Dysfunctional Love - bwwm romance [original version]

chap. 2; All Bark, All Bite

non.

Grace has been rethinking it all. Derek Ryan saved her mother; suddenly leaving without a goodbye.

No one messed with Derek. He was the school's "freak". No body talked nor messed with him. He always came to school with the same scowl and black hoodie on top of his head. Mrs. Reynolds, the physics teacher, would always ask him to remove it. Which he'd always walk out. His face unknown to all except Grace.

Grace hasn't entirely seen it but she's taken a small glimpse from last night when she offered him to come inside, the porch light shined on his left side of his face. From his bone structure and piercing eyes, Derek was slightly attractive.

"Earth to Gracie! Come on girl," Evelyn's voice rang throughout her ears, causing her to come out of her reverie. "you alright?" She asked, peeking her head in her locker next to her.

She laughed softly and stood back on her two feet, shutting her locker.

"Morning." The other girl smiled, waving her hand, greeting Grace. Grace waved back at Helena and looked over at Evelyn before shaking her head.

"Sorry guys, I'm a bit out of it... Something happened..."

"Tell me about it! Max Chamberlain spilled his guts to you and you just brushed him aside." Helena snapped, cross with her. This happened every time Grace had been given a confession. She never understood why she was always asked out.

She never talked to the boys who asked her to be her girlfriend. She can admit there were some attractive people who asked her out, she just never knew them. Plus, she never saw the point of dating. It seemed pretty useless. She could see herself living without a man and she has.

Her friends are very beautiful as well.

Helena was a gorgeous redhead who was extremely blunt but she tells it as it is. She was a beloved pessimist and knew everything there was to know within Lincoln High halls. Evelyn is your sweet brunette. Her green eyes dazzled like her personality. She was very caring and would do anything to brighten the day. She was the definitely the cutest out of them all.

Which made Grace wonder why she was asked out more often than her more prepossessing friends who had so much more to offer.

"Well that happened too, but someth-"

"Brady asked you out as well ." Evelyn pointed out.

"Don't tell me that you said yes to that nerd?" Helen was more angrier than before. "You only think about yourself, Grace Boyd! Think about everything Max could've done! He was the captain of the football team. The captain!"

Grace shook her head, turning her head away to not hear it any longer. She knew this information already and didn't need to be reminded about it. She didn't need a football captain. What was he going to do? Pay her bills? Probably not.

She sighed when Helena only continued to yell at her and looked over her shoulder, looking around for some kind of escape. Evelyn got involved now, trying to protect Grace. She laughed as their argument went from possible boyfriends to the best Back to The Future movie.

The two were polar opposites but they just playing. It was never anything to take seriously. Sometimes.

"The first one is always the best, come on Grace! Help me out! Whenever Marty changed the fate of his parents!" Evelyn urged.

Before Grace could respond, she was cut off by Helena's complaint. "It was cute and all, but in case you didn't know Eve, Marty's mom was hitting on him throughout the entire movie! I'm kinky and all, incest isn't my cup of tea." She smirked, making Evelyn's face go red.

The tardy bell finished the argument for them and Eve insisted the debate wasn't over, but Helena's raspberry said it all. The three girls separated with a laugh and went on their ways. Grace's eyes widened when she realized she had forgot her history book in her locker. How could she go without it when it was her first period?

She jogged back to her locker and took it out, hurriedly placing it back in her bag. Her anxiety heating her up through her clothes. She should've packed earlier yet instead she was too busy thinking about Derek and her friends.

She shut her locker and made her way down the empty hallway. The tardy teen began to job to class before having her eyes catch Derek Ryan walking down the hallway. His head was down, just like always. She needed to talk to him and walked in front of him. He stopped and kept his eyes on his shoes.

"Hey," Grace spoke softly, tilting her head down slightly. His grip on his backpack tighten. "Good morning." He flinched slightly before slowly looking up. Her eyes trailed from his brown wavy hair and thick eyebrows before finally meeting his stormy eyes.

Derek sighed softly, responding. "Morning."

She exhaled, getting lost in his stare so easily she forgot it was her turn to say something. "Oh um, I just wanted to thank you about last night. You didn't really have to do that."

"I did actually. Your mother was in danger. "

"A-And well, I came here to show my gratitude. Thank you, Derek. So much."

"Yeah, you're welcome." His voice wavered. The tone of uncertainty. He brushed past her. She knew she should've let him go, but couldn't. It didn't feel right to let him shrug something off like that. Everything in her told her to stop him. She reached down and gripped his hand.

"I mean it. She could've seriously gotten hurt and you don't know how grateful I am."  Her thumb pressed against his knuckles and was astonished at how bumpy it felt. She looked down and saw how raw and bruised up they appeared to be. He quickly jerked his hand back and placed it in his pocket.

"W-Was that from last night?"

"No."

"But it has to be. How di-"

"Forget it."

"Derek, let me at least treat you."

"I said forget it!" He barked at her, making her back away from her. His eyes slightly soften. Before another word was said, he moved past her and all she could do was follow him with her eyes. She watched him disappear past the school corridor corner. She stood there and felt helpless, stupid even. Her eyebrows narrowed.

That was new.

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Derek's knuckles look nice imo :)))))