Damaged

Two

2

"Shut up, Mason!" I yelled at the shrieking dickhead. He thought he could sing? Hell no.

"Please, do the world a favour!" Kai begged, bringing the bottle of scotch to his lips. We'd raided one of his parents' liquor cabinets and were now reclining in the pool. I'd stripped down to my underwear and left my clothes inside.

I went to take a swig from my bottle of tequila and frowned when I found it empty. "Kai, I need more booze!" I called to him from the other end of the large pool.

Kai got out and wandered around to me, stumbling a couple of times. He helped me out and we headed inside in search of more grog. "The good stuff's in their private cabinet," Kai said and led me upstairs to his parents' room. We stole two more bottles and I was about to walk away when Kai's arm wrapped around my bare waist.

I smirked and turned around. "You want something, Kai?" I asked.

"You," he replied. Then he kissed me. I kissed him back. It didn't mean anything to either of us, Kai was half drunk and I hadn't had sex in over a month. So when he pushed me down onto the bed, I was all too eager.

!#!

Kai and I emerged an hour and a half later. My hair was kind of messy and Kai had changed his shorts, so I think the guys suspected something. But none of them said anything. We hung out together and drank until it started getting dark and I pulled my clothes back on over my now-dry underwear.

"I've got to go, guys," I said, "see you tomorrow." With that, I climbed back on my bike and rode home. I nearly hit a power pole but managed to swerve back onto the road at the last minute.

When I arrived at home, I parked my bike, went inside, showered, and went to bed. I had school tomorrow and while I hated the place, I couldn't be bothered with the trouble not going would cause.

!#!

When I woke up in the morning, I groaned and got up. I ran a brush through my wavy dark red hair – which I had redyed and was now growing out black for some reason – and dressed in skinny jeans, a tank top, and my leather jacket. My boots were waiting for me by the door and I stole mum's last cigarette before leaving.

When I pulled up at school, I found JC and Kai around the back of the main building, smoking. "Hey dumbarses!" I yelled, walking up to them, "Got a lighter?"

JC tossed me his and I lit my fag, breathing the sweet toxicity. "Did you hear?" Kai asked, draping an arm over my shoulder.

"I've heard a lot of things, Kai-Bear," I replied.

"There's a new guy in our year."

I shrugged. I didn't care. He was most likely the kind of goody-goody I used to be. In other words: boring.

The bell rang and I sighed, heading to my locker. We had an assembly before class, but if I took my books, I could piss the teachers off by throwing balls of paper at the crowd. The assembly was dull and repeated the same things we heard every single year. But there was one point when the headmaster caught my attention.

"We are proud to announce a new teacher has joined our faculty here at Peach Hills High School. His name is Mr James and he'll be teaching sixth form physics."

He was Goddamn gorgeous. And I didn't exaggerate when it came to guys' looks. But this new teacher was hot! His skin was golden and his hair was a deep brown. I couldn't see his eyes from here, but I was sure they were equally as beautiful. And he was my physics teacher!

I left the assembly and headed to English, where my seat at the back had been taken by an unfamiliar form. The new guy, I realised. The little twat was leaning my chair back on two legs and spinning a yo-yo. He looked severely bored, and class hadn't even started yet, but when he spotted me in the doorway, a grin split his face and the other two legs of the chair hit the floor.

"A fellow student!" he exclaimed. "What might your name be?"

"You're in my fucking chair," I deadpanned, walking over, and shoving him out of it.

"Scarlett, the first day of school and you're already fighting. Why am I not surprised?"

"Mr Banes," I said sweetly, turning to my favourite teacher. He was an arse, but I guess that's why I liked him. "I just love spending time with Mr Hale so much, I can't help myself." Mr Hale was the teacher in charge of detention. We knew each other well.

"Well you're out of luck, Scarlett, because Mr Hale isn't taking detention anymore. Mr James is now."

My eyes grew wide. Detention was my new favourite subject.

!#!

"Okay, hello everyone! I'm Mr James and I'm your new supervising detention teacher." I rolled my eyes and glared at the ceiling, but really, I was watching Mr James' every move. "There will be no cell phones, chewing gum, or fun of any kind-"

"Sorry I'm late," New Guy interrupted, spinning his yo-yo as he walked through the door. He was tapping away at the screen of his phone, but when he looked up, his brown eyes locked with mine. Shit. "Ahh!" he exclaimed, grinning. "Scarlett, we meet again!"

I sighed and averted my gaze. But it was too late. He was walking towards me and plonking himself into the chair beside mine. "The name's Daniel, sweetheart," he whispered to me, leaning over.

Gritting my teeth, I smiled sweetly at him and whispered back, "Good, now I'll know what to chant while making my you-voodoo doll for calling me 'sweetheart'."

Daniel laughed, drawing Mr James' attention to our little conversation. "You're a feisty one, Scar!"

I sobered up immediately. No. Not that name. Hoping desperately that my eyes wouldn't tear up, I grabbed my book bag from the floor and rushed out of detention. I could hear Mr James calling after me, but I didn't care. I needed to get out of there. I needed my bike. I needed escape.

No. That kind of thinking was exactly what I was trying to avoid. Shoving my books into my locker, I practically ran out to the parking lot. I definitely knew I was crying by now, but I brushed the tears away and swung my leg over my bike, ready to take off when I felt a hand clamp around my arm.

"Are you okay, Scarlett?" Daniel asked, concern hiding in his expression but lifting its head in his voice.

I wrenched my arm out of his grip. "I'm fine." As I sped away, I had a feeling he knew how untrue that was.

Q