Getting Married to the Bad Boy *REVISED* (DISCONTINUED)

Chapter 16

"Spill it," Rachel and Amanda demanded the moment we took our usual seat situated under the tree outside. I pulled my jacket closer around me, though the sun was shining, the winds held a certain chill to them. I suppressed a smile as I remembered their faces a couple of hours back.

Ever since the party, Amanda and Rachel came up with the unspoken agreement to wait for me by the school doors every morning. The first time I'd witnessed it, it took everything in me to keep the tears at bay. Max and the others had done it once before as well, but I was so upset at Reece that anything Reece related just set me off. So, I thanked them for the thought but kindly asked them not to do it again or more like I triggered their guilty conscience by saying that they didn't have to do me any favours and that they should stick to Reece and their group. I hadn't spoken to them much since then, Max tried the most out of all of them, but I'd ignored him or gave him one-worded responses in the cases where we'd be grouped up for a project; after a while, he gave up. I missed them, to be honest, we hadn't known each other for too long, but they'd taken my friends and me under their wings, and we knew they'd have our backs if necessary. Even Drew, who held an unexplainable distaste towards me, would at least have the backs of my friends.

I hope it's not too late to make amends.

All personal issues aside, due to Reece and I's little debacle this morning; we ended up cutting it close to being late. Amanda's and Rachel's faces were priceless, but we only had enough time to greet each other and go to our destination; now, it was lunchtime, and they were dying to know how I had gotten the great Reece Collins to do my bidding.

"Long story short, I blackmailed him,"

Rachel gave a slow clap, "Colour me impressed. What did you do?"

Taking my phone out, I found the picture and slid it across the table towards them.

"Holy Shit!" Amanda exclaimed as she covered her mouth as laughter spilled forth.

"This is the best and most disturbing pic I've ever seen," Rachel muttered then she tilted her head to the side, her index and thumb expanding across the screen to zoom in, and it didn't take a genius to find out what she was viewing. Quickly, I snatched the phone from her grasp. I don't know why, but I didn't feel comfortable with what she was doing. It made me feel as if he was being objectified. Everything will be ruined when Reece finds out that I don't have the guts to release the photos, but Reece didn't have to know that. So long as he thought that I had the courage to, I had the upper hand.

Rachel smirked. "It's not even a month yet, and you're already overprotective. This bet we've got going on may finish quicker than I thought."

"Shut up," I grumbled, "Where is Bryan?"

"Changing the subject? I don't know, and you're the one he's been attached at the hip to,"

I blushed, not bothering to correct her because what she said was true. A lot of things changed since the party, and as Reece, his friends, and I grew further apart. Bryan and I grew closer. It took some time for my friends to warm up to him, but I guess it was safe to say that he was slowly becoming part of our crew. He was usually waiting for us, or depending on the day we'd arrive at lunch together, but today he seemed to be running a little behind time.

Trays being simultaneously placed on our table sounded in the air as everyone took their seats. It's been a while since our table had been this filled and I welcomed it with open arms, including the extra body heat. Everyone's face except for Drew's-whose face is forever blank-stared at me with determination.

Max broke first.

He turned towards me. "You can't keep avoiding us forever, you know."

"I know."