Playing With Fire

Dealing with the Public

Yeah, we had a deal alright. And he sure proved that at school the next day. I don't know how, but word had gotten around that we were together. Either Callie spilled the beans, which I doubt, or people saw us leave the party together and assumed. Either way, I had at least five girls tell me what a bad decision I was making before I had even made it to the front door of the school.

"Well hello there," Dillon murmurs, his breath tickling the back of my neck. I grin and turn away from my locker to face him.

"Word sure as hell travels fast here," is all I say to him.

"Yeah, well, it's a small town, and David doesn't like to keep his mouth shut. I shouldn't have even told him we were officially together last night. That was idiotic," he growls. Ah, there we go. It was Dillon's little brother.

"I've had a shit ton of people tell me what a horrible person you are, and it's not even first period yet!" I complain. Instead telling me not to listen to them or reassuring me in any way, he leans against the locker and chuckles.

"Well it's true," he snorts.

"Not exactly," I reply, confused. I have a really bad memory, and for some reason, the deal we had made last night just wasn't coming to mind.

"I'm a shitty person and a shitty boyfriend. If you want to attempt to date me, cool. But don't expect flowers, don't expect cute texts, and you sure as shit shouldn't expect me to treat you like you're some sort of queen. Just because you're hot doesn't mean you get special treatment," he hisses. A few girls walking by shake their heads and mutter something about me being an idiot, and that's when it clicks. The deal. He's nice to me in private and a complete dick to me in public. Great.

"Oh, hun, I'm not expecting anything special, especially after sleeping with you Monday," I reply icily.

"Good," he replies with a smirk. The warning bell rings and he grabs my face, roughly kisses me, squeezes my ass, and walks away without another word. This should be fun. If he's going to play the asshole here, then I'm happy to play the bitch.

I got a glare from Mrs. Wahl as soon as I walked into class. Real mature, really. She should be glad I even showed up to class, with the way she treated me on Monday.

"Oh my god. It can't seriously only be Wednesday. I want to go home," Callie whines the instant I sit down next to her.

"If I agree with you, would you take it the wrong way?" I laugh.

"Nope. Your home is here now. Like it or not, you're stuck with us. Colorado is just a distant dream," Callie replies, looking off into the distance. I laugh again and shove her, which only makes both of us burst into even more laughter.

"Ladies! Could you behave, please?" Mrs. Wahl yells.

"Oh calm down, the bell hasn't even rang yet!" Callie yells back. As if on cue, the final bell rings and Mrs. Wahl darts to the door and closes it in the face of one sophomore that was only thirty seconds late. I look at Callie, roll my eyes, and mouth 'bitch', which only sends her into a fit of giggles that earns us yet another glare from our devil teacher.

We ended up playing a game to get to know each other's names. Mrs. Wahl brought out a ball, we stood in a circle, and then one by one we had to toss it to someone else while saying their name. Mrs. Wahl starts and passes it to David, who, of course, instantly throws the ball to me.

"Cute, David. Just remember, she's dating your brother, not you," calls some other junior girl that I didn't even know.

"Yeah, for like four more days, if she's lucky. Dave might as well start hitting on her now if he wants a shot at picking up the new 'it' junior," is the comment of some other guy. I didn't even know his grade, much less his name.