MIRABELLE POV

Brring Brrring

The alarm screamed like a dying banshee.

I groaned, rolled over, and kicked the vibrating table. The alarm didn’t shut up.

Instead, it got louder and I snored louder. Yes, I was now having a battle with my alarm clock. The louder the alarm rang, the louder I snored. Spoiler: it was winning.

“Ugh!” I shot upright, my hair sticking out in fifteen different directions. “Fine! You win!”

I jabbed the off button and squinted at the time, scratching my buttocks.

"9:00 a.m."

Panic hit me straight in the chest.

“Shit! Class started two hours ago!”

I ran across the room, my thoughts destabilized "What should I do ? how could I have slept so long!"

Forget showers. I went to the wardrobe, yanked on the first pair of faded jeans, threw on a bra and an oversized sweater. Jammed my hair into something resembling a messy bun.

Sprayed Perfume, grabbed my tote bag and dashed out.

At the last stairs, I remembered I did not brush my teeth.

Congratulations, Mirabelle, you now smell like roses but could kill anyone with your breath.

I'll have to buy bubble gum.

I stood by the roadside looking for a taxi but none came.

I know God was clearly watching me and laughing.

"Oh, c'mon, don't do this to me." I waited, but not a single one passed.

So I ran and after twenty minutes of Olympic-level cardio, I smiled, triumphant. School, here I come.

Except… I was wrong.

I’d been running the wrong way.

I stopped dead. “Why am I like this?!”

I just relocated, so I'm not familiar with the road. Collapsing onto the sidewalk like a tragic heroine, I dragged myself back in the right direction, finally reaching school at. wait for it...

Eleven a.m.

If Mr. Obama caught me, I will be in detention. I went full ninja mode, sneaking in through the back door to my class.

Only Clara, my best friend and professional sarcasm supplier, was there.

"Where have you been?" She questioned.

"shhh. No noise class is going on, I woke up late." I whispered.

She raised a brow. “Babe… we’re on break.”

I looked around. Yep. Totally empty.

Clara sighed. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Feed me?” I offered.

“Cafeteria it is.” She smiled.

We were halfway there when suddenly there was chaos. Students screaming, running toward the main hall like Taylor Swift just announced free concert tickets.

“What’s going on?” I turned to Clara.

“There’s only one way to find out.” Clara grabbed my arm, dragging me into the mob.

We couldn't see anything but most of the students were blushing, taking pictures.

one after the other, they started to pave way in the middle, and Clara and I were at the far end of the crowd.

The crowd parted, and there he was.

The jade-green eyes, sharp jawline and sculpted cheekbones; the lean

frame and thick, dark brown hair that somehow looked both tousled and perfectly coiffed.

"OMG!" Clara said, she left the middle paving way for him.

I saw Nate walking majestically, wait,

Nate?

Nate Franklin??

Walking down the hall like he owned it. Which, okay, maybe he did. He was an actor, a model, my number one celebrity crush, and unfairly handsome. Like, how dare his jawline exist in the same universe as my clumsy existence?

I stood still, my heart went lub-dub-lub-dub-lub-dub. My brain? Complete static. I have only seen him in movies, not real life. What is he doing in my school?

Then he stopped. Looked right at me. He came to me or let's say in my point of view he walked to me!

Oh my god. Nate was coming to me. Me!

“Move,” he said.

"Get away from the way" I heard Nate saying, I stared at his beautiful eyeballs so beautifully, nodding my head, smiling sheepishly.

"Out of the way " He rolled his eyes.

“Oh! Sorry!” I jumped aside so fast I almost tripped.

The crowd laughed. I wanted the ground to swallow me whole because it was embarrassing.

Nate didn’t notice, or maybe he did and didn’t care. He just kept walking, cool and untouchable, his hands tucked in his pocket while I stood frozen like a malfunctioning robot.

“Snap out of it,” Clara said, smacking my arm. “What’s Nate doing in our school?”

“Shooting a movie?” I whispered, dazed.

“Then why didn’t you get out of the way?”

“I…got carried away.”

“Yeah, you looked like you were about to propose marriage.”

“Whatever.”

“Why are you sad?” Clara squinted at me, noticing the change.

“I’m not sad. I’m… tragic.” I sighed. “He’s rich, handsome, and successful. And me? I can’t even wake up on time.”

Clara nudged at me. “Hey. That’s why we’re in school. Someday, you’ll be rich too. And who knows? Maybe by then, Nate won’t be as rich as you.”

“Aww.” I hugged her. “You’re the best.”

Then I heard it.

“Mirabelle.”

A voice behind me.

My heart skipped a beat, I didn’t need to turn around. I knew that voice.

"No, not him..." I cried within.

The only person who knew my secret, the reason I was kicked out of my former school.