The Heartbreaker's Game

06 - Heather's Bad Day

Heather’s POV

My eyes flew opened without a morning and I frantically gazed around my room. Why do I suddenly feel so panicky? I rolled over and checked the time. It was only seven-forty in the morning.

Seven-forty?!

Why didn’t my alarm go off at seven-thirty? I checked. Oh, great. I didn’t set the alarm the night before, that’s why. Shit, no wonder. Ah, shit, shit. I’m going to be late. I’m supposed to meet my best friend, Darcy Simmons, at the coffee shop at eight-fifteen before school started for the year at eight-thirty.

Ugh, I’m so . . . disorientated.

Jumping out from under the covers and out of my bed, I ran for the bathroom and turned the shower on. I took the fastest shower I’ve ever taken in my life (five minutes, I counted) and began to blow-dry my hair. I anxiously checked the time. It was seven-fifty already. I breathed a sigh of relief. I still have twenty minutes.

After I made sure my hair was dry, I slipped into my uniform. Then I tied my hair into a tight ponytail before I slipped my socks and my shoes on. I glanced back at the clock. It was five passed eight.

Okay, that’s good. I guess I overreacted this morning for nothing.

I grabbed my bag and walked out of my apartment, where I stayed alone. I walked out of the building and onto the sunny atmosphere. I smiled, making my way to the coffee shop. Just as I turned the corner, I saw Josh Lee, the popular guy of my year, with his friends Jared Ong, Ryan Phang, Dylan Tan, Thomas Choi and Andrew Choi.

I cowered at the corner at the sight of them.

Do not get me wrong, there is no way I am scared of them; I’m more annoyed with them. Jared and Ryan never failed to find a way to make my life miserable. Even though they had graduated from high school, since they’re friends with Josh, they hang about pretty often. Andrew, Thomas and Dylan were not as bad, neither were Josh, but I tried to stay clear out of all the them.

I hid behind a bush and made sure they were gone before I stood up, letting out a sigh of relief.

And I felt a hard hand clamping on my shoulder.

“Eeep!” I shrieked, my bag flying over.

The person of the hand let go and laughed heartily and loudly. “Oh gosh, Heather, you never failed to make me laugh.”

I turned and frowned at Alex, my cousin, as he bent over to pick up my bag off the ground. “Lexie, it’s not funny,” I scolded. “You gave me a heart attack. I thought you were one of Jared’s minions.”

He shook his head, pursing his lips with an unreadable expression. “I still don’t get why you’re so afraid of them,” he told me. I held my hand out and he handed back my bag. We began walking to the coffee shop. “I mean, they are out of school already. Andrew and Josh don’t give you any problems in school, right? So why?”

I shrugged, wishing I knew the answer to that. “I seriously have no idea what Jared’s problem is, man. It’s like he one day suddenly woke up and decided to make my life hell,” I muttered darkly, glowering at the direction they had disappeared to.

Sadly, I had to walk the same direction.

“Maybe he has a crush on you, Heather,” he said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You know how they say if a boy bullies you, it means they like you?”

“Oh, Lexie, that is so primary school!” I groaned, slapping my forehead with my palm dramatically. “Seriously? People still say that? You know that’s just a load of bull crap.”