Under Your Skin

Chapter Nine

I haven't spoken to Caleb since the incident yesterday, he hasn't even texted Justin back.

"I'll talk to him today when I see him." Justin said as I closed my locker shut after taking out my English books.

"I feel so bad, you should have seen his face. I never wanted him to know that, especially not like that." I said turning to Justin who was looking over my shoulder with a confused expression. I turned to see what he was talking about and almost choked on my own saliva. Caleb strutted confidently down the hall, his hair swooped up like a wave, he wasn't wearing his glasses, and he wore a muscle American flag tee shirt showing off his muscular arms and dark blue jeans with black vans. He looked completely different, I almost didn't even recognize him.

He walked over to Justin and I receiving glances from girls as they passed him, something I wasn't used to seeing. "Hey J." He said, his southern accent sounding deeper and more noticeable, like he wasn't trying to hide it.

"Dude what are you wearing?" Justin said taking in Caleb's outfit.

"Clothes." Caleb said shrugging.

"Why the big change in appearance?" Justin asked fixing his backpack strap farther onto his shoulder.

"Figured I might as well go back to my old self." He said running his fingers through his hair making it just slightly messy, but it looked good either way. "I'm sick of getting played and pushed around." He said bluntly.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked looking down at my sneakers to scared to make eye contact with him.

"I have class." He said pointing his thumb down the hall, immediately walking away.

"He hates me." I said aloud, more to myself.

"Nah, he doesn't hate you. He hates what you did." Justin said patting my back. "He'll come around."

I nodded, pushing back my sadness and anger towards myself. "I hope so." I said as the warning bell rang. "I'll see you later." I said giving him a small smile and walking down the hall towards English. The hallways quickly became vacant as everyone walked into their classes, I taking my time doing so. I loved English it was my favorite subject but the fact I had to sit in front of the queen bitch Macy Anderson.

I walked into class keeping my head down and sitting in my assigned seat forcing myself not to make eye contact with Macy in hopes she'd just leave me alone, but deep down I knew that the day Macy Anderson had nothing rude to say to me would be the day she stops breathing for good.

"Today we're going to be reading Chapter 15 part 8 and writing a 500 page essay about what you read. Keep in mind I do read all essays carefully and will know if anything is plagiarized and if I happen to come across a plagiarized essay that student will not only fail the assignment they will have an after school detention with me." Mrs K said writing down the pages on the chalk board behind her desk and sitting down. "You all have until the end of class to finish this assignment, I'm looking forward to reading what you all have to say." She said smiling at the class as the sound of books opening and pens clicking could be heard.

I finished the reading in lightning speed. Okay maybe not lightning speed but I had finished the whole 20 pages in roughly 5 minutes while the rest of the class was still reading. I took out my notebook and started writing about Shakespeare. This class always seems to go by so fast because before I knew it my essay was complete and the class bell rang signaling lunch was starting. I frowned putting Harry Potter back into my bag and rushing out of the classroom and towards the lunch room.

I walked into the large cafeteria which was already filled with hungry teenagers and teachers trying to keep said students under control. I looked at the long line at the food station and groaned, the line backed up almost to the front doors to the café. By the time I'd get my food lunch would have been over or pretty close. I walked over to the table I sat with Jeremy and Val and received a smile immediately from Valerie, Jeremy on the other hand looked less pleased to be in my presence.