Stay Wild: A Curly Shepard Love Story

- Chapter 2 -

Curly Shepard's Point of View

I walk into the math classroom just as the starting bell rings loudly. Blondie's looking at me as she pulls her book out of her backpack. Mine's still at home, I doubt she'll help me. I plot down next to her and scoot my chair back, kicking my feet up on the table. 

I can see a handprint and marks in her arm from where I grabbed her. Tim's left marks like that, but he would laugh when he saw them. I don't think I can laugh right now. It's not as funny when I did it to her. 

"Hey, Blondie," I chuckle. She looks back at her textbook and flips to a page. I snatch her book and hold it above my head behind me. Blondie shakes her head and sighs, just looking at the desk. Smirking, I slide it across the table to her. She looks at me and smiles tightly. I nod, licking my lower lip. She rolls her eyes. 

"So, what're we learning today?" I ask, sliding so lose to her out chair legs are intertwined and I'm practically on top of her. She let's out a quiet laugh and raises an eyebrow at me. "Maybe we could start with your number." 

"Maybe we could start with Geometry," she replies with a small laugh. "Let's get this over with so you can get caught up for midterms, okay. How about we work after school?" I scoff and shake my head. I'm not wasting my free time on Geometry. Not a chance in hell. 

"How about we don't?" I reply, scooting away from her. "Help me right now. Teach me, princess. Geometry me." She rolls her eyes. 

"Curly," she says monotonously. "How about we got to your house after school and work? That or-"

"You are not coming to my house, princess." 

"And why not? Really, I don't mind-"

"Because a princess like you-" I poke her chest- "doesn't understand. You're not going to a gang house for math tutoring." She rolls her eyes. 

"Trust me, I've been to gang houses before and I'll be fine. Where's your book?" She can tell from my silence that I don't have it. Huffing, she flips her book to one of the first pages. "Get out paper. A pen too." I smirk at her and she realizes I don't have that either. She rips a piece of paper from her notebook and hands it to me along with a dark green pen. 

"Take the notes today, okay. I'll help you later." I nod with a smirk, licking my lips again. "You know you love me, princess."

"Not a chance, Shepard," Princess retorts. "And don't call me princess." 

"Alright, princess."

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"After school? We'll walk to yours," I say. 

"We'll walk to yours, Curly." 

"We'll see about that, huh, Princess."

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At lunch, as we head out to the woods behind the school, a girl with blond hair in a ponytail and her shirt tied on her stomach sits against the wall. A cigarette hangs from her lips and smoke rises above her. She has a notebook against her propped-up legs and she twiddles with a pen in her right hand. I reach into my pocket and feel the pen she has given to me earlier. 

"Aye, Curly, whatchu staring at?" I look at Curtis quickly. His eyes follow yo where mine were, Princess. He knows everybody. He's gotta know her name. Well, I thought I knew everybody too. I guess not so much. 

"You knew her?" I ask. He shakes his head. 

"Say, Curly, why you so interested in that girl? You ain't stopped about her," Ricky notes. I shrug.

"I just ain't seen her around before, that's all." It doesn't help that she's real good looking too, especially when she tucks that little strand of hair behind her ear and when she tries not to laugh and blush at my jokes. God that smile was real pretty, she must've had braces when she was younger. I wanna know her name, it's probably just a pretty as her. 

"You like her, don't you?" 

"Too nerdy, man. Look at her." She's not too nerdy, she's just smart. Well, not very smart if she's willing to help me. Any guy would be lucky to have a girl like that, damn. I want a girl like that. Well, maybe not. She's too quiet. She probably doesn't like drinking or smoking or partying. Well, wait, she was smoking a cigarette. Maybe she's not as upright as I thought. 

"Whatever you say, Curls." 

"I just need to get my grade up. That's all. Then she's just like anyone else." Maybe. 
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Princess walks up to me outside of the school, I'm leaned on the wall with a cigarette. I forgot my lighter at home and I'm dying for a smoke man. She has a few textbooks in her hand. She has a bag, why doesn't she use it? And I thought she was smart. 

"Come on, " she says, nodding towards the driveway that takes us to the main road. "Let's go. I don't have all day." And she thinks I do? I have a life too. I roll my eyes and follow shortly behind her. 

"Aye, you got a light?" I ask. 

"Why would I have a lighter, Curly?" I scoff and jog up so I'm right next to her,turning and walking backwards. "I saw you, doll, at lunch. You was at the back of the school with a cigarette. Hand it over, sweets." I stick my hand out and she slams the lighter into my palm. 

"Why are you watching me?" She asks, glancing to her side at me. I toss the lighter at her and she fumbles it with her books, glaring at me as she picks it up from the ground. "You know that's creepy, don't you?" I smirk and chuckle, blowing smoke out from between my lips. 

"You look good, princess." Princess shakes her head and rolls her eyes. She teadjusts her books in her arms and smiles at the ground. "Come on, what's your name, princess?" 

"You don't know my name?" She asks, braising an eyebrow. Am I expected to?

"Just got out of reform for 6 months, so no." 

"Curly, I've known you since we were little," she replies. Well that's not good. All I reply with is, "oh." 

"It figures, I'm not a very memorable person," she says quietly. "Where's your house again?" I shake my head. 

"I won't take you there, Princess. Come on, what's your name?" She shakes her head. 

"Ella Rae," she answers. "I told you to stop calling me that. Now you know my name." 

"Whatever you say, Princess." 
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"Is this you?" I ask, picking up a framed picture from the table in her living room. There was a little girl with blonde braids and a plaid dress. I'm still surprised I didn't remember her. I don't remember a lot of things like I used to. Tim claims I got hit in the head a few too many times. 

Ella Rae snatches the photo back and puts it down, "Dont touch that." I raise my hands in surrenders, backing up with a smirk. 

"Come on, we're going to my room." I follow her up the stairs. "Please tell me you're smarter than people say." I chuckle. 

"No promises, Princess."