my forehead against the cool metal of the locker. Yesterday, I was up the whole night. I was thinking about how much of an idiot I was. I was thinking about Nolan, Hailey, Harriet, Taylor and even Nolan's goons, Asher and Breckin.

  "Calm down, lover boy will be alright," Said Hailey as Harriet and Taylor snickered. Apparently, the word about Nolan tutoring me had spread around the school like wildfire. People still looked at me weirdly with those judging hawk like eyes of theirs that silently shouted 'why does a nerd like her need a damn tutor? A hot one at that,' but I kept my cool. If any of those wandering eyes found Hailey's, Harriet's or even Taylor's the owner of those eyes would scurry off to the opposite direction. Probably because of the death glares they sent to the people.

  "Shut it, Hailey," I scowled at her through the corner of my eyes and continues," I am not worried about him. I am just plain tired."

  Now that wasn't a complete and utter lie. I was worried about him but at the same time I was tired as I didn't get a good hours sleep. I didn't even know why was I worried about him? I mean I barely knew the guy. Though he was considered a friend of mine, that still didn't justify my worries for him.

  "Okay, okay. I am just saying. No need to get your panties in a bunch," muttered Hailey looking away and guilt enveloped me.

  "Lets just get going to the classes," Said Taylor, after observing the thick lapse of silence.

  "Yeah. Let's just get this day over with. I am hungry already," Said Harriet and we all looked at her in bewilderment. The lunch break had just finished and she had stuffed her mouth with every appetizing foodstuff there. Where did that all go in her petite frame?

--

  The day dragged on and on and before we knew it, it was to me to go home. The day was pretty boring and the fact that there wasn't Nolan to irritate me, the day was more boring and less bearable. Funny how I already found his absence getting to me in some way or another. But I really, really couldn't help it. He really was like a contagious, infectious disease that was slowly taking over my mind and body. It was incurable. I had no control on what was happening to me. Just some cute conversations here and there and he already had me melting away. But that wasn't me. I really shouldn't feel all of that stuff. It wasn't for me. What was for me, was my goal. My goal to become one of the best lawyers London had and to excel in cooking for my mother and myself.

  After reaching home, I and Hailey both quickly went over to our rooms. Both to get some power naps. But before I could even sleep a wink, my phone started ringing loudly and I groaned.

  "What?" I barked angrily into the phone.

  "Hello to you too," responded a tired and a monotonous voice.

  "Nolan?" I asked, astonished, not really believing my ears.

  "The one and only," he replied, probably rolling his eyes.

  "What do you want?" I asked, sighing. I truly was tired. Even Nolan couldn't make me all energized right now.

  "Pick me up, please. I am near Willow Lane in East London," he muttered, his voice sounding even more tired, making me worry a little. East London? Seriously?  That was the dangerous part of London. The part where hangs stayed and where all the illegal activities were as common as rainfall in London. What was Nolan doing there?

  "You okay?" I asked, worry slipping in my voice.

  "I am fine. Just pick me up please," he said and I quickly scrambled to my feet.

  "I'll be there in five," I answered and hung the phone.

  I went outside my room and pick him up I did.