The Strength of Us

Chapter Nineteen - Are You Lying To Me?

Chapter Nineteen - "Are You Lying To Me?"

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I had my head buried in my locker, shoving books away before I left school for the day. It's Monday afternoon – which means it's officially my birthday – and I cannot wait to get out of my stuffy school. If there's one thing I can't stand the thought of, it's being stuck in prison on my birthday.

I quickly grabbed whatever I needed and slammed my locker door shut, only to recoil at the person standing next to me that was previously blocked by it.

"Jesus, you scared me," I put my hand over my heart, breathing heavily.

"Sorry," Travis smirked. I shut my eyes for a moment and then opened them back up, giving him a blank stare. His eyes searched mine and the creepy smirk on his face was making me highly uncomfortable. But that's no different than any other day. "Happy birthday."

"Thanks," I muttered, hiking my bag up farther on my shoulder. "Are you sure you should be talking to me?"

"What do you mean?" He quirked an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes at his stupidity. "I hate you. You hate me. I'm pretty sure Laura is going to come running from around the corner any minute now to kill us," I looked around us suspiciously to prove my point.

He let out a short laugh and shook his head. "I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday," he shrugged.

"Well, thanks. Bye," I said awkwardly, clenching my fists tight at my sides. I brushed past him and started to walk away until he grabbed onto my arm, spinning me around. "What?" I snapped, not being able to control my irritation.

It's bad enough my mother ruined my birthday wish, now I definitely don't need Travis ruining my actual birthday.

He stared at me with a funny look on his face for a few seconds; his eyes narrowing and his lips curling up into that smirk I hate. I huffed with annoyance, prying my arm out of his hand.

"Nothing," he shook his head again, laughing a little.

I growled and spun around, storming out of the building before he could stop me again. My feet padded against the concrete as I stomped over to Alex's car and dropped myself into the backseat. The door slammed shut behind me and I grumbled to myself again, letting my bag fall beside me in the seat.

"What happened to you?" Alex chuckled, looking at me in the review mirror before backing out of his parking spot.

"Travis, what else is new?" I muttered, crossing my arms. Alex sneered and didn't say anything else as he drove Alyssa and I home.

Ever since he broke up with Laura a week and a half ago, Travis has been acting really strange. He hasn't been annoying me on purpose, like he used to before the whole blow up with Laura. Just his presence in general annoys me though. But I mean that he isn't going out of his way to make sure he pisses me off. He's actually being really nice and talking to me like a normal person.

Which just makes me hate him even more than I already do.

Who the hell does he think he is? He can't just break up with his psychotic girlfriend and then start talking to me like I'm his friend or something.

I can't stand it. He's been irking me more now than he used to when he acted like he hated me. Now I'm not so sure what the hell is going on with that egotistical, self-centered, annoying bastard.

Alex pulled into his driveway and shut his car off, and we both got out.

"I swear, I will hate that kid until the day I die," he gritted his teeth, speaking with a low tone.