Faking Popularity

Chapter 5.

RING RING

The bell went off, signaling for us to leave class. My heart was beating so hard I could hear it in my ears. I stood up and my legs went to jelly. I took a deep breath and picked up my backpack and walked out the door.

Would he even notice if I was gone? Would he care?

I kept walking and walked towards my next class, World History and Geography, when I felt a hand on my shoulder, jerking me back and spinning me around.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Excuse me," he stated.

"May I help you?" I questioned, hoping that he had forgotten.

He tapped his foot, beginning to become impatient.

"Do I look stupid to you? I haven't forgotten."

My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it loud and clear. I cleared my throat and laughed nervously.

"No...," I trailed off. My anxiety was getting the best of me. "What do you want from me?"

Suddenly, the bell rang again, signaling class. I took this as my chance to get away, only to be mistaken. He grabs my arm to make sure I don't move. We wait about a minute before everyone clears the halls and the late bell rings.

"Are we skipping? Because-"

Bradyden takes off sprinting down the hall, still holding onto my arm. I can't hardly keep up with his pace, my feet all over the place.

"Slow down!" I hissed. "I'm in marching band, not track!"

He didn't even look back at me and kept running until we got close to a bathroom. He turns towards them and, before I can do anything, he pulls me in the men's bathroom and stops. He lets my arm go, leaving small red marks where his fingers were.

"Are you crazy?" I snapped at him. "I don't even know you!"

He says nothing and walks to the small closet in the bathroom and grabs a yellow sign that says "closed for maintenance" and sits it at the door.

"That way no one will walk in and catch us skipping," he states nonchalantly.

I sigh and lean against the wall. "So what do you want from me?"

He leans against the wall across from me and smirks.

"Devyn Adams," he states.

He has got to be kidding me. I'm not gonna help the hot guy get a girlfriend. Is he insane? I'm not just some toy to be flung around.

"No way, Mr. Hotshot. I'm not helping you get some girl or help you make her jealous," I state angrily.

He laughs and shakes his head. I lift an eyebrow, confused. What's so funny?

"Devyn Adams is the most popular girl in the entire school. She has it all: blonde hair, big blue eyes, nice body shape, money, perfect family, guys drooling all over her."

I scrunched my eyebrows. "And your point is?"

"I'm done with her."

This caught my attention.

"Excuse me?" I questioned, making sure I had heard correctly.

"I'm done with her. She is turning this school into her kingdom and I need your help to get it away from her."

I stopped leaning against the wall and stood up. "And how am I supposed to do this?"

He stopped leaning against the wall too and walked towards me. "Become the new and improved Devyn Adams. Basically, fake popularity. And I can help," he stated confidentially.