In Trouble with the Bad Boy

Chapter 3: Chop Suey Cheaters

Dedicated to RachKSpear, whose comment reminded me a) that I was actually writing this book, b) that I shouldn't give up, and c) that it's totally unfair to leave you guys on a cliffhanger, though I might do it anyways...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You did what?!" Zak busted out laughing before taking a giant bite of his sandwich. Food dribbled out of his mouth and fell onto the plate in front of him. "This is gonna be epic!!!" he exclaimed, meanwhile displaying his half-chewed mouthful.

Mia and I cringed. "Don't speak with your mouth full, Z. It's disgusting." Mia looked at me and rolled her eyes.

Zak swallowed. "Sorry, Mom. I promise I'll do better next time."

Mia shoved him in response. "Oh, shut up you big baby."

Zak huffed. "I am not a big baby."

"Yes, you are," Mia snorted.

"Am not."

"You are, too."

"No, I'm not!"

"Says the boy who eats more messily than a toddler."

"No I don't!"

"Yes, you do."

Allow me to introduce you guys to my bestest friends in the whole wide world: Zak Thompson and Mia Hoult. Zak and I became best friends in kindergarten. One day, Zak was getting bullied by the "queen bee" of the playground (a.k.a. Alexis Lombardo). He used to be a lot scrawnier than he is now, and I absolutely hated it when people with power picked on people weaker than themselves. I still do, actually. So long story short, I got into my first fist fight and took my first of many trips to the principal's office. But it was worth it, because I stood up for what I believed in and, more importantly, made my first real friend.

Mia and I also bonded over mutual hatred of Alexis, actually. Zak and I met her when she moved to our school in third grade. Being the nice person that I am, I was the first person to welcome Mia to our classroom and, after talking for a little while, I asked her if she wanted to sit with us during lunch. Even in third grade, Mia was gorgeous. She had blonde hair and green eyes that any popular cheerleader would die for. So it was no surprise that as Alexis Lombardo heard me asking her that, she told Mia that it wasn't a good idea.

"Why?" Mia had asked.

"You're really pretty," Alexis had replied. "Pretty people don't hang out with those losers. They're not the sort of people you want to be hanging out with." She was just as obnoxious back then as she is today.

Mia just smiled. "I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." I smirked, too. She hates Alexis Lombardo just as much as I do AND loves Harry Potter? That's my kinda girl.

From then on, the three of us were inseparable. It was always Zak, Mia, and Rebel. In fifth grade, we actually dressed up as the three musketeers for Halloween. Fast forward six years or so and we're still the best of friends, though we all turned out pretty differently. Zak is the nerd of the group. I mean, Mia and I get pretty good grades and all, but he has a 4.1 GPA and is captain of the debate team. School's kinda his specialty. Mia, on the other hand, went for cheerleading--not because of her typical high school cheerleader-esque looks, but because she actually enjoys it (and our gymnastics team kinda sucks). Plus, she made captain of the squad over Alexis, which is an added bonus. I, however, love to act in school theater productions--although they typically choose lame plays. I also love running track, although I can't do the winter season because of the school musical.