Tough Love

Chapter Three

"Who keeps putting like 500 soda cans in here?" I grumble as I rummage through the fridge looking for some bottled water. I look at the built in clock on the microwave to see 2:03 (AM) in bright green lights. I sigh out of frustration and close the fridge. I walk up the stairs to my bedroom, without water may I add. I walk into my pitch black bedroom and get a cold gush of air thrown at me.

"Weird," I mutter as I approach my strangely open window. 'Mom must've opened it while I was sleeping or something...' I walk over and close it and get back in my bed. I pull my covers over my body and close my eyes.

I inhale and my eyes quickly open. 'Why does it smell like cologne in here?' I sit up in my bed and look around my room for an intruder. I see nothing, "What the fuck?"

I start to stand up but don't make it all the way. A solid arm wraps around my waist and a hand reaches for my mouth. I try to scream but no sound escapes due to the hand resting on my lips forcefully.

"Shh.." a deep voice assures me. I stop moving and the person drags me back into bed.

The large hand removes itself from my face and I whisper, "Bo?" My body gets turned around by the gorgeous man in my bed.

"Yes, darling?" Bo says quieter. I stare into his beautiful eyes that are full of mischief and I sigh.

"I've missed you- where have you been?" I asked my voice laced with worry.

"It doesn't matter, Ava. I'm here now." This made me smile. His hand reaches for my cheek and his thumb slides across my bottom lip. His eyes stop looking into mine to follow his thumb. He starts moving his head towards mine.

I start moving closer to him and our noses touch. His lips-

"Ava! You're late for school!" My mom wakes me up by yelling and throwing a pillow at me.

I sit up, startled, "Mom! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

"It's 7:30!" She exclaims. I look over to my alarm clock to see if she's telling the truth.

"Holy shit," I curse.

"Ava! Language," my mom says disapprovingly.

"Sorry mom, but I don't have time to watch what I'm saying..." I say not too loudly. If she heard that she'd probably woop my ass. She walks out of my room as I stand up and walk slowly to my bathroom. 'I'm already late, might as well enjoy a nice long shower,' I smile.

"Get ready," she says as she walks out of my room. I get up and close my bedroom door and walk into my bathroom to take a shower. I take off my pajamas and get into the shower without looking at my reflection knowing it won't be pretty to look at. The sizzling water hits my skin and I sigh in contempt. I peek out of the shower to turn on the radio that's next to my shower. The song "Lalala" by Y2K and bbno$ comes on and I start singing along to it.

I get out of the shower as soon as the song ends. I know it doesn't seem like the shower was long but it was a lot longer than usual. The next song comes on as I put my hair up in a towel, its "It's You" by Ali Gatie. This song always makes me cry and I don't know why. I walk out of my bathroom and to my closet to grab a pair of grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt with a white lacy thong and matching bra.

"Ava? Are you done getting ready yet?" My mom yells as she knocks on the door.

"Almost! Just maybe five minutes more," I groan and put my clothes on.

"Fine," she says and leaves my bedroom door.

I really don't want to go to school today. A tear falls down my face as I remember the events of yesterday, I grab my stomach in a defensive position. I quickly wipe away my tear and walk back into my bathroom to brush my wet hair out. Barely getting through my tangled hair, I grab my phone and backpack and walk downstairs.

"Bye mom," I say as I leave the house without waiting for a response. I get in my car and drive to school in silence. As I approach the parking lot I look at the time and see that it's just after 8. 'How annoying,' I think. I hate school. At least today is a B day so I don't have the same classes as yesterday. 'I wonder if the sketchy new guy is in any of my classes today..." I roll my eyes as I think about how possessive he was to me in the bathroom yesterday for no reason.

I park in the same area as I did yesterday, and gather my things and walk into school heading straight for the office to get yet another tardy note.

The office lady looks up at me from her phone and grabs a pass without hesitation. I roll my eyes at the fact she didn't even bother to ask for the reason I was there.

She slides the pass over to me and I grab it and leave without another thought.

I walk to my locker, grab my books, and head to AP English.

I knock on the door and wait a couple of seconds for someone to open it. Mrs. Jacobson opens the door slowly because she's really old and can't move very fast. She let's me in and I walk over to her desk and set the paper down nicely, and walk to my seat in the back. Mrs. Jacobson is probably my favorite teacher because she's so old and cute and super nice to me.

I look around the classroom to see if the new guy is here but he isn't and I sigh with relief. I look at the front board and take out my notebook to write some notes down and focus on the lesson.