Bad Boy's Queen

15; The Moody Bad Boy

The hallway is buzzing with people stomping their way out of the school. I cringe as I feel someone push on my back to make me go faster.

Hunter had come in class, asking why I was going out with Matthew. He didn't speak to me at all after that. After that period was over, he was the first one to leave class, and I didn't see him for the rest of the day.

There is too much on my mind. It's starting to get too hard to breathe. Thinking of Hunter just seems to suck all the air out of me.

I breathe a sigh of relief when I finally step out of the building. There's a loud commotion at the school's bus stop so I quickly walk away. I try to steer clear of fights for several reasons, one of them involving Hunter. 

As I'm crossing the street to head to the parking lot I spot Emily leaning on Rylan's car alone, her arms crossed like she's pissed at something. I just hope it's not me.

I walk towards her, but she doesn't seem to notice me until I'm about two meters away from her. "Seriously, I'm not in the mood for the 'Rylan talk'." She huffs, dropping her crossed arms to the side. 

"I'm not here for the 'Rylan talk'." I pause, giving her time to calm down. "You know, right?"

She crosses her arms again. "My brother's back? Yeah, but he's been avoiding me all day."

"Maybe he'll come home tonight. I'm sure he's got a good reason for it."

I can list a couple of possibilities in my head. He might be too embarrassed to face Emily after going through with the disappearing scheme. He might just be avoiding her because he doesn't want her to pry him with questions. Or maybe he just doesn't want her to ask questions about why he has bruises all over his face.

She's quiet as she looks down at her shoes, stomping on something on the concrete ground.

"Em, he's okay."

"How do you even know that, Leah? You can't just come here and tell me he's okay and shit like that. Has he told you that himself? Then you wouldn't know."

"Are you still mad about the whole Rylan thing from this morning? I'm seriously sorry about that."

Her lips are pressed tight into a flat line, and she looks as if she's contemplating something. "It's okay. I know you were telling the truth. Rylan's a shit boyfriend," she finally says.

"Why are you still with him?"

"I don't know. Sometimes he's a really good boyfriend and then sometimes he's not. I can't find the right time to break it off with him."

"He's a good boyfriend? He openly checks out other girls right in front of you. You can't possibly call that a good boyfriend. We've talked about this, Em."

"Okay fine. He's a super shit boyfriend. I'm apparently also shit at breaking up with boyfriends." She sheepishly shrugs.

"Just dump him. He needs a taste of his own medicine."

"Now you just sound evil," she chuckles.

I smirk. "I try to be."

+

Me: Hey, Matt. Are you still up for that food festival?

Matthew: yeah so can you come?

Me: Yep