The Bad Boy Effect

Chapter 7: Too Bad This Is Just A Bet

I walk up to Arran's cardoor. It's early morning, and the sun is slowly rising. I open the mercedes and slip in.

"Hey," I smile.

"Hello." he grins. I buckle up and then he starts the car.

We get to school in fifteen minutes. We have five minutes until our first class. As I get out of Arran's car, I start to notice how many people are looking at me. I feel my cheeks warm up, and it doesn't help that Arran walks to my side and wraps his arm around me. But, I end up smiling like an idiot. It's the Arran effect.

I walk inside, Arran's arm still securely around me, and up to my locker. Arran holds my books while I open my locker up. I pull my locker open, and it's still normal. Nothing seems out of place. I smile even more. This day's going pretty well. I grab my books from Arran and place them where they go. I grab my binder and then I close the door.

Without even realizing it at first, I notice Arran intertwines our hands.

As he walks me to my class, I smile, grinning like an idiot, but then I remember that this is all a bet. My heart sinks and I pull my hand away. He gives me a look... a look that looks a lot like sadness. But it disappears quickly before I can tell for sure.

"This is my class," I say softly. He moves in front of me and tilts my chin up.

"I'll see you after it's over. I've taken the pleasure of walking with you to every class." he winks at me. I look up at him and I can't help but smile like crazy. What this boy does to me...

    He grabs my face softly and gives me a kiss on the forehead. "See you after class." he says softly. I wave him off and then sit down in front of the class, ready for it to begin.

    This is the part where I go on and on about how my day just got better and better, right? Well, wrong. I made it until lunch, but that's only because Arran was by my side the entire time. Once lunch came, I promised him that I would be fine and that no one would mess with me since he basically made his claim. Boy was I wrong.

    I open my locker and put my things in there and close it only to come face to face with the daughter of Satan. Victoria.

    "Aw, has your boyfriend finally left you for another slut?" she pouts. Her two friends, Jessica and Lacey are behind her. They are all wearing dresses but with different colors. Victoria is wearing a gray that makes her blue eyes stand out.

    "What do you want, Victoria?" I ask, although my voice cracks.

    "Aww, is someone scared now that her lapdog isn't around to protect her?" Her friends snicker at that comment.

    "Just go away," I quietly plead.

    "Oh, Emma. I'm not here to be mean." she says innocently. "It's obvious lover boy has been making you feel a little hot. I thought I'd help you cool down."

    Before I can ask her what she's talking about, I feel cold water pour all over me, blinding me for a minute as what's just happened sinks in. I feel the bucket land on my head, but I'm too shocked to do anything.

    I finally pull the bucket off my head, and I can only glare at Victoria.

    She smirks. "I don't know what your game is Grey, but let me tell you something. You think that dating him is the best thing that's ever happened in your pathetic life, but in reality, it proves you're just another one of his soon to be, slutty ex-girlfriends."

    She pushes me into my locker. I feel like crying, like sobbing and just running away, but I simply stand there.

    "You know, I'm surprised." she sighs. "I thought he would go for someone a little more... thinner."

    That's a low blow.

    While we're on the topic, let me tell you the story of a time when I was over two hundred pounds. Two hundred and 9 to be exact. I had fastly gained weight in middle school and until this last summer, I was the fat chick of my school. It took me the entire summer to lose the weight I had gained. I drank half my body weight in water, and if we're being honest, I cut back on food. It got to the point where I was only eating one meal every day and a half or so.

    I'm way better now, and I eat regularly, but my eating schedule was thrown off for four or five months. I don't think anyone really caught on about it until Cole finally added a few things up. He forced me to start eating, and he helped me eat in healthy habits. If it weren't for him, I don't know how long I would have lasted. No one else knows about how I lost my weight. Although there are more drastic rumors than the truth.

    I feel tears prick my eyes, and I am once again left speechless.

    "Aw, did I hurt your big, fat, feelings?" she snickers. I feel my bottom lip tremble and I automatically start craving a donut or some Jalapeno Cheetos. Those were my go to comfort food.

    "That's enough." I hear a rough voice say behind me. It's rigid and cold and I know who it is exactly.

    "What are you going to do about it, Arran?" she sneers.

    "I won't do anything to you... not physically anyway." he shrugs. Her face pales and I know he has some kind of dirt on her.

    "You. Wouldn't." she says, shooting her coldest glare at him.

    "Try me." he says as he narrows his eyes. "I have all the proof I need so that it fucks your entire life up."

    She glares at me and then at him and then she scoffs and storms off, her minions following. Once I make sure she's gone, I fall to the floor, my body racking from the coldness, but also from the tears that I held back. I just need to get out of here. I don't need Arran to see me like this.

    He's down by my side in a second, helping me to my feet. He wraps his jacket around me and pulls me close. I huddle to myself though. I don't wrap my arms around him, I don't whisper anything, I simply stand there as I shiver my ass off. He hugs me tightly, holding my soaked head to his chest. I let a cry escape my chest, but I hold the rest of them back.

    "I'm so sorry, Emma." he whispers to me. His voice is full of regret and remorse. "I am so, so, so, so, sorry."

    I finally manage to wrap my arms around his waist. I just want to go home, go to my comforting bed and curl up in a ball while stuffing my face with food. I want to watch people who weigh 600lbs live. I want to make this ache in my chest go away.

    I'm supposed to be acting attractive, but I don't know who would find a blubbering mess like me attractive. I feel his arms tighten around me and I sigh. I don't get why he's still here, why he's still hugging me, but I appreciate it a lot. It feels like someone actually gives a damn about me besides Cole. It's just too bad that it's a bet.

A/N: Hey guys, just wanted to let you all know that my new story is up! It's called "The Bad Boy's Game". Check it out if you'd like! :)