The Problem with Paper Dresses

Chapter 2

I looked at myself in the mirror again and tried to figure out what my outfit for the day would be. I didn't want people to notice all the weight I have lost because I don't want them to ask questions. I choose mom jeans with rips and a big lavender shirt I tucked in at the front and bunched out on the sides.
I go downstairs and see my parents in the kitchen but I don't stop to talk to them. I go straight to the car. My car is a black convertible. My mom only got it for me so we would have something to ride in for parades. I think she assumed I would always ride around with the top down blaring music and showing off. I always keep the top up though. I do not wish to draw any more attention to myself.
The drive to school was boring. I only live five minutes from the school so it took no time at all. When I get to school I see a crowd of students crowded around something. I'm not close enough that I can see it from my car just yet. I park and walk over to where everyone is at. There in front of me is Mr. Popular Haynes Cole on a horse along with his friend Mike. They had rode their horses to school. Hayes Cole was a known horse and bullrider. He is a huge guy at I'm guessing about two hundred fifty pounds. He has won seven consecutive titles in bull riding. On top of that he is a star wrestler and has colleges lining up to take him even though he is only a junior. He could always be seen around town riding his horses to different places. He has a truck so he didn't have to ride a horse everywhere. A very nice truck actually. He just does it because he loves horses. At least that's what I think.
One of the teachers walks outside to see what all the commotion is about and does a double take. "Are those horses!"
Hayes smiles his mischievous smile that has made so many girls fall in love with him. "Now Mr. Grover you know good and well that I wouldn't bring a horse to school. This here is much more sophisticated than a horse. He is basically a car," his southern drawl was insanely thick. He pat the horse on the head as if to make a point.
The teacher sighed. "Take your horse to the stables in the back but you better not let me catch you or your friends bringing one of those creatures here again."
Haynes smiles again "Yes sir. I would hate to bother your oh so busy day with my creature." He made a noise with his teeth and kicked the horse making it take off in a run. Mike followed close behind.
A chorus of girl voices rang out. Girls were saying stuff like, "he's so hot" and "how is he single."
Now that all the commotion was over I continued on into the building. Everyone stopped what they were saying when they saw me. "OMG Liv congratulations on your new title." Everyone surrounded me at once. I didn't really have best friends at school but everyone considered themselves to be my friends and girls always tried to get close to me to get me to talk to my agents for them or to ask about how being a model was. No one really actually cared enough to actually try to get to know me.
I went to the bathroom to try to stop the chorus of people from talking to me.
A group of girls still followed me in and talked to me as if we had been friends forever. "Did you meet any famous designers at your shoot the other day. I bet you have tons of famous designers as friends." They oohed and ahhhed like usual.
"No. I don't really talk to any of them after work." I walked out of the bathroom after checking my hair and makeup and they followed me.
"Oh," the girl looked disappointed I wasn't close to a famous designer. Her smile came back though as she seemed to think do something else. "I heard you are going to ride in at the Rodeo Saturday. Is that true?"
"Yes. Though I don't know how much riding I will be doing. I have never rode a horse before and I will probably look completely stupid."
"I can teach you," a voice said from behind me. No. Please tell me that's not who I think it is. I turned around. Sure enough I was met with beautiful brown eyes. It was Hayes.
"Um you don't have to do that," words seemed to be hard to form. I wasn't the type to get tongue tied with boys but Hayes was different. There was something about him that had always attracted me since we were little. Maybe it was the fact that he looked like he worked out all day everyday. It could've been the bull riding (not that I had ever seen it) or it could be a combination of both. All I knew was that he was big. His arms were the size of my waist and she knew from talk around the school that he benched over three hundred four hundred pounds. I have always been attracted to strong guys and Haynes, Haynes was the strongest at the school.
"Come on darlin' I wouldn't want ya to embarrass yourself in front of all those people," he leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear. "It might ruin your perfect reputation."
I felt myself blushing as a result of him being so close to me and I stepped back from him. "If it's not a bother to you that would actually be really helpful. I'm usually a quick learner, so it shouldn't take long for me to learn."
"Now honey, horse riding is a craft that takes time and patience but you are lucky enough to have a good enough teacher that one time with me should have you looking like a pro rider."
"Thanks Haynes. Anytime you are free works for me. I have a photo shoot today, but I can come anytime after that."
"What time is your photo shoot?" He picked up a lock of my hair and played with it. I would've found the motion odd but he did it as though it was just an instinctual motion of his hand.
"It's right after school."
"Great. How about this. I will go home and get my truck and I will pick you up from your photo shoot and drive you to my house. It's on a dirt road. I don't know if your fancy car could make it down it because of all the bog from last nights rain."
I would be riding in Haynes Cole's car. I tried not to freak out about the idea. I mean I'm Olivia Fallon, front page model of vogue twice in the same year. Yet I was afraid of the idea of riding in the same truck as some hot bullrider at my school. I need to get myself together.
"Ok that works for me. We will be doing the photo's down by Hawkins Pond. Just don't make fun of me for all the makeup they put on me for the photoshoot or my hair."
He snickered. "No promises. I've seen some of those get-ups they have put you in for some of those photoshoots in the magazines."
I laughed along with him. Some of them were pretty outrageous.
The bell rung. "Where is your first period at?" Haynes asked.
        I wondered why he asked. We were almost halfway through the school year and he had never been interested in my going abouts before.
"It's down the 400 hall."
"Cool I will walk you there." He grabbed my arm and started to walk with me to my class"
"Won't you be late for first period." Haynes snickered.
"Funny girl you assume I'm going to first period."
"Aren't you?"
"Maybe, just depends on how I feel." There was one of Haynes less attractive qualities. He really didn't care about school at all. He made good grades from what I could tell but he skipped school a lot. He is in my second period P.E and he barely ever shows up.
"You shouldn't skip school Haynes." He pulled me to a stop.
"You don't want me to skip today Liv?" Liv, that's what I had always preferred to be called but hardly anyone ever did. Haynes always had though. The few times we had ever spoke he had addressed me as Liv. That is one of the things that always made him stick out to me.
"No. I don't want you to skip."
He smiled at me. A big smile that showed off his gorgeous teeth and dimples. We were at my class door and we stopped. "Then I won't. See you in second period Liv." And with that he was gone.