Gone with the Good

Chapter 4- Back to School

It's Monday again and the cycle repeats. Today i awoke feeling more confident and refreshed. Sunny and I meet up in first period and go through out the day with my first world problems.

At lunch I sit with Sunny. We were laughing because she had told me a story of how she was running from the cops and actually peed herself!

But that's when they came. All five piled into the seats as I sat there mortified. Why are they here? Don't they know there reputation is going to crash and die!

I leaned over to Hoodie's ear and whispered/yelled "what are you guys doing here?!"

"Project B.A. sweet Josephine." He smiled

And the day continued just like that, like I had five new best friends, talking in halls and joking around with each other. It was amazing having the new friends around and I realized I had every class with at least one of them or sunny.

In fifth period Harry sat behind me. The teacher assigned us all to fill out worksheets but everyone just talked.

Harry swiftly moved to the seat next to me making his small chains click against each other.

"Hey, what's up?" he asked.

"Uh just workin'" I smiled back.

"Um so JJ, is there anything "'happening"' with you and Hoodie?"

"Me and Hoodie?! NO! why would there be anything "'happening"' with us?"

"Oh... uh... I don't know I just thought maybe, cause you seemed kinda flirty or something."

With that there was a somewhat awkwardly long pause when he finally spoke lifting his head making eye contact with his striking green eyes.

"Would you want to hang out sometime just you and me?"

"Aren't we hanging out alone right now?"

"I mean like at a movie or something"

My stomach started to churn as I realized what he was asking for, a date. Did I want to date him?

"Oh! uh... sure, I guess that could be fun"

Right then the bell rang and I gathered my stuff, stood up and started to walk out when someone's light grip brush my soldier signaling me to stop, I turned around seeing Harry standing slightly more confident.

"I'll pick ya up at 8" he smirks and 'swaggerily' walks out of the classroom.

***

I open up my closet curtains starring at all my clothes, clueless. I don't even know where the hell were going!

I settle on a high wasted white floral skirt with my black sabbath t-shirt tucked in and have my locket with a broken latch around my neck so it hangs open.

Harry arrives at 8:07 which I guess is ok for a teenage boy. When I slide into the passenger side seat I see his hair has a nice wave to it in the front and he has a dark flannel over a white shirt with jeans. Still as hot as ever.

"So where are we off to?" I ask curiously

"It's a surprise."

I look over at him and he has a huge smile, spreading across his face. He is quite adorable, I could just eat him.

About 15 minutes later we arrive at what seems to be an arcade and my heart sinks, is he seriously bringing me to some little crap arcade on a date?

I try to plaster a smile on my face as he sweetly opens my door and escorts me out. As we enter the crappy building he heads straight to the counter labeled 'LASER TAG'.

Immediately my heart begins to race again.

"How did you know!?" I shout in excitement

"I might have asked Sunny for some tips."

I smile at him and how he knows how much I love laser tag.

"You know I'm no competition right?" I try to get into his head that I love the game but also suck at it.

He has a low chuckle and then grabs my hands "I'll protect you"

Towards the end of our first game I recharge and move to the other players base shooting people as I go. I found the perfect spot to hide and still hit there base.

When my vest starts flashing I look up and see someone standing next to me about Harry's size. I couldn't see very clearly but from what I could see I think he was about 18-25.

He had me cornered and kept shooting. When I stand he doesn't move.

"Um... So are you just gonna Stand there till the game is over or are you going to move?"

By now he had stopped shooting and we were both out of shots. He leaned forward and leaned into my ear "Wanna get out of here? I have a key for the back room."

"I'm sorry I came here on a date so I'm um... kind of... busy."

"Just forget about him, I will give you the night of your life." the words roll off his tongue, which in different conditions I would have found seductive.

Whisper/yelling back I said "I don't know what you take me for. but I'm not some little girl who needs her big bad boyfriend to save her. I can kick you in the balls or you can back the fuck off." I tried to maintain our eye contact and push forward but he stayed in his position with his head next to mine.

He laughed at my argument and at that moment so much anger boiled through me that I lifted my leg as hard and as fast as I could and kicked him straight in the junk. He cringed and backed up groaning in pain, stepping forward i slapped him as hard as i could across the face. I took that as my chance to run so I darted past him back to the base to try and meet up with Harry.

I sat down at the base for a couple minutes when the lights came on and everyone filed out. I waited by the counter scanning the room for Harry when my eyes landed on the guy who hit on me, totally bruised and bleeding.

Someone wrapped there arms around my waist but from the familiar flannel pattern I knew who it was.

"I saw you push him off and slap him but I thought he deserved more." He whispered in my ear. Harry nuzzled his head further into the crook of my neck as I squeezed him tighter, trying to hold back the tears.

"I have another surprise if you want it?"

I smile "sure"

***

We arrive at the fancy steak house and I turn to face him, still in the car. "We don't have to come here, it looks pretty expensive."

"Joey, c'mon! I'm payin"

"Why don't we just go to the diner down the street?"

"It's ok Joey you saw my house, I can afford it!"

"I know it's just... I don't like the food at these places." I try not to embarrass myself with this picky-eater response.

"Oh! ok. Well sure I guess we will go to the crappy diner down the street."

He seemed upset so I decided to speak again.

"Well, no. it's fine lets just eat here. I'm sure it's wonderful." I smile my most real fake smile.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

He smiled back "ok"

He popped out of the car and escorted me to the big doors.

When we were seated I could barely read the menu from the horrible candle lighting. I Hate these fancy steak houses. Finally my eyes adjusted and I had to settle on salad. I knew I would have to go home and pig out afterwards from my un-filling meal options.

When we were done eating our $100 meal we walked back to the car in silence. There was small talk during the drive home but once we got to my house he helped me out of the car and we both stood there , face to face.

" I don't go on dates with the school's hottest bad boys! Hell i don't even go on dates!" I am almost talking more to myself than him

"That's the point of project B.A.. We all five agreed to make it our annual challenge on making you bad ass, like you wanted."

"Oh... so you only brought me on this "'date"' for some challenge you made up with your friends?"

"No, your like really hot and... Ya know I think I might like you." He says in a sarcastic tone.

"Ha! that helps!"

"Joey, please, I had a lot of fun and hope to be able to do this again with you?"

He had stepped closer so our chests were making contact.

Rather than waiting for a response he leaned down and kissed me, passionately, like the kind of kiss where a grandma would yell "get a room already!"

I kissed him back at first but realized that we were in my driveway and stopped.

"See you tomorrow Harry"

"Bye Joey"

***

When I was inside my phone lit up, I had gotten a text from a random number

-hey its hoodie

Oh, hi how'd u get my #?-

- I have my ways (: what r u up to?

I just got home-

-what were you doing out?

I was on a date! first one in about ever (:-

-look like someone had a little fun on this "date" if you know what I mean (;

Eh... not really-

-c'mon. spill

Well we kissed at the end but it was kind of, how would you say it... blah-

-that "blah" just sounds like an intense make out so he's not the one? (: haha Ms.B.A. Who was the mystery man?

Harry-

After that text Hoodie didn't respond, I was almost sad after an hour past because I really did enjoy talking to him.

I went to sleep later still wondering why he didn't text back and my feelings for Harry but hopefully I will find answers tomorrow at school.