The Arranged Marriage

C H A P T E R 2

My nerves need a break, not a reminder of how much trouble we were in. I prowled around but it didn't help. I still felt like my skin was on too tight.

Song: Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield

**Andrea's POV**

"Peter *poke*, Peter *poke*, Peter *poke*, Peter *aggressive poke*!" He better answer me or else. I can go on all day.

"WHAT THE HELL! Andrea OWWWW!" I wince at his tone.

Dear God, I promise I'll behave better, only if this works.

"You just don't go around poking people aggressively for no reason. Don't you have a book to bury yourself in or something?"

Excuse me!

"Firstly, it was a soft poke. Then I ended up with an aggressive poke. If you had just listened to me I wouldn't have done this - "

He holds my hand as I'm about to poke him again, but this time on his forehead. What can I say? I'm annoying, sue me.

He sighs. "What do you want Drea?"

Goody, he answered me and nicknamed me too!

"What!? I never said I wanted anything." I lie not so subtly.

"What do you mean by you never said anything? You wanted me to answer you, and now I have. Do not make me hit you." Peter says and sighs annoyed with me already.

Seesh! Someone's on his time of the month. I didn't even poke him that hard!

"Now that you put it that way, it means, you want to help me. So, can you help me pullaprankonJoshuaandEthan?" I like annoying him, its fun. Besides, I'm making memories.

"Please, tell me that you didn't just say what you just said?" So, he cracked the code. I roll my eyes at him.

"Sherlock Holmes, would you please, kindly do me this solid?" Now he rolls his eyes.

"I'll help you on one condition. And you have to promise to help back. No slides, you have to do it. My life is on the line here and - "

"OK! I didn't ask for a life story, one. Two, I'll help you after you help me. Will you? Please?" I beg, suddenly desperate.

"That... was rude. But of course I'll help you. Now, what exactly do you want me to do?" Peter grins widely and I just can't help but smile up at him.

Only if you knew Peter Newman, only if you knew.

----

"Run, Peter run! Aren't you supposed to be an athlete or something? Move your ass slow poke." Those boys are really fast - Whoa!

Those really stupid stairs.

"Peter help!" The idiot just left me to die. He'll pay for this.

"Whoa! What the hell? Drop me right now, this very minute. How dare you mishandle me?"

So I guess you all are quite confused.

This was way after the attack on Josh and Ethan.

We had spray-painted their lockers, and then spread the word via an anonymous email, saying that the two of them were in a relationship, and then after their shower in the locker room, they had come out with red hair and face. You may know the reason why *Wink wink*.

We left little notes with coloured paper, letter by letter, giving hints on whom it was. Then we had also put a bucket full of brown paint on top of the shower doors so that when they come out, they get dirty again. The only reason they figured that out was because Peter "forgot" to put his name on it. And God knows how short it was for them to figure out.

"Well, looks like your little luck just ran out Nerd. You are going to wish, you never started any of this. And lover boy here is also going to pay for your little exercise." Ethan says.

Wait? Lover boy?

Oh! Peter...

Even with how dirty Ethan is, he looks like a hot mess.

Yeah. A hot mess you want.

What kind of stupid person said that?

"I assure you, you are going to pay for ruining my hair. Although, it still looks pretty good." Joshua adds.

Did I ever say that boys are stupid? Well, I'm saying it right now.

"Guys, please there's no need for all this. She's just a girl. Besides, why do you bully her anyways?" Peter asks on my behalf. And at this rate I'm almost drowning in tears.

That is, the keyword being almost.

"It's none of your business Newman." Joshua says as he shoves Peter as he walks away.

"Thank you, I'm sorry for dragging you into this mess." I say honestly. "Although, it has been going on for quite some time. And I don't know why they do it. Am I really that ... I don't know, such a bully factor?" I ask at the verge of putting a fountain on display.

"Don't be so glum about it ... You're a good girl, and I was wondering if you'd like to be my friend." Peter so subtly states.

"Poor, poor Peter. We were already friends, you were just in denial." I answer. "But since you're begging-"

"I didn't even-" Peter tries to deny. "Hush young one. As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted." I turn and scowl at Peter who at this point was ready to pounce on me. "Since you're begging to be friends with me, I accept." I tell Peter with a cheeky grin.

He rolls his eyes and laughs at me. Probably wondering how he got stuck with me in the first place.

"That's cool, just remember, people have different reasons on why they do things. This doesn't mean that they should. I wonder what his could be." Peter tells me.

And I can't help but wonder too. Why do they bully me?