Hugs For The Bad Boy (Being Edited)

Prologue

I gazed at her as she giggled with her one and only friend, feeling a twinge of envy deep within. I had first crossed paths with her during our sophomore year when she moved to our small town.

-Flashback-

I strode down the hallway, casting a shadow that seemed to intimidate everyone who dared to meet my gaze. Personally, I never thought of myself as intimidating, but my appearance, my choice of companions, and my notorious reputation painted me as the "bad boy." I considered myself a free-spirited individual who unflinchingly stood up for his beliefs.

Then, I spotted a new face, a girl I hadn't seen in our school before. Her blond hair was neatly tied in a ponytail, she wore glasses that framed her soft, baby-like face, and clear braces adorned her teeth. Dressed in an oversized green granny sweater and baggy jeans, she stopped by Michelle, of all people, to ask for directions. Big mistake. Michelle was notorious for her cruelty.

Yet, Michelle surprised me by smiling and pointing the way. The young girl, still smiling, skipped off to her destination. She carried a black backpack adorned with hand-painted stars and planets. Michelle glanced at me and winked knowingly. Let's just say I had shared intimate moments with Michelle before. She had straight brown hair, crimson lips, and a figure that any girl would envy. She was a cheerleader and was convinced she would become the team's captain during our senior year.

I continued to my class and took a seat in the back. As the classroom filled with students, the teacher entered.

"We're expecting a new student today, Ashleyanne Norwood, but I don't see any new faces. Oh well, We might meet her another day," the teacher announced. I glimpsed Michelle and her friends laughing. Oh, boy.

I stood up from my desk and headed for the front door.

"Mr. Anderson, where do you think you're going? Detention!" the teacher inquired, but I paid him no mind. I followed the path the girl had previously taken, and it led me to a janitor's closet. Through the door, I heard sobbing. I twisted the knob but it wouldn't budge.

"Stand back," I said, kicking the door near the knob. It swung open. She looked up at me, her hazel eyes brimming with tears.

"T-t-t-thank you," she stuttered. Then, she did something no one had ever done. She took a small step towards me and hugged me. My arms instinctively rose in a surrender pose, almost as if they wanted to avoid touching her. She sobbed onto my chest, and I stood there awkwardly.

"Thank you so much. Could you maybe help me find classroom 127?"

"It's just around the corner, the first door on your right," I replied, pointing the way.

"Thank you," she said again.

"Oh, and your makeup is running," I noted, pointing to the purplish bruise forming around her eye. Her hand swiftly reached for the spot, and she looked down.

"The bathroom is that way," I pointed to the south.

"Thanks," she replied before hurrying away, and I made my way to detention. For the entire following week, she would smile and wave at me, but I ignored her as if she were invisible. People started teasing her, and by the second week, she seemed to have gotten the hint and stopped trying to talk to me.

-Flashback Ended-

Ashleyanne remained the same girl. She had cut her blond hair over the summer, and it no longer reached the length for a ponytail. She had removed her braces and replaced her large black glasses with smaller, blue square ones. Her skin retained its flawless quality, and I couldn't help but wonder if she was still wearing makeup.

I knew I wasn't supposed to be thinking about her, but that hug she had given me felt warm, comforting, and genuine. I cherished that hug, and secretly longed for another one. It was the kind of embrace that made me feel protected. I realized it might sound cheesy, but I had anger issues, and her hug was like a soothing drug.

We were now halfway through our senior year, and I knew I had to make a move soon. I just wasn't sure how to do it, or if I even should.