Screwed

8

Thursday, the longest day of the week so far. I quickly run down the hallway to get to class, which is more than halfway over. No point in trying to rush so much, but I hated being late. Being late to school wasn't a way to keep a perfect record and get into college. I blame Calum for being late today, I was distracted all night, or morning, and it's his fault. He's all I could think about. I open the door and the whole class turns and looks at me. My face turns red and I look away. "Sorry." I mumble to the teacher, who just looks up and nods his head toward the empty seat in the back and hands me a paper. The only spot open is next to a boy who sleeps and farts all hour or next Calum, from what I can see, is asleep too.

I sit in the seat next to him and look down at the worksheet. It's all easy enough. I take the pencil from my bag and begin to scribble answers on the paper. I see Calum shift out of the corner of my eye, but I continue to work and fight back the small smile.

"When did you get here?" He asks in a raspy voice and I grin as he sits up and stretches.

"Just now, sleepy head." I say. 

 
He smiles, rubbing his face. "I got here about fifteen minutes ago. Someone kept me a little distracted." He says and he looks at the time.

"Really?" I ask and he nods. "Hmm." I say, trying to hold back my smile and he only chuckles.

~~~

"Yeah I'll come over today," I say to Michael who is standing in front of me fangirling. He just got a new puppy his named Michelle. Not really any creativity there but if he loved it, so did . "Are you proud of yourself?" I ask him and he nods.

"Of course. Molly, she is so precious it literally causes me pain." He says.

"That doesn't sound healthy, but I can't wait to meet her." I say and laugh as Michael shows me a picture of the ridiculously cute puppy.

"I am going to teach her how to be awesome." He says.

"That's easy, tell her to act like me. I'm the best role model," I say as we walk into the lunch room. "I'll see you later, Michael." I say.

"Don't want me to sit with you?" He asks with a frown as he lingers near the door. his eyes shifted from my face and I already knew who he was looking at. I could see the look of hurt in his eyes, but he didn't say anything about it.

"You wouldn't want to, Mikey. Go hang out with Jill and Andrew." I say and walk to my table.

"Okay, I'll see you later, I'll meet you at your locker after school." He says, losing the previous hurt and pulling his phone back out to smile like an idiot over his new pet.

I sit down at the table and Calum had his earbuds in and was looking at what appeared a children's book, although I'm not sure he could actually see it. He had sunglasses on. Once he looked up and noticed her there, he smiled and shut the book. He yanked the earbuds from his ears. "What's up, buttercup." He says and leans his elbows on the table.

"Well, it's raining outside, so not the sun." I say.

"I like the rain, it's peaceful." He says and gently runs his tongue over the cut on his lip. He looks over at me through his sunglasses and grins. "Would you like to go outside?" He ask.

"In the rain? Are you insane?" I ask him and he nods, smiling like crazy.

"I might be." He says.

"Sure.'' I say and he pulls me out the doors as we stand up. 

We stand on the side walk under an awning and he walks to the edge and holds out his hands so the droplets bounce off his tanned skin before hitting the ground.

"It's nice to stop and notice everything. To disconnect from it all." I say and he smiles. He flicks his hands in my directions and I flinch as the water hits me skin, he just laughs lightly.

"A getaway." He says.

"Yeah." I say, wiping dropped off my face.

"Where is your favorite place to go when the world is too loud?" He asks.

"I like to be at my Uncle's house, with him and Jas. I like being around them. They make me feel better." I say. "What about you?"

"There is treehouse I built with my sister when we were little, I like it there." He says. "It's nice there."

"Maybe you'll have to show me one day." I say.

"Maybe." He says. We both sit down at the edge and it's quiet after that.

Not an uncomfortable silence. A silence where I accept his presence and he accepts mine. I look over at him and take in his features. The way the sunshines through the rain makes his eyes look like gold. The way his lips are shaped make them look even more kissable than they already are. But, he looks almost sad. He always looks sad. It's a sad where you can tell he accepted the fate given to him. Defeat. I wish I knew why. I know it has something to do with his parents, but I don't have the nerve to ask. It's not my business.

"Molly?" He asks.

"Yes?" I say and snap back into reality.

"Does he ever talk about me? Michael, I mean, does he ever mention me?" I want so desperately to tell him that he does, but he doesn't. He hates the topic of him.

"No." I say. "He doesn't like talking about any of you."

"Figures." He says lowly. "I'll see you later, okay?" He says as he looks back to me. He stands and kisses the top of my head.

"Yeah." I say and smile.
~~~
I watch as Jasper runs through the hallway toward me. "I need five dollars!"

"Why?"

"It's Dee's birthday and forgot!" He says.

"What are you going to buy her with five dollars?" I ask him as I pull it out of my pocket.

"There is this stuffed elephant in the school store that she likes. I'm gonna buy it for her and a giant Hersey bar. She loves those." He says and I take the money back.

"Why aren't you dating this girl if you know so much about her?" I ask him and he looks scared.

"Date her?" He says and has a look like I spit on him.

"Yeah, instead of this Stacey girl, who is probably busy sucking on a dick like it's her job or something, why not chase this girl?"

"She is my best friend and that would end my life." He says. I hand him the money and shake my head.

"Sure, but you wouldn't chance it?" I ask him and he gives me an angry and evil look. "Not even a little?" I ask again.

"I like Dee, but she is my friend, so drop it." He says and I am shocked at the level of fury coming off him. "You know how many times I've had this conversation?" He says and stalks away. I stand, still surprised.

"Sorry for speaking." I mumble. I go to get my skateboard and a long arm reaches over my head and takes it first.

"Why do you do that?" Ashton asks me as he holds the skateboard just a little out of my reach. "I watch you do this almost everyday."

"Why not?" I say and stand on my tiptoes to get it and he hold sit slightly out of reach. I see him smirk and I jump and take it. He just giggles, which is almost contagious. "Don't be mean." I say.

"I'm not trying to be, sorry." He says and I look down the hallway as I take my backpack. I see Michaal standing awkwardly at the other end waiting for me, I hold up one finger. "Not trying to keep you, I see your boyfriend is waiting." He says and sighs.

"Oh, Michael isn't my boyfriend." I say and chuckle.

"So, you're not spoken for?" Ashton asks with a hopeful glance that sends shivers down my spine.

"Oh, I never said that." I say and walk toward my friend. Ashton just huffs. I don't want to get mixed up in that.

"What was that about?" Michael asks as we leave the school.

"Oh, nothing. Let's go plays with a puppy." I say and he smiles excitedly.