Playing With The Bad Boy

i've been duffed

Chapter 7. I've been duffed

"Stephen.. H-hi" I stammer awkwardly feeling my cheeks heat up. A smile grows on his face revealing an adorable dimple on his left cheek, good gravy. He's simply breath taking, I'm not one to swoon over guys really, but he's simply perfect, no arguing. Not only is he easy on the eye, but there's always been something more about him that intrigues me.

"Can I ask you something?" He asks rather loudly in attempt to be louder than the music but he's failing.

"Want to go somewhere more private?" He yells and I nod offering a warm smile.

I follow him out the house into the back yard, I let out a shiver as the cold air immediately pinches my bare shoulders and face as sit outside on the patio. A few teens are scattered around the desks and I'm hoping those odd sounds coming from the bushes are an animal and not anybody hooking up.

Stephen must've noticed because he takes off his sweater handing it to me and I fight back the urge to smile, "it's fine then you'll be cold"

"I can survive that" he grins, I mean, since he insists.

I wrap the sweater around me basking in smell of the cologne. Wow I sound like a stalker, "so what did you want to talk about?" I shiver more from nervousness than the coldness.

He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly letting out a nervous chuckle, awww, "uhh... I feel kind of silly asking this"

"Ask away"

Yes yes yes yes.

"Alright... um... I'm not sure if you... I mean you probably won't even answer this" He stammers and I feel my eagerness taking over, is this it? Is he asking me out?

"Well... I was just wondering if... do you by any chance... uhhh... know if Amber is talking to anybody?" He asks and I nearly feel the color leave from my face, is that Bianca Piper felt like in the DUFF? I've been duffed.

I feel my heart crack into a million pieces in my chest, how did I not realize this?

"That's why you are so nice to me" I mumble to myself trying to piece together all of the information, that's why he's always so nice to me, he wants to get closer to Amber, not me...

"What'd you say?" He asks and I blink a few times still trying to register everything. He was never mine in the first place, technically I have no reason to be upset at all, it's no big deal, but why does it hurt so bad?

"Nothing... it's nothing..." I utter standing up handing him his jacket. So much for being calm cool and collected.

"Wait Caro-" I cut him off by walking to the door, I pull open the door attempting to walk in the house but I'm stopped by a grip on my forearm, I turn around almost melting by Stephen's gaze.

"Caroline" he gently says and I feel my knees weaken just by his touch. Stupid knees.

"Uhh.. you never answered my question" he chuckles awkwardly and I feel the sudden urge to punch him in the throat.

"No she's single" I state ripping my forearm from his grip stepping inside. I'd be a bad friend to rid Amber of a chance to be with somebody as nice as him. He's not a bad nor a mean person for not feeling the same, I just wish this heart ache would leave.

Why can't I be the person people have crushes on? Why am I so socially awkward, why do I always want people who will never want me?

My train of thoughts are suddenly cut off when I clash into something hard immediately hitting the floor.

I look up to see I hit a door, a head peaks around the door with a curious expression. The door closes and an amused Axel is revealed.

"You good Care bear?" He asks with a smirk and I groan in response getting up from the floor. I see Nolan walking by and I stop him, "have you seen Amber?"

"She left with Jared" he answers walking away. Great, my only ride.

"Need a ride?" Axel asks leaning on the wall stuffing his hands in his pockets. His hair is gelled effortlessly. He's wearing chinos with a dark grey long sleeve button up.

"Please?" I ask and he nods walking past me. I soon realize he wants me to follow him so I follow him out the house to his car I'd die for. He unlocks it and I step in the passenger seat. He soon appears on the driver's seat starting the car.

I feel numb and my head is pounding, I can't focus on anything. So many thoughts are swirling through my brain, he likes Amber.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when he takes a sharp right turn, this isn't to our neighborhood, "Where are we going?"

"Walmart" he calmly states like it's no big deal, "why?"

"My mom needs milk" he responds with a smirk as we park in the parking lot. I follow him out the car into the store. The bright lights nearly blind me as we walk through the store.

We walk side by side to the cold produce aisle past the ice cream and I feel my stomach growl.  He must've noticed me eyeing the ice cream because he chuckles sighing, "you like ice cream?"

"You don't?" I rhetorically ask and he shrugs, "never had it"

I feel my heart shatter, "you've never had ice cream....?" I ask out of pure disbelief.

"My brother was lactose intolerant" he explains and I ignore the 'was', "Well are you lactose intolerant?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Be prepared to have your mind blown" I grin opening the fridge door taking out a gallon of ice cream, "hm.... I'd rather have my-" I spin around shooting him a deathly glare which stops him mid sentence but not the smirk that tugs at at his lips.

"You're sick" I mumble pushing past him to where the milk is. He grabs a gallon of milk and we go to check out.

The lady at the counter swipes the milk and ice cream at the counter, "that'll be ten dollars and fifty two cents"

I take out my money and hand it to Axel, "here, for the ice cream. He looks at me like I have two heads before taking out a credit card handing it to the lady. She smiles and takes the card, "you guys are so cute together"

I feel my whole body stiffen and Axel just smirks at me, "Thanks we get that a lot"

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If you've never seen the movie The DUFF, I highly recommend (:

Qotd : "we looked at each other a little to long to be 'just friends'"