Playing The Player

Playing The Player (1)

~picture above is Jaxton Cole~

I dedicate this first chapter to all my readers. You guys are the best!
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I look at the front of the school from the seat of my car, empty now that classes have started. I'm late, but I take a few moments to take in the building I can't say I've missed all that much. The railings of the ramp leading to the doors are no longer peeling from constantly having hands run up them and students seated. The US and Texas flag wave in the summer breeze. The outside of the building looks worn and cold. Not like a school at all.

I climb out of my black Dodge Charger, it was my dads way of apologizing for his absence since my mom's passing. How ignorant to believe a car would fix our relationship. I grab my stuff from the front seat and brush off my black denim jeans, ripped more than necessary. I adjust my gray Hollister shirt, making sure two of the three buttons are done. I silently thank myself for wearing the tank top as the sun beats down on my arms. My wavy, brown hair is already sticking to the back of my neck and I have to shift it to the side.

My cream colored vans tap the pavement as I walk towards the entrance. The building looms over me and I have to take a deep breath. I reach back and fish my wrinkled schedule from my back pocket. I haven't been here for a while, but thankfully I still remember my way around from my freshman and sophomore year.

I'm already twenty minutes late but I can't seem to bring myself to care very much about my lack of punctuality. I scan my schedule and release an annoyed sigh as I see my first class is AP Calculus. While I usually like Math, today I just don't feel up to solving problems. Just reminds me that I can't exactly solve my own as easily.

I'm about to round a corner when suddenly a massive body slams into mine. I let out a curse as I stumble backwards. My eyes wonder up the body of the human bulldozer in front of me. Great.

Jaxton Cole. I'd call him the school bad boy, but the truth is he's just a prick. I could probably conclude that he's still a massive player. If his good looks and cocky demeanor were any indication.

Jaxton glares down at me, "Watch where your going, will you."

Yup, same pissy asshole that I remember.

The old me would have panicked and fumbled to move out of his way then proceeded to go home and cry out of humiliation. Not this time.

I glare right back, "Well maybe if you used your eyes you would have seen someone in front of you and moved out of the way."

His face contorts in anger and he takes a menacing step forward. I can't help but notice how mature he looks now, with his sharp jaw, full lips, straight nose, brown floppy hair, and intense blue eyes. The fact that his personality is beyond ugly takes away from his god-like perfection.

"Who the hell do you think you're talking to? You must be new because nobody talks to me that way."

Wow, somebody's full of himself.

I merely cock my brow, "First of all, I know exactly who I'm talking to. Second of all, Cole, you MUST be stupid if you think that I care how other people do or don't talk to you. Now I think you owe me an apology for having to deal with your crap when I have better things to do."

He stands there with a look of shocked outrage at my little speech.

I roll my eyes and look at the digital clock hanging from the wall to my left, "On second thought, I'll just take a raincheck on that apology. I'm late for class."

Shoving past him, I continue my journey to my class. I don't look back to see if he's moved from the spot I left him, he could stand there all day for all I care. Finally reaching my class I open the door and walk in, not bothered by the fact that I just interrupted what the teacher was saying.

"And who are you?"

The whole class turns to look at me as I turn to the teacher, "A student eager to learn?"

The old woman's eyes narrow, "Your display of tardiness and interruption of class discussion proves otherwise. Take a seat, miss..?"

"Hills."

"Excuse me?"

I blink stupidly at her. She had to have heard me.

"My name is Valentine Hills."

Shocked gasps and hushed whispers break out across the classroom. I sigh, tired of being in the spotlight. I'm not exactly used to positive attention here at this school and I'd rather not draw any if possible.

Mrs. Harold, as I come to learn is the name of the teacher in front of me, nods and motions for me to take a seat. I notice a backpack occupying one of the desks so I sit in the empty desk beside it. I can feel multiple sets of eyes on me.

Turning my face, I confirm that I am in fact being stared at, "If you guys are done gawking at me, there's a lesson going on that you should probably pay attention to."

All eyes snap to the front and away from me. As the class continues on I still feel people sneaking glances at me, much to my annoyance. Just as the whispers have died down and everyone's attention has returned to the front of the class the door opens and Jaxton Cole walks in. His presence calls everyone's attentions without him even trying.

Once again the Mrs. Harold's lesson is interrupted, "Mr. Cole that was one long bathroom break, I sincerely hope you're feeling well."

Jaxton's eyes snap to me in a glare as I hold his glare with one of my own.

"Feeling just great."

He heads in my direction and towards the empty seat next to me. I internally groan, I just had to get the seat next to him.

He growls in a whisper, "What are you doing here?"

Not turning to look at him I continue to jot down notes, "Well I don't know if you know this, but school is a place where people come to learn."

I can feel him shooting daggers at the side of my face, "I meant what are you doing here, next to me."

I sigh, "Well that would be called sitting and trust me, sitting next to you was the last thing I wanted to do."

"Oh so you think you're untouchable just because your mommy died."

I tense, did he just bring my mother into the conversation? He did. I reach into my back pack and bring out my bottled drink, a mocha frappuccino. Undoing the top I stand from my seat and look down at Jaxton.

"You know I think you'd look better with a condom over your head considering you're such a dick but this will have to do."

With that I bring my drink up and dump it over his head. I hear Mrs. Harold shouting my name but I ignore it. People pull out their phones to capture this loving moment as Jaxton springs from his seat. My drink drips down his face onto his clothes and the floor.

"What the hell?!?"

I smile and grab my stuff walking towards a fuming teacher.

She holds out a detention slip for me, "Principle office, now."

I grab it and walk out, leaving behind the chaos that I caused. Detention on the first day... Darn. But I would do it all over again just to see that jerks face as I dumped my drink on him. Pity, I was really looking forward to that mocha frappuccino. Shaking my head in disappointment I make my way down the hall to the principle's office. Senior year is starting off just great.