Stronger than the Rest

Chapter 03 | Peg-able

"You can't blame gravity for falling in love." - Albert Einstein

-------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the school day went by particularly uneventful. The staring from the other students didn't stop; though I didn't expect it to either. The theatre director, Ms. Peterson, was delighted when I told her I was going to audition for the musical even being new here and I found out Gabby will be stage manager. The whole class period was just playing normal theatre games and Gabby introduced me to some of her friends in there: Darian, Caitie and her boyfriend Zach.

Darian and Zach are only in theatre because they didn't want art or music as their elective so they don't actually participate in theatre outside the classroom. However, Darian has been on crew for plays when needed. Both Gabby and Caitie are planning on auditioning as well so we made a plan to rehearse for each other tomorrow after school.

I'm just relieved to have made some normal human interactions today.

The final bell rings and I head out to my locker. I didn't get assigned as much work as I thought I would, but I know that's only because I didn't have biology or math today. I cannot wait to see how those classes go tomorrow, I mentally roll my eyes at the thought of science related things. Once I reach my locker, I open up my bag to shove my new books into them. My hand slips and I drop the bag on the floor. I reach down to grab it and stand back up.

Only my head hits the bottom of my top locker door and I fall to the ground.

Smooth.

"Fuck," I mutter as I rub the throbbing spot on the top of my head while still sprawled on the floor.

"I didn't peg you for that type of girl."

Huh?

I squint my eyes as I'm still rubbing my head and snap my head up. None other than Landon is standing casually in front of his locker opening it. He wasn't even looking at me, but I assume he was talking to me. I'm confused by his statement. "What do you mean by that, Landon?"

He tilts his head slightly down to give me a smirk while still tending to his locker. Does this boy have any other facial expression?

"Glad you know my name already. And I was referring to your random offer to fuck."

My eyes about bulge out of their skull. I grab onto the door of my locker and hoist myself up. I glare at him and say, "So first of all, definitely wasn't an offer. Even if it was, it wouldn't be an offer to you." Lies. "Second of all, you don't know me, so don't peg me."

He closes his locker and turns to face me as he leans his shoulder against his locker. He carefully studies my face for a second with his smoldering emerald eyes and for once, his face is serious as he's searching for something.

"No I don't," he said, "But I think I have a pretty good idea."

What? How? My eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"How do you have a pretty good idea?"

Suddenly, amusement lights up all over his face. He doesn't bother answering my question when he replies, "You know all your stuff is on the floor?" His eyes pointing towards my bag and books still scattered over the floor.

With that, he turns around and walks out of the school.

Douche bag.

I gather my things and head out the same way.

-----------

Once I get home, my parents ask my every question in the book about my new school and students. I try to not have attitude, but I'm just not in the mood for this discussion. My mom being overly critical and my father who is painfully sweet to me. I know he feels guilty about tearing us away from Georgia, but he really didn't want to give this job offer away.