Bad Reputation

Hey Gorgeous

I walk down the school hallway, chatting with my two best friends, Grace and Lottie. We've been friends since pre-school and I honestly don't know how I would have survived without them, especially lately...

We've just gotten back from the six week summer holidays, filled with movie marathons and shopping. Now we're back in this hell they call school. 

The hallway swarms with students as we attempt to navigate our way to our first class of the day, thankfully I have most of my classes with Grace or Lottie, and we all have History together, which is where we're headed. We are laughing and chatting as we walk, catching up on everything we missed, and just when I think we're in the clear, someone approaches.

I sigh as I spot Matthew Davis from the lacrosse team sauntering over, Grace and Lottie flank me protectively on either side and I can feel them tense beside me. 

"What's going on Valerie?" He smirks, the absolute picture of arrogance, "You should come join us after lacrosse practice today, we're going back to Quince's house, I'm sure the whole team would love to have you." He wiggles his eyebrows suggestively at me and winks.

 Ew, what a sleaze bag. What I wouldn't give to punch him in his insufferable face and shave off those suggestive eyebrows.

Lottie shoots him a dagger-like glare, "Matthew, the last time someone wanted to have you was when your mother was giving birth." 

I laugh, shrugging off his comments, and the three of us push past him, Lottie shoves him in the shoulder as we walk away and mutters unpleasant profanities under her breath. 

We have only taken about five steps when I realize Grace isn't with us. Huh? Lottie and I whip around to discover that she is still talking to doucheface. 

What. 

The. 

Heck. 

I storm up to her, just in time to catch the end of the conversation.

Grace is glaring haughtily at Matthew as she digs through her bag and pulls out a piece of paper. She slaps it into Matthew's hand. "I hate you more than words can say, but can you give Quince my number?" I sigh exasperated and proceed to drag her away. I love her, but she can be a handful, and on top of that, both Lottie and Grace have been extremely overprotective as of late, ever since Brody......

My eyes drift absentmindedly around the hallway as we walk and I smile and wave when I see my classmates, but my mind drifts elsewhere, and I can feel myself receding into my memories as they come flooding back. 

I am pulled out of my thoughts as Lottie and Grace bombard me. 

"Are you okay?" Grace asks, placing a comforting hand on my arm. 

"What a dick!" Lottie mutters, growing more frustrated by the second, "How dare he say that to you." 

I gently remove Grace's hand and give Lottie's shoulder a squeeze, "Guys, really I'm fine, I'm used to it." I say and plaster a wide smile on my face, I don't don't need to drag them down with me.

 But the truth is, I'm not okay, every time I start to feel better some doucheturd will approach me and ask for a freebie. This is all fucking Brody's fault, I should never have trusted him. I gave him my heart and he broke it, and then proceeded to stomp all over it with his stupid lacrosse cleats.

I snap out of my internal rant as we enter the classroom and we exchange looks as we take our usual seats in the middle of the classroom. Lottie and Grace are chatting eagerly beside me and I tune in to the conversation. 

"I heard he was expelled because he set fire to the school," Grace says, her eyes blazing with excitement. 

"I heard he got someone pregnant and then took off." Lottie chimes in. 

"What are you guys talking about?" I ask, confused. 

They both look at me in shock, "How can you not know?!" Grace screeches, nearly bursting my eardrums, "Have you been living under a rock?"

Lottie rolls her eyes at Grace's antics before turning to me, "There's a new guy at school, Aiden Hale, apparently he was expelled from his last school, there are a lot of rumors flying around as to why." 

I scrunched up my face, "And this affects us how?" Grace shoots me a exasperated, disapproving look, "Duh, because apparently, he's really freaking hot!" she exclaims.

Before Grace can continue to talk my ear off about the new guy, Mr. Peterson walks in dumps stuff all over his desk and scrawls the learning intention on the board. I sit back in my chair and prepare for a nap, but before my eyes can fall shut the door slams and I jolt awake.

From the audible gasps and excited whispers of every girl in the room, I can guess who has just walked in. 

Grace digs her fingernails into my arm and squeaks "it's him". 

"Ouch" I whisper scream and yank my hand away. 

"You must be Mr. Hale" Mr. Peterson drones, "I see you have decided to grace us with your presence, please, do us the honor of taking a seat." 

Footsteps echo and grow louder as I continue to stare at my desk. I feel a warm presence at my side.

 God dammit why do I have to sit next to the only empty seat in the classroom. The smell of cologne and fresh spearmint drifts over to me as he sinks into the seat next to me. The smell intensifies as he leans towards me, and his hair tickles my neck, I feel his eyes on me and finally give in, turning around to look at him.

He smirks, "Hey Gorgeous".