Playing The Player

Playing The Player (7)

I scrub my hand with a vengeance, trying to erase any evidence of what I'd done the night before. While my late night adventure seemed like a great idea yesterday after Jaxton and I showdown at school, I can't help the exhaustion that creeps up on me from my lack of sleep. I shut the water off, satisfied with my clean up job and peak at myself in the mirror. My waves are pulled up into a birds nest that sits casually on top of my head. My cheeks are flushed with exertion and my brown eyes hold a glint of green that reflect the mischievousness I feel inside. I'm almost giddy with excitement and nerves to see Jaxton's reaction to my form of daily payback and I can't remember the last time I felt this way. Yesterday after I returned home from school I scoured my closet for the culprit of my sleep deprivation and came back successful. My eyes shift to the miniature speaker sitting next to the sink and I'm still flabbergasted that such a small thing caused me so much trouble. Annoyance creeps back in and reminds me that it was planted by two boys who have disregarded my personal space. Any conflicting feelings about my latest prank fade. My alarm goes off to alert me that I need to leave for school now rather than later, before Jaxton has a chance to thank me. I quickly gather my things and give myself a once over, I snatch the speaker off the counter and nearly sprint past the window not daring to look at the Cole house. 

As soon as I arrive at school, I scramble out of my car and head straight to my locker. By now Jaxton will have known what I've done and will be looking for me if he even decides it's worth the embarrassment of coming to school. Anxiousness seeps out of my pores and maybe it wasn't a good idea to poke the bear. After all, he did step in yesterday with Travis. That has to count for something. Shaking off the intrusive thoughts, I shove my things into my locker roughly and nearly have a heart attack when I feel someones presence behind me.

"You're here early."

Spinning around, I plaster myself against my open locker and let out a sigh of relief when I see who it is, "Damn, you'll have to teach me how you do that. You really scared the crap out of me."

She laughs, "What did I do?"

I look at her incredulously, "You just sneak up on people!"

She waggles her brows, "What can I say? I'm like the wind."

I scoff, but something akin to happiness spreads throughout my body at the fact that I have Alaina as a friend. The fact that she isn't classified as one of the more popular girls in school astounds me. Her curly, blonde hair is pulled away from her face by a think black clip, but falls down her side almost touching her waist. The oversized hoodies she always wear don't take away from the fact that she is pretty in the the girl next door type of way, but gives her a mysterious air. She has more humor than most, though I sense that perhaps she doesn't share that with others often. From what I've seen so far there are a lot of guys interested in her. I wonder if she knows or is just clueless. Maybe she just doesn't care, not that it matters. I must have been silent for longer than usual because she waves a hand in front of my face to bring me back to reality.

"Um...is there a reason you decided to show up early today?"

I smile mischievously, "I might have taken the initiative to get some payback on Jaxton."

I pull the small speaker that I stuffed in my locker and she tilts her head questioningly. 

"Remember when I told you I had a rough night sleeping a few days ago?", She nods, "Well Jaxton and Grin paid my room a little visit and planted this in my closet, so I thought it was only fair to return the favor. I just need to avoid him as long as possible, I have a feeling he's not going to like his makeover. I'd be surprised if he even shows up today."

I toss the speaker back into my locker and shut it. 

She clears her throat as her eyes flicker past me, "Does this prank include him having purple hair?"