"i'm crazy but you like that" - skins

Episode 1.2

I trailed around the outskirts of the college grounds, seeking a prime location to serve as a smoking spot.

After ten minutes of walking, I found a small cluster of hedges five minutes away from the college building, and I sat down and let out a relieved sigh as I retrieved my joint from my pocket and lit it.

I smoked for thirty seconds - taking long drags - before I heard an unfamiliar female voice behind me.

"Wow. The day hasn't even started and you're getting high?"
I spun around quickly to see a girl with a short, blonde cut and a colourful jacket giving what looked like a disapproving look.
I rolled my eyes. "You're not some sort of teacher, are you?" I asked, before taking another toke of the joint.
"Christ. Do I look that old?" She winced.
I stayed silent, not answering her question and continuing to smoke my joint now that I'd had confirmation that I wasn't going to get expelled before even stepping foot in the college. She stood watching me for a few seconds before pointing and asking, "can I get a toke on that?"
I looked up, studying her. "Sure."

I passed the girl the joint and she knelt down about a foot away from me. "So... what's your name?" She forced herself to make conversation.
"Jofie." I told her. "What's yours?"
"Naomi."
"Cool." I nodded.
"Are you looking forward to... this?" She gestured to the college, and by the fact that she couldn't even say the word, it was clear that she wasn't eager.
"What, college? Kind of. I mean, you can have fun anywhere if you put your mind to it." I answered.
"That's a good mindset, I suppose." She shrugged.
"Yeah. Compared to yours, anyway, because you seem like you'd rather be anywhere else." I chuckled.
"Yeah." She nodded, not denying it. "You see, I want an education, but people tend to get on my nerves."
I couldn't help but laugh. Naomi seemed funny. "Yeah, I get that. You can stick with me. I promise I'm only slightly annoying."
She laughed as well. "Thanks."
"Come on." I ushered, taking the remaining bit of the joint out of her hand and finishing it as we walked.

***

Naomi and I walked into the school hall together and made our way to the back row.

It was only a minute before the trio of boys that I recognised from earlier that morning walked in and sat on the row in front.

The boy who posed as an intrigue to me turned around from where he sat to look at me.
He looked me up and down as he slightly bit his lip and he smiled as I smirked at him, and then he turned back around.

I'd always made sure that I didn't have feelings for a boy. I just liked to have fun and fuck them, and this boy seemed like he'd be completely down for that.

I looked to the tanned boy and it was impossible not to notice the way he was staring at the girl I'd saw in the car, who sat on the front row.
I smirked, knowing that I was one of the first people to notice the way he looked at her.

I looked back at the girl and muttered to myself, "where do I recognise that girl?"
"I don't know." Naomi answered, despite my question being rhetorical. "I don't."

And then I heard Naomi audibly groan from beside me.
"What's your problem?" I questioned her.
"Nothing." She harshly replied. I turned to follow her line of sight and I could see that she was staring unhappily at a red-headed girl on the opposite side of our row.
"Who is she?" I pried.
"No one." Naomi snapped, clearly not willing to answer any of my questions.
"Okay." I raised my eyebrows and mentally backing away from questioning her about what seemed like a sore subject.

Cook and I met eye contact several more times in the next few minutes, both of us completely zoned out to what the teachers were explaining.
It seemed that he was as intrigued by me as I was by him.