Drowning in the Bad Boy

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Charlotte

"Tell me, what can you see," said Mr. Smith with crossed arms. All I could notice was Mr. Smith's balding head. He was sitting and I was standing in front of him so I could see the top of head clearly. He looked a lot balder than I thought from this angle, regardless of his efforts to cover up the bald spot in the centre of his head.

"Um, a paper?" I answered.

"What else?"

"My quiz paper?" I got 48 out of 100, which was great, no sarcasm intended.

"Your below-standard, horribly-done quiz paper," Mr Smith almost yelled the last few words out. "Tell me, why are you doing so badly?"

"Um, 'cause it's hard?"

"No! It's because you're lazy. You're a lazy piece of shit," he slammed his hand on the desk. I flinched. Poor hand. "You sleep in my class, chat with your friends and even do Sudoku during lessons," he held up the scrap of Sudoku that he confiscated last week, "What are you going to do with your life, huh? Why are you so fucking useless."

"Your grades were fine last year, but now? Look?" He shoved what looks like my report card in my face and continued, "It's UNACCEPTABLE!"

I wanted to laugh, he's human reincarnation of lemongrab. I scanned the paper briefly, I got mostly, um, E in Mathematics.

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

I pondered what kind of answer does Mr. Smith want. You're a shit teacher? No. My life's too fucked up for math? No.

So I said, "Your hair looks great." I swear, it wasn't my fault. His bald head is too distracting.

"Are you joking me? You think I'm funny? You think this is funny? You're unacceptable!" Right. Back again with the lemongrab.

"I tell you what, if you keep acting like this, like an obnoxious child, I'll fail you from my class. You're not graduating."

"But...but..." I'm failing anyway. What's the point?

"Unless you get 70 this upcoming test. You hear me?"

"Yes, sir," I'm totally gonna 69 it.

"Mr. Rodrigues," Mr Smith waved at Gabriel. Wait, he's still here? He must have heard everything. I sighed, he's going to make fun of me.

My life is a joke.

"Yes, sir?" he slung his backpack on one shoulder and walked towards us.

"You're tutoring Ms Jacobsen from now on, okay?" I secretly rolled my eyes. As if he would listen. The school's bad boy tutoring some random girl out of nowhere? Not gonna happen.

A wide grin spread on his face, "Sure, I'll do it. She'll be the next Alan Turing by the end of this term."

"Yeah, I'll turn gay and die because I had to look at your disturbing face every day for the rest of the term." I sneered, and I didn't even try to hide it.

Mr Smith glared at me, "Very good, Rodrigues. You're the brightest student I ever have. Off you go."

Wait? Are bad boys supposed to be smart?

--------------------------------------------------

Gabriel

"Why would you do that?" asked Charlotte. I don't know what's wrong with me too. Why did I suddenly feel generous enough to tutor someone?

"Dunno, I'm bored. Maybe it feels good to see someone struggling in the bottom of the food chain," I said.

"You know what?" she scowled coldly, "You're an asshole."

I don't know what's wrong with me. Everything that came out of my mouth became rude and offensive in front of her.

We reached the crowded cafeteria and found out table. Drew and I have become a regular at their nerdy table. Drew was trying to get into Jen and I wouldn't mind spending more time with Charlotte.

"Hi Charlotte," a guy with long blonde hair approached her and said. He's probably her assignment partner or something because I think I saw him somewhere.

"Liam! How are you? Come sit with us," greeted Charlotte enthusiastically. Wait, what?

"If you guys don't mind," said Liam.

Jen, Maya and Drew had already seated on the other side of the table and I plopped down on the middle of the three vacant seats.

Charlotte scowled at me, asking me to move so that Liam and her can sit together. I stared back at her defiantly. I always get to sit with her, this Liam guy came out of nowhere and get to stick with her? No way.

"Move!" she stated.

"It's okay, I'll sit at another table," Liam said pathetically.

"No! Sit with us. Gabe, stop being a jerk," I have no choice but to move. He's such a bitch. He made Charlotte feel bad to get what he wanted. She couldn't bear the guilt. He knows how protective Charlotte is and she has a soft spot for blonde guys. I clenched my jaw in comtempt.

"This is Jen and Maya, my best friends. This is Gabriel, I think you've met him, and this is Drew, his friend," Chalotte introduced.

"Hi, nice to see you again," Liam extended his hand and shook mine. "I'm Liam, nice to see you all."

They greeted him and asked him a few questions. He's a bit shy but he has no problem conversing. Alice came over too and flirted ceaselessly.

"Gabe! My man!" someone shoved my shoulder. I looked up and recognised Danny. We don't see eye to eye was an understatement, I had to pull back the urge to beat the crap out to him every time I see that buzz cut.

"What do you want?" I said, annoyed.

"Woah, chill. Looks they've released you from the psych ward early."

"Fuck off before I break your nose again," my hand was balled into a fist

"Old friend, where are you manners? Did your mum teach you how to behave? Oh wait, she couldn't, she's a psycho. Do us a favour, tell her to kill herself..."

That's all I need to hear before I launched at him and smash his face.

Drew held me back immediately, preventing further damage to that douchebag's face. He knew this was going to happen the moment he showed. He provoked me and I lost control.

"Calm the fuck down. You don't want cause a scene and lose it all again, do you?" Drew whispered.

"Run along folks, show's over," he announced and dismissed the crowd.

I was still panting furiously, I wanted to hit something so bad but I couldn't, and shouldn't. My dad is a jerk, he'll send me back military school once he
heard I misbehaved. I stole a glance at the table. What caught my eye was Charlotte's expression, it was a look mixed with disbelief, confuse, horrification and... disgust.

I couldn't bear her looking at me like that. I wanted to prove that I am not the town's bad boy people talked about, nor am I the useless boy I was before anymore, I just wanted her to see me as the man she could trust.

"Fuck," I cursed in exasperation and kicked over a chair. Enraged and disappointed, I pushed pass a few people and stalked out of the cafeteria.

----------------------------------------------

I WAS SUPER BUSY THIS WHOLE MONTH I SWEAR I WILL UPDATE MORE OFTEN FROM NOW ON

x grace