Hard to Forget (Hard to Resist Prequel) (2 page)

Dating a quarterback had its advantages
and its disadvantages. I admit that his rep was something that I had to protect but I was starting to resent everything about it. If it meant that he would stay away from Sara, so be it. I didn’t care how I made myself look just to prove to him that I actually did care and I didn’t want anything in between us. I thought we were worth more than a “reputation” but by him walking away and acting like I was immature and overreacting, I guess I was wrong.

Chapter Three

I was glad that our history teacher
didn’t feel well and went for playing a movie instead of teaching but I hated the fact that Sara was in the same class as me. She sat in the back with two of her minions and I tried my best to ignore her but it was hard. I knew then that I was going to hate that semester. It was starting off terribly. She had the most obnoxious voice, which I tried to tune out, but when I heard her say Bryson’s name, I couldn’t help but listen in.

“Yeah, so we had chemistry first period. I swear he’s so hot. I kept feeling him stare at me and when the teacher asked us to find a partner
for the semester, I went for him. I had to fight some broads off to get him but, of course, I won.” I squeezed my pen as I glared at the TV screen. I tried my hardest to zone her out but it was impossible. A part of me wanted to hear what else she had to say. “I gave him my number so he could get the answers tonight. Hopefully he comes through . . . and I mean that in more ways than one.” With that sentence, I was sure she winked.

Her minions giggled as she did but I shook my head. “Uh-oh, looks like Natalie has some competition.”

Shit! They knew I was listening.

“Fuck you,” I hissed over my shoulder.

Sara smirked as she folded her arms. “Now, ladies. Let’s not ruin her high just yet. She still has time to cherish him—but only a little.”

The
class carried on, but the whole time, I was seeing red. I couldn’t even think straight. I couldn’t wait for lunch so I could see Bryson and confront him about it. How could he take her number? How could he lead her on? I knew Bryson. He had a lot of game in him and when it came to getting what he wanted, he could get it. Everyone at West Ashley High School thought he was the hottest guy. He was wanted by almost every girl. I couldn’t let girls like Sara get under my skin but she had crossed the line.

If I could, I would have thrashed her skull against the wall behind her and
had a full-blown catfight. I didn’t want to get suspended over shit that she was saying. She wasn’t worth it. I didn’t know if she was telling the truth or a lie but my only hope was that it was a lie—not only for my sake but for Bryson’s sake as well.

****

Lunch was packed and I expected to see Bryson at the table but of course he was going to be fashionably late. Mark was sitting at the table with a backwards black baseball cap covering his sandy-blonde hair.

“Hey Mark,” I sighed as I sat across from him.

“Hey, Nat.” He looked me over and I don’t know how he noticed, but he saw the worry behind my eyes. “What’s wrong? You look a little . . . off.”

I hesita
ted on speaking, pulling a cookie out of my lunch bag. “Be honest with me. Why is Bryson talking to Sara so much now? It’s not just a stupid Chemistry class.”

Mark stared at me for a moment before shrugging. “It’s Bryson. He thinks he can get away with anything.” He reached across the table for my bag of potato chips. He always took something of mine from my lunch.
I didn’t mind.

“I’m just bothered by it, you know? It kind of ticks me off that he’s all friendly with the girl that I told him I can’t stand.”

“I understand.” He chomped down on a chip and then looked to his right. “You see that chick with the brown hair beside Sara,” he said, pointing with his thumb.

I looked
where he pointed and beside Sara was Madison Brewer who was eating an apple. I turned to look at Mark who popped another chip into his mouth but was still staring. “I think she’s hot—really hot—but I don’t know how to approach her. If you haven’t realized, I don’t date much. I need a woman’s advice.” He flashed a smile, revealing a perfect row of white teeth but I laughed as I bit into my sugar cookie.

“You expect me to help you get a girl that I could care less about? Anyone that hangs with Sara is bad news. She’s just a follower, Mark. Nothing but.
You deserve way more than that.”

“But . . . she’s hot.” His lips twisted as he kicked his legs up to place them on the chair beside him. “I’m not looking for anything deep with her. I just want to ge
t with it, you know? I want her,” he ran his hands from head to knees, “on top of me.” He winked but I laughed.

“Mark, you’re the
star running back of our football team. I’m sure if you asked her—or any other girl—out, she wouldn’t deny you. You’re cute. Sweet. Funny.”

“You think I’m all that?” he asked
quickly, his gaze lowering to my lips.

I pulled them in to bite on
them but he chuckled to play it off. “Why don’t you want anything deep?” I asked to distract his lustful eyes.

“Because the person I want something deep with dates my best friend.”

Gulping, I grabbed for my juice, ripped the straw off, and stabbed it into the carton. I swallowed the cool apple juice down while looking away. I wanted to be anywhere but across from Mark. I knew he was going to make it awkward sooner or later. It was always awkward to talk to him alone—to talk to someone who had had a crush on me for years. I always tried to ignore it, to stay friends, and not lead him on in anyway. I really couldn’t figure out what he liked about me so much.

“What’s up?” Gracey appeared beside me and I had ne
ver felt more relieved to see her. I eased up a bit and took another bite of my cookie.

“Mark, here, is l
ooking for dating advice,” I said to lighten the mood.

“Oh yeah?”
Grace bit into her usual peanut-butter and jelly sandwich while looking at Mark. “Who’s the lucky gal?”

“Madison Brewer,” he said, pointing to his right.

Grace’s face pinched as she looked from Mark to Madison. “You’re kidding, right? You want one of Sara’s minions?”

“She’s cool, okay?” He
pushed from the table, suddenly annoyed. “You know, I will never understand girls. The hatred you have against one another is fucking insane. So glad I’m a guy.” Pushing his chair in, he hurried for a huddle of football players that were standing beside the door.

“The hell is his problem
?” Grace frowned.

“I don’t know,” I lied before grabbing my sandwich.

Grace and I talked a little more and I told her about what Sara said in History class. Of course she wanted to march over to Sara’s corner table and rip her extensions out but I told her to keep her cool because it might not have been true . . . and I didn’t want her to think she had any power over us.

It took only ten minutes for Bryson to come strolling in with a bag of Cheetos in his hands. A few girls fluffed their hair as he passed by but I had to admit that I was
still shocked that he only had eyes for me. Pulling the chair out beside me and twisting it backwards, he placed his empty bag of Cheetos down and then kissed me. He tasted cheesy but I kissed him back.

“Sup, babe?”

“Uh . . .  nothing. You don’t seem very mad.”

“Eh.” He shrugged as he kissed my cheek.
“Got over it. I can’t really stay mad at you. Plus I know that you’ve cooled down.”

“N
ot really, Bryson. Sara said she gave you her number. You don’t really plan on calling or texting her, do you?”

His eyes narrowed before softening. “Why would I call her?”

“I don’t know. She said you were supposed to be getting some answers from her or something. I don’t know.” I waved it off because I was starting to feel like I sounded stupider with each question and response.

“Nat, how many times do I have to tell you that you don’t need to
worry? We’re friends. Nothing else. You’re my girlfriend. You’re worth more than any girl in this school. I love you, alright? Get it through your big head.”

Blushing, I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again. I’d fallen for
one of his stupid pick-up lines, as always. “Got some chips for me?” he asked, glancing down at my brown paper bag.

“No. M
ark stole them.”

“Oh, come on. You gonna make me starve
, babe?”

I prepared my lips to tease him back but then Sara appeared behind him. I scowled up at her and Bryson looked at me with a confused glare before lookin
g over his shoulder and seeing her.

“Oh, hey, what’s up?” he asked
.

“I have the homework that you asked for.” She held
out a sheet of paper and he turned around completely to take it.

“
Holy shit. Thank you. You rock for this!”

“No she doesn’t,” Grace muttered. Sara looked up and scowled as we giggled.

“No problem. Mrs. Mitchell moves fast and I hear that we have a test this Thursday,” she said, trying to ignore us. “Let me know if you want to hook up and study. We can totally make that happen.”

“Yeah.
Sure,” Bryson said, a little too enthusiastically.

With a wink, Sara twirled around and met up with her minions. I watc
hed her trail out of the cafeteria before turning to look at Bryson.

“Kidding, right?”

“It’s just homework, Nat. Chill.”

“And flirting,” I added with a sigh.

“Yeah, I completely agree on the flirting,” Grace butted in from behind me.

My lips pressed as I looked at him. “Believe whatever you want to believe, Nat. I don’t have the time for it. I’ll catch you
in a bit.”

As he walked away, each step
whipped at my emotions. I was aggravated, flustered, pissed. He was really making me mad by acting like it was no big deal. But I guess he was right. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe he really was doing it for the homework and the answers. I had to act like the bigger person so for the rest of that day, I brushed Sara and her dirty looks off. I kissed Bryson with a little too much passion when I saw him and held onto him in the parking lot after school so she wouldn’t dare come up to him.

I was a
bit of a jealous girlfriend but only when it came to Sara. Any other girl, I didn’t really care or feel threatened by. But with Sara, I would do all that I could just so she wouldn’t get a chance to talk to him.

The next day was
worse.

Chapter Four

“So, g
uys, I’m having a party Friday night. Mom’s going out of town so you know what that means.” Bryson nudged Mark’s side and Mark laughed as they pounded fists.

“Hell yes!
Right on time, too. I got that Madison chick to give me her number this morning.”

“Oh yeah?”
Bryson asked. “Well you gotta get some of that at the party, man.”

Grace and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes. “Y’all are
seriously disgusting,” she said.

Shrugging, M
ark and Bryson stood from the table and pushed their chairs in. “I’ll see you later, babe,” Bryson said in my ear before kissing my cheek. I nodded as I watched him walk away. Grace and I talked until the lunch bell rang, giving us the signal to get back to class. I would usually see Bryson after lunch and he’d walk me to class but it was unusual that I didn’t.

My next two classes were Spanish 3 and English. Those were the highlight classes of my day because they went
by fast and were the most enjoyable. During English class I tried focusing but it didn’t work. I found myself staring out of the window thinking about Bryson and his offish behavior. That was my favorite class but that day sucked and I just couldn’t get it together.

Bry
son had Weightlifting for his last period and the football players jogged around the entire school as a part of their work out. I saw a few players run by as I looked out of the window and I sat up in my seat, hoping that I would see Bryson. With each passing person, I began to get more and more worried. Mark was the last person to go by and Bryson always ran with Mark. It was giving me a bad vibe. Why wasn’t he with Mark? Where the hell was he? He never skipped out on that class.