Something Like Love

one

《hailey》

Memories of yesterday's events are still racing through my mind. Yes, I had accidentally spilled my drink on Colton Gray, staining his expensive clothes, and yes, I am aware that I have commited a grave sin. But surprisingly, he just chuckled at the sight of my panicked face and assured me that it was nothing to worry about.

It is an unspoken rule of our school is that no one dares messing with Colton or any of his friends, ever. But after our unusual encounter yesterday, a part of me wants to believe that he's not what everyone presumes him to be. He's even managed to show me a hint of a smile when we passed by each other in the hallways.

"How do you look so relaxed?" Aubree asks, blatantly shooting me a worried look as we approach our lunch table together with Natalie who has her nose buried in a book.

"He told me that it was fine." I defended myself. "And based on my judgement he actually sounded sincere."

"But your judgement sucks." Wow, thanks.

"You should probably watch out Hailey. You never know when they.." Natalie points a finger at the cafeteria doors, where Colton and his friends had just made a grand entrance, "...are coming back for you."

Shivers run up my spine and the guilt that has been clinging to me since yesterday is suddenly accompanied by fear. They may be most good-looking and well-dressed people in here but they sure as hell are the most threatening.

《hailey》

The bell finally rings, signaling the end of class. Everyone is gone in a flash, leaving me and several others who don't really participate in extracurricular activities alone in the room.

I peacefully walk down the almost empty hallways until I walk past the school gym doors and now my heart feels heavy. I can hear the team warming up and a few seconds later, I can hear Coach's laughter.

A sad smile spreads across my face. Everything is so familiar, if only things were still how they used to be, I'd be happy.

I decide to get over my depressed state by walking away and proceed to my baby, a BMW R nineT, parked outside the school grounds.

I'm probably the only girl who rides a motorcycle to school but that doesn't make me the bad girl type of person, not at all. It was just a lot more convenient than owning a huge automobile especially for a lazy girl like me.

I stop in my tracks before being able to reach my ride and turn to where I hear a group of men approaching. It takes me a few moments to register that they're running towards me, and they have a bucket of... oh no.

Someone yanks my bag away from my grip and the next thing I know, I'm soaked with water from head to toe. I stand frozen in my spot because of two things: one, I don't know what the hell just happened and two, I'm literally freezing.

Laughter erupts from the group of boys. Some are clutching their stomachs and some are on their knees. So they find this funny, huh?

I hope they choke.

I feel a mixture of extreme annoyance and a little self-pity. It takes all my self-control to just stand where I am and not cause a scene because that's probably what they want. And I'm not giving it to them.

Suddenly, the icy feeling that's slowly turning me into stone starts to subside as I feel a towel being wrapped around me. I look up to see who was kind enough to save me from the situation but the moment I do, I wish I hadn't.

I don't know if the hatred bubbling inside me is for the man in front of me, who turned out to be the complete opposite of what I thought he was, or if it's for myself, for being stupid enough to think that he was actually somehow different from others.

I want to spit on his handsome face but I know I won't live to see another day if I do. So I do the only reasonable thing I can think of, I remove the towel hanging on my shoulders, and turn by back on the one and only, Colton Gray.