Those Bad Boys and Me

Chapter 16 [TBBAM]

I was all alone in the shower stall after gym.

Quietly ,I sighed to myself and scrubbed a hand across my face as I changed to a pair of shorts and a shirt. I would be lying if I said I didn't feel anything from this mistake I had so carelessly made. I shook my head to get rid of the feelings as I stepped out of the cubicle.

I was halfway out of the room when an all too familiar voice made me freeze in my tracks. It was Cadence Mackenzie, her voice so light and innocent that her words almost didn't sound like an insult.

"Honestly, Carter is so blind. He can do so much better than her. "

My steps slowed down as I processed her word. Everyone in the room had gone still,their eyes on me and I felt my cheeks flush furiously.

Cadence had her back facing me as a smirk painted her plastic features, her lips pursed as she swiped on a new coat of lip-gloss, I saw her reflection in the mirror as she stared back at me right , her eyes danced with amusement and scorn.

That was when it suddenly dawned on me. They were talking about me. That was why I didn't like attention, to be in the middle of rumors and gossip and never have a word to defend yourself.

"Carter doesn't like her. " A popular senior said as she pushed her hair back ,"She's just one of their bets. Disgusting bitch. I bet she thinks that just because she has them she will get to walk all over us."

My lips trembled slightly as I took in what she said. I kept my eyes casted down and tried to keep my expression neutral. I froze as I heard a laugh from Cadence.

"Bull. As if I'll let that ever happened," she laughed as she threw her minions a wink. "Carter was just bored and she was an easy lay. "

I stood there , jaw clenched and fingers tughtly around the strap of my bag. Each word felt like a stab in the flesh , a fresh , raw wound that made me want to kneel over screaming in pain.

She studied her fingernails, before lifting her head slowly and staring right into my eyes, " Too bad. Her parents- oh wait. Her dad died," she smiled," must be from embarrassment for having such a slutty daughter. "

Her words struck something in me, clouding me with red, and before I could stop myself, the words came tumbling out from my mouth. " Leave my parents out of this," I found myself saying through gritted teeth. " They have nothing to do with this"

I could see some of the girls had froze and took a double take. They didn't think that I would ever had the guts to stand up for myself. Cadence had a gleam In her eyes as she took a step to me, like a predator stalking her prey.

Immediately realizing my mistake, I turned to leave but a hand snuck out at the last minute, to pull me back. I turned back to realized that Sasha had her arm wrapped around my forearm in a vice-like grip , her nails digging into me painfully.

"Where do you think you are going?" Her voice was excruciatingly calm, her gaze leveling as she stared at me.

"I ...I need to go back to class. " I stuttered.

She simply cocked her head to the side , " Well. The problem is, we don't care. We all have a problem with you. You stole our boys. Carter, Fransisco and your dear friend Riley had taken Caleb. We want you," She eyed me threateningly. " to get the fuck away from Carter and everyone else and go back to your own corner of the library. Stop fucking with our lives. We have one. Unlike you. "

Her nails rigged into my wrist deeper and deeper with every threat that came out of her mouth. I felt numb with pain.

" They were the one who asked me out. I... I didn't do anything." I mumbled as I gripped my free hand into the strap of my bag, trying to channel all my fear into the strap.

I could see a spark of fury in Cadence as she glared at me, " Do we look-"

The gym coach Mrs Cass came storming in , " Why are you girls taking so long?"

As fast as they insulted me, they had dispersed but not without Cadence giving me one last glance and mouthing," You better watch out. "

The coach huffed and stormed out after telling us to hurry. I sank onto the floor as sadness filled my already empty heart. It's half full but I won't wait here all day, for it to be so overwhelmed by pain that one day it would eventually stop beating and stop feeling and being numb.

Forever.

Tears filled up the corners of my eyes. Why couldn't I have a mind of my own? To stand up for myself and give them a piece of my mind?

The nail marks that Sasha had left on my arm were deep, deep enough for faint traces of blood to stain the top layer of my skin. And they stung when I brushed the tip of my fingers briefly across.

They hurt so much. But as I stood there alone in the shower stall that afternoon, my breathing harsh and years art the seams of my eyes, I realized something I hadn't known before.

Sasha's physical infliction of pain had not hurt as much as her words did. I could still hear them ringing in my head as it replayed over and over again, like a broken recorder, each sentence and word straight, like an arrow into my heart.

It hurt in a place where no physical pain could ever reach.

-

The harsh downpour was pelting down fast and stealthily as I wrapped a cold hand onto my arm, trying to keep myself warm as I looked into the sky as another lighting stuck from the dark clouds.

Laughter sounded from behind me. It took all my willpower to not turn around as I gripped my bag straps tightly, my knuckles turning a shade of pallid. My heart clanged painfully, squeezing painfully as I hear the voices come closer.

"That was a great shot , Carter. " Caleb's voice echoed down the corridor as Carter's chuckles filled the air.

I couldn't control myself, I hid my face behind my curtain of blonde hair as I sneaked a peek at Carter. He looked do carefree and careless.

I feared.

I feared that he didn't feel the way I felt. I didn't want to be alone in this. Call me selfish but I wasn't one who loved someone more than they loved me. I wondered if he actually felt the same way I did; scared, lost , confused.

Two years later and he finally paid attention to me. Isn't it every girls dream? To have the boy they liked so much finally respond to them? I guess it's just the truth: I had been in like with someone I imagined him to be. Never knowing what he really was, under that whole bad boy exterior.

Perhaps. Just perhaps. I had been wrong all along.

Perhaps I stared a little longer than a normal person would , for Carter glanced up abruptly, as if he knew someone was watching him.

Our gaze interlocked. I saw him mouth quirked up slightly. Curling up a little slightly before it disappeared in a flash. It might have been a figment of my imagination.

I was miles away but at that moment , my heart felt like fireworks waiting to escape into the sky. Feeling a rush of embarassment as he caught me staring, I turned away quickly. heading towards Riley's car as she had promised to pick me up.

"Everett."

I froze. The warmth of his palms had encased my forearm, holding me back from moving away from his touch. So beautifull yet toxic like a snake.

"What happened?"

I couldnt hide the surprise in my features, I looked at him with wide eyes before i saw Caleb, across Carter's shoulder with a lazy smirk on his face as he leaned on the rear of the car.

I turned back to Carter as he looked at me with worried eyes which was like a glowing splint in a forest waiting to set everything on fire.

"Nothing,"I forced a grin." Don't worry." I turned on my heel and literally ran to Riley's car. I willed myself to not look back or to cast another glanced at the perfectly chiselled face.

Because I knew.

If I saw what was in his eyes, I would never be able to forgive myself.

-

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