The Unknown

Chapter 1- Library Love

I'd been bullied all year, by Breanna. I wasn't exactly the prettiest girl, but I was very smart. I wasn't boasting either. I'd maintained a 3.5 to a 4.0 grade point advantage since seventh grade. I was in all honors classes and hardly struggled.  She found me intimidating and no one intimated Bree. In journalism club we called her "Bree the B." Right now, I was in the library working on my blog. Here came Bree.
"Oh look it's little Shelby on her blog. What are you writing about now, your geeky little friends like you in journalism?" she said. The girls that followed Bree around like sick little puppies giggled. I called them the drama girls, because it seemed like that was  their passion.
"No," I said irritated " and they're not geeks just because they're talented writers, and I mean actual writers, unlike you."
"Is that not what she said" Anna, Queen B number two said.
" Um no. She said they were geeks, and can you please leave me alone. I have to study for my test in-"
"Whatever. You called us over here!" Anna said
"Really?!?" I said pissed off. I decided to just get up and walk away. I went up stairs and paced back and forth, to calm down. After a few seconds I heard something behind me.
"Are you alright?" a male voice behind me said. I turned around and ran straight into Bree's boyfriend, Brandon.
Brandon was cute, smart, and nice. The perfect package, and the only guy in my school that was. He sat behind me in journalism. He was the only guy who hung out with the Queen B's but was in journalism. She was only dating him so she could pass, and it probably had something to do with how hot he was.
One time in gym he got his shirt caught on the basketball basket, because he was tall enough to dunk. I was shocked when his shirt came off. He had a six-pack! That pretty much sealed the deal for me.
As I came back to reality, I noticed he was staring at me like I needed mental help.
"Yeah, I guess I'm okay. Bree just gets on my nerv-...Please don't tell her I said that! Please!"
"I understand. I won't say anything," he said with a smile that made me melt.
I was lost in his smile for a good minute. Oh no, he's about to leave.
"Oh hey, do you know a place I can study for the test in 4th block." That was journalism.
"Yeah, actually that's what I'm doing right now. I'm up in the loft. If you wanna join me?"
"What loft?"
"Haha, I'll show you, on one condition. You help me study."
I looked down stairs over the banister at Bree. Wonderful, I forgot to log off my computer. She was reading my blog. I wondered what she'd think of me up here alone with him. He caught my glance.
"Don't worry. She doesn't ever come up here," he said. I still wasn't sure. It just didn't seem right. What would she do if she saw me.
"I'm serious it's ok. I wouldn't put you in danger. Even if it's just Bree."
"Okay." He took a step forward, expecting me to follow, but I didn't.
"Come on...I won't bite" I decided it wasn't a big deal. He grabbed my hand and dragged me to a set of stairs, I'd never seen before. As we got to the top of the stairs there was a pull down ladder. He went up then reached a hand down to help me. So this was the loft. Wow it was hot up here. He let go of my hand. I wiped the sweat already gathering at my temple.
"Yeah it's a little hot up here, but my uncle won't let me bring any fans up here," he said.
"You're uncle?" I asked.
"Yeah he owns the library," he said.
"Oh," I said making the connection.
Then Brandon proceeded to take off his shirt, and walked over to sit at the desk. I stood in the same spot, frozen, where he had dropped my hand.
"What?" He asked, I couldn't speak. Then he caught my glance down the ladder and then to his bare chest. I was tempted to bolt, but I knew he would catch me. He took first place in track, in middle school two years in a row. 
"Oh sorry, it's a force of habit. It's way to hot up her for me to wear my shirt. Come sit down, I need help studying," he said. I didn't move. He rolled his eyes and got up and grabbed my hand.
"Don't be a chicken," he said and dragged me over to the desk.  As we both sighed, he pushed me down into his chair and sat in the chair next to me, I took off my cardigan. He cleared his throat causing me to look over. 
"Really?" I said as I saw Bree's name on the paper.
"What?" He said confused. I pointed to the paper in front of me. He lifted the paper embarrassed and showed me the paper under it. It had his name on it. It looked like a worksheet for math. 
"Our homework"
"Why doesn't she do her own work?"
"It's because she doesn't understand it, and I'm going to her house for dinner to help her."
"And how does doing the work for her help?"
"It doesn't."
Annoyed now, I just got my journalism note book out and set it on the desk. A few seconds passed and I was calming down. He caught a bead of sweat that was forming at my temple.
"I'm sorry. I knew what you meant. Let's just study for journalism. I'll finish her math work later," he said apologetically.
I was too stunned to react when he touched my face to collect another bead of sweat on my cheek.
"Do you mind if I take off my shirt," his eyes got wide as I paused and he opened his mouth to start talking, but I just ignored him. " I have a tank top underneath."
"Oh," he said. "No, I don't mind, you can." I thought I saw disappointment cross over his face, but it was gone as quickly as it came. I noticed then he took his phone out and shut it off. I wondered why? Did he not want to be bugged, or just not want me to see if anyone texted him?
Once I just had my tank top on, it felt a bit better,  until realized I had my lacey tank top on.
"Crap," I whispered.
"What's wrong?" He asked. His eyes looked swiftly down to my shirt then back to my face.
"Nothing."
"Oh umm...uh, you look nice in that tank top. How come you don't wear it with that red button up cardigan, with your monogram on," he pointed to the left side of my chest. I lost my breath from somewhere deep down. It made me think how I'd never felt this way around anyone. Why was this happening so fast. He took his hand back and continued "the side. I think it would look really pretty on you. Trust me, I know fashion," He joked
"Brandon do you need to tell me something," I joked back
"No! I'm not gay! I like girls! Just because a guy has good fashion sense and knows a Coach purse from a Michel Kors purse, doesn't mean anything," he said laughing. "But I do know, it would match you. It would be beautiful."
"Thank you," I said smiling. "And I did one time and your girlfriend told me I looked slutty. So I quit wearing it."
"You're not a slut. Wait who told you that?"
"Your girlfriend...Bree."
"Oh...yeah."
"What?"
"It's nothing."
"You can tell me."
"You have to promise not to say anything."
"Oh...okay. I promise. What's wrong?"
"She's not really my girlfriend." I was so confused. I always hoped but never thought it was true. They looked in love every time I saw them.
"Y'all are always doing stuff together though. Like holding hands in the hallway, and hugging and kissing. Going out on dates, and spending time together."
"Yeah...I know," He said.
"I'm confused. I was sure y'all loved each other," I said.
"Not even close!" He exclaimed.
"Well you know how I do all her work and stuff."
"Well, as of today, for sure yes."
"Well I'm her tutor, and she pays me."
"Wait...what?"
"Yeah, it's a long story."
"I've got time."
"She didn't want anyone to know I was tutoring her so I told her a billion times I wouldn't say anything. She kept telling me it wasn't good enough. She had to get this scholarship to Duke for cheer, and she was barely passing her classes. For the scholarship, she had to have a 3.0 minimum. I told her I could help her get a 3.5. I told her no one would know, but she had other ideas. She came up with this dreadful arrangement. I gave in after a strong debate. However, now I feel as though she's falling in love with me, and I have no feelings for her. "
"Why would you just give in? You thought she was cute and said what the hell."
"No."
"Then how? You are your own person. You can do what you want; you don't have to listen to anyone, if you don't want to. It's your life?"
"I know that."
"Then how?"
"I can't tell you."
"Why. I'm here. I won't judge you, won't run out screaming. I'm here."
"Well that would be dangerous, seeing as how we're on the third floor."
"I knew that."
"Haha sure."
"Nice change of subject. Tell me. I'm here for you."
Okay...she blackmailed me..."