Once Upon a Cliché

Chapter 9

Whoops! Forgot to update yesterday. Well, here's two chapters!

...Not that anyone's reading them, ah well.

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Chapter 9 ~

To be honest, I was actually sort of surprised. The weeks went by in a sort of blur, blending together in a flash of school, hanging out with Audrey, being avoided by Charlotte, more school, and bickering constantly with Hale. The drives home weren't as awkward as I'd originally assumed; Hale and I got into this flow of exchanging comebacks over whatever the irrelevant argument of the day was. And I still couldn't get Charlotte to talk to me. It didn't help that we had no classes together, and whenever I caught a glimpse of her at lunch she was usually being all snuggly with her new "hubby-boo."

But well, you know, life went on.

Somewhat thankfully, Audrey seemed to forget the Bucket List. She was usually more concerned over whatever scheme Brooke and her minions were hatching next. I just tried to learn to ignore the drama, and kept my head down whenever I saw the gaggle of blondes pass by.

Besides that, nothing out of the ordinary.

Though I did keep an eye out for an opening, you know, so I could find a way to sneak back my mother's pin from Hale. Unfortunately, he didn't bring it up much, though I did occasionally glimpse the emerald in his bag once or twice. It irked me that he kept it in his bag, when he could've left it at home, safe and sound...away from being crushed...or stolen...

Not that I was worrying about it or anything.

"Hey, are you spacing out on me again?"

I blinked back into the moment, prying my eyes away from the green speck glinting conspicuously from a corner in his backpack. "Say what?"

Hale shook his head at me. "See what I mean when I say I worry about you sometimes?"

My face wrinkled into a not-so-attractive frown, while I contemplated whacking him with my shoe. Since I was wearing my beat-up Converse, I decided it wasn't worth the extra effort of having to untie them and whatnot. Besides, it would've given him extra time to duck. "Psh! I wasn't spacing!"

"Really? Okay. Repeat what I said."

Just because I was in the mood, I decided to mess with him. "'What I said,'" I repeated.

He made a face. "Hilarious, kid. I'm being serious. What did I say?"

"Umm..." I scuffed the dirt with my shoe. "I'm really awesome and you've decided to give me your Porsche as a present to thank me for letting you date my sister?"

One of his eyebrows went up. "And when did you have the last say in Hailin's relationships?"

"When her boyfriend owned a Porsche he didn't deserve."

"Excuse me?"

I nodded mock-politely. "You are excused."

He ignored that last bit. "How do I not deserve my car?"

"Well, for one, you drive like a maniac."

"What? I do not."

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Not!"