A Certain Not-So-Bad Boy

{one}

I pulled the overall shorts over the striped short sleeve top and slipped on my white Converse. I swept my auburn hair into a fishtail side braid to keep it out of my eyes, which I brought out with mascara.

I grabbed my phone and my black backpack and headed down the stairs to meet my dad and Noah.

"Is Amber picking you up?" Noah asked hopefully while munching on his cereal. No 'hello' or 'good morning'.

"No, not this year," I told him with a smirk. "Sorry little bro, but you know that's never gonna happen."

He made a face at me and turned back to his phone, chewing on his cereal. I opted for an apple. We sat in silence until Dad came down the stairs.

"Hey kids," he said while putting on his coffee. "Ready for the last year of high school, Maya?"

"Meh, as ready as I'll ever be," I replied. "I just want to get it over with."

Dad chuckled. "Noah? Sophomore year."

"I'm just glad that I'm not a freshman anymore," he said with a shudder. Dad shook his head in amusement.

"Why are you so happy today?" I asked, biting another chunk of the apple.

"It's payday!" Dad practically sang, and I rolled my eyes. "But actually, I got a promotion. But I might have to work extra hours, so be warned."

"Good job, Dad! Oh, we have to get to school," I noticed, glancing at the clock. "Noah, hurry up or I'm leaving you to the wolves."

"Okay, okay. I'm coming," he said, pocketing his phone. He placed his bowl in the sink. "Bye Dad!" he called from the door.

"Bye!" we heard from in the house. We hustled over to my car, my baby, a (used) Ford Fusion. My dad paid for part of it for my sixteenth birthday, but I paid for most of it with money from my summer jobs and what other money I collected through the years.

I started up the engine and reversed down the driveway before driving out of the neighborhood streets. We cruised down the main road, and Noah broke the silence.

"Your car smells like Amber."

I scrunched my face. "Obsessed much?"

"She smells like... like roses. The car smells like roses or something. She was probably sitting right here, right where my butt is!"

I took my eyes off the road for just a second to glance at him and give him the 'you belong in a mental hospital' look.

"That's my best friend you're talking about! You're my brother. It's disturbing the way you talk about her. Why are you so...creepy? She's too old for you. Also, you're so... Noah," I ranted.

He crossed his arms and huffed like a child, staring out the window.

We finally pulled into the parking lot of South Crest. This school was a big private school, and because we were well off even though dad earned a single income, he sent us here. It also didn't have a uniform. He wanted the best for Noah and me, but sometimes it caused him too much stress.

I kept my eyes peeled for a parking space. One caught my eye. It was in the shade of a tree, a corner spot, and near the front of the building. The literal perfect parking spot. I drove over to it and began to turn... when someone swung into it. I slammed the brakes as hard as I could, causing us to jerk forward.

I looked at Noah, and he was fine, just a little shocked like me. Then my mind finally caught up. "Heck to the no!" I opened the door, ignoring Noah's calls to come back. Marching right up to the car, I knocked on the driver's side window. The person emerged from the black BMW M235i, and I wasted no time.

"This spot was mine! I was nearly pulling in when you decided to cut me off! That could've ended badly, I mean LOOK. I was able to stop it--you're welcome, by the way--but there's hardly a six-inch gap! Do you think anyone--"

"Feisty, aren't we?" he said with amusement.

I finally took notice of this guy. He had dark brown hair and eyes that were blue and green (not fair), a sharp nose, and a perfectly sculpted face. He was tall and had some muscle on him, but not too much. To be blunt, dang.

I snapped myself out of it when I remembered what he did. I was about to go off at him again, but a sharp voice cut me off.

"Carsy?! What's taking so long? You know I don't like waiting," she said. I swear I saw irritation flash in his eyes. The mystery girl emerged from the car, and I mentally face palmed. "Baby, why are you talking to... her?" Brooke asked with disdain. Brooke Warner was that girl. You know her. She's the one who has the nasal voice that makes your ears bleed, and everyone is her minion. The Queen Bee.

But if there was one thing I could tell you, it would be to not be fooled by what she's like on the surface. Because the deeper you go, the more twisted it gets. I would know.

"Because 'Carsy' over here nearly killed us all with his lunatic driving!" I shouted, my hands making crazy gestures in the air.

I saw that he was about to reply when Brooke beat him to it. "You can't talk to him like that, Macy. He doesn't even care who you are!" I knew she got my name wrong on purpose.

"Okay then," I said turning to 'him'. "I'm Maya Martin, you know, the one who almost died because of you. That should make you care enough." I turned back towards Brooke. "And last I checked, this was an 'A' and 'B' conversation. Kindly 'C' your way out of it."

Not being able to handle any more of her head-splitting speech tendencies, I walked back to my car. Where Noah was looking at me worriedly.

"It was good knowing you, dear sister," he told me sadly.

"What are you talking about?"

"That was Carson Bennett... ring a bell?" When I shook my head he continued. "Well, it should. His dad owns Bennett Technologies. Half the parts in your phone are manufactured from his company. He can destroy you. And judging by his rep, you've got it coming."

"Well, thanks for the biography, Drama Queen, but I'll be A-okay. What's the worst he'll do?"

I pulled into a new parking spot, much farther away from the school and not in the shade. Oh well, at least it was a corner spot. "Don't underestimate him."

I took the key out and pushed open the door.

"Okay, Noah. But I'll be just fine," I told him as we neared the brick building. "Good luck, kid."

"You too, freak." We parted ways as I headed up the stairs to my first room.

I doubt this guy will even remember me after this period.

{a/n}

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