The Villain

chapter one.

You know what's really funny? I remember the first time we kissed, but not the last.

I was a freshman, he was a sophomore and we both went to Preston's usual friday parties. He went as a guest and I as a plus one. They wanted to play 'Spin The Bottle', Preston and Annabel, and I wanted to be in their good graces so bad that I proved myself worthy to them by playing their stupid game.

I'm still not sure why he played — Nate isn't like that, the type to play beer pong or Spin The Bottle like a bunch of high schoolers. The bottle landed on him and the girl next to me, but I boldy moved the bottle's tip to me — courage I had from the previous three shots I had taken with Preston and Annabel — and I talked my way to that kiss. It was my first and I was bad at it, but I later blamed it on my drunken state. Yes, I faked being drunk. So?

"What are you staring at?" I heard his annoying whispering voice and I turned my head around, taking my eyes off Nathaniel and his new girl.

Charles Kinney — Nate's Greek best friend —grinned down at me, leaning himself with one arm against the wall, his palm dangerously close to my head. I eye his hand, but he doesn't take my head and doesn't move. I labeled Charles, best known as Scott, as the Greek, because he doesn't have any other redeeming qualities. His most exotic trait is his nationality.

"What are you staring at?" I challenge him, knowing he would make a flirty joke and drop the subject.

"That's not a hard one. You. But can you tell me who you're eye-fucking?" I scoff. "And I specifically said eye before fucking because that's the only thing you'll be doing with Nate from now on."

I stare at him. Hard.

After the kiss, the wannabe French kiss but actually just really wet and sloppy kiss, Nate and I started. . . Hanging around. We weren't actually dating — he made himself very clear I don't have any of the qualities he looks into a girlfriend, and I boldly responded that he couldn't be more to me anyway. I invented this story about me being heartbroken over an older, college guy and that satisfied him enough to start the thing we were having. It was a close relationship we were having — friends when the sun was up and lovers when the sun went down. But never boyfriend and girlfriend. Nate never had a girlfriend — until her.

"Are you that hurt I didn't screw you, Scott?" I fake pouted and then laughed in his face, hiding my hurt feelings from a hawk like him. "As I heard no one does. Poor you, only getting attention from freshmans."

It wasn't true — because juniors like me and seniors like him threw themselves at him, but I couldn't help but send all my hatred to Charles. He has always been annoying, ever since I started to hang out with Nate, but we have known each other before that. Before I was. . . Who I am. And that scares me.

"Yeah, Ryan, I think I'm the only one you didn't fuck," he smiled that stupid smile and I couldn't help but think how my nails dug in his neck would feel. I could also slap him and risk detention, but if I came home late today of all days Dad would throw a fit again.

He wasn't the only one I didn't sleep with in this school and I believe he knows that, as I knew that my insult was untrue, but I didn't address it. Nate was my first and maybe he wasn't my last, but I wasn't the whore of this highschool. I couldn't detrone Annabel even if I wanted that.

"You're so pathetic, Scott, that I don't even know why I'm wasting time on you," I shoved him with my shoulder in his ribs as I walked past him, making my way to take my food from the cafeteria.

I skipped the line but the girl didn't comment anything as I glared at her, and I took some yogurt as I looked back at Alice and Nate, eating at the table we used to.